Psalm 18:29

 

"For by You I can run against a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall."

Psalm 18:29 (NKJ)

    What a great confidence-booster here!
    There isn't a single wall, army, or other obstacle that can keep God from doing what He wants to accomplish, and the Lord has taken us under His wing and equipped us so that He can use us to attain some of those accomplishments. So, as this verse boldly proclaims, as long as we're in the Lord's way, doing what He's called us to do, there's literally nothing that can stop us! We can run against the troops, we can get over the walls; we can do everything the Lord has guided us to do, because He's always with us!
    Isn't that empowering? :D

A.W. Tozer: "To Be Right with God"



This is kind of what it can feel like when one tires to contribute
God's truth into a discussion.

"To be right with God often means to be in trouble with men."

~A. W. Tozer

    It's good to live life walking in God's ways. Believing His truth, we have peace and joy; staying away from things and practices He warns us of, we have safety; and in developing godly attributes (like love, patience, and faith), we have a full, productive life. Following God's will is good, both for us and for those around us.
    But we all know that living for God isn't a bowl of ice cream. We still go through problems that other people experience (though the Lord leads us out of them with far more peace), but more than that, we face problems that come because we choose to live according to the Lord's will.
    Like sharing the gospel, for example. That's good news (it's the message that God loves everyone and offers salvation from sins based on pure grace!), but in this world, it's not very acceptable to say that the gospel of Christ is absolute truth. Or that certain sinful practices are wrong. Just mentioning Christ in a conversation with friends can prompt them to walk away, or pretend to ignore you and keep talking about their own philosophy. And it's not just talking about spiritual matters, but sometimes just obeying God's commandments can get us in hot water--like refusing to join everyone else in approving of an ungodly practice. Following God's way instead of the often-popular sinful ways can get us glares, it can get us shunned, and in a lot of places, it can get us harmed or even killed.
    But doing what God says is right doesn't only get us in trouble; it's not merely some unpopular thing that we have to do. Doing God's will--hearing and obeying the things He teaches us--is a good thing to do. It's what's right because it's truth, and because the Lord is our God, our Creator and our Redeemer. He has always done the right thing, and His kind wisdom deserves to be harkened to.
    Plus, obedience is pleasing to the Lord (1 Samuel 15:22). And doing what's right in His eyes when it means losing approval from others is like making a sacrifice for Him, showing Him that He means more to us than being accepted by society. And I think that makes Him very, very glad.
    That makes a loss of temporary popularity worth it, don't you agree? Have you ever had a moment where you had to pay a costly price for doing what God says is right?

A Few Thoughts On Joseph

    The story of Joseph (the son of Jacob, not the husband of Mary) is a really fascinating one. It's got brotherhood, betrayal, integrity, righteousness, faith in God, an incredible rise to power, forgiveness, and peculiar dreams.
    Said dreams, at first, didn't seem to bring their bearer, Joseph, much good. The first two times he talked about them, he was scolded by his family, his brothers became bitter against him, and they eventually sold him out--literally. Then he ended up in prison interpreting the dreams of prison mates. He had to tell one that he was going to die, and when he asked the other to have someone get him out of prison, he was completely forgotten.
    Then, two years later, he was called up by the country's ruler to interpret his dream. And immediately, Joseph went to do it.
    Which seems incredible considering what had happened to him so far. There were so many things that could've kept Joseph from speaking.
    Fear of something bad happening, for example--this was the ruler of the land; if Joseph did something wrong or even just offensive, he could be executed. Then there was the possibility of bitterness--it's so tempting to be angry when you've been kicked more than once. Joseph also must have been plagued with doubts at some point--his initial dreams about wheat sheaves and the lights in the sky hadn't come to pass yet, after all.
    Fear, bitterness, and doubt. All of these things are powerful motivations to keep quiet. So why did Joseph take the risk? Why did he dare to speak of dreams again?
    In Genesis 41:16 (NKJ), Joseph tells the Pharaoh that: "'It is not in me: God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.'" He understood that God was the one who gave him any wisdom in anything--that He was the one who gave him dreams and interpretations of them. Joseph also believed that God had put him there in that situation and that God had given him things to say of dreams.
    He had faith that God had given him the gift and was willing to risk his life on it--and he was not only righteous in doing so, but right. Since Joseph didn't succumb to fear, bitterness, or doubt, God used him to save more than one nation from a severe famine. He used the situation to give Joseph authority and to reunite him with his family in forgiveness.
    So among being a story of integrity, righteousness, coming to power, and faith, the story of Joseph seems to also be a story of using the gifts that God gives, even when it has a cost.
    Genesis has so many awesome stories like this. Isn't it cool? Which story in Genesis is your favorite?

