Scriptures

Job 42:2 "I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted"

John Piper says, "There is no power in the universe that can stop God from fulfilling His totally good plans for you."

Deuteronomy 7:7-8 "He loves us simply because He loves us"

"The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments."

Mathew 5:45 "For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust."

"What does God say to us when he acts thus? I believe that he says this: 'This is the day of free grace; this is the time of mercy.' The hour for judgment is not yet, when he will separate between the good and the bad; when he will mount the judgment seat and award different portions to the righteous and to the wicked."

Numbers 32:23 "Be sure your sin will find you out"

But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the LORD; and be sure your sin will find you out: While it is true that any sin may find us out, the sin specifically spoken of here is the sin of doing nothing! i. If the tribes of Reuben and Gad did nothing - if they stayed at home while their brothers were battling for life and death to take possession of the Promised Land - then their sin of doing nothing would surely find them out. ii. Sometimes, doing nothing is a great sin - and it is a sin that will certainly become evident, and will find us out.

Psalm 17:8-9 "Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings... from the wicked who are out to destroy me, from my mortal enemies who surround me."

Father, keep Camryn as the apple of your eye and hide her in the shadow of your wings even if she doesn't know to come to you. Lord hide her and protect her from the obstacles and challenges she faces from her anxiety, her ADHD and her and her NVLD. Prompt her to both work and play.

Isaiah 40:29 "He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength."

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.

Genesis 32:11-12 "Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I AM AFRAID he will come and attack me, and also the mothers with their children. BUT YOU HAVE SAID, 'I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted."

I am afraid... But you have said... "When I am afraid, I put my trust in you."

Acts 26:18 "Open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God." Psalm 136:8 "The LORD opens the eyes of the blind."

Jesus described the work Paul would do. At that moment on the road to Damascus Paul was blinded by the great light from heaven. His eyes were not yet opened physically, but Jesus sent him to open the eyes of others (both Jews and Gentiles).

Jer 31:3 "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness."

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He said: "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Children take their fathers hand and go wherever he leads, fully trusting What are children capable of? They are capable of being commanded. They have not yet learned the path of disobedience. Also, little children are able to live radically in the present moment, to be lost in play or in the contemplation of something beautiful. Most of us live either in the past (savoring faded glory or licking old wounds) or in the future (aspiring, hoping, fearing what might come).

Proverbs 17:27 "The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered."

Controlling ourselves cannot be dependent on our efforts to control others We can use our words with restraint and stay even-tempered because we're ultimately entrusting our loved ones to the Lord. When we understand that only God can bring about true change in another person's heart and life, it frees us from all of our panic-induced attempts to control them. This understanding keeps us even. We can love them. Pray for them. Try to share godly wisdom with them. But we don't have to downgrade our gentleness to hastily spoken words of anger and resentment. We don't have to downgrade our attitude of reconciliation to acts of retaliation. I know this isn't easy, sweet friend. But it is wise. It's for the sake of our sanity that we draw necessary boundaries. It's for the sake of stability that we stay consistent with those boundaries. And it's with a heart of humility that maintaining those boundaries becomes a possibility. (In hindsight, I should have simply reminded my family member of my boundary to not bail them out financially if this decision was as detrimental as I thought it would be.) Lord, please forgive me for all the times I've tried to step into Your place in the lives of the people I love. Today, I'm releasing my loved ones into Your hands. You are their Savior, not me. Show me anywhere I need to draw healthy boundary lines, and help me maintain them with humility and love. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Thess 5: 16-18 "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

Count your blessings, not your hopes. Thanksgiving shapes a theology of trust. The way we wait expresses the extent to which we trust the ones were waiting for. If I think God in the mist of all circumstances, then I say to him and to myself and to anyone else who's listening that I trust him in the mist of all circumstances. "Thank you in this, even though I don't have a clue what you're doing, God." No thanks #1 - Camryn's detour. Thank you that my daughter is alive. That she is safely at home. That she does not do drugs or make bad choices. That she is no longer depressed. That she wants to go to school and do well. That she's willing to try to start exercising. That she wants to get an internship.

Psalm 143:8 "Cause me to hear Your unfailing love in morning, for I have put my trust in you. Cause me to know the way in which I should go, For to You I entrust my life."

David appealed to God on the basis of his trust and surrender to God. It was as if David prayed, "LORD, I am genuinely depending on you. Please don't let me down; speak to me and guide me." David needed to hear a good word from God, and asked that he would be caused to hear it. Perhaps David wondered if God was speaking and he somehow failed to hear, so he prayed, "Cause me to hear." This is a good prayer for all to pray. He needed to hear of Gods lovingkindness early in the day, in the morning, so he would have assurance and know how to walk during the day. David confessed that he didn't know the way, and that he needed God to cause him to know the way. He didn't only need the love of God - he also needed the guidance of God. "Cause me to know the way in which I should walk" is a wonderful prayer for all to pray.

Proverbs 4:23 "Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life." (ncv) "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it."

Do you let anyone who knocks on your door into your house? Don't let every thought that surfaces make a home in your mind. Take it captive - make it obey Jesus. Minds race. Minds wander. Minds can turn mindless. The ideas and thoughts that hike through your head are like sheep - they need to be corralled. We are not helpless victims or recipients of our thoughts. No feelings are final. Helmet of salvation -"Above all else" - with constant awareness and diligence, like a watchman - "guard" - protect, to keep safe - "your heart" - your innermost being, which represents the very core of your thoughts, your mind, your actions and decisions - "for everything you do flows from it" - it is the wellspring of life, it's that vital Its a choice we make every day. All day. To protect our hearts and be careful with our thinking. To make sure our affections and energies are focused on the right things. To concentrate on the desires that push us towards God and along a wise path.

Romans 8:28-29 "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. And those he predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, he also glorified."

During the times we think God isn't doing anything, He is doing the work most important to Him: developing our character and transforming us into the image of Jesus Christ. And that takes time

Col 3:2 "Set your mind on things that are above, not things that are on earth."

Even though we are God's children, the spiritual war is not over. There is a constant struggle for the ruler ship of our hearts. The heart can be captured or ruled by only two things. Your heart is always living under the rule of "things that are above" or "things that are on earth" This "above" or "earth" struggle is the great spiritual war that is fought in all situations, locations, and relationships of your daily life.

