Malachi 3:6: The Canadian Rockies-Photo by Mark J. Booth
Dear Heavenly Father,
I live in a world that is constantly changing; yet you do not change. My circumstances may change, but you do not change. My health my change, but you do not change. My financial situation may change, but you do not change. The people in my life may change, but you do not change.
Thank you, Father, for giving me the privilege to call you, Father. Thank you for the blessings of the past year. You showed your mercy towards me every day. Your presence was always with me even when I wasn’t aware of you being with me. Your Word brought direction, comfort, and conviction throughout the past year. You blessed me by using my family, and many other people who showed love and kindness towards me. You gave me strength when I was weak. You gave me wisdom when I was confused. Above all, I thank you for your love that I didn’t deserve.
Father, as I look forward to the New Year, I realize that I am facing the great unknown, but my unknown future is known to you.. For this reason, I commit this New Year to you. Help me to keep my eyes focused upon you.
Please guide me in every decision that I make. Help me to love my wife, my family, and all those that you bring into my life. Give me the strength, patience, and wisdom to bear any trial that may come my way. Help me to draw closer to you each day. Increase my faith, because I often walk by sight and not by faith.
When I am tempted to go astray, bring me back to yourself. When my love becomes lukewarm, woo me back to yourself. When I feel like quitting, let me experience your grace to move forward.
Thank you, Father, for your ears that are always open to my prayers. Take my life and let it be devoted to you. I commit my ever-changing life to you, because you are my unchanging Father. Amen.
Bennett Park, Charlotte, Michigan, USA (Photo by Mark J Booth)
The year 2013 has arrived . Perhaps, we have already made some goals for our life. We may plan to do more exercise or eat less food. Perhaps, we want to travel more, or have a goal to get out of debt. In light of our goals for 2013, will we take the time to do an inventory of our spiritual lives?
God says in Haggai 1:5: “Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.” God’s people had returned to their land, but they had neglected to rebuild the temple. They were too busy with their own affairs. to concern themselves with God and His priorities. Today, we often neglect our spiritual lives because we become preoccupied with all the activities in this world. Like the Israelites, have we neglected to take an inventory of our relationship with God?
The word “consider” means to note thoroughly, to perceive clearly, to think deeply. This word is used sixty-six times in the Bible. Why does God place such a priority on this word? Is it because He knows that we have the habit of keeping busy so that we don’t take the time to consider our walk with Him? Here are some questions to help begin an inventory of our spiritual lives.
1. How well do I know God? “That I may know Him.” (Philippians 3:10) These words show Paul’s great desire to know the Lord in a personal way. He didn’t just want to know about God, but to know Him as His Father, Lord and Friend. To know God means to spend time with Him in His Word. This means that we study His Word to learn more about His character, His works, and His promises. To know God means to spend time in prayer with Him. To know God also means to spend time meditating upon Him in order that our love and desire to please Him will grow.
2. How well do I know myself? “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:” (Psalm 139:23) We often find it difficult to allow God to search every aspect of our lives. We like to focus on all of our “good points” and we tend to ignore our sins or weaknesses. God gives us His Word to enable us to see areas that we need to change in our lives. When we read the Word of God, do we allow God to convict us of our sins? Do we allow Him to show us areas in our lives in which we need to improve? Do we allow Him to show us our apathy in spiritual matters? Examining our lives may not be pleasant, but it is a great step in moving forward in our spiritual lives in 2013.
3. How well do I use my time? “Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:16) Time is a gift that we often waste on matters that are not very important. We have many tools today to save time; yet we seem to have less time than ever to do those things that are important.
Big Ben-London England (Photo in Public Domain)
The Apostles Paul understood that his greatest priority in life was to mature in his faith. “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians3:14) His time, efforts and focus were upon his spiritual well-being. We spend a lot of time taking care of our physical bodies, but what about our spiritual life? Time is a gift that we can invest in those things that promote our spiritual well-being.
