Promise for Today - Here Comes Trouble

We sent him [Timothy] to strengthen you, to encourage you in your faith, and to keep you from being shaken by the troubles you were going through. But you know that we are destined for such troubles. Even while we were with you, we warned you that troubles would soon come—and they did, as you well know. That is why, when I could bear it no longer, I sent Timothy to find out whether your faith was still strong.

1st Thessalonians 3:2b-5a

If you're on the upside of the dirt, there will be trouble. How do we handle it? Do we choose to ask God's direction or just ask Him "Why?" After all, He knew it was going to happen. He's God, isn't He? Why didn't He stop it?

How do we handle that?

Do we endure? Become one with it, take it on? Identify ourselves with it? What IS our identity? Really...do we want to be defined by trouble?

Do we run? Escape? Avoid it at all costs? We miss the lesson if we move away from it.

Do we enlist it? Make it work for us. James 1:2 reads, "Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy." Gee, I don't think I've met anyone who has said at the onset, 'Oh, all these troubles are gonna bring me GREAT joy!'

We've been talking about faith and control. They have nothing to do with each other, by the way. Faith is a relinquishing of control, based on trusting God. Without faith, it's impossible to please God. Without relinquishing control of our lives TO Him, based on our trust IN Him, it's impossible to please God. It kind of lends a new meaning to, "With God, all things are possible..."

Is our trust linked to our perception of what He's done for us or will do? Do we trust Him just because He is who He is - God - and for no other reason? Do we know Him? It's one thing to say we know Him, it's another to see what our actions are when we don't get our own way, or if we need to sacrifice something we want.

You see, faith is an action word. Here comes trouble - what action will you take?

Prayer:

Father,
           Forgive us for thinking of You only as our benevolent overseer. Help us to see You for who You are and what You are, no matter the circumstances. We place our trust in You. Help us to be a Timothy to those around us who may need to be encouraged. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Lent - Day 37 - Consolation

 Lent Devotions from Concordia University 2024

18 If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 
John 15:18

A consolation prize is often given to the runner up or to the winner of the “losers’ bracket” in a competition. It is given to, at least partially, console an individual or team for not winning the top prize.

Sometimes I think that is how we view faith and the Holy Spirit. Our hearts get set on a life filled with all the joys this world might have to offer: good health, financial security, fulfilling relationships, personal success, recognition and approval from others, and no strife. When those things don’t fall in place, we may treat faith, salvation, and the Holy Spirit like a consolation prize. “There was so much more that I hoped for, but at least my faith and the Holy Spirit can help me through the difficulty of not receiving what my heart desires.”

It seems Jesus wants the disciples to see the Holy Spirit as a completely different consolation. He is about to win the ultimate victory through his death and resurrection. Through this, the disciples are going to be champions with him because he makes his victory their victory. This will not eliminate their experiences of brokenness in this world. In fact, because they are Jesus’ disciples, the world will attack their faith and heap on more trials. Jesus reworks the hearts and minds of his followers. Their consolation is not in the platitudes and praises of men, nor in the pleasantries or possessions of this world. Those things are not true victories, but only work to pacify us in the midst of a sinful world. Instead, Jesus gives to all his disciples (including each of us) true consolation for our sin-broken lives. The Comforter, the Holy Spirit, helps us cling in faith to the victory which is ours in Christ Jesus.

Prayer: 

Lord, 

        Let me not be discouraged by the trials in this world nor when attacked because of my faith in You. Instead, send your Holy Spirit as a help and comfort to keep me steadfast in true faith. Amen.

Reading Further - John 15:18-16:15

18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21 But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Whoever hates me hates my Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. 25 But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’

26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.

1 “I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. 2 They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. 3 And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. 4 But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.

“I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

Lent - Day Twenty-Eight - God Meant it for Good

Lent Devotions from Concordia University 2024 

56 They were looking for Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think? That He will not come to the feast at all?” 57 Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where He was, he should let them know, so that they might arrest Him.

