End Of Your ‘Rope’? [v212]

OCTOBER 2016

End Of Your ‘Rope’?

There is an old story of a man who was walking along a narrow path in the mountains just enjoying the scenery and not paying much attention to where he was going. Suddenly, he stepped too close to the edge of the path and fell over. In desperation he reached out and grabbed a limb of a gnarly old tree hanging onto the side of the cliff.

Full of fear, he assessed his situation. He was about 100 feet down the shear cliff and about 900 feet from the floor of the canyon below. Realizing that he couldn’t hang on for long, he cries out: “Help me! Help me!” But there was no answer. Again and again he cried out, but to no avail.

Finally, he yelled, “Is anybody up there?”
A deep voice from the clouds replied, “Yes.”
The man looked around, couldn’t see anyone. So, he said, “Who is this?”
The voice replied, “This is God.”
After a moment, the man asked, “God, can you please help me?”
God replied, “Do you trust Me?”
The man responds, “I trust You completely, God.”
“Good…then let go,” God replied.
Looking around the man became full of panic. “What?! Are you kidding me?”
God said, “Let go. I will catch you.”
The man was silent for a minute, then he called out, “Uh, is there anyone else up there?”

 

While doing research for this ‘post’, I happened upon a small booklet by an author I admire—Chuck Swindoll—and it addressed everything I was thinking about saying. So, I thought I would summarize it here for you—but I strongly suggest you get it for yourself, because it is so ‘rich’ and it provides many more details ( https://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Trust-Charles-R-Swindoll/dp/1400320100/ ).

 

The Bible psalmist David inspires us in his trust in God. Though he was hunted and hounded by his enemies—even though God promised him that he was the anointed king-elect—he still said, “When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You…I shall not be afraid” [ Psalm 56:3-4 ].

David wanted God’s will to be accomplished in his life, and he trusted God to show him the way through his difficulties, over the rugged ‘rocks’ of life to the smooth ‘highway’.

But, what about those times when we trust in God yet disaster strikes? We are tempted to doubt, and question “why”? We ask, “God, if You are my safety, why am I in this situation?”

Well, God will trust each of us with our own set of unfair circumstances and unexplained experiences to deal with. So, the question is, will you still trust Him even if He never tells you why? What a profound thought!

The secret to responsible trust is ‘acceptance’—taking from God’s ‘hand’ absolutely anything He gives, knowing that the ‘confinement’ you’re in has been allowed by Him, He has it all under control—and it’s for your good!

Christianity is all about trusting God, not our selves—resting all of our ‘weight’ on God. My “life verse,” Proverbs 3:5-6, instructs us to, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” In other words, Quaker author and theologian, Elton Trueblood, put it: “Faith is not belief without proof, but trust without reservation.” Though our circumstances may not change, in the process we change!

Christian pastor and teacher, Andrew Murray, said it like this: “First, He brought me here. It is by His will I am in this strait place: in that fact I will rest. Next, He will keep me here in His love, and give me grace to behave as His child. Then, He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me the lessons He intends me to learn, and working in me the grace He means to bestow. Last, in His good time He can bring me out again—how and when He knows.” [ Murray also is famous for saying: “Let me say I am here, 1) By God’s appointment; 2) In His keeping; 3) Under His training; 4) For His time.” ].

If one ‘surrenders’ all to God, He give us His peace. The prophet Isaiah said it this way: “The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You.”

 

“We are all faced with a series of great opportunities, brilliantly disguised as unsolvable problems.” However, you will find that the more ‘impossible’ the situation, the greater God accomplishes His work.

The Bible tells of a story of a man named Job, in which he lost everything—his home, all 10 of his children, and his health. However, remarkably, his first response to God was: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.” WOW!!! How was he able to respond like this? Well, he saw the sovereign love of God, and reminded himself of God’s promise that ‘in the end’ it will all be made right. He also realized that in his suffering, God had ‘instructed’ him in ways that would not have happened any other way. Like a piece of clay, Job was willing to place himself in the ‘hands’ of the Master Potter, in essence saying, “Do what you please with me. I trust You wholeheartedly!”

Job’s response was rare then, and is rare today (I’m not sure I would have been so ‘compliant’). We all want comfort and security—but sometimes, that’s not what God wants us to have. He wants us to be ‘dependent’ upon Him! Be assured that when God is ‘in’ your circumstance, and you come upon a dangerous ‘place’, He will deliver the wisdom, protection, relief, or internal fortification you need just when you need it!

The thing is, if you panic and ‘run away’, you short-circuit God from ‘showing up’ and doing something for you that no person can do for you. So, stand firm, believe God can do it! Give Him the opportunity to perform those 11th-hour ‘miracles’. God will honor your trust in Him with divine deliverance!

 

Just know that God ‘personally’ cares about the things that worry us—probably more than we do! The apostle Peter emphasizes this by saying that we should “cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you” [ Peter 5:7 ]. This gets us back to Proverbs 3:5-6, which has a ‘before’ part and an ‘after’ part.

First we must trust Him, relying ‘totally’ on Him, letting Him take the lead, taking over the ‘controls’—all without reservation! Then, He will take care of the barriers and obstacles, and make your ‘path’ smooth. If we do our ‘part’, He’ll do His ‘part’. The impossible will become possible!

Now, just to be clear, this does not mean everything will go your way, and turn out in your favor. But, when you look back after the fact, you will realize that you could not have come up with a better plan! When you trust God completely, you will enjoy an inner ‘quietness’—surrounded by His peace!

 

All this to say that when we truly trust God sovereignty, we should not worry about a thing—since He’s ‘got it’. Jesus mentioned this six times in His “Sermon on the Mount” [ Matthew 6 ]. I’m thinking that He knew we were prone to do this, and wanted to assure His ‘followers’ that they didn’t have to distracted by it—since is keeps you from enjoying what you have; forget your worth; it’s a complete waste of energy and solves nothing; it erases the promises of God from your mind; and it’s the character of a non-believer, not the Christian (God’s ‘children’).

So then, what should you do when worry comes ‘knocking on your door’? The apostle Matthew said that the first thing we should do is ‘set’ our minds on Jesus: “Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you” [ Matthew 6:33 ].

So, what are these “things”? Well, it says, “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’” [ Matthew 6:31 ].

In addition to that, Jesus mentioned that we should live one day at a time—only today. Turn of the century clergyman, Robert Burdette, said it well like this:

“There are two days in the week upon which and about which I never worry—two carefree days kept sacredly free from fear and apprehension. One of these days is Yesterday. Yesterday, with its cares and frets and pains and aches, all its faults, its mistakes and blunders, has passed forever beyond my recall. It was mine; it is God’s.

The other day that I do not worry about is Tomorrow. Tomorrow, with all its possible adversities, its burdens, its perils, its large promise and performance, its failures and mistakes, is as far beyond my mastery as its dead sister, Yesterday. Tomorrow is God’s day; it will be mine.

There is left, then, for myself but one day in the week—Today. Any man can fight the battles of today. Any woman can carry the burdens of just one day; any man can resist the temptation of today. It is only when we willfully add the burdens of these two awful eternities—Yesterday and Tomorrow—such burdens as only the Mighty God can sustain—that we break down.

It isn’t the experience of Today that drives men mad. It is the remorse of what happened Yesterday and fear of what Tomorrow might bring. These are God’s Days…Leave them to Him.”

 

So, even though we shouldn’t ‘worry’ about what will happen to us, God will allow ‘struggles’ and difficulties that we might have worried about that would happen. But, this is God’s way of making us become more increasingly committed to Him. Just remember, when you don’t get what you want, but get what you need, that is the height of happiness—and you will be wonderfully contented. In addition to that, God just might be ‘leading’ you somewhere. So, don’t try to make sense of it, just go!

Often God’s provisions are just enough, at the right time, so don’t fail to thank Him for it!

 

You might be going through some of the hardest times of your life, and may be wondering, “Why?” “Why me?” “Why this trial?” Well, back in the first century, the apostle James was talking to the Christians then (and us now) that were enduring great persecution from the Romans, and he said this: “Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him” [ James 1:12 ]. He was saying that God will give you a special measure of ‘insight’ and ‘favor’ during these times, and that you will learn something that you would not have learned otherwise. Again, God ‘encourages’ us by saying, “In those dark, seemingly endless periods of ‘angst’, just trust Me. Stop running scared. Stop fearing the worst! I am with you, and will not forsake you! If I can’t meet your need, what kind of a God would I be? Just trust Me.”

Poet, Annie Johnson, expressed it like this:

“Pressed out of measure and pressed to all length.
Pressed so intensely it seems beyond strength;
Pressed in the body and pressed in the soul,
Pressed in the mind till the dark surges roll;
Pressed by foes, and pressured by friends;
Pressure on pressure, till life nearly ends;
Pressed into loving the staff and the rod,
Pressed into knowing no helper but God.”

 

Now, I’m not saying that you should just ‘stuff’ all your worries because God says you shouldn’t worry, but you should tell Him all about it, and after that, leave it up to Him. The thing is, sometimes God answers with a “yes,” sometimes a “no,” and many times it’s “wait.” Sometimes God says “no” or “wait” because of your selfishness, or you have some unconfessed sin. Most of the time it depends on the desire ‘behind’ the petition—the reason you are asking for it. It also might be that it is not in His ‘will’ for your life, or that it’s a lack of faith on your part.