Romans 8:17 "Now if we are children, then we are heirs - heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory."

Every pain in your life, every frustration in your life, every conflict in your life, every difficulty in your life that you experience walking on the path toward the inheritance is suffering with and for Jesus, because it is being used by the devil to threaten your faith and used by God to strengthen your faith. And if you will embrace it the way verse 17 says, as your pathway to glory, God is triumphant and the devil is defeated. Every hardship, from the tiniest stubbed toe to the loss of a spouse or the loss of a child — from the smallest to the biggest — every hardship in your life is the kicking out from under you of a prop that was supporting your happiness. You can either curse God or fall on God, and God is kicking them for you to fall on him because that's what makes you strong. Father, I need you. This is hard; this is really hard. But you're my Father, and Jesus is my Lord, and this is the pathway to the inheritance, so I'm all in. Help me!

Jeremiah 29:13 "You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart." "If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me."

Friends, God is not hiding from you; He is in plain sight there in His word. The Lord said, "You will find me when you seek me with all your heart." When you come looking for me, you'll find me. Lord, I thank you that you are always near, even though at times I do not feel you. I know that you are, because your Word says we live by faith and not by sight, and you said you will never leave or forsake us. When in doubt, distress or despair, seek the Lord while He may be found.

Psalm 27:14 "Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD.."

From the reservoir of David's experience he can encourage us to seek after God (Wait on the LORD) and to take courage in Him (be of good courage). Wait at his door with prayer; wait at his foot with humility; wait at his table with service; wait at his window with expectancy. And He shall strengthen your heart: This profound promise is for us. Across the centuries David spoke to us, telling us to be confident that there is strength in the LORD for those who seek Him and trust Him. Yes, God gives us strength; but we don't expect it to come as if He were pouring it into us as we sit passively. He brings it to us as we seek Him, and rely on Him, instead of relying on our own strength.

God loves the broken God loves broken me. And he is re-forming (redeeming) me, making me over into another version of me through brokenness.

God HOLDS broken people. "The Lord is close to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:18) God HELPS broken people. "He has sent me to comfort those whose hearts are broken. (Isaiah 61:1) God HEALS broken people. "He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds." (Psalm 147:3) God HALLOWS broken people. "The sacrifice God wants is a broken spirit. God, you will not reject a heart that is broken and sorry for sin." God USES the broken. He uses broken families - and the broken people in them. God uses this re-formed me as He raises me up to be strangely even more effective through my brokenness. (Pg 196)

Isaiah 42:3 "A bruised reed he will not break and a faintly burning wick he will not quench."

God deals tenderly with everyone in distress. Imagine walking through the bush and come across a young tree with a bent and almost broken limb hanging at a rather grotesque angle. You spontaneously complete the job ripping the limb completely off. Your Heavenly Father would never, ever be that thoughtless. He wouldn't think of breaking you the rest of the way. He comes to you in grace to comfort, strengthen, encourage and restore. His love toward you is tender and faithful. Imagine that the final little flame on the stick that is giving you light is faintly flickering and about to die. In an active and patience and frustration, you reach out with your finger and snuff the final life out of it. Your heavenly father would never ever think of doing that to you. In grace, he comes to you as a life giver not a life destroyer. When your hope is fading and your faith is weak, he is not impatient and he does not grow frustrated. He is the father who invites us onto his lap to be comforted by his love. Yes, life can be very hard and people can be very cruel and there are times when you feel alone, but you were never completely alone because your father is with you in tender and restorative love.

1 Peter 4:7 "Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you."

God is also a wise Father who knows when knowledge is too heavy for us. He is not being deceptive when he does not give us the full explanation. He is carrying our burdens Trying to fix another person will only add to my anxiety. Letting Jesus work on me is where real progress can happen. "Take my anxiety and replace it with Your peace, wisdom and security." "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV) Father, we thank You that You have provided all that we need, in every situation of our lives. Thank You for caring about our family. Thank You for telling us to pray about everything. You know Stephen needs new pants, so we ask You to help us, and we thank You in advance for always taking care of us. Father, we ask that you grant this request if is your will. We are trusting you to do not what we want but what is best. Help us to want what you want and help us to trust you. Give us peace. Thank you in advance that the best thing - the perfect thing - will be done in this situation. We trust your heart for us. In Jesus' Name, Amen. The requests of true prayer are always in the context of surrender and celebration Dear Lord, help me stop trying to figure this situation out and just sit in the quiet with You for a while. God, humble me. Show me Your steps toward restoration. Or show me Your steps toward a healthy parting. Take my anxiety and replace it with Your peace, wisdom and security. In Jesus' Name, Amen. Father, I need you. This is hard; this is really hard. But you're my Father, and Jesus is my Lord, and this is the pathway to the inheritance, so I'm all in. Help me!

2 Corinthians 6:18 "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."

God is not ashamed of me He glories in the fact that He has taken me as His daughter God's love is expressed to all in the giving of Jesus for the sins of the world (John 3:16), but this does not make all of humanity the children of God in the sense John means it here. Here he speaks of those who have received the love of Jesus in a life of fellowship and trust with Him; But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name (John 1:12).

1 Peter 2:19 "For God is pleased when, conscious of His will, you patiently endure unjust treatment."

God is pleased when conscious of His will, you patiently endure the sorrow that comes from unjust treatment Lord it's hard and it's costly to love imperfect people. Help me to do that When we are punished for doing good and endure it patiently, we are complimented before God. This verse (1 Peter 3:17) is not about silently tolerating mistreatment. It talks about making sure your beh is right, so if you do suffer, it will be for doing right, rather than wrong. You often suffer more when you take a stand against evil in a difficult relationship than when you quietly and passively take it. Lord, help me to suffer for doing what is right rather than for going along with what is wrong. Give the wisdom and courage to see the difference and to take a bold stand.

Jeremiah 33:3 "Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things which you have not known."