John 11:56-57

“It is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” Little did Caiaphas know how these words indicated God’s work that was to come. Jesus died: the One for the many. The Apostle Paul speaks similarly (Romans 5) when he describes how sin came into the world, and to all people, through the disobedience of one man (Adam). But he goes on to describe how, by God’s gracious will, the righteousness of One (Jesus) who was sent to the cross leads to justification and life for all. God brings about his good work for our well-being, even in the midst of those who plot for the death of Jesus. This not only reminds us of the salvation secured for us by God’s mercy, but also of the mystery of God’s good and gracious work.

I can’t help but think of the Old Testament account of Joseph and his brothers. Out of their jealousy and anger, they sold Joseph into slavery. That led to a number of trials Joseph had to endure, including years of unjust imprisonment. Through those trials, God brought Joseph into the house of Pharaoh and to a high position within the government. This gave Joseph the ability to help his brothers when they came seeking food during a famine and to save his entire family. Joseph describes all this by saying, You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive (Genesis 50:20). We may not always be clear as to what hidden work God is doing in the midst of our lives. Nevertheless, time after time, God’s word directs us to see that he is good and gracious. He has Christ for all, and works things for our good, even if in the most hidden of ways.

Prayer: 

Almighty God, 

                       Thank You for Your salvation given to me because of Jesus. May it always remind me that You work things out for my good. Strengthen my faith during times when Your gracious activity seems more hidden than I would like. Amen.

Reading Further - John 11:45-57

45 Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, 46 but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” 49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. 50 Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” 51 He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. 53 So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.

54 Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and there he stayed with the disciples.

55 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves. 56 They were looking for Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think? That he will not come to the feast at all?” 57 Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should let them know, so that they might arrest him.

Through It

From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead.
But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things. “Heaven forbid, Lord,” he said. “This will never happen to you!”
Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”
Matthew 16:21-23 NLT

Christ told them plainly what would happen - but Peter didn't like the idea and Peter in his humanness was trying to protect Jesus and wanted to change it. Peter couldn't see where any good would come of that plan of action. And yet it was a major part of The Plan to provide salvation for all of mankind. Had Christ not laid down His life to redeem us, where would we be? The crucifixion was crucial to God's Plan.

And often that's the case when we are walking through trials in our own lives. We try to walk around it or get out of it, or find some other way... and sometimes we even just give up. We listen to other well-meaning but misguided people telling us if we were following the Lord correctly, this wouldn't be happening. Or if we would just _____________, then we could avoid all this. Or there's always another way...

However, Romans 5:3-4 NLT encourages us, We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.
James 1:3-4 NLT tells us For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. (In other Bible translations, endurance is translated as patience for both Scripture passages.)

The Truth is that sometimes the only way through the trials and tribulations of life is to go THROUGH them to the other side - to learn what God is trying to teach us through the suffering. If we ask Him, He will tell us.

Prayer:

Father,
         Jesus told us that in this life we would have trials and tribulations, but to be of good cheer because He has overcome the world. Help us to keep our focus on that Truth. Help us also to be of good cheer. Holy Spirit, guide us into all Truth and show us what we are to learn in every circumstance. Help us to pray also, Nevertheless, Thy will be done. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Through the Bible in a Year
Reading for February 2nd
Exodus 15:19-17:7
Matthew 22:1-33
Psalm 27:1-6
Proverbs 6:20-26

Feeling Hopeless

Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.
Isaiah 40:28-31a NIV

Life is tough. We put up a good fight, looking to the hills whence comes our help. However, sometimes bad things seem to keep hitting until we want someone to call a penalty for piling on. They seem to pile so high that we lose sight of our help. It's in those times that hopelessness creeps in, stealing our peace, our joy, our very strength... but God!

God has given us so many promises regarding His strength for us, His love, His ever-present help in times of trouble. His purpose for our times of trials and suffering. Paul writes in Romans 5:3-5, We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

Let us pray for one another as Paul prayed for us in Romans 15:13, 

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus' Name. Amen

Perspective

16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. 17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NLT

I love what Pastor Tony Evans has to say about this passage.

If you have not yet experienced signs of aging, you will! But though our bodies grow older and decay, we believers are becoming strengthened in our inner person, which is where our treasure is (4:7). Believers should be growing spiritually younger as they grow physically older. We are being made fit for our future heavenly home, and this happens through a process that comes day by day.