Dr. Bing Hunter wrote this about waiting on God:

“God’s delay in giving answers seems to be a major way He encourages faith. Having seen that He is faithful following prayer over a week, you find it easier to trust Him for ten days, Seeing the answer to persistence after a month, strengthens me to wait in faith even longer for another month. The implication of this—no matter how many instant prayers God may be pleased to give along the way—is that Christians will never arrive at a faith plateau where they trust God just enough.”

Waiting on God ‘forces’ us to trust Him—it’s kind of like an exercise program for our faith ‘muscles’. God is constantly saying to us, “I know what I am doing. You can trust Me.”

 

Faith can sometimes be a bit ‘fickle’. Most of the time it seems that we are ‘confident’ of our faith until: we lose our health; we don’t have the money to pay all the bills that are due; we lose our job; or until a family member or spouse passes away. So, how do we learn to have ‘consistent’ faith?

The apostle James writes about this in the Bible: “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” [ James 1:2-4 ]. “Endurance” is what long-term faith is all about—that you might know how really ‘confident’ you can be! Trusting God is not about little ‘bursts’ of faith, but a regular ‘habit’ of living.

There’s a book in the Bible (Hebrews 11) that is referred to as the “Hall of Faith” or the “Faith Hall of Fame. It is an impressive list of ‘heroic’ people from the Old Testament who ‘got through’ tremendous challenges to their faith (Abel; Enoch; Noah; Abraham; Sarah; Isaac; Jacob; Joseph; Moses; Joshua; Rahab; Gideon; Barak; Samson; Jephthah; David; and Samuel). [ Also listed ‘anonymously’ in other parts of Hebrews 11 are probably Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Hezekiah, the Widow of Zaraphath, the Shunammite women, Elijah, Elisha, Jeremiah, Zechariah, and Isaiah ].

You see, though these people went through hard times, they simply believed that God was ‘with them’ in the situation, and they trusted that He would see them through. The result was God being ‘pleased’ with them.

 

You may also find that when you finally determine to totally trust God in a situation, the odds are really against you. They don’t ever seem to be in your favor. Otherwise, there’s really no need to trust God, is there? But, if you can’t handle it yourself, then you’ve got the possibility of a really exciting ‘moment’ in your life!

Another thing to know about all this, is that the outcome is not always ‘pleasant’. God never promised us a “rose garden.” Faith doesn’t necessarily change the circumstances—but it definitely ‘changes’ you! The thing is, God is more interested in your ‘character’ than your ‘comfort’!

But, the one thing God does say about a ‘confident’ faith, is that it “pleases” Him (Hebrews 11:6). So, relax! Stop worrying about the tests to come. Learn to say, “Lord, this is Your battle, and I’m going to wait as long as it is necessary to You to do the impossible!”

When God sees this kind of faith, He ‘smiles’ and responds, “I’m ready to support you. Cast all your cares on Me—I will sustain you” (Psalm 55:22). He ‘stands’ ready to “support those whose heart is completely His” (2 Chronicles 16:9).

 

Is there something you are trusting God to ‘fulfill’ that He hasn’t done so yet? I’ve got to believe that you’ve been waiting longer than you thought you would have to wait. God’s ‘timetable’ is definitely different than ours, know that while He is bringing things to pass, He remains in control of all of the ‘details’. He has taken full ‘responsibility’ for His plan for you, and He is just waiting for you to rest in His rulership and reign in your life.

We all need to come to a place where we totally resign ourselves to God, and when we finally embrace His sovereignty, we will find that confidence increases, insecurities fade, worries decrease, and calmness replaces striving. Our all-knowing, all-wise God reigns in realms beyond our comprehension, and will bring about his plan for us that is beyond our ability to hinder, alter, or stop!

St. Augustine said it like this: “We count on God’s mercy for our past mistakes; we count on God’s love for our present needs; but we count on God’s sovereignty for the future.”

 

As Christians, we are NOT in the ‘hands’ of blind fate! We are in the ‘arms’ of a loving God whose purposes are clearly set forth, and Who is in charge of everything!

English journalist, poet and hymn writer, John Oxenham, put it this way:

“He writes in characters too grand
For our short sight to understand;
We catch but broken strokes, and try
To fathom all the mystery
Of withered hopes, of death, of life,
The endless war, the useless strife—
But there, with larger, clearer sight,
We shall see this—His way was right.”

 

It’s not easy to trust God in times of adversity. But, NOT TO TRUST Him is to doubt His sovereignty and to question His goodness. In order to trust God, we must view our adverse circumstances through eyes of faith, not our senses. It is only through Scripture, applied to our hearts by the Holy Spirit, that we receive the grace to trust God in everything.

Being a distinctive Christian—one whose life reflects a quiet peace and calm assurance because they have cultivated a ‘perfect’ trust in God—frees us up to be what pastor and author A. W. Tozer described:

“He feels supreme love for the One whom he has never seen; talks familiarly every day to Someone he cannot see; expects to go to heaven on the virtue of Another; empties himself in order to be full; admits he is wrong so he can be declared right; goes down in order to get up; is strongest when he is weakest; richest when he is poorest and happiest when he feels the worst.

He dies so he can live; forsakes in order to have; gives away so he can keep; sees the invisible; hears the inaudible’ and knows that which passeth understanding.”

 

It is my prayer that you will be able to trust God not only in the ‘pit’ of dire circumstances, but also on the ‘pinnacle’ of abundance and success! Wait on God’s provision—rather than rushing ahead and messing things up!

 

[ Excerpts from: Charles Swindoll ]

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RECONCILIATION PRAYER TO GOD:
If you would like to ‘give’ your life to Jesus, you can do it right now—right where you are. There’s no magical words to say, you just need to believe in your ‘heart’ that God’s own Son, Jesus Christ, is God in the flesh, rose from the dead, and is alive today—and when He died on the cross, He took your place as your substitute sacrifice for your sins. If you sincerely believe this, then admit you are a sinner, confess your sins, and that you will trust Jesus alone for your salvation, committing your life to His service.

You could say something like the following (in your own words if you would like):

Dear Lord Jesus,
I understand that I am a sinner, and I can’t save myself. I sincerely repent of my sins, and ask You for forgiveness and mercy. I believe that You died on the cross as my substitute, paying my sin debt in full so that I could receive Your forgiveness and have eternal life. I ask You to come into my life right now and become my personal Savior. From this day forward, I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and ask you to send the Holy Spirit into my life, to take control, and guide me be the kind of person you want me to be. Give me a ‘new beginning’, and help me to live for You. Amen.

 

RESOURCES:

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“Perfect Trust”
By: Charles R. Swindoll

Learn how to rest in God’s peace while you develop perfect trust.

Beloved Bible teacher and bestselling author Charles Swindoll offers fresh, original insights in this wonderful sequel to Intimacy with the Almighty. He encourages readers to discover a more meaningful, intimate relationship with God by learning to trust Him more completely. This classic favorite is revised with an elegant updated design and powerful new quotes that go right to the heart. With his unique, uplifting writing style, Swindoll helps those navigating life’s most difficult obstacles to pursue the path that leads to power, blessing, and peace.

https://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Trust-Charles-R-Swindoll/dp/1400320100/

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“When God is Silent: Choosing to Trust in Life’s Trials”
by Charles R. Swindoll

This positive book of encouragement and hope is compiled from text in the newly released Job by best-selling author Charles Swindoll. His practical application of the Bible to everyday living makes God’s truths a reality to people experiencing loss, uncertainty, and doubt. This book will be directed at a broad audience of both genders.

The object is to create a book that will provide encouragement, comfort and direction for the matrix of modern life. Based on guidelines gleaned from the life of Job, the book will focus on:

a) Seven things Job teaches us about ourselves

b) Seven things Job teaches us about God

https://www.amazon.com/When-God-Silent-Choosing-Trials/dp/1404101470/

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“Just Enough Light for the Step I’m On: Trusting God in the Tough Times”
By: Stormie Omartian

Thousands of readers have been touched with the encouraging message found in Stormie Omartian’s bestselling book Just Enough Light for the Step I’m On (over 350,000 sold) and its companion book, A Devotional Prayer Journey, which warmly invited readers to record answers to prayer and create a beautiful keepsake of God’s tender mercies. Now the book and journal have been combined.

Insights from the book and interactive questions offer readers a way to gently focus their thoughts as they consider the events in their journeys of faith. Whether as a gift or a personal keepsake, this new edition of Just Enough Light for the Step I’m On will be a valuable part of a devotional prayer time with the One who guides and leads.

https://www.amazon.com/Just-Enough-Light-Step-Im-ebook/dp/B004PYE0VW/

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“Why?: Trusting God When You Don’t Understand”
By: Anne Graham Lotz

Called “the best preacher in the family,” by her father, Billy Graham, Anne Graham Lotz speaks around the globe with the wisdom and the authority of years spent studying God’s Word. In her latest book, Anne shares her heart and God’s teachings on the universal problem of suffering.

Drawing her characteristically keen insights from the familiar story of Lazarus in the ninth and eleventh chapters of the Gospel of John, Anne offers Jesus’ reassuring answers to our heartfelt cries for understanding:

Why doesn’t God care?
Why does He let these things happen?
Why me?
Why doesn’t God answer my prayers?
Why didn’t He protect me?
Why doesn’t He perform a miracle?
Why? helps us understand and deal with suffering while guiding us to the ultimate answer–the Savior who shares our grief and our tears.

https://www.amazon.com/Why-Trusting-When-Dont-Understand/dp/0849917867/

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“Waiting on God: Strength for Today and Hope for Tomorrow”
By: Charles F. Stanley

Trusted Pastor Dr. Charles Stanley offers words of comfort and patience to anyone waiting for answered prayers.

