Skip to main content

 


Each day, each year, will bring with it difficulty. That’s because we live in a world that has been broken and distorted by sin; sin that humanity has both internalized and personalized. The world has gone wonky and it can’t rectify the problem, because what is broken cannot fix itself. That is why Jesus Christ came, lived, died in our place and was raised to life to bring about a new creation in all who would believe Him and receive His gift of eternal life…a new heart and a new spirit filled with His Spirit.

Remember, Jesus told His followers that “In this world you will have tribulation, but take good courage, I have overcome the world.” In Isaiah 43:1-7 the Lord God states clearly, ““But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you. O Israel, the One who formed you says, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are Mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”

Not that the Lord God doesn’t say, “IF you go through deep water…or walk through fires of oppression…” He says “WHEN…” Note also, please note, that He said that He would be with us in it all. In the brokenness of this world, in the relentless spiritual warfare going on all around you, you are not alone. He says, “Do not fear, for I am with you.” That is actually a command, “DO NOT FEAR!”

The troubles that are sure to come this year are not to worry us. When they come, they are not to overwhelm us because we no longer rely on ourselves, but on God, Who raises the dead. Who you are in Christ Jesus cannot be taken away from His love by anything in all creation.

Some have said that when you are in dire straits, the Lord will come to you. Actually, that makes it seem He is somewhere, far off, and needs to be summoned in prayer. Not so. For the believer, He dwells within you, permanently. He is life within you. He rises up within us to meet every need; He is, as He said, WITH US because He is IN us.

Do not fear what the world fears. Do not fear the unknown. To the One who dwells in you, NOTHING is unknown. You are His. He has called you by name. He has redeemed you. Do not fear!


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

  PRAYER Jesus Christ NEVER taught on what we call "unanswered prayer." James wrote that a divided loyalty between trusting the Lord God for life and at the same time relying on the world's systems to get what you want will result in you not getting anything from God you may have prayed about. God will never reinforce the unbelief that flows from divided loyalty. THAT is not unanswered prayer. That is God saying, "No." to your request. God saying, "No." to your requests is not unanswered prayer. It is His grace. His "No" is just what I would want if I knew what He knows. The Lord also answers with, "Not now; not yet." because we are not yet prepared to receive what we think we need. God works in us both to will and to do His good pleasure. If I am praying for something God wants to do in me and the Holy Spirit is working in me preparing me to receive what God has in store, His "Not yet." is NOT unanswered prayer. As we see...
Post a Comment
Read more
 HIS POWER...HIS PROMISE Helping people walk in the Spirit the devotional below is seminal! The devotion below is today from Oswald Chambers. I makes me think of some I have known that have assumed that the Lord doesn’t want them empowered by the Holy Spirit or that He won’t manifest Himself in them because they have reasoned otherwise. Given ministry opportunities to have the Holy Spirit confirm the Word of God with demonstration of the Holy Spirit and power, they rely on how they feel, their experience thus far and not on the reality that the will of God in mission and ministry is either done in the Holy Spirit’s Power or not at all. Our capacity to do what Jesus does has nothing to do with our imagined capacity, but upon the indwelling power of God through is. Now to Him who is able to do far above and beyond what we could ever imagine or think, by His power at work in us now, to Him be glory…   Matthew 25:14-30 Jesus told the parable of the bags of gold as a warning ...
Post a Comment
Read more
  From Oswald Chambers today: "If the Spirit of God detects anything in you that is wrong, He doesn’t ask you to make it right; He only asks you to accept the light of truth, and then He will make it right. A child of the light will confess sin instantly and stand completely open before God. But a child of the darkness will say, “Oh, I can explain that.” When the light shines and the Spirit brings conviction of sin, be a child of the light. Confess your wrongdoing, and God will deal with it. If, however, you try to vindicate yourself, you prove yourself to be a child of the darkness. What is the proof that carnality has gone? Never deceive yourself; when carnality is gone you will know it— it is the most real thing you can imagine. And God will see to it that you have a number of opportunities to prove to yourself the miracle of His grace. The proof is in a very practical test. You will find yourself saying, “If this had happened before, I would have had the spirit of resentment!”...
Post a Comment
Read more