"God's Power Or His Faithfulness"

"....  great is thy faithfulness".  Lamentations 3:23B

I woke up thinking about the faithfulness of God this morning.  That is my favorite attribute of His.  I have found Him faithful on every occasion, every situation, every day and in every way.  He has always been faithful to do and be all that He has said He would do and be.

Many accuse Him of not being faithful because He didn't do what they thought He was going to do for them.  Or because He didn't deliver them when they thought He would.  Or He "allowed" something bad to happen.  God's faithfulness is not based on His ability to deliver, remove, take care of, eradicate or defeat your circumstance.  That is His power.  His faithfulness is something else.

The Psalmist put it this way, " 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". (Ps. 23:4)  He doesn't always deliver us out of the valley, although He is powerful and can.  He walks with us through the valley-- that's where His faithfulness comes in.  He never leaves us in our time of need, trial or testing. 

Immediate deliverance doesn't prove His faithfulness, just ask Daniel or the three Hebrews.  He didn't deliver Daniel until after a night in the lion's den.  But He faithfully stood with Daniel in that dark hole.  He didn't deliver the Hebrews from the fiery furnace until after their bonds fell off.  But He was with them-- the wicked king even saw Him in the fire. 

God's power is able to deliver us from ever trial, every desert, every valley, every furnace, every situation we find ourselves in.  But if He doesn't deliver you before, if He doesn't deliver you immediately, if He chooses to wait a while, if He chooses that you walk through it, it doesn't mean that He isn't faithful.  You can trust that He is faithful and will faithfully be there with you at the beginning and all the way until the end. 

Have a great day.  Some believe God is only faithful if He delivers them out of their trail.  That isn't faithfulness that is His power on display.  His faithfulness is the fact that He walks with you through the trial, watching over you and never leaving you until the trial is over. 

"God Gives Abundantly"

"For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly".  Psalm 84:11 

This verse is filled with glorious promises as well as hope. 

 

The Lord God is a sun--- He lights up our path so we can see clearly.  As the sun lights the earth and its arrival pushes back the darkness of night, so He lights our way and drives back the darkness.

 

The Lord God is a shield-- as a shield protects a warrior when in battle, the Lord protects us.  It didn't say He "gives" a shield.  It says He "is" a shield.  That means He Himself protects us.  He steps in between us and the enemy.  He puts Himself out in front of us.

 

The Lord will give grace--  He gives grace. Grace can't be earned. It can't be purchased.  It is a gift freely given to us by Him.  Grace is power and influence in our lives to be able to make it through anything.

 

The Lord gives glory-- glory means honor, abundance, splendor.  God clothes us with His own glory.  He places His honor upon us by exchanging our unrighteousness, which is like filthy rags, with His pure white robes of righteousness.  He gives honor to those who had no honor.  Abundance to those who were in lack.  He gives His own splendor to those who were once rebellious and far away from Him.  This glory came not by our own righteousness but by the righteousness of His Only Begotten Son Jesus.

 

No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly-- "No" good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly.  When God says, "No", He means "No".  He will not withhold anything that we need.  He will supply all our need-- spirit, soul and body.  As we walk uprightly before Him, we are in actuality "seeking first His Kingdom" because we are walking in a manner which pleases Him.  As we do, "All these things shall be added unto us". 

 

Don't you agree these are wonder promises of hope and encouragement? He is a good God who loves us so deeply and so dearly.  He wants to bestow His blessings and goodness on us daily and always, and in abundance.

 

Have a great day.  The Lord God is all and gives all that we need. 

 

"Spending Time With Jesus"

"Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus".  Acts 4:13

"...they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus".  What was it about these disciples that made the people notice and acknowledge that they had been with Jesus?  Was it their ability to heal the sick?  Was it their preaching?  Was it the wisdom in which they answered the questions?  Was it their boldness to share the gospel?  All of the above.  The fact that they had spent time with Jesus was recognizable.  The same should be said of those of us who profess to be Christians.  People should be able to say that we have been with Jesus because of what they see and hear in us.

Sadly, most people don't see Jesus in those who profess to be Christians.  The reason is clear-- they profess to know Him but never spend time with Him.  We all know that whoever you spend the most time with has the greatest influence in your life.  The Bible even tells us to choose our companions carefully because hanging out with the wrong people will corrupt good morals.  Why?  Because of their influence. 

If you spend time with Jesus, it will be evident.  You won't have to go around telling people you do, they will know it.  But this doesn't happen "haphazardly".  It doesn't happen by spending time with Him only when you are in trouble or have a problem you need Him to solve.  This happens by spending time with Him day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute.  It happens by keeping the fellowship with Him open all time.  It happens by constant communion with Him.  Spending time with Him is not something you can take or leave.  Spending time with Him is not negotiable-- or shouldn't be.  Spending time with Him is our lifeline and it is what causes people to believe what we profess about our relationship with Him.

Have a great day.  People will take note that you have been with Jesus, but only if you are spending time with Him.    

"Choose To Fight Or Not"

"Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ".  2 Corinthians 10:7

When I am going through a spiritual, mental or emotional battle, and fear is coming against, worry is trying to take hold of me, bitterness and self-pity are wanting to control my thoughts, I have a choice.  I can either choose to give into it, or I can choose to war against it.  I either succumb to it, or I go to war against it.

To every battle there is an outcome.  It is either one of victory or defeat.  If we choose to do nothing-- not fight-- then we will surely be defeated and brought under the control of whatever is warring against us.  If we choose to fight, we will be victorious and overcome it. 

I know how it is to do nothing and let it defeat me.  When my emotions are being fought against and I do nothing, I wind up in a "mess".  All I want to do is cry, be left alone, run and hide, get defensive or get even.  That is not life, that is defeat.  Jesus came to give us abundant life.  He has provided all things for us that pertain to life.  Through His own victory at the cross He has given us the victory over every enemy that comes against us.

From experience also, I know that if I will make the choice to fight then this will not last.  My emotions will be brought into check.  My mind will regain peace.  Joy will begin to flood my heart.  I find that the more and more I choose to fight against it, then I spend less and less time being dominated by it-- the battle time gets shorter. 

Sometimes we don't "feel" like fighting.  Sometimes we want to "enjoy" the self-pity, anger, etc.  Sometimes we want to "stew" in it.  But that is dangerous.  It is like sitting in a chair with a ticking time bomb in your lap.  It will eventually explode.  Then you will really have a problem.  We have to make the choice to get past our feelings. We have to make the step of faith to come out of it.  We do that by drawing near to God.  We do it by calling upon Him for help.  We listen to the voice of Holy Spirit.  We renew our minds with the Word of God.  In doing so, we are fighting a good warfare.  We are fighting one that we are already guaranteed to win.

Have a great day.  When you are in a spiritual battle, you can either choose to fight and win or give in and let it conquer you.   

"Loaded With Benefits"

"Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah".  Psalm 68:19

Even before I got out of bed this morning, I was aware of many benefits and blessings that the Lord has already sent my way.  For instance- I woke up.  I have a roof over my head.  I have my husband lying beside me.  My house is warm.  I have all my senses working properly.  I am healthy.  I am not laying on a bed of affliction.  I have my right mind, etc.  But should I have woken up this morning without any of these things, I would still be loaded with benefits and blessings,

According to the dictionary, a benefit is an advantage or profit gained from something.  Many employers give their employees benefits.  It comes with the job automatically.  But there are others that are bonuses and are earned for a job well done.  Serving the Lord, loving Him and living your life for Him-- in His service and building His Kingdom-- has tremendous benefits.  The Lord's benefits are given to us automatically.  There are some that are conditional, but for the most part we don't have to earn them, they are given by grace.  

You may not could have named some of the benefits that I did this morning, but He still loads you with benefits none the less.  The real benefits are not tangible.  They are not physical.  They are not material or financial.  The greatest benefit is eternal life.  Another benefit is having access to go to the Lord in prayer asking for your need to be met.  Some other benefits are peace, strength, grace, wisdom, joy, love, direction, power and faith to name a few.

When you look around and think there aren't any/many benefits to serving the Lord, think again.  When you look at what you don't have and feel like He hasn't given you any benefits, look again.  They are there.  You have been loaded with them.

Have a great day.  The benefits you receive from serving and loving the Lord will load you down.