Are you waiting for God to answer your prayers? Do the days, weeks and years go by without evidence that your deepest longings could ever come true? If so, you’re not alone. In fact, you are facing a common faith-building challenge in the Christian life, and this book has the guidance you need to endure victoriously.

God has very special plans for your life, and the way He most often prepares you for them is through times of directed, active, purposeful waiting. So through timeless, biblical teaching, Dr. Stanley gives you the practical wisdom you need to make the most of the delays and follow God’s lead to the blessings you long for.

With counsel for staying on track when the tunnel is getting dark, claiming God’s promises, and finding purpose in the waiting, Dr. Stanley draws on personal experience and biblical principles to offer you encouragement and guidance no matter where you are in your spiritual journey.

https://www.amazon.com/Waiting-God-Strength-Today-Tomorrow-ebook/dp/B00KE4IT2S/

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“God is in Control”
By: Charles F. Stanley

We live in a world of questions: What does…? Who knows…? Why is…?. Fortunately, we also live in a world with the answer — a wise and all-knowing Father.

God Is In Control is inspired by a series of fresh messages from pastor and best-selling author Charles Stanley. His powerful message is simply that we can recognize, appreciate and rely on God’s sovereignty even when our whole world seems out of control. God is always at work for His beloved. In addition, Stanley blesses the reader with his own nature photography, offering unique glimpses of the natural beauty crafted by our very own Creator.

Whether a graduate, parent or simply someone going through a challenging time, Charles Stanley offers direction, trust and hope. Let him show you how blessed we are to have a God who is always in control.

https://www.amazon.com/God-Control-Dr-Charles-Stanley/dp/B003GAN3U0/

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“What Are You Afraid Of?: Facing Down Your Fears with Faith”
By: David Jeremiah

For many people, worry, anxiety, and fear are constant companions: fear of death, fear of danger, fear of disease. And too often, these fears are crippling, keeping us from the life God has called us to live.

But it doesn’t have to be that way, says Dr. David Jeremiah. As Christians, we have been given all we need in order to face down even the most frightening, unexpected, and overwhelming obstacles in life.

In his new book, What Are You Afraid Of? Dr. Jeremiah explores the top ten fears that are holding so many of us back from the life God has called us to live and shares the supernatural secrets for facing down these fears with faith.

https://www.amazon.com/What-Are-You-Afraid-Facing/dp/1414380461/

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“God, Help Me Overcome My Circumstances: Learning to Depend More Fully on Him”
By: Michael Youssef

We all go through seasons of struggle and testing. Regardless of our faith and our faithfulness to the Lord, adversity comes to us all.

In God, Help Me Overcome My Circumstances, Michael Youssef draws principles from the book of Judges that help us understand how our difficult seasons of life lead to spiritual growth and maturity. We may fear and dislike the circumstances we are in, but they are temporary and serve a positive purpose. They are meant to…

…unmask our pride in our own abilities
…break down our self-sufficiency
…reinforce our utter dependence on God

Dr. Youssef reminds us that when setbacks come, it’s not time to fear or question why. It’s time to recommit ourselves in faith to God and learn to depend more fully on Him.

https://www.amazon.com/God-Help-Me-Overcome-Circumstances/dp/0736955038/

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“Fear Not Tomorrow, God Is Already There: Trusting Him in Uncertain Times”
By: Ruth Graham

Ruth Graham empathizes with readers who feel inadequate, outnumbered, overpowered, overwhelmed, or even beyond hope. As she honestly admits, she’s experienced all these emotions. But in the midst of the rough patches in her life, she experienced the depth of God’s mercy. In Fear Not Tomorrow, God Is Already There, Graham shows the tremendous assurance of discovering that God can truly be trusted as our ultimate caretaker. He does have a plan for all His children, and He provides us with the tools we need to flourish when our world turns upside down.

Ruth Graham’s strength as a speaker and writer is found in her vulnerable transparency. Writing not from an ivory tower of theological discourse, but from the battlefields of her own personal struggles, Ruth sheds light on her own life experiences, growing up as a Graham, faltering in difficult challenges, yet always landing in the open arms of a welcoming heavenly father. Drawing on the troubled lives of relatable Bible figures, Fear Not Tomorrow, God Is Already There awakens readers to have the courage to face uncertainties with true confidence in God. This is an essential volume for everyone.

https://www.amazon.com/Fear-Not-Tomorrow-Already-There/dp/1416558438/

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“Trusting God: Even When Life Hurts”
By: Jerry Bridges

In an effort to strengthen his own trust in God during a time of adversity, Navigator author Jerry Bridges began a lengthy Bible study on God’s sovereignty. The revelations changed his life. In Trusting God, Jerry shares the scope of God’s power to help you come to know Him better, have a relationship with Him, and trust Him more―even when unjust things happen. Tragedy, grief, loss, and death are part of life. Discover how Trusting God can reveal biblical truths about God.

https://www.amazon.com/Trusting-God-Even-When-Hurts/dp/1600063055/

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“Trusting God When Times Are Tough”
By: Ed Hindson

No matter what you may be facing, God is there to help you. This message resonates throughout this encouraging resource from respected author and Bible teacher Ed Hindson. In an inspiring new chapter about his recent personal illness and brush with death, Hindson compassionately communicates how God’s grace does not keep us from hardships but helps us through our tough times.

As readers struggling with rejection, guilt, fear, depression, temptation, disappointment, and more realize that God is always near, they will begin to…

…face crises with confidence
…turn problems into opportunities
…conquer anxiety, stress, and feelings of failure
…set realistic goals for change
…rest in God’s strength in every situation

A strong, biblical resource that offers a new outlook on life’s disappointments and hurts. Includes a special reference guide that looks at key difficulties people face and the Bible’s answers to those problems.

https://www.amazon.com/Trusting-God-When-Times-Tough/dp/0736937331/

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“It Will be Okay: Trusting God Through Fear and Change”
By: Lysa TerKeurst

In the end, it will be okay because God is always with us.

Whether we like it or not, growing up brings change. For many children, this conjures fears that are sometimes real and sometimes imagined. How can kids learn that even when they face new and unfamiliar situations, they don’t have to be afraid?

Little Seed and Little Fox are facing changes and brand new circumstances—and they don’t like it one bit! Through this unlikely friendship, children will discover that no matter how new or fearful their circumstances, God is always with them. The whimsical art by Natalia Moore will put a smile on kids’ faces and put their minds at ease. Just as Little Seed and Little Fox learn to trust that the Farmer is good and kind, children will also learn to trust God.

Written by New York Times bestselling author Lysa TerKeurst, It Will Be Okay will help kids discover that the end, it really will be okay because we have a God who is good and kind and always with us.

https://www.amazon.com/Will-Okay-Trusting-Through-Change/dp/140032419X/

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“Trusting God to Get You Through: How to Trust God through the Fire—Lessons I’ve Learned about Grace, Loss, and Love”
By: Jason Crabb

More than anything else, this book is about an amazing God who reaches down and touches ordinary lives. It is a testimony of all He has done for Jason Crabb’s family and for the people he has been privileged to meet throughout the years on the road. He wrote this book because every soul walks through the fire of adversity. Most of us have walked that plank several times. Whether the life of your dreams is unfolding before your eyes, or you are losing hope that it ever will, you have tasted a trial or two. No human being with breath in his lungs can say, “Difficulty has never darkened my doorstep.” You may have entirely different life experiences than Jason. Yet, when you look in the rearview mirror, you can see the high points and low points of days gone by. The important thing–the truly amazing thing–is that like Jason you came through all of it. There may be a scar or two to remind us of the past, but the past is behind us. Jason Crabb wants you to know that you came through it for a reason. There is something God is yet going to do with you. The important things to remember is that you can go through the fire with God’s help.

https://www.amazon.com/Trusting-God-Get-You-Through/dp/1616381744/

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“The Joy of Trusting God: Character You Can Count On”
By: Bill Bright

Trusting God is a matter of knowing God. Dr. Bill Bright offers insights for discovering God’s commitment toward us, his integrity, his great love! In recognizing these things, and with the Bible as evidence, you can come to know him on a deeper level where trust is formed.

Dr. Bright presents this subject with tremendous understanding, as he spent more than 50 years trusting God in the founding and development of one of the world’s most effective ministries, Campus Crusade for Christ Intl., and the JESUS film, which has brought the Gospel to innumerable Third-World countries and salvation to millions.

https://www.amazon.com/Joy-Trusting-God-Character-abridged/dp/078144246X/

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“The Father of Israel: Trusting God’s Promises”
By: John MacArthur

Abraham is known as the “father of Israel” because God appeared to him and promised that his progeny would become “a great nation.” Yet Abraham is much more than the patriarch of a select group of ancient people. Through Abraham’s descendants, God’s old Son, Jesus, was born. Abraham is the father of all God’s people, whether born Jew or Gentile.