4. How well do I encourage those around me? We often focus upon our own lives and we forget the impact that our lives have upon other people. One of my favorite Bible characters is Barnabas. He was a man who was always encouraging others.
He encouraged others by his example. He did this with his generous gift to the church (Acts 4:36-37). The Bible also says about Barnabas: “He was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith:” (Acts 9:23) If people followed our example what kind of Christian would they be?
He encouraged others by his friendship. Barnabas extended the hand of friendship to Paul when nobody else did. (Acts 9:26-27) People need friends, but our culture of isolation has kept us from reaching out to others with the needed hand of friendship.
He encouraged others with his words. Barnabas was a leader who encouraged the early church in Antioch with his words (Acts 9:23) We can use our words to discourage a person or to encourage them.
He encouraged others by giving them a second chance. John Mark had failed on the first missionary journey. Paul didn’t want to take the chance to take John Mark on the second journey. Barnabas choose to give John Mark a second chance. This same John Mark would later write the Gospel of Mark. People will fail us, just as we fail others. Will we give them a second chance?
5. How well do I glorify God in all that I do? The greatest purpose of our life is to bring glory to God. “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31) God wants to be glorified in all that we do. Do we glorify God in our thoughts, attitudes, words and actions? De we glorify God in our family? Do we glorify God at work or school? Do we glorify God with our plans and goals in life?
We have come to another crossroads in our lives. We have a great opportunity before us. What will we do with this opportunity? We can move forward in our spiritual lives or we can remain stagnant. God desires us to move forward in our spiritual lives. Will we take the time to make an inventory of where we are spiritually?
“Dear Heavenly Father, I am entering a new year. I know that I have fewer years ahead of me than behind me. It is critical that I allow you to clearly show me, what I need to do in this coming year. Help me to know you more intimately. Guide me as to the use of my time. Use me to encourage the people you bring into my life. Above all, I want to glorify you in all that I am and do. Thank you for the blessings of 2012. Thank you for continuing your work in and through my life. Amen”
“I can’t forgive them.” “What they did to me is unforgivable.” “I won’t ever speak to them again.” ” I can’t forget how much they hurt me.” What do all these statements have in common? They show an individual who has a bitter spirit.
Bitterness has destroyed many people because it enslaves them to the object of their bitterness. They have no freedom to enjoy their walk with God and others. A bitter person can infect their family, their workplace or even their church with their attitude. “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;” (Hebrews 12:15)
God has not only given us a cure for bitterness, but He has also modeled this cure. This cure is called forgiveness. The word forgiveness means “to send away”. The idea is that we throw the bitter attitude out of our lives; never to retrieve it again. “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with allmalice:” (Ephesians 4:31)
God gives us three reasons to cast out bitterness and embrace forgiveness.
1. Christ has forgiven us. “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32) No matter what anybody has done to us, it is nothing compared to all of our sinful offenses towards God.
The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant is a great illustration of the above truth. The landowner forgives his servant an enormous debt; yet this forgiven debtor is unwilling to forgive his follow servant a very small debt. (Matthew 18:21-35) How can we talk about God’s mercy and not share that mercy with others?
2. Christ commands us to forgive others. “Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.“(Colossians 3:13) A bitter spirit is a disobedient spirit. When we forgive a person in our heart, we are walking in obedience to Christ.
3. Christ is our example of demonstrating forgiveness. When Christ was being mocked upon the cross, He didn’t respond with anger and bitterness. He called out to His Father: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34) When we forgive those who have hurt us, we are acting like our Savior. These people didn’t ask Christ to forgive them, but yet Christ poured out His forgiveness towards them.
Forgiveness is difficult for us because we think that the offended party is “let off the hook”. In reality, we are let off the hook. We are now free to live our lives without being controlled by our bitterness. God shows us the following blessings of extending forgiveness to others.