In verse 17, Paul understands that negative circumstances have a positive effect when we trust and obey God through them.

If your tribulations seem long and heavy, you’re looking at the wrong thing. To put it another way, if all you see is what you see, then you do not see all there is to be seen! Paul is not saying we must close our eyes to the reality of our suffering; he’s saying we need to open our eyes by faith to unseen realities that will last forever. An eternal perspective gives the believer the ability to handle the struggles of this life.

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for reminding us to look for, see and embrace Your perspective on life and its trials. Help us to remember that ALL things work for our good, to build Christ-like character in us, and to learn to love as You love. Holy Spirit, keep us looking up, above our circumstances. Help us to never lose sight of eternity and to always look for Your touch in everything that touches our lives. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Going Through

Written by my friend, Jess Dittlinger. A powerful word of encouragement

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned or scorched, nor will the flame kindle upon you.
Isaiah 43:2

God’s Word is clear: we will go through things. We will face adversity in our lives. That’s not bad news; that’s reality.

We will all go through situations in life—some bad, some good. Many times, we think the phrase “I’m going through something” is bad news, but if we view it properly, we realize “going through” is good; it means we’re not stuck! We may be facing difficulties, but at least we are moving forward.

Let me repeat: we will go through things in life, but the things we go through are the very circumstances, challenges, and situations that make us people who know how to overcome adversity. We do not grow or become strong during life’s good times; we grow when we press through difficulties without giving up.

Growth is not an automatic result of difficulty. Hardships do not necessarily produce growth or strength in us; it’s not that simple. We must choose the right attitude toward our challenges and refuse to quit or give up. We may have to do what is right for a long time before we feel it is “paying off,” but if we stay faithful and refuse to give up, good results will come. Once we get through the adversity and challenges we face, we emerge as better people than we were when we went into them.

Trust in Him! Determine that you will go all the way through every difficulty you face in life. Make a decision now to keep going forward, trusting God no matter how difficult it is because you know He will be with you and you will grow in faith as a result.

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for showing us the way through adversity. Thank You for surrounding us with Your love to keep us on the right path. Holy Spirit, stay with us and show us the Truth in every situation. Don't let the facts of life get in our way. Help us to keep our eyes on You, Lord. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

When In Doubt

How I love you, Lord! You are my defender.  The Lord is my protector; he is my strong fortress. My God is my protection, and with him I am safe. He protects me like a shield; he defends me and keeps me safe. I call to the Lord, and he saves me from my enemies. Praise the Lord!

Psalm 18:1-3 Good News Translation

The enemy of our souls is always trying to defeat us, demean us, distract us, trying to get us to be disappointed in God our Lord. And when we try to be strong, fighting in our own strength, we lose. And when we lose, it just seems to reaffirm satan's lies. 

We've talked before about what standards we use to conduct ourselves. For Christians, the ultimate standard IS the Word of God, the Bible. It is applicable for every situation, every circumstance, in other words, for EVERYTHING.

If you find yourself in tough circumstances right now, you can praise your way out of them by praying His Word back to Him. Isaiah 61:3 tells us to put on the garment of praise to overcome the spirit of heaviness. Charge the atmosphere proclaiming His goodness to you and for you. A plethora of declarations is readily available in David's psalms. Avail yourself of them. His Truth wins out every time.

Prayer:

Father,
           I will sing to You as long as I live; I will sing praise to You while I have my being. I shall sing of Your strength; Yes, I shall joyfully sing of Your lovingkindness in the morning, For You have been my stronghold and a refuge in the day of my distress. You have been my help, and in the shadow of Your wings, I sing for joy. You, Lord, are my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in You, and I am helped; therefore my heart exults, and with my song, I shall thank You and lift You higher. In Jesus' Name

All Over but the Shouting

And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way.
Ephesians 6:10-11 The Message Bible

Why do bad things happen? I can tell you, but you won't like it. It happens because we live in a fallen world - apart from God. And don't act surprised by it. Jesus told us we would have tests and trials. Are we living our lives in such a way through those tests and trials that the world will see and want to know our Father?