The Father of Israel takes an in-depth look at the historical period beginning with Abraham’s call from God, continuing through his relocating adventures, and concluding with the story of his grandsons Jacob and Esau. Studies include close-ups of Sarah, Isaac, and others, as well as careful considerations of doctrinal themes, such as “Covenant and Obedience” and “Trusting Everything to God.”

This twelve-volume MacArthur Old Testament Study Guide series provides intriguing twelve-week examinations of the entire Old Testament. Each guide looks at a portion of Scripture from three perspectives – historical studies, character studies and thematic studies – and incorporates extensive commentary, detailed observations on overriding themes, and probing questions to help you study the Old Testament with guidance from John MacArthur.

https://www.amazon.com/Father-Israel-Trusting-MacArthur-Testament/dp/1418533238/

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“FRUITS OF THE BEATITUDES” WEB SITE
(The ATTITUDES of Jesus that produce the CHARACTER of Jesus)

CLICK ON THE LINK to view:
http://fruitsofthebeatitudes.org/

FACEBOOK PAGE:
https://www.facebook.com/FruitsOfTheBeatitudes/

[ Mark Besh ]

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[ P.S.: If you would like to investigate further what it really means to “believe” and “trust” God, visit the following link:
http://4vis.com/sfm/sfm_pres/sp_q10_d4_1of10.html ].

 

LIFE’S DEEP THOUGHTS (v212) for OCTOBER 2016
If you have a ‘neat’ story or some thoughts about an issue or current event that you would like me to try to respond to, I would be glad to give it a try…so, send them to me at: mbesh@comcast.net

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“HOW CAN I LEARN TO TRUST IN GOD?”

We cannot trust someone we don’t know, and that is the secret of learning to trust God. When someone says, “Trust me,” we have one of two reactions. Either we can say, “Yes, I’ll trust you,” or we can say, “Why should I?” In God’s case, trusting Him naturally follows when we understand why we should.

The main reason we should trust God is that He is worthy of our trust. Unlike men, He never lies and never fails to fulfill His promises. “God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” (Numbers 23:19; Psalm 89:34). Unlike men, He has the power to bring to pass what He plans and purposes to do. Isaiah 14:24 tells us, “The LORD Almighty has sworn, ‘Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will stand.’” Furthermore, His plans are perfect, holy, and righteous, and He works all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His holy purpose (Romans 8:28). If we endeavor to know God through His Word, we will see that He is worthy of our trust, and our trust in Him will grow daily. To know Him is to trust Him.

We can learn to trust God as we see how He has proven Himself to be trustworthy in our lives and the lives of others. In 1 Kings 8:56 we read, “Praise be to the LORD, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses.” The record of God’s promises is there in His Word for all to see, as is the record of their fulfillment. Historical documents verify those events and speak of God’s faithfulness to His people. Every Christian can give personal testimony to God’s trustworthiness as we see His work in our lives, fulfilling His promises to save our souls and use us for His purposes (Ephesians 2:8-10) and comfort us with the peace that passes all understanding as we run the race He has planned out for us (Philippians 4:6-7; Hebrews 12:1). The more we experience His grace, faithfulness, and goodness, the more we trust Him (Psalm 100:5; Isaiah 25:1).

A third reason to trust God is that we really have no sensible alternative. Should we trust in ourselves or in others who are sinful, unpredictable, unreliable, have limited wisdom, and who frequently make bad choices and decisions swayed by emotion? Or do we trust in the all-wise, all-knowing, all-powerful, gracious, merciful, loving God who has good intentions for us? The choice should be obvious, but we fail to trust God because we don’t know Him. As already stated, we cannot hope to trust in someone who is essentially a stranger to us, but that is easily remedied. God has not made Himself difficult to find or know. All we need to know about God, He has graciously made available to us in the Bible, His holy Word to His people. To know God is to trust Him.

[ Got Questions? ]

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“WHAT DOES ‘TRUSTING GOD’ MEAN?”

Trust is not one of my strong suits.

I could try to blame my struggle on not knowing enough trustworthy people, but I know the problem is rooted in me . . . in my desire to protect myself and in my fear of getting hurt or let down. I know that not trusting others is one of my defense mechanisms. Whenever I’m faced with an issue requiring trust, I skip right over it and jump into evaluation mode. I think to myself, “If I can gain a comprehensive knowledge of the problem, perhaps I’ll master it and escape trusting altogether.” (Sounds like a guy named Gideon, doesn’t it?)

My issue with trust isn’t new; my attempts to grow in this area aren’t new either. I’ve studied the word trust thoroughly, but my studies didn’t make me feel much better about trusting. I discovered that trust is about having tremendous confidence in someone or something, depending on someone or something for help. A lovely thought but not very encouraging. I also learned that real trust assumes that the one whom we trust demonstrates a fortified character of honesty, fairness, truthfulness, justice, morality, ethics, and consistency. By this time, if you’re like me, you’re thinking, “There’s no way! No one and nothing is that trustworthy!”

Here’s the conflict: Scripture says that there absolutely is someone that trustworthy. God’s Word calls us to trust in our heavenly Father without reservation, believing that He will sustain us and cause all things to work for our good (Romans 8:28).

My defense mechanism of not trusting others completely backfired when it came to God. You see, there is no stronger defense than Him. He is the answer to my struggle with trust—when I follow His call to trust, I discover that His character is fortified with honesty, fairness, faithfulness, truthfulness, and justice. He is the ultimate example of one who is moral, ethical, and consistent. He is unfaltering. He is dependable. Each time I trust Him, this truth settles deeper in my heart and my struggle with trusting grows less.

May I say today, I have learned that there is absolute freedom, joy, rest, and peace in trusting the sovereign, faithful Lord. I want you to know this freedom, joy, rest, and peace for yourself.

If I can trust God, I bet you can do it too. Come on, take the leap!

[ Colleen Swindoll Thompson ]

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“TRUSTING GOD IS EASIER THAN YOU THINK”

Some Christians seem to be able to trust God no matter what happens. Perhaps you feel like, “I could never have that kind of faith.” Are you sure about that? Don’t be too quick to sell yourself short on matters of faith. Here are 7 reasons why:

1) Anyone can have childlike faith.

Have you ever stopped to think about why it seems so easy for children to trust God? Now go to that place. Let go of all the “grown-up” barriers you have placed between yourself and God over the years. Trust Him the way a child is prone to trust a loving parent.

If you have ever been a child, you can have childlike faith. It is important that you get back there. You will need to unravel your misgivings about God and see Him as the loving Father that He is to all who know Him.

Can you see yourself trusting God again, or perhaps maybe for the first time?

2) Any believer can grow in faith.

Once you trust Jesus as your Savior, it’s off to the races. You begin a journey that never ends. But that doesn’t mean every believer is growing in his or her faith. Just because you “can grow” doesn’t mean you “will grow.”

Plants must be watered, and so must faith. The Holy Spirit will “water your faith” through the Word of God. The more you soak in Scripture, the more your faith will grow. The more you act on the Word and “do it,” the more your faith will grow. Spiritual growth involves God working upon our soul through His Word, and us responding to His message with a grateful heart that seeks to do His will.

What parent doesn’t love to see a child grow and mature? And God is pleased to see this happen with His children as well.

3) God loves you.

It sounds cliche, but let it sink in. Meditate on it. And know that the cross where Christ died is the demonstration of just how much God loves you. You can trust Him because He loves you. You can come near to Him because He loves you. You can serve Him because He loves you. Without the love of God, life is pointless and hopeless.

Jesus loves us so much He not only gave His life on the cross for our sins, but He is even “the author and perfecter of our faith.” (Hebrews 12:2) So that takes all the pressure off. You don’t have to try to “work up” a stronger faith. Simply trust Jesus, and you will find that God is giving you the faith to believe in Him and in His promises.

4) God’s faithfulness is greater than your circumstances.

How do you know when your faith is growing? When your faith is built on God’s character and faithfulness, rather than on your circumstances.

When we base our faith on our circumstances, we tend to only trust God as far as “the good times” can take us. But when our faith is growing, we begin to trust Him even in the difficult times. Why? Because we are beginning to learn that God hasn’t changed just because our circumstances have changed. And the more this reality of God’s faithfulness consumes our soul, the more peace and contentment we experience on a daily basis.

As the apostle Paul wrote, “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation.” (Philippians 4:12)

5) Your mental focus will help or hinder your faith.

You will only be able to trust God to the degree that you choose to think godly thoughts. That is a fact, and it is basically a law of the spiritual world. Your thought life and your faith are so interwoven that you probably don’t even recognize where one begins and the other ends.

No wonder Paul wrote, “We take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Cor. 10:5) Without the proper focus, it is impossible to live with much faith. We need to remember that faith can only be built on truth. It can never be built on spiritual lies. If the foundation of your “faith” is not the truth, then your “faith” is not a biblical faith.

How have things been going in your thought life? It’s tough isn’t it. The challenge to “think straight” is even greater than the challenge to “live straight.” In fact, straight living can only happen when straight thinking is taking place. That’s because one of the greatest “acts” of a Christian disciple is to think on things that are pure and wholesome.

This brings us once again to words which the Holy Spirit gave to Paul: “Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8)

Our faith will increase or decrease depending on our thought life. There is no getting around it.

6) You don’t have to believe everything you think.

OK. So an unhelpful thought popped into your head. It may have come from the world, or from your mind, or from something you encountered earlier in the day. But that doesn’t mean you have to believe it. Kick that thought to the curb and move on to wholesome thoughts. God wants to help us tremendously in this area, especially in our day where various comments and ideas are usually flying at us a mile a minute.