We have a testimony before others. “The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.” (Proverbs 19:11)
We show God’s love towards others. Charity “rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” (1 Corinthians 13:6-7)
We will have a joyful heart. “Blessed are the merciful; for they shall obtain mercy.” (Matthew 5:7)
We will enjoy true Christian fellowship. “To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;” (2 Corinthians 2:10)
Forgiveness is our choice. We can continue to feel hurt and embittered, or we can choose forgiveness. The offending party may never ask for forgiveness, but we can forgive them in our heart. Many persons have lived a miserable life because they chose not to forgive someone. Is your bitterness worth it?
“Dear Lord, you felt the pain of rejection, hatred, misunderstanding and ridicule; yet you forgave. Help me, to forgive those who have hurt me. My bitter spirit has not only hurt me, but those around me. I have lost the joy in my life. Lord, in my heart I now forgive _____________. Thank you for your forgiveness towards me when I don’t deserve it. From now on, help me to exercise love towards even those who have hurt me. Amen.”
NOTE: This is the sixth post in the series “Moving Beyond”. Please check out the other posts in this series.
Elbow Lake in Alberta, Canada-Photo by: Mark J. Booth
Anger is a common human emotion that negatively affects us and others. Anger often leads to emotional, social, spiritual and physical problems in our lives. We would like to control our anger, but we constantly fall back into the same trap.
Anger is a choice. We may blame others for our anger, but we can move beyond our anger and live a life of meekness. Meekness is: “Yielding all of my rights and expectations to God.” Whenever we become angry, it shows that there is an area in our life that we have yet to yield to God. Here are three ways that we can move beyond anger and live a life of meekness.
UNDERSTAND GOD’S VIEW OF OUR ANGER
1. God’s commands us to put aside anger. Psalm 37:8 says: “Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.” Anger leads to wrath which leads to evil actions. Anger destroys our Christian testimony. Our anger shows that we are defending our rights. Our focus is not upon Christ, but upon ourselves.
2. God tells us that anger causes strife with others. “A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.” (Proverbs 15:18) Anger creates strife in marriages, in parent-child relationships, in friendships, in work relationships as well as church relationships. Our anger is divisive and very self-centered. This is the very opposite of love.
3. God tells us to avoid friendship with angry people. “Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.” An angry person not only causes strife, but he also causes others to take up his angry cause. Anger is like a contagious disease that goes from one person to another. For this reason, we are not to develop close friendships with this type of person.
TRANSFORM YOUR ANGER TO MEEKNESS
1. Meekness is one of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23) Anger is often the symptom of something seriously wrong in our lives. When the Holy Spirit controls us, anger will no longer control us. Meekness must come from the Holy Spirit because it isn’t natural for us to yield up our rights to God.
2. Meekness learns to pass over a transgression against us. When somebody wrongs us, we react in anger. Yes, this is natural, but it is also very destructive to us and to others. Jesus Christ said: “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” (Matthew 5:44) This is only possible when we yield the right to our time, possessions, reputation, etc. unto God. Is this not what Joseph did in response to the treachery of his brothers?
3. Meekness remembers who we are in the eyes of God. Angry people have an inflated view of their own importance. We develop meekness when we look at ourselves from God’s perspective. Paul didn’t become angry throughout his trials with others because he remembered that he was the greatest of all sinners, whom God saved.
4. Meekness is seen in the life of Christ. “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5)When Christ came to earth, he gave up many of His rights “ He would experience hunger, pain, rejection and eventually death. Why did he do this? Christ demonstrated meekness because He saw that His rights were much less important than His mission to die on the cross for our sin.
Our anger says that my rights are more important than ministering to others. Where would we be if Christ choose not yield his rights? When Christ prayed to the Father, he laid down his rights. “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” (Luke 22:42) Can we say the same prayer?
FOCUS ON THE FRUITS OF MEEKNESS
1. We will enjoy God’s presence and teaching: “The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.” (Psalm 25:9)
2. We will walk in God’s peace and joy. “But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” (Psalm 37:11)
3. We will respond eagerly to God’s Word. “Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.” (James 1:21)
4. We will experience contentment. “The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the Lord that seek him:” (Psalm 22:26)
“Lord, I find it easy to become angry with difficult circumstances and difficult people. My anger keeps me from enjoying your presence, peace and power. I need to learn to yield all of my rights to you. Please help me to develop a meek spirit. Thank you for sending Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who yielded His rights for my salvation. Amen”
How we start the day often dictates how the rest of our day will go. When we start our day with anxiety, worry and fear, these emotions likely will continue to affect us during the rest of the day. David faced many trials and obstacles; yet he could be encouraged by focusing upon His Lord in the morning. Starting our day with a focus upon God enables us to walk with confidence, peace, and joy. Our life will not be dictated by the events of the day, but by our faith and confidence in our living God.
David shares his faith and confidence in God by writing Psalm 31:3: “For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me.” (Psalm 31:3) David didn’t start his day alone. He was aware of God’s presence throughout the day. Here are three truths about God that gave David peace, joy, strength and direction each day
1. “My Rock”-David understands that God brings stability to his life. We don’t know the future. There are many dangers and pitfalls that we face each day. We are tempted to worry. We feel unable to handle what is happening. We feel like we are drowning; however, we can find stability in the midst of the instabilities of life. God is our rock! He is there to steady us. He is there to enable us to withstand any storm. Like Peter, when you feel like you are drowning allow the Lord to take your hand and place you on the Solid Rock.
2. “My Fortress”-David understands that God brings security to his life. Worry, fear and anxiety can control our days because of our insecurity. We feel insecure about our relationships, our finances, our health, our future, and our reputation. We can say “goodbye” to these insecurities when we flee to our Fortress, the Living God. He can protect us from whatever “enemies” or destructive thoughts that may be attacking us.
3. “Lead me and guide me”-David understands that God brings direction to his life. Each day presents its challenges. Often, we face situations which confuse us. We don’t know what to do. God is our Shepherd. He desires to lead us each day. As we start each day, God will guide us as we seek Him in His Word and in prayer. James shared with his readers: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him” (James 1:5)
“Lord, every day has new challenges, problems and unexpected trials. Thank you for bringing stability, security and direction in my life. Help me to begin each day focusing upon you as my Rock, my Fortress and my Guide. Thank you for taking a special interest in me and what happens in my life throughout each day. Amen”
Woldumar Nature Center (Lansing, Michigan USA) Photo by: Mark J. Booth
Discontentment is found everywhere, including our own hearts. People are discontent with their marriages, with their jobs, with their health, with their relationships, as well as their possessions. The root of discontentment is covetousness. Covetousness is defined as the inordinate desire to have something. It is also defined as the desire to have something that belongs to another.
Covetousness is a sin that creates a warped view of God. We feel that God has cheated us out of something. Satan used this approach with Eve when he told her that God was wrong to withhold the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Eve coveted the fruit and ate it. The tenth commandment says: “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.” (Exodus 20:17)
God’s gives this commandment for two reasons. First of all, God hates covetousness because it places the coveted object above Him, which is a form of idolatry. It also causes us to have the wrong view of His person and blessings. “For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire,and blesseth the covetous, whom the Lord abhorreth.” (Psalm 10:3)
Secondly, covetousness brings harm to us and to those around us. The Bible teaches us that covetousness leads to:
injustice: “And they covet fields, and take them by violence;and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.” (Micah 5:2)
harm to ourselves: “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.”
(1 Timothy 6:9)
departure from the faith: “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” (1 Timothy 6:10)
many sorrows-See the above verse
family problems: “He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house;”
(Proverbs 15:27)
Covetousness is clearly a problem many of us face. The solution to this problem is having a spirit of contentment. The secret of a growing, joyful Christian life is being content in our relationship with God in spite of the circumstances. One person defined contentment as: “Realizing that God has provided everything I need for my present happiness.” How do we go from a spirit of covetousness to a spirit of contentment?
