Rejoice Today!

"This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it." (Psalm 118:24)

Sometimes the challenges of the day can seem overwhelming. That's when we need to change our focus from the challenges to the possibilities. We need to change our focus from our circumstances to an expectation that our wonderful Heavenly Father is there for us today. We have his Spirit dwelling within and so many wonderful promises from God's Word. If we look for Him in the midst of the day we will find Him! He doesn't leave us or forsake us. He is a very present help in time of need. He has made this day! Rejoice and be glad in it!

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble." (Psalm 46:1)

He Will Deliver Me!

"Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied." (1st Samuel 17:45)

David's confidence was in the Lord. The quote above is David's response to a threat from Goliath that "I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field." Goliath was insulted that the Israelites would send such a young man out to challenge him. We know how it ended and there wasn't much to it. David pulled out his sling, slipped in a rock, whirled it around, let it fly and took Goliath down with one shot.

When David volunteered to fight Goliath no one believed he could beat the giant. Saul had tried to talk him out of it but David's response was, "The LORD, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine" (1st Samuel 17:370). David had experienced God's help before and was confident in it again. David had developed the habit of spending time with God and getting to know Him. In knowing God David learned to trust Him through what would be, for most of us, some pretty trying adventures.

Learning to trust God is a wonderful adventure. God is with you and will be there for you in whatever you are going though. He is your help and your deliverer! Look to Him!

"The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower." (Psalm 18:2)

Living Continually with God!

"Nevertheless I am continually with You; You hold me by my right hand. You will guide me with Your counsel, And afterward receive me to glory. (Psalm 73:3-4)

We have such a loving heavenly Father. In Hebrews 13:5 we are told that "I will never leave you nor forsake you." The promises we have as His children are wonderful. People will fail us. They will hurt us and let us down. But God is not like the people in our lives. He is faithful and true. He is full of mercy and compassion. He loves us with a love so wonderful that it is really hard to wrap our brains around it. It is a love that we catch glimpses of in our love for one another but it is so much more. His love manifests in action. His love was manifest when Christ went to the cross and will be manifested in our day to day walk with Him.

"You hold me by your right hand." We can see in that a picture of a parent and child holding hands but when we understand that in Hebrew thought the right hand represented power and strength the picture enlarges. His power and strength is more than enough for what you are going through today. He will never leave you or forsake you!

"To know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." (Ephesians 3:19)

Our Help in Time of Need

"Look!" he answered, "I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God." (Daniel 3:25)

Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego had refused to bow before the idols of Nebuchadnezzar. For this offense they were thrown in a fiery furnace. The fire was so hot it killed the men who threw them in. But then an awesome thing happened. God showed up. Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego walked out of the fire.

We serve an awesome God. When you are going through the fire turn to Him. He will be there for you. Don't just believe for comfort but believe for help. We serve a real God who works in real ways for His children. God is greater than your struggle and difficulty!

"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him [be] glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen." (Ephesians 3:20-21)

Financial Hope -- 3/9/09

Last night's class was an encouraging and uplifting time. We had a great discussion and wonderful time of prayer and ministry to one another. Here are the notes from the class--

ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT

Sometimes the toughest issue we deal with in implementing and sticking to life changes is our own attitude. It’s not always as much about information as it is what I do with that information. Fear, discouragement, hopelessness and regret are just some of the attitudes that give us trouble.

There are some very practical things that we can do that will help us through to a new attitude.

1) Resist fear – fear is debilitating – both to your health and to your decision making. “For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2nd Timothy 1:7)

2) Lay down the past. Focusing on your mistakes and regrets will not help or encourage you and will definitely not fix the problem. The past is done. You can’t change it and in real life you don’t get a do over. Everybody makes mistakes. “Fear not, for I [am] with you; Be not dismayed, for I [am] your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10) Sometimes we think we've messed up so badly that God won't help us. That's a lie. We didn't deserve salvation and yet Jesus died for us.

3) Don’t compare yourself to others. Comparison is a form of judgment that you speak on others and on yourself. “For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. “But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. (2nd Corinthians 10:12)

4) Stop making excuses. “That may work for others but…” kind of thinking will keep you in bondage. “ God is no respecter of persons.” (Acts 10:34) What He has done for others He will do for you.

5) Get with people who will encourage you. As much as you are able cut off the flow of negative information. It will drag you down emotionally. “Now Judas and Silas, themselves being prophets also, exhorted and strengthened the brethren with many words.” (Acts 15:32)

6) Hang on to joy. “Count it all joy when you fall into various trials.”(James 1:2) You can count it all joy when you know that God is helping you!

7) Walk in God’s love. That’s not just about loving others but gaining understanding about how much your Heavenly Father loves you. “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love. (Galatians 5:6)

8) Watch your words. “Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.” (Proverbs 18:21) This is not superstition or name it claim it theology. Your words have power. Negative talk and saying things that are contrary to God’s Word does affect you.

9) Use your faith. I use that phraseology on purpose. Faith is not a passive hoping that God will do something. Your prayers have power. James 5:16 says, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” God’s Word is still true today. “So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. (Mark 11:22-23)