Think about the problems that are caused when people put all of their thoughts on Facebook or Twitter. It doesn’t take long before they wish they had not been so quick to post a particular comment.

Likewise, a person doesn’t have to believe every thought which enters his mind. Our thoughts need to be filtered. Eat the meat and spit out the bones. And if you are like most people, there will be plenty of bones to spit out on any given day.

7) The better you know God, the easier it is to trust Him.

Do you trust anyone you don’t know? The fact is that the better you know someone, the more you tend to trust that person. That is, if the person has been trustworthy. And when it comes to God, there are a million and one reasons to trust Him.

The more of those reasons you embrace as you get to know your Creator, the more you will find yourself trusting God. It’s not rocket science. If it were, most children and adults would not be able to have strong faith. We wouldn’t be smart enough. But genuine faith is built upon a foundation far more profound than rocket science.

God has made it relatively easy for us. He designed things in a way so that those who approach Him with childlike faith usually “get it.” Whereas those who approach God from a proud and “enlightened” perspective tend to miss Him completely.

Why else would Jesus say, “Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3) So you see. Trusting God really is easier than you think.

[ Dan Delzell ]

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“7 DAILY STEPS TO TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART”

Perhaps you’ve been told that as a Christian you must learn to “trust in the Lord with all your heart.” But this famous passage from Proverbs 3 contains more than just a general statement about living. Instead, you’ll find the steps you need each day to truly walk with God.

Follow these 7 daily steps to make sure you’re leaning on the Lord:

1. Don’t Depend on You
We live in a world where trust must be earned and seems to be in short supply. But Solomon, the famous king who wrote Proverbs, knew that trust is exactly where we must start:

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5)
Most of us have faced disappointments, which have taught us that we can only depend upon ourselves. But living the life God has called us to means unlearning that lesson. Instead, we’re meant to rest in God’s understanding.

We may know in our minds that He possesses all wisdom:

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!” Romans 11:33
But sometimes trusting Him completely like that can be tough. So, each day we must consciously lay aside our own plans and expectations—and surrender to His plans.

What if we don’t feel like we can trust Him like that? That’s where step 2 comes in…

2. Cry out to God
Surrendering to God begins with our lips and our thoughts. We need more than a commitment to depend on Him; we need to cry out to Him to show that dependence.

“in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:6)
When we pray, we admit that His ways are higher than ours. We show that we’re leaving our troubles and burdens and dreams in His capable hands. In fact, the Bible promises that when we reach out to Him in prayer, He hears us:

“Evening, morning, and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice. ” (Psalm 55:17)
We handed the keys of our lives to Him, and we know that He’s able to lead us. But in order for that to work, we have to…

3. Run from Evil
So much in this world can clutter up our relationship with God. John, the writer of the fourth gospel, describes them as the desires of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, and the pride in our lives (1 John 2:16). In other words, our blessings can easily become our stumbling blocks when we think of them as what we deserve or what we need to be happy.

Instead, life works best when we remember the true source of our blessings—God—and focus on the things that please Him:

“Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil.” (Proverbs 3:7)
Sometimes, the only way to live the life God wants us to live is by separating ourselves from the bad influences that keep dragging us down. That works the best when we start pursuing something else in their place:

“Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” (2 Timothy 2:22)
Is that easy? Not at all. Fleeing from the evil desires that pull at us means spending a lot of time crying out to God and leaning on Him. But our Creator promises to honor our commitment to Him when we shun evil:

“This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.” (Proverbs 3:8)
When we pursue Him, we find life—abundant life. Running from evil and pursuing God doesn’t come naturally to most of us. Instead, it means we have to make a serious change:

4. Put God First in Your Life
It’s easiest to put ourselves first. When something good happens, we want to congratulate ourselves with a reward. When something bad happens, we want to console ourselves or find someone to blame. In other words, we often have a “me-centric” starting place.

And when it comes to money, the struggle is even harder. But Solomon, who had quite a bit of wealth himself, knew that his money didn’t belong to him:

“Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.” (Proverbs 3:9–10)
If we can trust God with the first of our wealth, we’re truly showing how much we depend on Him. Handing over the first part of our paycheck takes a huge amount of faith, after all. But doing so means being God-centric.

To get there, though, make sure you…

5. Check Yourself by God’s Word
Let’s be honest. We aren’t so good at evaluating ourselves. We will go to great lengths to excuse our behavior, our actions, and our sins. Who needs a defense attorney when we can pretty much find a reason for any bad thing we do? The prophet Jeremiah captures this very well:

“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)
If we’re ever going to truly trust in God and flee evil, we have to know exactly where we stand. We have to find an objective measure that tells us the truth. And that truth comes from God and His Word.

Of course, that doesn’t mean we’ll always like what we see or how we see it:

“My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline and do not resent his rebuke” (Proverbs 3:11)
That’s right. Sometimes it takes something bad happening or seeing ourselves in a bad light before we finally admit that we need to change. And the more we’re in the Bible, the more likely this is to happen.

“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:11)
When we have Scripture planted firmly in our hearts, God will often use that to deal with us.

6. Listen to the Holy Spirit
When Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to the church, He told His disciples that this Counselor would be their spiritual compass or GPS:

“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” (John 14:26)
As we go through our day, this same Holy Spirit guides us, too. That means we don’t have to go it alone or hope we’re getting it right. No, the Holy Spirit leads us into all truth and protects us:

“Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.” (2 Timothy 1:14)
After all, the gift of the Holy Spirit to us believers reminds us that we can truly…

7. Rest in God’s Love
When we face a difficult world each day, we can sometimes wonder if God even cares. Why do bad things happen? Where is God when I need Him? Solomon reminds us that God never takes a break or leaves us to fend for ourselves:

“because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.” (Proverbs 3:12)
Even in the midst of turmoil, God sticks with us and uses those challenges to shape us. When we understand that, our perspective completely flips. No longer do we see our setbacks as failures; we see them as moments when God, as our loving Father, works on us.

And that’s exactly why we can trust in the Lord with all our hearts. He cares for us each and every day. He gives us what we need to thrive. He pours blessing after blessing upon us.

Of course, following each of these daily steps isn’t easy. That’s why Jesus said we have to deny ourselves and follow Him (Matthew 16:24). Trusting God takes a whole-hearted commitment from dawn till dusk. But we’re never alone in it:

“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20b).

[ “Bible Study Tools” web site ]

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“WHY WE CAN TRUST HIM”

Trust the Lord! It’s one of those sincere, but often trite-sounding, statements we may say when we are trying to encourage or challenge someone. We may throw it around when someone has a hope deferred. Trust the Lord.

We say it when someone is anxious about provision. We say it to the terrified young mom as she brings her first child home from the hospital. We say it, perhaps in a slightly different way, to the wife who has just lost her beloved husband. I’m praying for you. Lean on the Lord.

And when we are miserable with fear — fear of the future, fear of man, fear of tragedy — we often say, Trust the Lord.

Those little words do indeed pack a lot of truth, but what does it really mean to trust the Lord and how might our encouragement better point us to the One we can trust? In other words, yes, we want to trust the Lord, but why can we?

Learning on the Job
We can learn a lot about why we can trust God from the story of Job. In the midst of great trouble, Job had to trust the Lord. I can only imagine the fear he experienced as one horrible event happened after another.

If you remember the story of Job, then you know that he lost everything. And by “everything,” I mean everything that was of any importance to him. Job lost everything. At the end of his story, as he repents and sings great praise to God, Job proclaims, “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted” (Job 42:2).

Job suffered greatly, and, I imagine, he was very confused. His friends didn’t do a good job of comforting him; Job even called them “miserable comforters” (Job 16:2). But Job turned to God and was convinced of the wisdom of God, even in the midst of great pain and confusion.

Sovereign, Wise, and Loving
We get a glimpse of Job’s view of God when he says, “His wisdom is profound, his power is vast. Who has resisted him and come out unscathed?” (Job 9:4 NIV), and, “With God are wisdom and might; he has counsel and understanding” (Job 12:13). Job isn’t thinking about how he feels at the moment or even his current circumstances, though there is no problem with considering those things. Instead, Job realizes that in order to minister to his own heart he must remember the character of God — who God is, and why he can be trusted. Job doesn’t ignore his pain — but he does remember his King.

And what did God do? He restored Job and his fortunes. He gave him twice as much livestock as he had previously possessed and gave him more children: seven sons and three daughters. Job was restored to his family and friends. The Lord worked in unexpected ways. The end of Job almost reads like the familiar passage of triumph over pain in Romans 8. Job had learned a truth about God that one day would be uttered by the apostle Paul:

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died — more than that, who was raised — who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? . . . No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. (Romans 8:31–37)

God doesn’t do anything in his sovereign will that isn’t both wise and loving. If God is for you, who can be against you? We don’t trust God simply because someone tells us to. We trust God because he is God. He is holy and awesome and righteous in every way. We can trust God because we don’t serve a God who is only sovereign and wise. He is also infinitely loving.

God’s love is incomprehensible. We can’t fathom its depths, and when we try to compare our love to God’s, we fall awfully short. We’ve heard it said before, but it’s worth reflecting on the truth again and again, that God is love. And even though your present circumstances may not feel loving, as surely as you are in Christ, you are in his love.