Continuing in Ephesians 6:12-18 The Message
This is no afternoon athletic contest that we'll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels. 

Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life. God's Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out. 

Prayer:

Father,
          Thank You for preparing us for such a time as this. Keep us ever mindful of Your plan and purpose for our lives. Let Your light shine so brightly in our lives, Father, that we are able to lead others on the path to You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Friends' Favorites - As Long as Life Lasts

Our great desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true.
Hebrews 6:11 NLT

Sometimes, life is VERY hard. I won't even attempt to qualify that statement - I don't think it's necessary. If, for any length of time, you've drawn breath while on this earth, you've hit at least one really hard time.

And while it's true that everyone reacts or responds differently, I have to say unequivocally, I have NO idea how people survive such times if they don't have Christ in their life.

If Christ is not in you - if He is not your hope of glory - your Healer - your Deliverer - your Provider and Friend, how do you get through impossible times? How are you comforted when there is no comfort for the pain in your soul? How long do you stay sane through the onslaught if you don't have the mind of Christ? How long do you have hope enough to want to live when you have no hope of eternal life in Christ?

What does this have to do with our text for today? What jumped out at me in this Scripture is the phrase as long as life lasts...

How long do you continue to love the unloveable? How long do you continue making the right choices even in the midst of unbelievable adversity? How long do you hold on to the promises that you might not yet see? How long do you keep fighting for Truth? How long do you keep standing with nothing but the Word of God to surround you in the fire? How long?!?

AS LONG AS LIFE LASTS... that's how long. Don't you quit! Don't you dare give up!

Prayer:

Father,
          We pray according to Your Word - You have given both Your promise and Your oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for You to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to You for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. We hold to You, Lord, in Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

For My Good

But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.

Genesis 50:20 NKJV

When things aren't going our way. When life throws us some curve balls or hurdles we were not expecting. When people, places and or things do not line up the way we think they should in our lives - why is it we always ask - "Where is God?" Do we think He's not watching? Do we question His Word in Matthew 28:20, that He is with us always, even to the end of the age? When we truly come to the understanding that God is who He says He is, and WE are NOT Him, then it will help us to understand that God is not shocked by anything that happens in our lives.

If our desire is to live before God with clean hands and a pure heart; to live holy and acceptable to Him, then we are going to go through the Refiner's fire.

Remember, it is in the fire that silver is purified. Refining gold begins with melting it. And diamonds are formed in high temperatures and incredible pressures. 1st Peter 1:7 tells us, These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

We must trust that God is working all things for our good. Even what was meant as evil against us! 

Prayer:

Father,

           We choose to trust that You are working all things for our good! We have seen the evidence of Your grace and mercy and we thank You for using all things for the perfecting of the saints, to bring about in us the character of Christ. Help us to keep our focus always on You and what You are teaching us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen 

No Matter What Happens

The Lord is close to those whose hearts are breaking; he rescues those who are humbly sorry for their sins. The good man does not escape all troubles—he has them too. But the Lord helps him in each and every one.

Psalm 34:18-19 The Living Bible emphasis mine

 I love this psalm. I was going to expound on it a little, but there's no need. I'm sure you will be able to relate your own life stories about it. I pray that it encourages you and refreshes your spirit, mind, soul, and body. 

I will praise the Lord no matter what happens. I will constantly speak of his glories and grace. I will boast of all his kindness to me. Let all who are discouraged take heart. Let us praise the Lord together and exalt his name.

For I cried to him and he answered me! He freed me from all my fears. Others too were radiant at what he did for them. Theirs was no downcast look of rejection! This poor man cried to the Lord—and the Lord heard him and saved him out of his troubles. For the Angel of the Lord guards and rescues all who reverence him.

Oh, put God to the test and see how kind he is! See for yourself the way his mercies shower down on all who trust in him. If you belong to the Lord, reverence him; for everyone who does this has everything he needs. Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those of us who reverence the Lord will never lack any good thing.