God is saying here, in effect, that the man who takes his unbelief to God is the one who will be invited by God to enter into the secrets of the Almighty. Our problem is that we take our unbelief to each other. We take our unbelief to each other, and that is why our faith does not grow. But the man or woman of faith takes his or her unbelief to God, and lays the struggle before him. "God, I know you're this kind of a God, but I can't see how you're going to do this!" And God honors that. There is record after record in the Scripture of men and women who have struggled like this, who have taken their doubts and their unbelief and laid them before God. And never once is there a single suggestion that he ever rebuked them for that. There was that troubled father in the Gospels who asked Jesus to heal his demonically oppressed son. Jesus said, "According to your faith be it so." The man said, "I believe; help my unbelief," (Mark 9:24 RSV). Jesus immediately spoke and delivered his son.

Romans 15:5 "May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus" "May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had"

God not only enables me to endure but God is encouraging me as I endure It is the grace of endurance granted by the God of endurance that provides you with everything you need to continue to be what He calls you to be and do what He calls you to do btwn this moment and the moment when you cross over to the other side Hope of enduring is not to be found in your char or strength but in your Lords

Psalm 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

God of love, and could be trusted to search him and to know him at the deepest levels. This is also an admission that God knew David better than David knew himself, and that he needed God to search and know him. asking for God to discern motives and actions David wanted God to examine him and look for worry. Such anxieties could be evidence of unbelief or misplaced trust. David opened his soul completely before God, asking if there were any unknown or unperceived sins - things that cause God grief When prayed sincerely, this is something of a dangerous prayer - worthy, yet dangerous. "It is a serious thing to pray, because it invites painful exposures and surgery, if we truly mean it. Still it is what every wise believer should desire." David ended this majestic psalm by declaring his destination - the way everlasting. Trusting the God of complete knowledge and constant presence would bring David to everlasting life.

Psalm 94:11 "The LORD knows all human plans; he knows that they are futile." "The LORD knows the thoughts of man, that they are futile (vanity)" Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brothers and sisters, 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"

God's intimate knowledge of man. A startling truth. A humiliating truth. This great God must be appropriately feared, respected, and obeyed. With respect to the present world, consider what multitudes of thoughts are employed in vain: In seeking satisfaction where it is not to be found. In anticipating evils which never befall us. In laying plans which must be disconcerted.

Lamentations 3:22-23 "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

Gods never-failing LOVE never ceases. God will never give up on you. He will never walk away in disgust. He will love you just as much on your worst day as he does on your best day. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. Gods mercy is not generic. It is personal grace, situational care and concrete help. Yes, life side of forever can be hard, but you're not alone; you've been given sturdy love and new morning mercies - just what you need right here, right now.

Jeremiah 2:32 "Can a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet my people have forgotten me days without number."

Going through the day with little or no thought of God is like a bride forgetting to wear her wedding dress on her wedding day.

Phil 4:8 "Finally, brothers and sisters, 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. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. ‭‭

Guard your heart and mind.

Isaiah 41:13 "For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, "Fear not, I am the one who helps you." Psalm 16:8 "I will keep my eyes always on the Lord. With Him at my right hand, I will not be shaken." Psalm 54:4 "Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me."

He promises to take us by the hand, He reminds us not to fear, and assures us He will help us. Gives us strength over fear, doubt, and our adversaries. To be at someone's right hand is to be their advocate in court or support in battle or, in Jesus case, our companion on earth (so we are intimately loved) and our representative in heaven (completely forgiven) Are you tired? Then come to the One who "has been your help, in the shadow of whose wings you will sing for joy." Do you believe God wants to help you? Are you daily praying for this help? Solicit his help. Count on Him. You do not help yourself The crowd followed Jesus around the Sea of Galilee. The fifteen thousand people were hungry. Philip and Andrew counted the hungry people, they counted the money in their bag, and they counted the amount of fish and bread. They did not, however, count on Christ. And he was standing right there! Yet the idea of soliciting his help did not dawn on them. Even so, Jesus went right to work. "Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated, and as much fish as they were wanting, too" (John 6:11). The impossible task of feeding "all these people" became the unforgettable miracle of all these people fed.

James 5:11 "As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy."

He who tested with one hand supported with the other. " I give up." A phrase many of us can relate to, because the temptation to quit can invade every area of life. We may struggle to persevere in prayer for our children who don't do the things we have taught them. We work to keep family relationships together but feel like we're in a losing battle. Or we face that recurring illness one more time. Whatever part of our lives have triggered the desire to quit, rest assured. God knew we would need encouragement to persevere. Let me share this with you: "The Lord is full of compassion and mercy." James 5 In chapter 5, James speaks to his concern for believers as they press through hardship. He compares the Christian walk to a farmer, doing the work then waiting for a harvest. "Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains." James' words provide hope for us also, as each day seems to reveal more difficult circumstances. More trouble. More thinking it would be easier to just quit. Instead of letting us give up for good, God reminds us of an important truth when we need help to persevere. Our merciful Father "blesses those who persevere." Never give up! If you're in that place today, where giving up sounds better than staying the course marked out for you, let the verse above offer hope. Let's pray this prayer together - a prayer to help us persevere. Because blessed are those who stand firm in the struggle. Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for Your mercy. Forgive me for those times when I get discouraged. When I feel like giving up. Your Word tells me I should "press on toward the goal to win the prize" for which You called me. (Philippians 3:14) But sometimes I get discouraged when I don't feel like I'm making a difference or anything is changing. **I know discouragement is not from You. Every good and perfect gift comes from you, and that includes the ability to persevere.** Lord, it seems like I've been praying for a long time without an answer. Sometimes I wonder whether or not You hear my prayers. Doubt and frustration make me want to quit when I don't see a breakthrough in my situation, but You offer hope. As I draw closer to You, You, in turn, draw close to me. (James 4:8) Thank you for this promise. Amen!

Romans 15:13 "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope."