When I am dreadfully fearful, I do want to be reminded to trust the Lord, even if it might sound trite to some. My mind is forgetful, and I want your help. Let’s point each other to trust in him and meditate on why we can trust him. God is worthy of our trust and adoration. Thankfully, he is also patient, slow to anger, and abounding in great love. He knows our weakness to trust and believe, and he encourages us to come to his throne of grace to receive help in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16).

Yes, yes, I want to trust the Lord.

[ Trillia Newbell – Desiring God web site]

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“TRUST IN YOU”

Letting go of every single dream
I lay each one down at Your feet
Every moment of my wandering
Never changes what You see

I’ve tried to win this war I confess
My hands are weary I need Your rest
Mighty Warrior, King of the fight
No matter what I face, You’re by my side

When You don’t move the mountains I’m needing You to move
When You don’t part the waters I wish I could walk through
When You don’t give the answers as I cry out to You
I will trust, I will trust, I will trust in You!

Truth is, You know what tomorrow brings
There’s not a day ahead You have not seen
So, in all things be my life and breath
I want what You want Lord and nothing less

When You don’t move the mountains I’m needing You to move
When You don’t part the waters I wish I could walk through
When You don’t give the answers as I cry out to You
I will trust, I will trust, I will trust in You!

You are my strength and comfort
You are my steady hand
You are my firm foundation; the rock on which I stand

Your ways are always higher
Your plans are always good
There’s not a place where I’ll go, You’ve not already stood

When You don’t move the mountains I’m needing You to move
When You don’t part the waters I wish I could walk through
When You don’t give the answers as I cry out to You
I will trust, I will trust, I will trust in You!

I will trust in You!
I will trust in You!
I will trust in You!

[ Lauren Daigle – “How Can It Be” album ]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_aVFVveJNs

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“UPS AND DOWNS OF CHRISTIAN LIFE—TRUSTING GOD IN HARD TIMES”

Christians Have their Ups and Downs so the Keys to Overcoming is to Never Lose Heart or Grow Weary

Sometimes there seems to be more month than money, and it is nerve-racking trying to figure out what bills to pay now, and which ones can wait another week. It can be frustrating prioritizing how much to spend on food, or gasoline, and if there is anything left over, how to allocate it—make an extra payment on a debt, rent a movie, get new shoes, or go to the dentist.

Perhaps there are things being left undone around the house, or with the car. One of the kids is behind in their schoolwork, or maybe there is tension with a co-worker on the job. God knows there are times of exasperation, discouragement, even feelings of despair. Sometimes life feels like a roller coaster of ups and downs, and other times like a merry-go-round, going around and around but seemingly getting nowhere.

Trusting God in hard times can certainly have its obstacles, but God’s Word encourages believers to persevere, and not to allow mental or physical weariness to prevail. Do not faint, do not lose heart, but, as Joshua 1:9 says, “Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

The adversary tries to wear people down, and especially Christians who are trying to do God’s will. The “course of this world” (Ephesians 2:2), in “this present evil age” (Galatians 1:4) causes erosion to people’s dreams and aspirations, just like streams of water running through a valley over the span of thousands of years that cut away the earth.

In Matthew 9:36, Jesus had been going city to city, teaching, preaching and healing people. “But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.” The Greek word translated weary implies more than just people being physically tired. Its deeper meaning is that their hearts and souls were wounded, as if they had been flayed and lacerated, and the word for scattered literally means thrown down. These people coming to be healed by Jesus were just like people of today: beat up, torn apart, and worn out.

No matter what the current circumstances, each day is a new day, and every day steps can be taken to improve the situation, however small those steps may seem. Add, change, delete, as each problem or challenge requires, but don’t faint. In the New Testament, there are a few verses that convey this message. The Greek word translated faint in KJV and weary in NKJV is a word that literally means to turn out to be a coward, to become despondent, to lose heart because of trials or evils, or from moral weakness.

The first usage is in Luke 18:1, where Jesus teaches a parable, making the point “that men always ought to pray and not lose heart.” Jesus went on to teach about a widow who persevered in her cause before the local judge, and because of her tenacity, he took action on her behalf.

In 2 Corinthians 4:1, it says that “since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.” Just as God’s grace is always sufficient, God’s unfailing mercy is always enough so that Christians shouldn’t quit serving in the ministry. Later in chapter 4, Paul writes, “We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you.” (4:14 NLT)

Christians have the promise of resurrection life, the hope of reigning in the future with Jesus Christ. “Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.” (2 Corinthians 4:16) Though the physical body is aging, the “inward man” of Christ inside never gets old and weary. Staying spiritually healthy and enthusiastic for Jesus Christ must become a priority.

There are choices to make every day, decisions regarding seemingly small matters, and not so small matters in life. Galatians 6:7-9 remind the believer that whatever a man sows is what he reaps. “For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” .

It is vital to conscientiously sow good seed daily, spiritually speaking, in order to reap a Godly spiritual harvest. Because there is always time between sowing seed and reaping the harvest, God’s Word again encourages the Christian to not lose heart. “But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)

[ ShareFaith ]

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“EYE OF THE STORM”

In the eye of the storm, You remain in control
In the middle of the war, You guard my soul
You alone are the anchor, when my sails are torn
Your love surrounds me, in the eye of the storm

When the solid ground is falling out, from underneath my feet,
Between the black skies and my red eyes, I can barely see
When I realize I’ve been sold out by my friends and my family,
I can feel the rain reminding me

In the eye of the storm, You remain in control
In the middle of the war, You guard my soul
You alone are the anchor, when my sails are torn
Your love surrounds me, in the eye of the storm

When my hopes and dreams are far from me, and I’m running out of faith
I see the future I pictured slowly fade away
And when the tears of pain and heartache are pouring down my face
I find my peace in Jesus’ name

In the eye of the storm, You remain in control
In the middle of the war, You guard my soul
You alone are the anchor, when my sails are torn
Your love surrounds me, in the eye of the storm

When the test comes in and the darkness says I’ve only got a few month left
Is like a bitter pill I’m swallow in, I can barely take a breathe
And when addiction steals my baby girl, and there’s nothing I can do
My only hope is to trust You, I trust you Lord…

In the eye of the storm, You remain in control
In the middle of the war, You guard my soul
You alone are the anchor, when my sails are torn
Your love surrounds me, in the eye of the storm

You remain in control
In the middle of the war, You guard my soul
You alone are the anchor, when my sails are torn
Your love surrounds me, in the eye of the storm

Oh, in the eye of, oh, in the eye of the storm
I know You’re watching me, yea, ay
When the storm is raging (when the storm is raging)
And my hope is gone (and my hope is gone, Lord)
When my flesh is failing, You’re still holding on, oh whoa
When the storm is raging (the storm is raging)
And my hope is gone (and all my hope is gone)
When my flesh is failing (my flesh is failing), You’re still holding on, oooh
When the storm is raging (when the storm is raging)
And my hope is gone (and my hope is gone)
Even when my flesh is failing (flesh is failing), You’re still holding on, holding on
The Lord is my Shepherd
I have all that I need
He lets me rest in green meadows
He leads me beside peaceful streams
He renews my strength
He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to His Name
Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid
For You are close beside me.

[ Ryan Stevenson – “Fresh Start” album ]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sx8wTnnfSc

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“TRUSTING: LET GOD DO THE DRIVING”

Have you ever had a drive home that didn’t turn out like you planned?

When I was a junior in high school, my cousin, Barbi, and I, drove home together following cheerleading practice. As always, that day was a “never-a-dull-moment-with-my-cuz” day.

As I drove along a country road toward her home, Barbi spontaneously and enthusiastically shouted, “Hey! Let’s trade places!” When she started climbing on my shoulders like we were doing a cheerleading stunt, I knew that she had no intention of waiting for me to stop the car before she pushed me out of the driver’s seat.

Why did she want to do something so dangerous? I don’t know, but a few weeks ago I learned that the frontal lobe of the human brain which controls reasoning and long-term consequences isn’t fully developed until we hit the age of twenty. That explains it. She had part of her brain missing. Poor thing.

“Get off of me!” I shouted. She persisted. Because she was blocking my view, I foolishly surrendered to the unhappy exchange. Within seconds the car slid into the ditch where we stayed until someone came and pulled us out.

When life isn’t going how we’d like, and we don’t trust God, it’s easy to try and take the wheel from Him, to boss Him around, and try and force Him to do things our way. Sadly, this will land even the best person in an emotional and spiritual ditch. Why not let God drive your life instead? Here are three benefits of doing so, especially when life is hard.

Peace
Psalm 46:10 says, “Cease striving and know that I am God.” (NASB) I don’t know about you, but I have never had any success trying to boss someone around while attempting to trust them simultaneously. Trying to be in control and relinquishing control at the same time just doesn’t work; they can’t co-exist inside the same heart. When we let God drive our lives and trust that He knows best, we are able to rest and stop striving, which means that we will ultimately experience peace.

In the original Hebrew language the phrase “cease striving” indicates giving up by letting our hands down. Interesting, huh? This means that you can’t hold the steering wheel and let God drive at the same time if you want to experience the peace that comes from trust. Nope, you’ve got to let your hands down. Let go of the wheel, friend.