Sons and daughters, come and listen and let me teach you the importance of trusting and fearing the Lord. Do you want a long, good life? Then watch your tongue! Keep your lips from lying. Turn from all known sin and spend your time in doing good. Try to live in peace with everyone; work hard at it.

For the eyes of the Lord are intently watching all who live good lives, and he gives attention when they cry to him. But the Lord has made up his mind to wipe out even the memory of evil men from the earth. Yes, the Lord hears the good man when he calls to him for help and saves him out of all his troubles.

The Lord is close to those whose hearts are breaking; he rescues those who are humbly sorry for their sins. The good man does not escape all troubles—he has them too. But the Lord helps him in each and every one. Not one of his bones is broken.

Calamity will surely overtake the wicked; heavy penalties are meted out to those who hate the good. But as for those who serve the Lord, he will redeem them; everyone who takes refuge in him will be freely pardoned.

Prayer:

Father,

          You rescue those who are humbly sorry for their sins. You are close to those whose hearts are breaking. Those who follow You do not escape all troubles. We definitely have them, too, but You, Lord, help us in each and every one. Hear us, O God, according to Your Word, and deliver us out of all our troubles. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Looking for Answers

Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words? Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much. Who determined its dimensions and stretched out the surveying line? What supports its foundations, and who laid its cornerstone as the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?

Job 38:2-7 NLT

Looking for answers? How many search engines can you name off the top of your head? 

We’re a world of people who want answers. We always want to know why. We always try to find the reason or the cause of why something happened. Bible colleges even teach courses in apologetics to try to help us explain or defend our beliefs. 

However, there are horrific events that take place for which we have no answers and we cannot ignore the proverbial elephant sitting in the room and say nothing and carry on as though it is life as usual with a cavalier attitude of “today's another day.” So what I do have, I offer to you.

Psalm 42:3, Day and night I have only tears for food, while my enemies continually taunt me, saying, “Where is this God of yours?”

Matthew 5:4, Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

  

Romans 8:26-27, And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.

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.

Revelation 21:8,  But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

1st Thessalonians 4:13-18, And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died. We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words.

Revelation 21:4, And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.

If you’re looking for answers, I only know one place that won’t give you the wrong answer… and only one place where you can find the answer to every question. God’s Word.

Prayer:

Father,

            There are situations where we can’t even begin to know how to pray without Your direction. According to Your Word, Holy Spirit, help us in our weakness. Pray for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And Father, hear our hearts as the Spirit pleads for us in harmony with Your own will. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen

An Encouraging Word +

And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”

Luke 22:31-32 NKJV

I am often surprised that we (myself included) allow ourselves to be deluded into believing that since we are Christians, nothing is supposed to touch us. That we can be shocked and confused when something less than wonderful comes our way… or when we fall down… Let me encourage you in the Word because we are to encourage one another while it is called Today.

Proverbs 24:16a - The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again.

Job 5:19 - From six troubles He will deliver you, Even in seven evil will not touch you.

Selections from Psalm 37:

²⁴ Though they stumble, they will never fall,
      for the Lord holds them by the hand.

 ²⁵ Once I was young, and now I am old.
      Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned
      or their children begging for bread.

 ³² The wicked wait in ambush for the godly,
      looking for an excuse to kill them.
 ³³ But the Lord will not let the wicked succeed
      or let the godly be condemned when they are put on trial.

 ³⁴ Put your hope in the Lord.
      Travel steadily along his path.
   He will honor you by giving you the land.

 ³⁹ The Lord rescues the godly;
      he is their fortress in times of trouble.
 ⁴⁰ The Lord helps them,
      rescuing them from the wicked.
   He saves them,
      and they find shelter in him.

Jesus said, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.

Prayer:

Father,

          I pray for my brothers and sisters in Christ. I pray that they will be strong in the power of YOUR might – that they will lean on Your arms and not trust the strength of mere man. Let that same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead and now resides in every follower of Christ RISE UP and cause us to be the overcomers You intend for us to be! You’ve done Your part – the shed Blood of the Lamb. Give us Your strength to do what You have planned for us to do. I pray for everyone reading this, whether on the Promise list or forwarded by a friend, for a renewing and a reviving of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Pour in, Father. We need more of You. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen