Deut 31:6

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV)

When we wait and wait for longed for answers - it takes corsage to continue to hope.  Sometimes it's easier to just gve up to help full the disappointment. It requires a lot of perseverance and effort to BE STRONG!!!  We must keep our hope alive because I the long run giving up does not produce anything but despair so HOLD ON!!!

God knows your trouble. Take pleasure in knowing he will help you cope.   Be brave. And trust God!!!

2 Samuel 22:29

You, Lord, are my lamp; the Lord turns my darkness into light. (2 Samuel 22:29 NIV)

Suffering produces perseverance , perseverance character , character - hope.  Problems that cause you pain can oddly increase your hope. Certainly the pain is still very real and not to be disregarded but in it we can become  more like Christ and it  will help us experience more hope.  

I (Gina) have been walking through a Life Plan in 2015 where you write out significant events that happen in your life and then later in the plan (just this week) you write out what might be the "redemptive perspective" of the painful events.  Not to take away the truth that it was real pain, suffering, tragedy, and that it was devastating but rather to heal from it. 

Dr Victor Franco says "When you find a redemptive perspective on your suffering it seizes to be suffering."  

That's where we want to be in our lives ...always finding redemptive perspective in His name. 

  

2 Corinthians 12:15

So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well. If I love you more, will you love me less? (2 Corinthians 12:15 NIV)

Gladly.  Hum? That is a beautiful word.  Have you had people do things for you but with a bad attitude?  Upset that it's inconvenient or too much for them to do?   How does that feel?  Paul had no reserve -and he loved big.  As we read the scripture above think about  how much more did Jesus GLADLY give and spend himself for us.   

We give out of a heart of obedience.  

Let us lock into his heart to gladly give and serve - it is such a beautiful place to be - 

Psalm 89:15

Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, Lord. (Psalm 89:15 NIV)

Jesus name is powerfully.  We can use his name to praise , to carry us, to deliver us, to heal us , to love us..... The name is ours.  Amen!  His name , his light shines bright in our world.   It can be such a contrast in our dark world. Give God an open door to shine through you in every situation.  We are blessed because we choose to walk in His presence. 

Psalm 119:10

I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. (Psalm 119:10 NIV)

In the daily grind of "do this, do that!" It is vital as Christ followers to seek God with all our heart.  Seek first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added to you.  "These things" to me mean his will, his direction, clarity - I want it. We want it!!!  We have counted the cost as a family and Jesus is worth our lives - so we seek Him daily and choose to serve Him with everything we have. 

 

Matthew 26:46

Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!” (Matthew 26:45-46 NIV)

When we fail it causes despair and makes us feel like giving up. But just like the disciples who fell asleep - Jesus said - "arise now and do the next thing".  Stop wallowing in your failure.  Let's go!!!

Never let a sense of failure corrupt your new action. 

Proverbs 21:23

Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity. (Proverbs 21:23 NIV)

What do you think that means to guard your mouth and tongue?:

Be careful what you say.

Think before you speak.

What kind of calamity?:

Filth can start to come out.

Ruin your relationships .

Remember - you can't take it back - even though your sorry for it.  Even if you didn't mean it - it will be hard for those to understand why you said it. 

Out of the abundance of your heart , your mouth will speak.  How can we help ourselves with this:

Duct tape on our mouths!!!

Cut out our tongue!!!!

Be tapped into the Spirit and let him guide us in every word !!! ( the best answer!) 

 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-17

Rejoice always, pray continually, (1 Thessalonians 5:16-17 NIV)

God wants us to live in joyful dependence of Him.   Too many of us find the need to be self sufficient.    You will enjoy life to the fullest if you decide to trust God and be deliberately dependent on him.   

Rejoice Always and pray continuously - is really the way to live in this dependence and joy . 

Thank you Jesus for providing a way to full peace.  

 

Luke 15

But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ” (Luke 15:32 NIV)

Several times (yes I know ) we have "lost" our kids when they were little in department stores.   For the few moments that they are lost nothing else matters but finding them .

We were at the store for a reason, but the list doesn't matter.   What's next on our schedule for the day - doesn't even cross our mind.  All that matters is finding the kid!!!!!   So it is the heart of our Heavenly Father - he longs to "find" us to bring us to himself and to have relationship with each one of us. His arms are always open. 

John 5

When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. John 5:6-9 NIV)

God's will can be confusing. Trying to understand His will without a close relationship with Him is absurd.   So - this man referred to in the scripture had been there broken for 38yrs - so Jesus asked him "do you want to be well?"   Jesus told him "Pick up your mat and walk!!"  We live this way in our world.  Jesus has instructions for us - but we must want to hear it!!!  Take time to know Him.  We must want to "be well"!!!! 

Isaiah 26:3

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. (Isaiah 26:3 NIV)

Perfect peace.  Ahhhh. 

If you take every thought captive to obedience to Christ , if you trust God - you will experience this perfect peace.   Our minds are a battlefield.  Our imagination can feed us or destroy us.   Its life or death at times.  It's so good for us to see God in everything around us, because it draws you to the  Spirit and feeds your soul.  Take control of your thought life!!!

Keep your thoughts and mind on Christ and experience perfect peace!!!!!  

Revelation 22:17

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life. (Revelation 22:17 NIV)

I love that this scripture says "come"!  Thirsty? Come.  Hungry ?  Come.  Take the free gift?  Take. 

The church is turning this invitation into something  more human than divine.  Jesus taught us to love others.  We need to love people to God not preach the to him.  

So this devotion for us turned into what's our part and what's the Holy Spirts job when it comes to people knowing God ?!  

We must trust the Holy Spirit to draw people to himself and we are to love them and share in relationship with them. 

Romans 8:33

WWho will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. (Romans 8:33 NIV)

There are some days that you just can't seem to get a break?  People can be mean and cruel , self centered and critical.  It can feel like you have not a friend in the whole world.  Not only do people do that to is, but we can be hard on ourselves too.  We don't see any good in ourselves.  But this verse encourages us that Jesus came for us and HE is our only judge. We should not let anyone including ourselves condemn us.   Trust God with your life and know what He feels for you and don't fall into the lies of the enemy !!!!

2 Samuel 22:47

“The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be my God, the Rock, my Savior! (2 Samuel 22:47 NIV)

Liv encouraged us that God is our rock.  If you want steadiness, set your focus on Christ alone. 

In the Bible we read lots of trith that speak of setting our focus and eyes on him.  THEN we won't be shaken!!!. 

Liv shared that if we put our life in him - we can trust him with our whole heart.  He won't fail us!!!

2 Cor. 10:5

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV)

We can always trust the SPIRIT to lead our lives but we can't always trust our feelings.  The emotional life is very much part of who we are. That's why it's so important for our will to be surrendered to the leading of the Holy Spirit.   

Our personality is 2nd nature to the Spirit!

We must choose to die to our self , our flesh everyday.  We can talk about Gods grace but are we longing to be more and more like Jesus ?