We move beyond covetousness to contentment when:
1. We know that our Heavenly Father will take care of us. Covetousness says: “I want something beyond what God gives me.” Contentment says: “My Heavenly Father loves me and He takes care of all of my needs.” “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.” (Matthew 6: 31-32)
2. We know that God is with us even in the most difficult situations we face. Covetousness looks at others and thinks that they have a better situation than we have. Contentment doesn’t look at others, but looks to God. God is with us. What more do we need? “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
(Hebrews 13:5)
3. We focus on our spiritual lives above all else. A covetous person focuses upon the physical realm. He doesn’t make his spiritual life a priority. Jesus reminded His hearers; “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33) A contented person understands that in this life we will have difficulties, but he knows that life is more than this material world. His desires are focused upon his soul and his relationship with God.
4. We give God all of our burdens. A covetous person attempts to find security through their own efforts. They always feel that there is something missing in their life to have total security. A contented person gives all of their cares and burdens to the Lord. He is their security. “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)
Our Heavenly Father has blessed us beyond what we will ever know or understand.
“Dear Father, thank you for your many blessings. Help me to see you in every circumstance in my life. Help me to trust you to meet all of my needs. May your presence, love, and provision be the focus of my daily life. Thank you for adopting me into your family. Amen.”
Sleepy Hollow State Park, MIchigan- By Mark J. Booth
When fear takes its grip upon our lives, it affects our view of circumstances, of others and of the future. Fear causes us to doubt the love of God, the presence of God, the provision of God, and even the protection of God. Fear keeps us from doing what God has called us to do. How can we move beyond our fears and approach life with courage?
Courage is the willingness to move forward with our lives in spite of the obstacles and dangers that we face. The nation of Israel, including King Saul, was paralyzed by fear on account of Goliath. His size was overwhelming. However, David had moved beyond his fear to courage. David didn’t see the power of Goliath. He saw the power of His God. His courage has inspired us to face life’s situations with the understanding that God is greater than anything that is happening in our life.
How Can I Move Beyond Fear to Courage?
1. Remember the presence of God. God is with us as we travel through this life. His presence brings courage because we know that we are not alone. If we are passing through the shadow of death. we are not alone. If we are facing some great trial, we are not alone. If we are facing an unknown future, we are not alone. “Fear thou not; for I am with thee:be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” (Isaiah 41:10)
2. Enjoy the love of God. God’s love was clearly demonstrated upon the cross of Christ. The fear of death was removed when Jesus died upon the cross for our sins. His death and resurrection conquered death. If his love has removed our greatest fear, it can also take away all other fears. A baby in the arms of its loving mother has no fear. Likewise, we are in the arms of our loving God. Why should we be ruled by fear? “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” (1 John 4:18)
3. Develop a fear of God. The fear of God has been defined as: “Realizing that God is watching and weighing every one of my thoughts, words, actions and attitudes.” The fear of God places God in His rightful place in our lives. When our walk with God is right, we can live our life with courage instead of fear. “In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence:and his children shall have a place of refuge.” (Proverbs 14:26)
4. Walk by faith, not by sight. When walk by faith in our loving, all-wise, and all-powerful God, we can face life with courage. Fear cannot exist together with faith. Fear flourishes when we see life from our perspective, instead of trusting our Great God. When faith rules in our heart, we will have the courage to conquer any mountain that is before us. “In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him (Christ).” (Ephesians 3:12)
5. Study and memorize the Word of God. Fear often is the result of ignorance. When we study the Word of God, we see God working in the lives of people such as Moses, Joshua, Ruth, David and Daniel. These people faced fearful situations; yet they faced them with courage because they knew their God. “But the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.” (Daniel 11:32) When we study the Word, we get to know God better. The more we know Him, the more we will be able to trust Him. Our fear will turn into courage, not because of who we are, but because of who He is.
6. Become familiar with the “fear nots” in the Bible. God knows our heart. He knows that we are prone to fear. We are prone to walk by sight and not by faith. He encourages us with many of His “fear nots” in the Bible. Here are just a few.