Rest
When you trust and decide that you will let God drive, there is a natural rest that will occur. Imagine a woman who is trying to wrestle the driver’s wheel away from her husband. Now imagine a woman who is sitting in the passenger’s seat allowing her husband to drive without complaining, correcting or cursing. Which one do you think is experiencing rest? The one who trusts and is sitting in the passenger’s seat, of course. She is enjoying the scenery. She is not fretting about how her husband will get her where she needs to go. She is just relaxing and resting while she is enjoying her frozen mocha from Starbucks.

But, the other woman doesn’t have time to enjoy a thing because she is too busy trying to be in control. But if she would only choose to trust, she could rest, too.

Which woman will you be like?

Contentment
There are a lot of things that I like to do, but there are some that I don’t. I don’t like to suck water through my lungs like a fish; I don’t like to stay up for days without sleep, and I don’t like to read books about quantum physics. Why? Because God didn’t design me for sucking water, foregoing sleep and reading books that make my brain feel like it’s been put in a vice. And because God didn’t design me for these things, if I did them, they would make me feel exhausted, fatigued and lifeless.

When we try and take the wheel away from God because we don’t trust Him, it will lead to emotional and spiritual fatigue. Why? Because we’re doing something that we weren’t created for. God made us to lean on Him in dependence—to let Him drive—which leads to contentment, and the confidence that we are exactly where we need to be, doing what we need to do, and fulfilling the role He created us for. This will usher in deep contentment.

Communication
Have you noticed that it’s difficult to effectively communicate with someone that you don’t trust? When you are trying to take the wheel from God, it’s a for sure thing that you won’t be talking to Him the way you would if you were letting Him drive.

Again, imagine the woman who is trying to steal the wheel from her mate. Imagine what she is saying. The words coming out of her mouth aren’t nice, are they? They aren’t edifying. They’re just plain mean. She’s loud. She’s obnoxious. She’s bossy. Now imagine the woman who is resting in the passenger’s seat. It’s like she has honey under tongue. Her words are sweet. Because she is relaxed and she doesn’t feel threatened, she is kind. She just chatting away with her mate like it’s all blue skies and sun.

When you’re trying to steal the wheel from God, your communication with Him will be hindered. Words of gratitude will be replaced by complaining, and praise will be ruined by criticism. You will find that you won’t be able to communicate with God easily because you’ll be thinking that He should be driving you better or somewhere else.

Love
In his book, “Reflections for Ragamuffins,” Brennan Manning writes, “You will trust God only as much as you love Him.” You will also only love God as much as you trust Him. As you drive along your journey in life, you’ll find that confidence in God’s love is always coupled with trust. As I said, this means letting Him drive. When love and trust are combined, they are a like a match to faith. They will set your confidence on fire so that you can ride anywhere that God is taking you without fear.

Are you convinced that allowing God to drive is best? If so, I challenge you to let God take the wheel. Granted, this can be hard, especially when life is tough and you’re not sure where the road may lead. However, moment by moment, if you choose to trust Him; if you let go, you’ll find peace, rest, contentment, communication and love filling you up. You’ll also stay out of the emotional and spiritual ditch in your relationship with God—and you’ll get to sit in the passenger’s seat and enjoy that refreshing drink. Could there be anything better?

[ Shana Schutte – Focus On The Family ]

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“IN GOD WE TRUST”

Overwhelmed but I won’t break
Through the battle I will say
Your grace will be enough
Your grace will be enough

Under fire but we won’t fall
We will never be alone
You’ll always be enough
You’ll always be enough

Now in God we trust
In His Name we hope
I know God will not be shaken
God is here with us
He’s already won
I know God will not be shaken

We will follow where You go
We will trust through the unknown
I know You go before
I know You go before

Lead my heart now in Your ways
For we’re carrying Your Name
Your promise never fails
Your promise never fails

You finish what You begun
Forever strong in Your love
Your Name is sure
And You will fight for us
Our hope forever secure
In You alone

[ Hillsong Worship – “Open Heaven” album ]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tY9Tylmulrc

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“IN GOD WE TRUST”

I remember hearing my pastor tell this story in church a few years ago. It got a pretty good laugh, but I remember being stunned by this story. “Yep, that about sums me up right there,” I thought. I was the QUEEN of praying to God for rescue, yet I was unwilling to let go of so many things in order to fall into the arms of my Savior. I was willing to pray for God to save me from my eating disorder, but not willing to let go of my desire to be thin, to fit in to the culture’s idea that being “thin” somehow makes someone “good.” I had to learn that in order to let God rescue me, I was going to have to let go..of everything. It started like this…

I will trust God to heal me..even if it means I gain weight..or even “get fat.” I will do this because I know that my size does not determine my worth. Even if other people on this earth think less of me because I weigh more, I am not less of a person to God.

I had to let go of my fear of gaining weight, being labeled as “fat” by society, in order to realize that I was really holding on to another fear…dangling from another ledge. I had focused so long on the fear of “being fat” and as I got sicker “gaining weight” because I was afraid to think about what I really feared…being left out, abandoned, alone. I began to ask myself, “What if my worst fears are realized, that my husband won’t love me, that people will make fun of me, that I will not be attractive to anyone, that I will be alone?”

This was my first “letting go”. I had to be willing to “let go” of the focus on my weight, my body in order to see what I was really hanging my worth on…not my body, but what others thought of me, how others treated me. This brought me to my second ledge..the second cliff-hanger in my life. Could I let go of my need for approval from others? Could I let go of the idea that I had to “fit in” with everyone (anyone) else’s idea of who I should be, being made fun of or mistreated?(yes, this happens even to adults…and even among Christians.) Could I risk failing? Could I risk falling?

God was calling me to “LET GO!” and have faith enough to know that He would catch me. So I did. I let go of the need to be the “skinny” one, the “perfect” wife and mother, the one that had it all together, the smart or funny one, or any other label that someone wanted to put on me (good or bad). I chose to let go of all of these and fall. I did not know where I would land exactly, only that when I landed it would be in the arms of Christ. One of my favorite contemporary Christian songs by the band Sanctus Real says, “I don’t measure up to much in this life, but I’m a treasure in the arms of Christ.” In order for me to let go of my true fear of being rejected by man, I had to come to an understanding that although I may be rejected, misunderstood, laughed at, left alone, I would never be abandoned by God. I had to know what His Word says about His people..about me, about all of us.

Psalm 139 gives us a picture of God’s care for us:
“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth”.

When I read this verse, I am reminded that my “frame”,no matter what shape or size it is or may become, is not hidden from my Heavenly Father. He knitted me together and formed even my innermost parts. His works are wonderful…I am his workmanship…He must think I am wonderful too.

Just thinking about this verse and others like it make it possible for me to let go..yes, I am still letting go. After the first two letting go’s, I began to see that my life was a constant state of letting go. I must choose to let go on a daily basis of all the things that would keep me clinging to this world. It is work holding on to the branch…using all of your strength to try to hang on, to pull yourself back up..on to a cliff, into a life that probably had you running toward the cliff in the first place. What if we let go? What if we choose to fall?

“The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deut. 31:8)
I believe that when we choose to let go, we will find that God is already there waiting for us. He knows our need before we do..we don’t have to wait for the rescue, because he is already waiting on us..we just need to let go.

[ Jeanette Yates ]

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“TRUST HIM”
(Parody of “Truckin'” by the Grateful Dead)

Trust Him – got to keep from sin
Keep trustin’ – baby, do not fret
To get a – really bles-sed life – just keep trustin’ God

Heroes of Hebrews 11 those people became great
They followed the Lord and His voice and they all had the same faith
Your typical people involved in the Biblical mandate
Hangin’ tough to see what the Lord would bring

Doubters – got a selfish streak
Useless – because they do their own thing
You know – you got to wait and see – the best is yet to be

Moses was back with the sheep when he’d meet with the true God
Noah he might have been thinkin’ of buyin’ a home
One of these days you know that God could just show up
Out of the blue with something to do all your own

Trust Him – like the true God says
Trust in Me and I will make you blest
You’ll find your life ain’t worth a dime – if you don’t lay it down

Sometimes I might lose sight of one thing
All those guys were as scared as me
They made it and so can we – with a strong faith just in Him

What in the world ever became of “Sheep Dave”?
He lost his flock – but you know he isn’t ashamed
Little ol’ kid, fightin’ and bein’ so brave
All the men could see that David would reign

Trust Him – up above you’ll go
In Heaven – and not to Hell below
It takes time – you need faith to go – just keep trustin’ God

Gideon was scared and now he’s a local hero
God had said, You’re gonna win the war, Gideon
He tried some tests with fleece before the battle
But he still went to war and – I guess you knew that he’d win

Trust Him – now with fervency
Get up – time to go with Him
Start now – and get to where it is – the Lord wants you to be

If you’re sick of foolin’ around and liv’n’ like the devil
You’re tired of the devil and you wanna turn around
Confess, repent, devote your soul to Christ
Get out of the drawer and find what that Book’s all about

Sometimes when life gets kind of lonely
Other eyes might be starin’ at me
Waiting in eternity – what a lot of great witnesses

Trust Him – I’m a goin’ home
Whoa whoa baby, up where I belong
Back home – sit by my master’s throne
You get there trustin’ God.