Out Of The Comfort Zone

 

    No one would voluntarily slap the palm of their hand onto a burner they know is piping hot, right? Of course not; because it would hurt--a lot. And not a lot of people would agree to walk across a tightrope over a canyon unless they're incredibly daring and well trained. It's a proven fact of life that most people do not do things that cause them discomfort unless they absolutely have to. It's not often that someone voluntarily chooses to leave their comfort zone.
    We're safe in the comfort zone. A person is in their element there, and can usually predict what's going to happen. There are no unpleasant surprises and no serious risks. Outside of the comfort zone is the unknown--which can sometimes be really frightening.
    But there are also adventures out there. Thrilling ones well worth having. Often in life, God beckons us out of the comfort zone to take us on journeys like these. To help us grow and to do awesome things. Sure, there might be some unpleasant dips in the road, but as long as God is guiding you, there's going to be a good end.
    It could be small or something huge. Reciting a speech in front of a group of people, or going on a mission trip. But whatever it is, as long as the Lord is by your side, things are sure to be great!

Psalm 23:4

 

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me."

Psalm 23:4 (NKJ)

He Understands Misunderstandings

 

    One of the most complicated and embarrassing type of problems are misunderstandings. They are the worst.
    It's when people think you did something that you didn't, or when they mistake you for something else. It can make you look really, really, really bad, and the embarrassment can last a long time. Often, when I get caught up in a misunderstanding, I get a feeling of helplessness--a feeling that no one understands me, and there's nothing I can do about it, that I'll always be condemned.
    But that's not true. God understands us in every situation. He knows our hearts, what our intentions are. He has also personally experienced misunderstandings when He walked the earth as Jesus of Nazareth. People misunderstood what He said, what He taught, and who He is, and they hated Him because of it.
    God understands the aching that comes from misunderstanding--He really understands, and He wants to comfort us. I've found that this gives great peace--don't you agree? :)

Jeremiah 33:27

 

"'Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?'"

Jeremiah 33:27 (NKJ)

    I like this verse a lot. It's short, easy to remember, but very, very powerful and comforting.
    When life gets hard, when the world seems to be shrinking around you, boxing you in, and everything seems to be getting darker, God's Word is something you definitely want to hang on to. It bring peace and hope and promises that will be fulfilled.
    This sentence is no exception. God promises here that He is stronger than whatever problems you may face, and that He can do anything--including the seemingly impossible.
    God cares about you deeply--so much that He died to save you (and then rose to life again). He wants what's best for you, and He will always be there for you. Just trust Him.

Mark 4:40

"But He said to them, 'Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?'"

Mark 4:40

    When Jesus said this, He and His disciples were in a boat in the middle of a sea. Minutes before, the sea was thrashing, waves of water splashing into the boat, filling it. The disciples, many of them being experienced fishermen, had been terrified and sure that they were going to die. What was Christ doing at this point?
    Sleeping. Which is understandable considering that He spent long days healing people and early mornings praying.
    The disciples had shaken Him awake, asking, "Master, don't You care that we're dying?" At that, He just stood up, said, "Peace! Be still!" and that quickly, everything went silent and peaceful again. It was at this point that Jesus turned to His disciples and asked the questions above.
    Most people know all about this Bible story, but I wonder how many really apply it to life. Life has storms, serious ones, and yet instead of trusting in Jesus to handle the situation, they ask, "Lord, I'm dying! Don't You care about me?"
   The answer is yes, of course He does! He sometimes allows the storms, though, to teach us, to make us stronger, and to have us trust Him. When the storms hit, we can  trust that Jesus will keep us safe. It's a promise.

Pslam 37:8

 

"Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret--it only causes harm."

Psalm 37:8

    True. So very, very true.
    But unfortunately, also very easy to forget.
    When we get fretful or angry, obviously things aren't fun. Everything gets so tense and frustrating and frightening and it's never worth it in the end.
    That's why God tells us not to get angry or afraid. Not because He wants us to be careless robots, but because  our getting scared or angry does nothing but harm. God will take care of the situation. We don't have to be afraid or upset.
    So let's forsake wrath and fearfulness and trust in the Lord. :)

Fear Not, All Day, Every Day

 

    Wow! I just heard the coolest thing: the phrase "Fear not" appears in the Bible 365 times.
    365. That's how many days are in a year!(Just stating the obvious :)) It's like God is telling us that we need to "fear not" and have courage every day. How awesome is that?

Isaiah 7:8

"Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?' Then I said, 'Here am I! Send me.'"

Isaiah 7:8

    Wow. What would you have said to that?
    If God had come to you and said, "Anybody here want to be sent out for Me?" would you have blurted, "Ooh! I wanna do it! Pick me!" or would you have maybe thought, "Hmm. What does God mean by being sent out?"
    Going out to do God's work is an awesome and glorious duty that we're given. It truly is blessing to us and to others. Though yeah, there are things to consider first--doing service for God doesn't always make us very popular. In fact, sometimes we're even hated for taking a stand for God, and we need to be ready to face that and move on.
    But in the long run, in the end where it really matters, the way people may have mistreated us won't even matter when we see God pleased with the work we've done. And in the meantime, we can still enjoy going out for God, knowing that He will be with us every step of the way.
    What has God called you to do? :)

2 Timothy 1:7

 

 

 

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."

2 Timothy 1:7

    Isn't this verse awesome? It's such a relief to remember that God's Holy Spirit not only dwells within us, not only wants us to be powerful, be loving brave, and have a sound mind, but that He'll empower us to be all these things! I'm so glad God is good to care about us like this. Aren't you?