Fear not in your life’s journey. “And the Lord appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee,” Genesis 26:24
Fear not concerning your daily needs. “And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth.” (1 Kings 17:13-14)
Fear not when in danger. “And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.” (2 Kings 6:16)
Fear not in times of weakness. “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee;” (Isaiah 41:10)
Fear not in times of trials. “Fear not: for I have redeemed thee,I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee;and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned;” (Isaiah 43:1-2)
Fear not in times of failure. Here is what God said after the Israelites’ failure at Ai. “And the Lord said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed:” (Joshua 8:1) God did bring the victory after their previous failure.
Fear not in times of sickness or nearing death. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4)
“Dear Lord, thank you for assuring me that you are with me throughout this life and for all eternity. Thank you that you give me the courage to move forward in my life in spite of the obstacles that are before me. Please, give me the courage to live each day for you. ”
Author’s Note: This is the second article in the series called “Moving Beyond!”
God’s is waiting for us to come to Him. Photo by: Mark J Booth
The cares of this life often seem to build up until we feel overwhelmed. We become discouraged and feel stressed about life. Is there a place of comfort in the midst of the cares of this world? “In the multitude of my thoughts within me (cares of my heart) thy comforts delight my soul.” (Psalm 94:19). The Psalmist is saying: “No matter how stressful life is, God is here not only to bring comfort, but delight to my soul.”
There are many things that can be overwhelming and bring stress upon us:
the stress of our own failures, sins, and worries.
the stress from our concern for our loved ones.
the stress from people who oppose us.
the stress of work
the stress of growing older
the stress of keeping up with others
the stress of trials in our lives
the stress of loneliness
the stress of not knowing the future.
the stress of making decisions
Stressful situations fill our lives. However, In the midst of the stresses of life, we can always flee to the “God of all Comfort”. We can flee to Him:
by prayer and praise unto Him
by opening up the Word of God and listening to Him
by submitting our lives completely to Him
by confessing any known sin unto Him
He is always available to bring comfort, peace and hope to the soul who is coping with stress in their lives. Will we flee to Him in midst of the cares and stresses of life? Yes!
GOD WILL CHANGE OUR STRESS INTO DELIGHT IN HIM!
The early morning sky over Sydney, Australia: Photo by: Mark J. Booth
How we begin each day not only affects us, but also affects those around us. How can we start the day in the right way? In Psalm 19, God shares the example of one of His greatest creations, the sun. The sun as it begins each day teaches us many lessons.
Once, Sharon and I had the joy of staying a couple of days in a bed and breakfast on the shores of Lake Huron. One morning, we enjoyed a beautiful sunrise over the lake. The sunrise brought the hope of a new day. It brought a renewed sense of the glory of God, and caused us to reflect anew upon the beauty of God’s creation.
A sunrise is one of God’s masterpieces. Psalm 19:4-6 says: “In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it:and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.”
The sun begins the day with great joy and purpose. It fulfills God’s plan every day. Also, it brings warmth to all of us who live upon the earth. The sun glorifies God in all that it does. “The heavens declare the glory of God, the firmament showeth his handiwork.” (Ps. 19:1)
What about us? How can we live each day like the sun? How can we bring glory to God?
The heavens declaring God’s Glory from the sky: Photo by: Mark J. Booth
1. The sun rejoices as it begins each new day. (“Rejoiceth as a strong man”)
How do we begin our day? Do we begin the day with dread? Do we begin the day with anger? Do we begin the day with a complaining spirit? Have we tried rejoicing as a way to start the day? Our joy is not based upon circumstances, but upon our relationship with Jesus Christ. A joyful start to the day will help us through the difficulties of the day, will bring glory to God, and will brighten the lives of other people.
2. The sun fulfills God’s purpose for each day. (“His circuit unto the ends of it”)
The sun willingly performs the task that God has given unto it. The sun doesn’t complain. It doesn’t get praise. It doesn’t doubt God’s plan. How about God’s purpose for our lives? Are we seeking to fulfill God’s plan for our lives? God has a great plan for each of us. It began with our salvation in Jesus Christ and will continue for all eternity. Daily, we have a choice: “Will I fulfill God’s plan for my life, or will I fulfill my plan for my life?”