[ ApologetiX – “Soundproof” album ]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAKffWwNw9Q

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“CASTING YOUR CARES ON GOD”

The apostle Peter was a worrier. He worried about drowning when he was walking on water, even though Jesus was right there with him (Matthew 14:29-31). He worried about what was going to happen to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, so he pulled out his sword and tried to take on a battalion of Roman soldiers (John 18:2-3, 10). And when he worried about Jesus being crucified, Peter ordered God Himself not to go to the cross (Matthew 16:22).

Nevertheless, although Peter had ongoing trouble with anxiety, he learned how to deal with it, and he passed on the lesson to us—a lesson that shows the connection between our humility and our ability to conquer anxiety.

Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you (1 Peter 5:5-7, emphasis added).

When Peter said “clothe yourselves with humility toward one another” (1 Peter 5:5), he had a specific image in mind. He used a Greek term that means to tie something on yourself with a knot or a bow. It came to refer especially to a work apron. A slave would put on an apron over his or her clothes to keep them clean, just like you might before you start a messy chore. The word became a synonym for humble service.

Humility is the attitude that you are not too good to serve others, and you are not too great to stoop. It was not considered a virtue in the ancient world. Sadly, we have reverted to those times in that regard. Humble people today are mocked and trampled on. The world calls them wimps and instead exalts pride, arrogance, and runaway egos. Although society was no different in Peter’s day, he called his readers to be different.

To support his exhortation to clothe ourselves in humility toward one another, Peter cites the Old Testament: “God is opposed to the proud, but give grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5, cf. Proverbs 3:34). Those verses provide keen motivation for displaying humility. In simple terms, we will be blessed if we are humble and chastised if we are not. And one of the blessings of humility is the ability to deal with anxiety.

On the other hand, pride only compounds your problems when you give in to worry. Pride usurps God’s preeminent position, leaving you no one to rely on when anxiety creeps in. You can’t rest in the sovereignty of God when you arrogantly exalt your desires, opinions, and will to the same level—or above—the Lord’s.

Humility keeps priorities in proper order. It keeps you from being overwhelmed by your own circumstances and instead focuses your attention on God’s plans and purposes in those circumstances. It takes your focus off the immediate situation and helps you appreciate what the Lord is accomplishing behind the scenes.

Humility also puts us on God’s timetable and not our own. As Peter says, “He may exalt you at the proper time” (1 Peter 5:6). What’s the proper time? His time, not ours. When will it be? When He has accomplished His purpose.

Now that might seem a little vague, but there’s no cause for concern—God has perfect timing. Indeed, our salvation depended on His perfect timing. Paul specified that the hope of eternal life was “at the proper time manifested” through Jesus Christ (Titus 1:1-3). Trusting in God’s timing is no light or peripheral matter to the Christian faith.

We can, and should, rest assured that God will exalt us according to His perfect timing. But what kind of exaltation should we anticipate? Paul used a Greek term that speaks of lifting us out of our present trouble. For the Christian, even the worst trial is only temporary. Remember that truth, as you will be tempted to conclude that because there’s no end in sight, there is no end at all. Don’t believe it for a minute; God promises to lift you out.

How are we to conduct ourselves until the promised time of deliverance? Peter said “Humble yourselves . . . casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6-7).

…

There’s no doubt in my mind that Peter had Psalm 55:22 in mind when he wrote his first epistle: “Cast you burden upon the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.”

Now that doesn’t mean we won’t feel shaky at times. Think how Hannah felt when the priest accused her of being drunk. Sometimes when we’re bearing burdens that in themselves seem too great to bear, people treat us insensitively and heap more burdens on us. But, like Hannah, we can be gracious about it and find relief through prayer to the God who does care.

If you need to be reminded now and then that God really cares about you, remember what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount. Since the Lord luxuriously arrays mere field lilies, don’t you think He will clothe you? Since He faithfully feeds mere birds, don’t you think He will feed you? Spiritual maturity begins with these fundamentals: an attitude of humility toward God and others, and trust in God’s care.

[ John MacArthur ]

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“MY HOPE”

Nothin’ will change if all the plans I make are wrong
Your love stays the same
Your light will guide me through it all
I’m hangin’ on, I’m leanin’ in to You

Nothin’ can reach the end of all Your faithfulness
Your grace is with me
Through every shadow, every test
I’m hangin’ on, I’m leanin’ in to You

I don’t know where You’ll take me
But I know You’re always good
My hope is built on nothin’ else
Than Your great love, Your righteousness

I will not walk another way
I trust Your heart, I trust Your name
I’m holdin’ on, I’m holdin’ on to You

You are my rock when storms are ragin’ all along
You shelter me, God
I’m safe with you on solid ground
I’m hangin’ on, I’m leanin’ in to You

I don’t know where You’ll take me
But I know You’re always good
My hope is built on nothin’ else
Than Your great love, Your righteousness

I will not walk another way
I trust Your heart, I trust Your name
I’m holdin’ on, I’m holdin’ on to You

My hope is built on nothin’ else
Than Your great love, Your righteousness
I will not walk another way
I trust Your heart, I trust Your name
I’m holdin’ on, I’m holdin’ on, to You

I’m holdin’ on, I’m holdin’ on to You
I’m holdin’ on, I’m holdin’ on to You
I’m holdin’ on, I’m holdin’ on to You
I’m holdin’ on, I’m holdin’ on to You

I’m holdin’ on, I’m holdin’ on to You
I’m holdin’ on, I’m holdin’ on to You
I’m holdin’ on, I’m holdin’ on to You
I’m holdin’ on, I’m holdin’ on to You

I’m holdin’ on to You
(Holdin’ on to You)

My hope is built on nothin’ else
Than Your great love, Your righteousness
I will not walk another way
I trust Your heart, I trust Your name

[ Paul Baloche – “The Same Love” album ]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wslWBp0Tm4

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“TRUST GOD!”

Dr. Charles Swindoll, Chancellor, Dallas Seminary; Senior Pastor, Stonebriar Community Church, Frisco, TX, encourages us to trust the Lord and lean not on our own understanding.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CafpzBJJFbQ

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DEEP THOUGHT(s):

“Where God is a spider’s web is a wall; where He is not, a wall is but a spider’s web.”
[ Felix of Nola ].

“When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.”
[ Franklin D. Roosevelt ].

“Faith don’t come in a bushel basket, Missy. It come one step at a time. Decide to trust Him for one little thing today, and before you know it, you find out He’s so trustworthy you be putting your whole life in His hands.”
[ Lynn Austin ]

“Trust is not a passive state of mind. It is a vigorous act of the soul by which we choose to lay hold on the promises of God and cling to them despite the adversity that at times seeks to overwhelms us.”
[ Jerry Bridges ]

“. . . it is presumptuous in me to wish to choose my path, because I cannot tell which path is best for me. I must leave it to the Lord, Who knows me, to lead me by the path which is best for me, so that in all things His will may be done.”
[ Teresa of Ávila ]

“The reason some of us are such poor specimens of Christianity is because we have no Almighty Christ. We have Christian attributes and experiences, but there is no abandonment to Jesus Christ.”
[ Oswald Chambers ]

“If we are going to learn to trust God in adversity, we must believe God will allow nothing to subvert His glory so He will allow nothing to spoil the good He is working out in us and for us.”
[ Jerry Bridges ]

“The absolute basic belief that every child of God must come to is that if he or she lives in obedience to God’s Word and in joyous harmony with our Father, nothing can impinge on his life except by His permission. To live in close communion with Christ is to experience daily the calm assurance of God’s complete care and management of every detail in our walk with Him.

No matter if trials or turmoil come. No matter if there is trouble. No matter if there is pain or poverty. Each is for a supreme purpose understood best by my Father, but allowed to impact me for my ultimate benefit, and for His honor.”
[ W. Phillip Keller ]

“We must cease striving and trust God to provide what He thinks is best and in whatever time He chooses to make it available. But this kind of trusting doesn’t come naturally. It’s a spiritual crisis of the will in which we must choose to exercise faith.”
[ Charles R. Swindoll ]

“I gird myself today with the might of heaven:
The rays of the sun,
The beams of the moon,
The glory of fire,
The speed of wind,
The depth of sea,
The stability of earth,
The hardness of rock.

I gird myself today with the power of God:
God’s strength to comfort me,
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to lead me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s angels to save me,
From the snares of the devil,
From the temptation of sin,
From all who wish me ill,
Both far and near,
Alone and with others.

May Christ guard me today
From poison and fire,
From drowning and wounding,
So my mission may bear
Fruit in abundance.

Christ behind and before me,
Christ beneath and above me,
Christ with me and in me,
Christ around and about me,
Christ on my left and my right,
Christ when I rise in the morning,
Christ when I lie down at night,
Christ in each heart that thinks of me,
Christ in each mouth that speaks of me,
Christ in each eye that sees me,
Christ in each ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through the power of the Trinity,
Through faith in the threeness,
Through trust in the oneness,
Of the Maker of earth,
And the Maker of heaven.”

[ St. Patrick – “Breastplate” ]

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Hope you enjoyed some of these insights—share them with your friends and colleagues—so we can have a larger ‘pool’ to receive from, and more to share with! Also, remember to include your name as the “source,” if some of this wisdom is of your doing—I would like to give credit where credit is due!

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
[ Proverbs 3:5-6 ].

Mark

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Disclaimer: All the above jokes & inspirations are obtained from various sources and copyright are used when known. Other than our name and headers, we do not own the copyright to any of the materials sent to this list. We just want to spread the ministry of God’s love and cheerfulness throughout the world.

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