Hope is "trustful expectation, particularly with reference to the fulfillment of God's promises. It is the security of real provision in desperate times of need. This contrasts to a dictionary definition of hope as "a feeling that what we want to happen will happen." God is origin of hope; we are recipients of hope that God pours into us when we choose to trust Him and believe He is who says He is and that He keeps His promises The first mention of hope in today's verse refers to God as the ORIGIN of hope. We anticipate a favorable outcome not based on circumstances, but on His person. No matter how difficult our circumstances, we can have hope because of who God is: powerful, wise, sovereign and good. The second mention of hope refers to us as the recipients. God pours hope into us when we CHOOSE to BELIEVE He is who He says He is and that He always keeps His promises. When we do this, He gifts us not with a flimsy optimism that everything will somehow work out OK, but with a rock-solid anticipation of a favorable outcome under His guidance. Peter cannot think about today's suffering without looking at it from the perspective of an eternity tomorrow. Notice his language: "living hope," "resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead," "inheritance ... kept in heaven for you," and "salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." Peter is saying that what is coming is a critical lens for understanding our present painful experiences. When we put on these gospel glasses, we indeed will experience "living hope." (1 peter 1:3-6) We can hang on to hope knowing that someday, Jesus will return and set everything right. Someday, He will wipe every tear from our eyes. (Revelation 21:4) In the meantime, we can live in hope because the source of hope lives in us.

Psalm 56:3 "When I am afraid, I will trust in you."

I do trust you, Lord. I do. Help me trust you more The young man who killed the lion and the bear, who killed Goliath, and was a successful young captain in Israel's army, did not deny the presence of fear. There were times when he was afraid. Yet he knew what to do with that fear, to boldly proclaim His trust in God DESPITE the fear. He feared, but that fear did not fill the whole area of his mind, for he adds, 'I will trust in thee.' It is possible, then, for fear and faith to occupy the mind at the same moment. "I am sometimes afraid - but I trust in God and do what is right to do." Don't wait for the fear to stop before you do what is right before the Lord.

Proverbs 21:1 "The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will."

I praise you that the hearts of earthly rulers are like streams of water that you direct as you please. Bring about wise decisions in the governments and courts of our country. For the good of your people and the spread of the gospel overrule bad decisions, mistakes, and evil plans. Do the same for all city and state governments and for leaders of other countries.

Phil 3:12-14 "Not that I . . . am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. . . . One thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal."

I think what Paul means is this: In my running the Christian race, the Christian life, I do not burden myself (that would be the too hard) with the paralyzing effects of the memories of past failures, Nor do I burden myself with the killer weight of pride at my past successes. Anything that would hinder my humble, loving, godly, holy race for the good of others and the glory of God, I forget it. I lay it aside. I don't let it produce sinful effects in my life. You don't need low standards. That's not the problem. You need humble, gracious, loving, kind responses to your successes and your failures in meeting those standards. So, remember: Christ has made you his own. That changes everything about how you run your race.

Psalm 10:1 "Why, O Lord, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?"

If that's not anger or disillusionment or disappointment, what is it? It's putting into words the painful perplexity of a crisis of faith. Psalmist is honestly expressing his confusion and pain. Happy is the man who when he cannot understand and/or doubts Gods actions has faith enough in God Himself to tell Him all his doubt. The psalmist's soul is troubled that his biblically informed knowledge of God's character does not seem to match the reality he's observing. He believes "God is a righteous judge" (Psalm 7:11) who "executes justice" for the helpless and vulnerable (Deuteronomy 10:18). But he's not seeing justice executed for the helpless and vulnerable. He's seeing the wicked oppressor of the helpless "prosper at all times" (Psalm 10:5). Why God isn't immediately stopping this injustice is beyond him. It's a moment of crisis for him, and he's telling God so. What he's doing is describing his experience of reality — the way the situation appears to him through his finite senses. When we are painfully perplexed by the apparent discontinuity between what we know of God from the Scripture and what we observe in the world, when the mystery of God's providential purposes meets the finiteness of our understanding, and it doesn't make sense to us, God wants us to cry out to him. He wants us to cry out to him precisely because we love and trust him, even when our experience challenges what we believe. Sooner or later, every Christian experiences a faith crisis — some of us numerous ones. But a crisis of faith does not mean a loss of faith. In fact, it is often through faith crises that we learn what faith really is. So, when your own crises come, don't assume your faith, love, and joy are gone, but that God wants to grow them in the furnace of affliction

James 1:5-6 "If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind."

In a time of trial, we need to know if a particular trial is something God wants us to eliminate by faith or persevere in by faith. This requires wisdom. To receive wisdom, we simply ask of God - who gives wisdom generously (liberally), and without despising our request (without reproach). Knowing God's generosity - that He never despises or resents us for asking for wisdom - should encourage us to ask Him often. We understand that He is the God of the open hand, not the God of the clenched fist. Our request for wisdom must be made like any other request - in faith, without doubting God's ability or desire to give us His wisdom. We notice that not only must one come in faith, but one must also ask in faith; and this is where the prayers of many people fail. "You know, dear friends, that there is a way of praying in which you ask for nothing, and get it." (Spurgeon)

Psalm 37:3 "Trust in the Lord and do good."

In complicated times when we're not sure how we're going to navigate the days and challenges ahead and we know it's going to get rough, 2 basic instructions in 7 words can cover a whole lot of ground Instead of worrying and envying, David counseled the man or woman of God to simply trust God and do good for His glory. It is remarkable how quickly we can get distracted from the simple work of trusting God and doing good. Looking at the seeming prosperity of the wicked is one way we are often distracted. i. "Faith cures fretting. Sight is cross-eyed, and views things only as they seem, hence her envy; faith has clearer optics to behold things as they really are, hence her peace." (Spurgeon)

John 11:35 "Jesus wept."

In the middle, between death and life, something else happened. "Jesus wept." The best advice I received from a friend when I was going through a very dark time was merely to "feel" whatever I was feeling. The healing would come later.

Galatians 5:1 "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."

Is your meditation kidnapped by problems in your marriage? The daily struggles of parenting? Biblical faith never requires you to deny reality in any way or to try to convince yourself that things are better than they really are. There is a crucial difference between facing hard realities and allowing those realities to dominate your heart. Biblical faith looks reality in the face and doesn't flinch. Here is what it does: it examines reality, but it makes the Lord its meditation. Mediating on your problems makes them bigger. Meditate on God in midst or problems.

Genesis 15:8 "But Abram replied, "O Sovereign LORD, how can I be sure that I will actually possess it?""

It was as if Abram said, "I believe when I hear God say it, but five minutes later, I'm not sure - please prove it to me." Faith is often marred by a measure of unbelief; or, if not quite unbelief, yet there is a desire to have some token, some sign, beyond the bare promise of God. Abram had no title deed to the land, no certificate of ownership that another person would recognize. Abram had nothing to make anyone else believe he actually owned the land. All he had was the promise of God.

Luke 12:32 "Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."

Jesus gave them confidence when He said your Father instead of saying "My Father." Do not fear, little flock: The original uses a double diminutive, as in LITTLE, LITTLE flock. It was to this small and unlikely flock that the Father would give the kingdom unto. It was a little flock, but it was His flock. Are you loading kingly burdens on your shoulders today, trying to build you cannot build and forgetting what God has already built for you? Or are you resting in the peace that it is the good pleasure of your Lord to give you his kingdom?

Luke 17:32 "Remember Lot's wife."

Jesus here cautioned His followers to not look back at a perishing world, ripe for judgment, but to set their eyes on the deliverance God sets before them. What was wrong with Lot's wife was that she wasn't just LOOKING back; in her heart she wanted to GO back. As Elder Maxwell once said, such people know they should have their primary residence in Zion, but they still hope to keep a summer cottage in Babylon. So it isn't just that she looked back; she looked back longingly. In short, her attachment to the past outweighed her confidence in the future. That, apparently, was at least part of her sin. The past is to be learned from but not lived in. And when we have learned what we need to learn and have brought with us the best that we have experienced, then we look ahead, we remember that faith is always pointed toward the future. So a more theological way to talk about Lot's wife is to say that she disobeyed and did not have faith. She doubted the Lord's ability to give her something better than she already had. Apparently she thought—fatally, as it turned out—that nothing that lay ahead could possibly be as good as those moments she was leaving behind. To yearn to go back to a world that cannot be lived in now; to be perennially dissatisfied with present circumstances and have only dismal views of the future; to miss the here-and-now-and-tomorrow because we are so trapped in the there-and-then-and-yesterday—these are some of the sins, if we may call them that, of Lot's wife. There is something in us, at least in too many of us, that particularly fails to forgive and forget earlier mistakes in life—either mistakes we ourselves have made or the mistakes of others. That is not good. It is not Christian. It stands in terrible opposition to the grandeur and majesty of the Atonement of Christ. To be tied to earlier mistakes—our own or other people's—is the worst kind of wallowing in the past from which we are called to cease and desist. The future of your loved ones is more interesting than their past That happens in marriages, too, and in other relationships we have. I can't tell you the number of couples I have counseled who, when they are deeply hurt or even just deeply stressed, reach farther and farther into the past to find yet a bigger brick to throw through the window "pain" of their marriage. Let people repent. Let people grow. Believe that people can change and improve. Such dwelling on past lives, including past mistakes, is just not right! It is not the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is worse than Lot's wife, because at least there she was only destroying herself. In these cases of marriage and family and wards and apartments and neighborhoods, we can end up destroying so many, many others. The proviso, of course, is that repentance has to be sincere, but when it is and when honest effort is being made to progress, we are guilty of the greater sin if we keep remembering and recalling and rebashing someone with their earlier mistakes—and that "someone" might be ourselves. We can be so hard on ourselves, often much more so than with others! Forget. And when it comes to mind again, forget it again. "Honey, should we give up? I can get a good job and carve out a good living for us. I can do some things. I'll be okay without a degree. Should we stop trying to tackle what right now seems so difficult to face?" In my best reenactment of Lot's wife, I said, in effect, "Let's go back. Let's go home. The future holds nothing for us." Is there any future for me? When Jesus found the just-healed man in the temple, he told him, "See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you" (John 5:14). Stagnant, do-nothingness is deemed as a serious offense. No more Bethesda for you. No more waking up and going to sleep in the same mess. God is the God of forward motion, the God of tomorrow.

John 14:15 "If you love me, you will keep my commandments."

Jesus' words here are a promise. If we are simply a people who will let God love us in every moment, we will NATURALLY be people who are obedient to God's perfect will for us

Isaiah 60:19 "The LORD will be your everlasting light."

Let this promise pierce the darkness of your world today. And as Paul said, "Walk as children of light" (Ephesians 5:8).

Ephesians 4:29 "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."

Nagging does not help nor does it benefit those who listen

Romans 12:18 "If possible, as far as it depends on you, live peaceably with everyone." Hebrews 12:14 "Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord."

Living at peace so long as it depends on me. (Leaving room for God to work) Paul doesn't say, "As far as it depends on other people bringing peace." Nor does he say, "As long as the conflicts end in a peaceful way." No, he says, "So far as it depends on you." In other words, peace in my life isn't being prevented by other people's choices. It's made possible by my choices. To live peaceably with all seems like such a ridiculous impossibility. And yet, when the impossible is made possible because of Jesus in us. Friends, this truly is possible. But only if we surrender our offenses daily, keep our hearts swept clean of bitterness and remain humble even when we are hurt. Peace is the evidence of a life of forgiveness. It's not that the people all around you are peaceful, or that all of your relationships are perfectly peaceful all the time. Rather, it's having a deep-down knowing that you've released yourself from the binding effects and constricting force of unforgiveness and the constraining feelings of unfairness. Jesus, today I pray You would show me how to be a peacemaker. As the Prince of Peace, steady my heart to surrender control of situations over to You. In Jesus' Name, Amen. Controlling ourselves cannot be dependent on our efforts to control others

Luke 15:18 "I will arise and go to my father"

Maybe you can't solve all your problems or disentangle all your knots. You can't undo all the damage you've done, but you can arise and go to your Father. Landing in a pigpen stinks. But, friend, staying there is just plain stupid.

Philippians 4: 12-13 "I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me."

Most of us God calls to live faithfully in our circumstances. We must learn — and this is counterintuitive — how to face abundance. We all can imagine facing lowliness and hunger and desperately needing the Lord's help. But notice what other secret Paul needs to learn. He learned the secret to facing plenty. He needed help in the school of hard knocks AND soft beds. And he learned the secret of how to abound without letting either corrupt him: he could do all things through Christ who strengthened him. We too need Christ's strength in the prosperity we face. We need Christ and his strength to live focused on heaven, to risk reputation and fortune, and to make it clear in a land full of abundance, that we seek a better country — a heavenly one.

Psalm 18:3 "I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies."