3. The sun ministers unto others. (“There is nothing hid from the heat thereof”)
The sun brings warmth, light and a sense of beauty to all of us. Every day, we have an opportunity to bring warmth into the lives of those around us. We can encourage others with our words and actions. We can share God’s love with those that God brings into our lives. Every day is an opportunity to brighten the lives of those around us.
Each new day is a gift from God. We have the opportunity to rejoice in the Lord, to follow God’s plan and to brighten the lives of others. Don’t let the clouds of fear, doubt, anger and self-pity keep you from shining brightly before God and others. Whose life will you brighten today?
I am drowning in the midst of a storm. I feel alone. I don’t know where to go? What does the Word of God say: “The Lord is MY ROCK, and MY FORTRESS, and MY DELIVERER; MY GOD, MY STRENGTH, in whom I will trust; MY BUCKLER (shield), and the HORN OF MY SALVATION, and MY HIGH TOWER.” (Psalm 18:2)
Jesus reminded the disciples that in this life they would experience tribulation. We have all experienced tribulation. We try to resolve the situation. We try to cope. We try to ignore the storm; yet we feel like we are sinking deeper and deeper into the raging waters. David experienced many storms in his life. Where did he go for deliverance and relief? He went to “his God”. Likewise, we can go to our God regardless of how strong the storm.
1. We can go to Our God because He is our Rock. When a person is sinking into the water, they are looking for something solid on which to find their footing. We often stumble and fall because we don’t stand firmly upon our solid rock, the Lord God. Do you feel like you are wavering in every direction, then go to the Rock.
2. We can go to Our God because He is Our Fortress. A fortress is a place of refuge from the enemies we may have in this life. Many people talk about being hurt by others. Yes, others may try to hurt us, but we have a fortress to whom we can run. We don’t have to be hurt by others, we can go to the Lord God, Our Fortress.
3. We can go to Our God because He is Our Deliverer. The disciples were fearful in the midst of a terrible storm. They were without hope until they cried out to the Lord. The Lord stopped the storm. No matter how awful the storm, the Lord is ready and able to deliver us. No matter how strong the temptation the Lord will deliver us.
4. We can go to Our God because He is Our God. David knows that he has a personal relationship with the Lord God. He can go to His God at any time. When we know God, we can trust Him. We know that He loves us with an everlasting love. We know that He will never leave us nor forsake us.
5. We can go to Our God because He is Our Strength. David couldn’t handle his enemies in his own strength, but he knew the All-Powerful God. We can do nothing apart from God. As Paul stated: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13). We may get tired and want to quit, but God’s strength enables us to carry on.
6. We Can Go to Our God because He is our Shield. Satan throws his fiery darts of doubt, denial, guilt, temptation, discouragement, and rebellion against God. In ourselves, we have no defense against these darts; however God is Our Shield. He comes between us and the fiery darts of Satan. There is no safer place than behind God, Our Shield.
7. We can Go to Our God because He is Our Savior. Our salvation solves the greatest problem in life, which is how can a sinful person approach a Holy God. Jesus took our place upon the cross and paid for our sin. Through Him, we have eternal life. If God has taken care of our greatest problem in this life, why can’t we trust Him with the storms that pass through our lives?
8. We can Go to Our God because He is Our High Tower. We often see a bird flee into the sky as we approach it. The bird knows that there is safety in the heights. Likewise, our Lord places us in the heights to keep us away from the traps and snares of this life. The storms have little effect upon us when we are safe and secure in the Lord.
As a result of all that God is, David says: “In whom I will trust.” David knows the Greatness of God. He trusts God because he knows Him. Do we know our Great God. Yes, the storm may be strong, but we do have One to whom we can go. Will we?
Bible Treasures for Today 