I Choose to Trust

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am

 your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will

uphold you with my righteous right hand."

Isaiah 41:10

Trust is the antidote to anxiety; it's the resolution of worry and the destruction of fear. Trust is the act of my will to give my burdens to God. It's like a muscle - as you exercise it, trust gets stronger.

Trust is walking forward moment by moment, having rolled your burden onto God. You've no doubt said, "I gave it to God once, but here it is again in my grip." When you sense that you've taken it back again, get back on your knees, get the burden back on God, get on your feet again, and continue to trust.

When you off-load your burden on God, you can pick up a promise from His Word. Second Peter 1:4 tells us that "he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world." There are literally hundreds of promises that apply to your specific burden. God's Word is filled with treasure.

I'm claiming Isaiah 41:10 right now for a burden I'm leaving at God's feet. "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." There it is! God is doing this whole thing with one hand tied behind His back. He's not stressed or strained. He's not worried about what to do. He has absolutely no capacity limits!

Isaiah continues, "Behold, all who are incensed against you shall be put to shame and confounded; those who strive against you shall be as nothing and shall perish. You shall seek those who contend with you, but you shall not find them; those who war against you shall be as nothing at all. 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'" (vv. 11-13).

Take a moment to read that awesome promise again. Trust means you anchor your heart in the reality of God's awareness of your situation. He sees more than you can ever see. God, who loves you and is committed to you, will not disappoint you now or in the future if you put your weight fully on Him.
 
Be Blessed!
 
Dawn

The Source of Our Strength

"I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13 (NIV)


Devotion:


When we arrived at her hospital room she was in the bed, looking very weak and frail. I fought back the tears as I watched her lie there, helpless to beat the disease that had waged war on her body. I found myself wanting to do something for her, but there was nothing I could do except wish to the depths of my heart that I could infuse her with the strength she needed to carry on.    But my strength held no power for her.

Later that day, I looked to God's Word for comfort. I came across some verses that seeped into the little cracks in my heart that so needed to be filled with something sweet of God. Those verses were Deuteronomy 11:8-9, "Therefore, be careful to obey every command I am giving you today, so you may have strength to go in and take over the land you are about to enter. If you obey, you will enjoy a long life in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors and to you, their descendants..." (NLT).

In this passage, through the mouth of Moses, the Lord instructs the Israelites about their soon-to-be entrance into the Promised Land. He reminds them of all the miracles and amazing things that happened during their journey. Based on their history of disobedient actions, God knew they were easily tempted and distracted - which caused them to lose spiritual strength.

Here in Deuteronomy, we find the Lord warning the Israelites about losing sight of their priorities. He reminds them that the only place they will find the strength to enter into what He had promised was through obedience to Him. The Lord also wanted them to understand that their strength could not come from merely desiring to be good, simply believing He exists, or by carrying out rituals or sacrifices in His honor. It would result from obedience to Him and His words. In fact, in verse 18 the Lord says, "So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine" (NLT). They drew their strength from full and wholehearted obedience to the Lord's commands.

God also wants us to understand the importance of obediently walking with Him every day. He desires that we obey Him in the big things, but also in the small daily things. In doing so, He infuses us with spiritual strength. That strength equips us to handle the tough situations which we feel are far beyond our human level of strength, regardless of whether we are in a hospital bed or standing beside one.

This daily obedience is where we find emotional strength to walk in His peace when we face doubts and fears; strength to walk in His joy when we cannot find any reason to be joyful; strength to stand firm in our faith when things seem hopeless; and strength to be strong when the painful things of life take their toll.
Whether we need strength to comfort a loved one who is hurting or strength to overcome an adversity of our own, a life focused on obedience to God taps into the strength we need to carry on.

Each time we get out of bed we have a choice to make - where will our strength come from to face the day ahead? Will we rely on ourselves or will we rely on God?

Even if our physical weakness is a reality, we can be spiritually strong by keeping our hearts focused on the only true source of unending strength.

Dear Lord, please hold me up today. Give me strength. Help me to lean on You. I am tired and weak and need Your strength today to face these hard situations and the pain in my heart. Draw me closer to You in the midst of this. In Jesus' Name, Amen.


If you have been trying to walk through your life in your own strength, confess this to God and ask Him for His strength. Admit that you cannot carry life's burden on your own and lay those things at the foot of the cross.


Reflections:



Have I been trying to live life in my own strength?

Are there days when I am focused on what I cannot do, instead of focused on what God can do?

Power Verses:

Matthew 11:30, "For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (NIV)

1 Chronicles 16:11, 18, "Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always...So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine." (NIV)

Be Blessed!
 
Dawn

People Reaching People

"So faith comes from hearing, that is,

hearing the Good News about Christ."

 Romans 10:17

It is worth noting that no person in the New Testament came to faith apart from the agency of a human being. Have you ever stopped and thought about that? We can find example after example.

There was the Ethiopian (see Acts 8:26-39). There are many ways that God could have reached this man from a distant country. He could have sent an angel to meet him. Instead, the Lord sent an angel to Philip and told him to go. So Philip went and proclaimed the gospel to that man, and he believed.

Then there was the Philippian jailer (see Acts 16:27–34). God could have reached him in many ways. Instead, He allowed Paul and Silas to be incarcerated and to ultimately proclaim the gospel, bringing that man and his family to faith.

We can think of Cornelius, a man who was searching for God (see Acts 10). An angel spoke to him and told him he needed to meet a man named Simon Peter. The angel explained where to find him. The angel could have given him the gospel. But God chose to use Simon Peter.

What about Saul? While it is true that he was converted through an encounter with Christ on the Damascus Road, his conversion was sandwiched between experiences with two people who influenced him. First, it was the witness of Stephen that softened Saul's heart and made it receptive to the seed of the Word when he was confronted by Jesus Christ. Afterward, God sent Ananias to follow up on Saul and pray for him to receive the power of the Holy Spirit.

So you see, God used people.   We all have our special God-given talents- - And He wants to use you!

Be Blessed!

Dawn

The Forgiveness of Our Sins

1) With all my heart I praise the LORD,  and with all that I am I praise his holy name! 2) With all my heart I praise the LORD! I will never forget how kind he has been. 3)The LORD forgives our sins, heals us when we are sick,  4) and protects us from death. His kindness and love
are a crown on our heads. 5) Each day that we live, [a] he provides for our needs and gives us the strength of a young eagle. Psalm 103: 1-5 (CEV)

Over the years we've all heard Christians say, “I think I have committed the unpardonable sin.” Their body language showed the tremendous burden of guilt they carried. Perhaps this describes you or another believer close to you.

Based on the authority of scripture, I can tell you without reservation that God loves you, and He’s forgiven everyone who has trusted Christ as Savior. The Bible says:

• Jesus’ blood paid our sin debt in full, and He obtained our full pardon (Matt. 26:28). Every sin—without exception—is covered (Col. 2:13-14).

• Forgiveness is given to everyone who believes in Jesus (Acts 10:43) and remains available to all believers (1 John 1:9).

• Our pardon for sin is based on the riches of our Father’s grace, which always exceeds the offense (Eph. 1:7; Rom. 5:20).

• God doesn’t count past, present, or future transgressions against us (2 Cor. 5:19).

To reconcile us to Himself, God sent His Son to die in our place. He accepted Christ’s sacrifice as payment-in-full for our transgressions. Forgiveness is solely on the basis of our relationship with Jesus, not on our behavior. Because of our faith in Christ’s completed work on the cross, we can be assured that we have received and will continue to receive His divine mercy.

Scripture reassures us that there’s no sin beyond the scope of God’s pardon. This isn’t a license to sin (6:Rom. 1-2). Rather, it should produce in us a passion for holiness. If you are struggling to accept God’s forgiveness, read over these verses, and be thankful for such a great gift.
 
[via Pastor Charles Stanley]
 
Be Blessed!
 
Dawn

The Purpose of a Testimony

But God demonstrates His own love toward us,

 in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 

Romans 5:8

When you tell other people about what God has done for you, you are sharing your testimony. A testimony is when you share your story of how you came to faith. Every Christian has a testimony.

Some Christians have dramatic testimonies where they tell of being delivered from a life of drug addiction or crime or some sordid deeds. Other Christians don't have testimonies that are quite as dramatic—but they are just as significant.

I like to hear how people came to Christ, but I don't like it when people go into gory details about their past. Then there are testimonies where people tell how much they have given up for Jesus. They'll say things like, "I gave up this and that for Jesus. I have made such sacrifices for the Lord. I have done it all for Him!"

Your testimony is not about what you gave up for Jesus. It's about what He gave up for you. Don't share what you have done for Jesus. Share what Jesus has done for you. Jesus is the one who has done the work. It is Jesus whom we are proclaiming.

A good, strong testimony will lift up (exalt and hold in high regard) what Christ has accomplished. The fact of the matter is that all of us were sinners hopelessly separated from God, traveling in the same boat on our way to hell; and the same gospel (the Good News of Jesus Christ) came and transformed us. As believers, that is the testimony we all have.

Jesus said, " if I be lifted up from the Earth I will draw all men unto me." ~ John 12:32
 
Be Blessed and Be a Blessing to One Another!!
 
Dawn

A Passion for the Lost

Question: 
Are we committed to effect change in our lives and in the lives of others? At the end of the day, will our lives matter? Will we have made a difference?



The apostle Paul had something essential for effective evangelism: a God-given burden for those who did not know Jesus Christ. In his case, the burden was for his own people, the Jews. He cared. It burned inside him.


General William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army, once said that his desire, had it been possible, would be to dangle his evangelism trainees over hell for 24 hours. That way, they could see the reality that awaits those who do not know Jesus Christ.

That wouldn't have been necessary for Paul, who spoke of his love and burning passion for unbelievers. I think it is there for us in Scripture so that we don't become so obsessed with our own struggles and spiritual growth that we forget about people who need to know Christ.


I think Paul makes an amazing statement in Romans 9 when he says, in essence, "If it were possible, I would give up my hope of eternal life so that others who do not know could come to faith." That's a pretty dramatic statement.

As believers, you and I have a responsibility to those outside the church—those outside the faith. If God's love is really working in our lives, it should motivate us to do something for Him.

Do you have a God-given burden for those who do not know Jesus Christ? If you don't, do you want one?

If you pray that God will give you this burden, then be careful. The results could be life-changing. You just may be surprised at how quickly He answers you.
 
Be Blessed!
 
Dawn

God’s Pathway of Goodness

4) Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow. 5) Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me.  All day long I put my hope in you.  6) Remember, O Lord, your compassion and unfailing love, which you have shown from long ages past.  7) Do not remember the rebellious sins of my youth.  Remember me in the light of your unfailing love, for you are merciful, O Lord.
8) The Lord is good and does what is right; he shows the proper path to those who go astray.  9) He leads the humble in doing right, teaching them his way.   10) The Lord leads with unfailing love and faithfulness all who keep his covenant and obey his demands.  11) For the honor of your name, O Lord, forgive my many, many sins.  12) Who are those who fear the Lord?  He will show them the path they should choose.  13) They will live in prosperity nothing missing/lacking, and their children will inherit the land.   14) The Lord is a friend to those who fear him.  He teaches them his covenant.  15) My eyes are always on the Lord, for he rescues me from the traps of my enemies. Psalm 25:4-15 (NLT)

Although the Lord showers His goodness on all men, the ability to perceive and enjoy it is limited by a refusal to reverence Him as God. To experience the fullness of His kindness, we must honor Him by choosing His pathway of submission and obedience. The Lord will never withhold good from those who walk uprightly with Him.

In love and wisdom, the Father has specifically designed a pathway for each of His children. Because no two people are alike, each path will look different. What may be best for one person may not be good for another. Comparison of God’s ways in different lives will lead only to discouragement and misjudgment. We have neither the wisdom nor the eternal perspective to understand why the Lord leads some people down paths of pain and hardship, but we can know that He is always good.

Every step on God’s pathway represents a deliberate choice to follow Him. By looking around instead of fixing our eyes on Jesus, we may start thinking that we are missing out on some really good experiences or possessions. If we leave the Lord’s course to follow a path that looks better, we will forfeit His good blessings and discover, as Adam and Eve did, that any other way leads to loss.

Take time periodically to ask yourself, Am I on the path the Lord has chosen for me, or have I taken a detour to follow another direction that looks good? To build our own course and ignore the goodness and abundance of His pathway is foolishness. God alone knows the way we should take.
 
Be Blessed!
 
Dawn