My thoughts are my enemy The thought, "So shall I be saved from my enemies" did not always come easily for David. Not very long before this great season of victory, he said to himself: Now I shall perish someday by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape to the land of the Philistines (1 Samuel 27:1). This shows that there were times when David deeply doubted the final victory he now enjoyed; but it also shows that in the end, his faith - and more importantly, God's strength - was greater than his weakness.

Jer 32:27 "I am the LORD, the God of all the peoples of the world. Is anything too hard for me?"

Now, his problem is not the desolation of the city; it is the degradation of the people. The thing that constituted a tremendous dilemma to him was that the city could not be restored unless the we were changed and cleansed and healed. That is where he stumbled because, remember, this man had been preaching to these people for forty years. For forty years he had poured out his heart to this people, declaring to them again and again the word of the Lord. And for forty years he had seen absolutely no sign of repentance -- nobody turned, nobody stopped, nobody changed. The kings all refused his testimony. And though God faithfully supported his prophet again and again by causing his words to come to pass, nevertheless this people stubbornly resisted. Jeremiah says, "I don't see how you can change them, God. They're too stubborn." Is that not our problem oftentimes? We say, "Oh, that person I expected to see changed is too stubborn. There's no way he can change." Look, I am the God of all flesh. I specialize in people -- especially difficult people! Difficult people are my special stock in trade. Is anything too hard for me?" This is what God said to Sarah when she laughed in the tent of Abraham at God's promise that she would have a son. She knew her body was past childbearing, so she laughed. God said, "Why do you laugh? Is anything too hard for the Lord?"

Knowing the will of God

One of the most frequently asked questions among believers is, "How can I know the will of God?" In principle, Solomon gave a wonderful answer in Proverbs 3:5-6. When we: · Decide to put our trust in the Lord. · Decide to not trust in our own understanding, but give attention and priority to God's revealed word. · Decide to acknowledge and honor God in all that we do. When we do those things, we can trust that God will direct our paths. We can go forward in peace, believing that through His word, through the leading of the Holy Spirit, through the counsel of others, through godly common sense, and through life circumstances, God will direct our paths. We will walk along our way of life and come to see that we have been on the path God intended all along.

Luke 11:13 "If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

Only God gives increase. Only God opens the mind, changes the heart, and makes people different. That is the thing that ought to be emphasized then, instead of putting all this emphasis upon our methods, and our abilities to do this and that, and all the educational demands that some people want to make for training. That is all emphasizing the people, not the God who gives the increase. Lord Jesus I ask you to take my life and use me where I work, where I live, in my home. I know this is what you love to do, and I ask that you will grant me the grace to understand how to do this, and yield myself to you.

James 4:10 "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up."

Our emotions will sometimes be the very last thing to catch up to where we've healed. The card we sent felt like I was just going through the motions, but maybe it was walking out obedience. "I release all that my flesh begs for. Show me what I need to learn." "I release my need for this to feel fair. I release all that my flesh begs for so I can embrace what You may be teaching me through this situation. Give me Your peace in place of my anger. In Jesus' Name, Amen."

Corinthians 5:15 "And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again."

Our love for God, and our life for God, is expressed in the way we serve others. We want to think it applies to others and not us. It's bad news that we need, but don't really want to consider. As long as sin lives inside us, laziness will be an issue for us all. Embedded in this phrase is a diagnostic that applies to every person who has ever lived. Paul is arguing here that the coming of and sacrifice of Jesus was necessary because the DNA of sin is selfishness. The desires of my heart are gobbled up by my ease, my comfort, my pleasure, and my success. Now, because as a sinner I tend to make life all about me, I work to avoid anything that is hard or uncomfortable to do. I tend to curse hard work, the need to serve others, the call to persevere, and the inescapable reality of suffering Sin makes us all work avoiders. It tends to make us all think that the good life is a life free of the need for labor. Work is not a curse; it is our created identity. Until grace has completed its work, we will tend to find work more of a burden than a calling and enjoy. "Me-ism of sin"

1 Corinthians 8:1 "Knowledge puffs up but love builds up."

Paul first talks about the principles of knowledge and love. Christian behavior is founded on love, not knowledge; and the goal of the Christian life is not knowledge, but love. Paul's argument is that such problems cannot be solved merely based on, "We know such and such and so and so to be true, therefore, we are free to act." No, Paul says, knowledge or doctrine alone is not enough. You need love. Knowledge puffs up but love builds up. Love looks at somebody else's situation, not always one's own. Knowledge, in other words, is self-centered, but love reaches out to include someone else in your thinking. Both knowledge and love have an effect on our lives in that each of them make something grow. The difference between puffs up and builds up is striking; it is the difference between a bubble and a building. Some Christians grow, others just swell! We do not have to claim our right to freedom based on knowledge. We are free to give up our rights anytime the situation warrants. Though we have the rights, we also have the right not to exercise them for the sake of love. Help me, Father, to act in love in what I do and not act merely in knowledge alone. Thank you for the truth that sets me free, but also for the love that still restrains me and makes me give consideration to someone else's welfare.

Prayer points

Praise God, who is your refuge and strength (Psalm 46). Give thanks for his "ever present help in trouble" (v. 1). Confess any desire to live life apart from God. Commit yourself to being still and knowing that he is God. Ask him to prosper you and not harm you, to give you hope and a future (Jer. 29:11). Pray for...

Psalm 18:19 "You armed me with strength for battle."

Read this on day was dropping Cam off at Fdu and prayed this prayer "Lord, you know Satan is going to try to come btwn me and Cam today so this day is ruined, arm me for this attack and give me strength for the battle." And it happened. Cam and I got into a tiff about what I found in the backpack and I got angry with her BUT then quickly had the wisdom to tell her we should drop it so we don't fight on this day. Not only did we drop it and things become smooth again but then later Camryn apologized for what happened before. "Mom I am sorry for what happened earlier" Thank you Jesus

Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding."

So many things that cause us difficulty and heartache in this life, the source of so much doubt, anxiety, fear, worry and anger with others and with God, is a result of leaning on our own understanding.

Romans 15:1-2 "We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up." MSG version "Those of us who are strong and able in the faith need to step in and lend a hand to those who falter, and not just do what is most convenient for us. Strength is for SERVICE, not STATUS. Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, "How can I help?""

Strength is for SERVICE, not STATUS. Lord grant me This goes against the whole tenor of our times, which counsels people to "look out for number 1" and despises those who live lives of real sacrifice for the sake of others. Yet, undeniably Paul points the way to true happiness and fulfillment in life - get your eyes off of yourself, start building up others and you will find yourself built up. All too often, Christians find it easier to tear each other down instead of building each other up; this is a classic strategy of Satan against the church that must be resisted.

Psalm 30:5 "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning."

That means that trouble can't last forever in your life. That means that it won't always feel like this. It means that there may be a season where you struggle, but 1 Peter 5:10 says, "And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast." In other words, SUFFERING HAS AN EXPIRATION DATE. You dont have to go through this forever. God's got His eye on you. HE SEES YOU IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STORM. It can rage all night, but day will break. DON'T YOU STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SEA.

Hebrews 4:16 "Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

That's a throne of authority and power with the quality and the character and the inclination to treat people better than they deserve. That's the kind of throne we're coming to. But then it says, "that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Or a more literal translation: "that we may find mercy and grace for a well-timed help." It is incredibly encouraging that God's grace is both the inclination of the divine heart to treat us better than we deserve and is the extension of that inclination in practical help. Graze is both underserved favor and power for living.

Hebrews 12:2 "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith."

The author and finisher of our faith: Jesus is not only the author of our faith; He is the finisher of it also. The idea of He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6) was comforting indeed to these discouraged Christians. i. One may say that Jesus is with us at the starting line and the finish line and all along the way of the race that He sets before us.

Numbers 32:23 "Be sure your sin will find you out."

The question is not "Do you sin or not?" We each sin. The question is, "How do you react when you sin? Do you give in to the pattern of sin, and let it dominate your lifestyle? Or do you humbly confess your sin, and do battle against it with the power Jesus can give?"

2 Peter 3: 8 -9 "But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."

There is a compassionate purpose in God's timing. God doesn't require that we get it right quickly. He comes to us and situation after situation, each controlled by his sovereign grace, it's designed to be a tool of transformation, and He works on the same things again and again. When faith is weak men are in a dreadful hurry, but strong faith does not judge the Lord to be slack concerning his promise. As God achieves his purpose with infinite leisure, he loves a faith that is patient and looks not for its reward this day or the next. 'He that believeth shall not make haste': that is to say, he shall not be ashamed or confounded by present trials so as to rush upon unbelieving actions. Faith leaves times and seasons with God to whom they belong." We are impatient with time because of fear of what others will think.

James 4:6 "But He gives more grace." Romans 5:20 "Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more"

There is grace for every time you sin or are sinned against. There is always more grace coming around the corner. The grace that you are given for your relationships will never, ever run out. You can give yourself to love, to forgive, to confess, to confront, to trust and to persevere even when things are hard because He gives more grace. An avalanche of grace; He pours out more and more grace. Fight the good fight of faith - trust in future grace. Literally, the phrase abounded all the more means "super-abounded." God makes His grace super-abound over abounding sin! - We might have expected that where sin abounded, God's anger or judgment would have abounded much more. But God's love is so amazing that grace abounded much more where we might have expected wrath. - If grace super-abounds over sin, then we know that it is impossible to out-sin the grace of God. We can't sin more than God can forgive, but we can reject His grace and forgiveness.

Luke 9:23 "And he said to all, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."

This adventure bids me to exchange handkerchiefs and comforts for hardships and crosses. He assigns me to sacrifice self to meet others' needs, put what is earthly in me to death, confront brothers entangled in iniquity, count my life as cheap compared to his glory, stand against the likes of the world, the flesh, and Satan, and, should it come to it, to leave all behind and die for his name. Daily he beckons into the vast beyond — even when that is merely across the street to speak the gospel to my neighbors.

Psalm 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth."

This is a strong and exciting promise. Do you trust it? "Lord, to "be still" means not to be anxious or fretting or complaining or boasting. Lord show me who you are - your absolute power and infinite love for me- until I am still. "

Genesis 15:6 "Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness."

This was in regards to when God told abram he would have children

Mathew 15:22, 25 "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly." "Jesus did not answer a word." "But she came and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, help me.""

This woman came to intercede for her daughter, and she provided a picture of an effective intercessor - her great need taught her how to pray. When she came to Jesus, she made her daughter's needs her own. Jesus gives her piercing silence As Augustine says, 'The Word spoke not a word,' and that was so unlike him. He who was always so ready with responses to the cry of grief had no response for her." (Spurgeon) The Canaanite woman is also rebuked by Jesus. First, He answers her with piercing silence which signifies she is not (yet) legitimately part of His family so she will not be acknowledged, much less chastened. But the Canaanite acknowledges Jesus' spiritual authority, calling Him Son of David. Jesus insists, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel." The woman still takes no offense, but throws herself at His feet and worships Him. Unlike hypocrites, she is not offended when she realizes Jesus speaks the truth and humbly accepts His characterization of the people of Canaan. Jesus continues to draw the distinction, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to the little dogs." Her response epitomizes humility as she appeals to Jesus for mere crumbs, acknowledging both His power and her subservience. Jesus commends her faith and heals her daughter. We should not take offense when challenging spiritual truths are revealed by the Holy Spirit, but press in towards God with the understanding He will ultimately commend our faith and bless us!

Isaiah 30:18 "Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts Himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for Him."

Waiting in prayer is the practice of dying to self. The way we view the not yet future will inevitably impact the way we respond in the here and now He makes us wait. He keeps us on purpose in the dark. He makes us walk when we want to run, sit still when we want to walk, for He has things to do in our souls that we are not interested in. If we knew what God knew, we would be asking for exactly what He is giving us. His not telling us the plan is Him showing us mercy

Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."

Walk rightly with God by truly trusting Him. It is our nature to put our trust in something or someone, even if it is our self. The word translated 'trust' in verse 5 means 'to lie helpless, facedown. Trust is a childlike, unwavering confidence in our Father's well-proved wisdom, faithfulness, and love. Trusting God with all our heart means to decide to put away our own understanding and instead to choose to trust God and His understanding. Self-sufficiency and self-dependence have been the ruin of mankind ever since the fall of Adam. The grand sin of the human race is their continual endeavour to live independently of God. Trusting God with all our heart means to honor and acknowledge Him in all that we do. It is the choice to "invite" God into our everyday life and conduct. He shall direct your paths: This is the great principle of God's response towards those who trust Him in the way described in the previous lines. When we acknowledge Him in our ways, He will direct our paths.

1 Corinthians 7:21-24 "You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings."

We are never to put ourselves under the inappropriate control or influence of others. Lord, help me parent today caring more about my kids hearts than I care about others opinions of me or my child or my parenting. Let me speak words of life and love to my kids While I am a citizen of this world and touched my it's brokenness, remind me that I am a citizen of another kingdom. Discouragement is everywhere but there is grace. "Fear not, little flock, for it is YOUR Fathers good pleasure to give you the kingdom." (Luke 12:32)

Proverbs 4 "Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you."

We often depart the path of the just out of distraction. The blinders used on horses do them much good and would do many of us good as well. Jesus said that if we will be fit for His kingdom, we must keep our eyes forward, not distracted side to side or backwards (Luke 9:62). 'Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family." Jesus replied, "No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."' "Remember Lots wife." Faith is for the future. Faith builds on the past but never longs to stay there. Faith trusts that God has great things in store for each of us and that Christ truly is the "high priest of good things to come." Jesus cites this story in Luke 17, as He describes a future event: "It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day no one who is on the housetop, with possessions inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. Remember Lot's wife! Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it" (verses 28-33).

Romans 14:23 "Whatever is not from faith is sin." "Everything which is not from faith is sin."

Whatever is done with doubt in God or bc of doubt in God is sinful The reason it is penetrating is that it goes to the root of all sinful actions and attitudes, namely, the failure to trust God Anything, absolutely any act or attitude which is owing to a lack of trust in God is sin, no matter how moral it may appear to men. God looks on the heart. Trust in God means, first and foremost, that we believe God cares about each one of us and in some way He will ultimately do right by us. Believers also trust that God will, at times of His choosing, intervene in this world, though not necessarily in the lifetime of any specific individual who might beseech Gods intervention. https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/whatever-is-not-from-faith-is-sin

1 Corinthians 10:31 "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."

When Paul thinks of the call to live for the glory of God, he doesn't first think of the big, life-changing, self-consciously spiritual moments of life. No he thinks of something as mundane and repetitive as eating and drinking. Even the most regular, seemingly unimportant tasks of my life must be shaped and directed by a heartfelt desire for the glory of God. In the busyness of life I lose sight of Gods existence, let alone His glory Father help me live for YOUR glory and YOUR will

Isaiah 46:4 "I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you." Isaiah 41:13 "For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, "Fear not, I am the one who helps you."

When we understand that He has made us, and we are valuable to Him, then we can trust Him to carry us. It's a worthy question: do you have to carry your gods, or does your God carry you? He promises to take us by the hand, He reminds us not to fear, and assures us He will help us.

Isaiah 63:17 "Why, Lord, do you make us wander from your ways and harden our hearts so we do not revere you?"

Why, God, did you make us wander from your ways? Why did you make us cold and stubborn so that we no longer worshiped you in awe? Yahweh, why do you allow us to wander from your ways and harden our hearts to be so stubborn that we do not obey you? LORD, why have You made us stray from Your ways, And hardened our heart from Your fear?

"Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

You can read this Scripture and say, 'Although my relationship with my daughter is not so blessed with connectedness and enjoyment of one another as other mother/daughter relationships and although there is friction btwn is and although we don't do family time as others do - although my house isn't so, yet He has made with me an everlasting Covenant. I am still in covenant with God. The Lord has made with me an everlasting covenant. As for these things in the world, I see they are but momentary, they are not everlasting.'" As I have turned these over in my mind the last several weeks, I've sensed that they are almost the same command stated three ways. Finding things to rejoice over and thank God for constantly will require ceaseless prayer, not only for expression to God but to seek His voice and vision for the good in all circumstances. If we give thanks in all circumstances, we will rejoice. We will offer those thanks by praying as much as we rejoice. It all goes round in a wonderful wreath of heartfelt communion with the Lord.

Isaiah 26: 3-4 "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock."

You don't need to know the plan to trust there is a plan. You just need to fix your thoughts on Jesus Where is peace to be found? It's not to be found in personal planning or an attempt to control the circumstances and people in your life. Peace is found in trusting the person who controls all things that you don't understand and who knows no mystery because he has planned at all. How do you experience this remarkable kind of peace that doesn't fade away when disappointments come, when people are difficult, or when circumstances are hard? You experience it by keeping your mind stayed on the Lord. By meditating on his glory, his power, his wisdom, his grace, his patience and his commitment to his eternal promises to you.

Hebrews 11:6 "And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him." "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."

You must believe God exists - and He cares enough to respond. And it means you LIVE as though you believe in Gods existence, or as though you believe that "He rewards those who seek him." It's radical to believe that God really does exist and rewards those who seek him, and that radical beliefs does radical things to your LIVING. Real faith radically rearranges your life Faith redirects and re-captures the worship of your heart (Abel). It produces in you a heart of obedience. (Enoch) And it causes you to submit to the calling of God.(Noah) Hebrews 11 focuses more on what people did with their lives and it does on the details of a theology.

Mark 5:36 "Do not be afraid; only believe." Psalm 56:3 "When I am afraid, I put my trust in you."

Your daughter is dead: Jairus' heart sank when he heard this. He must have thought, "I KNEW this was taking too long. I KNEW Jesus shouldn't have wasted His time on this silly woman. Now the situation is beyond hope." Do not be afraid; only believe: Jesus told Jairus to do two things First, to stop being afraid. It sounds almost cruel for Jesus to say this to a man who just lost his daughter, but Jesus knew that fear and faith don't go together. Before Jairus could really trust Jesus, he had to decide to put away fear. Second, Jesus told Jairus to only believe. - Don't try to believe and be afraid at the same time. - Don't try to believe and figure it all out. - Don't try to believe and make sense of the delay. Instead, ONLY believe. Jairus was supposed to believe the word of Jesus. Everything else told him the situation was hopeless, but the word of Jesus brought hope. Choose to see the unseen Jesus asks us to make a choice. Either to live by the facts or to see by faith. When tragedy strikes, we, are left to choose what we see. We can see either the hurt or the Healer. The choice is ours.