God's Word on That

Tag: christianity

  • Our Vulnerability

    Hard times can cause frustration, but easy times can cause us to forget God and depend on ourselves. Because He loves us so, God may allow situations to enter our lives to redirect our attention back to Him.

    Tribulations always surround us, but only God’s path will keep us from true harm.

    The fear of the Lord leads to life, and such a person will rest easy without suffering harm (Proverbs 19:23).

    While in the presence of the Lord one day, He showed me… two things: a revolving door and an escalator. I knew that I had to make a choice. A step into the revolving door would lead me in circles and wear me out. But one easy step on the escalator would carry me into the presence of God and renew my strength. God showed me that when I neglect time with him, I get stuck in that revolving door and stay frustrated. But when I spend time praising Him, suddenly I am climbing high above the distractions and demands of this life and walking with the Most High. Things look a whole lot different when you stand in God’s presence. In a moment He can unravel the most complicated situations and fill you with an unexplainable peace. He can make a way where there is no way! (Cathy Duplantis)

    Though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again (Proverbs 24:16)

    Oral Roberts said, after losing his son in an accident, “The only way to get through the grief is to praise God!”

    For the battle [for your heart] is not yours but God’s (2 Chronicles 20:15).

    God loves those who need Him most, rely on Him, depend on Him, trust Him in/for everything! Little He cares whether you have been as pure as John or as sinful as Mary Magdalene. All that matters to Him is your trust in Him.

    Keep falsehoods and lies far from me, give me neither poverty nor riches; but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise I may have too much and disown You and say “who is the Lord?” Or I may become poor and steal and so dishonor the name of my God (Proverbs 30:8-9).

    The Holy Spirit comes to comfort the afflicted, but the Holy Spirit also comes to afflict the comfortable! (Fr. Payne)

    We cannot know the meaning of every event, but we can know that every event is meaningful.

    I am the vine and My Father is the Master of the vineyard. He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so it will be even more fruitful (John 15:1-2).

    Tribulations are not pleasant (Hebrews 12:1-13; Romans 5:3-4). However, all things do work together for good to us as long as we love God (Romans 8:28). Our tribulations are meant to strengthen our faith (James 1:2-3). They also assist us in being better witnesses for Christ Jesus. They allow us to speak from personal experience about God’s love.

    If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you! For the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified (1 Peter 4:14).

    According to Hebrews 12:1 and Philippians 3:12-14, each one of us is given a different path to run. We do not run against each other; we simply are compelled to run our own course.

    Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels [nor demons], nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth [forces in the world above or in the world below], nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is found in Christ Jesus, our Lord (Romans 8:37-39).

  • Our Responsibility

    Only by a life of obedience to the voice of the Spirit, by daily dying to self, by a full dedication to Christ Jesus, and constant fellowship with Him are we able to live a godly life and have a positive influence in the present ungodly world.

    Let us stand tall in God’s light, showing forth the beauty of following His ways.

    Because of this [to be partakers of the divine nature], make every effort to add integrity to your faith; and to integrity add knowledge; to knowledge add self-control; to self-control add endurance; to endurance add godliness; to godliness add Christian affection; and to Christian affection add love. If you have these qualities and they are increasing, it demonstrates that your knowledge about our Lord Jesus Christ is living and productive (2 Peter 1:5-8).

    Keep to the point — shut out every other thought and keep yourself before God in this one thing: “My utmost for His highest; my best for His glory. I am determined to be absolutely and irrevocably for Him and Him alone.” (Oswald Chambers)

    I tell you the truth; unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:3).

    Christianity must change human nature. If it doesn’t then it has no more power than a good set of morals. (Jesse Duplantis)

    The reason I don’t do wrong is because of what it would do to my Father, not what my Father would do to me.

    Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity. Because these days are evil (Ephesians 5:15-16).

    Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6).

    So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary. What is unseen is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:18).

    Let the peace of Christ rule in your heart, since as members of one body you were called to peace.  And be thankful (Colossians 3:15).

    Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses [for faith in God], let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us (Hebrews 12:1).

    Let us run with a passion through the fields of forgiveness and grace! (Steven Curtis Chapman)

    Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life; by deeds done in the humility that comes from [godly] wisdom (James 3:13)

    That you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him; being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God (Colossians 1:10).

    Spiritual vision depends on our character, since “the pure in heart shall see God.” A practical help in keeping personal purity is to begin to see others as God does. That friend or relative may irritate you, but he/she is perfect through Christ Jesus!

    Always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. (The Desiderata)

    Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your Master’s happiness (Matthew 25:21).

    Faithfulness = honesty + dependability + reliability (loyalty)

    Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has hears, let him hear! (Matthew 13:43)

  • Faith Over Fear

    Jesus compelled Jairus to see the unseen (Luke 8:50). Don’t limit your possibilities to the visible. Don’t listen only for the audible. Don’t be controlled by the logical. Believe there is more to life than meets the eye!

    Let your faith be bigger than for just what you can see!

    In my anguish I cried to the Lord and He answered by setting me free! The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? (Psalm 118:5-6)

    When I cry out to You, then my enemies will turn back; this I know because God is for me (Psalm 56:9).

    I – I am the One who comforts you. Who are you that you should fear man who dies, or a son of man who is given up like grass? But you have forgotten the Lord, your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth. You are in constant dread all day long because of the fury of the oppressor, who has set himself to destroy. But where is the fury of the oppressor? (Isaiah 51:12-13)

    When I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God – whose Word I praise – in God I trust. I will not be afraid! What can mortal man do to me? (Psalm 56:3-4)

    If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)

    The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1)

    Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear. Though war break out against me, even then will I be confident! (Psalm 27:3)

    Did I not say to you that if you would believe, you would see the glory of God? (John 11:40)

    For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith! (1 John 5:4)

    Faith awakes at the voice of truth, but responds to no other sound.

    So then faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ (Romans 10:17).

    For in the Gospel, a righteousness which God ascribes is revealed, both springing from faith and leading to faith [disclosed through the way of faith that arouses to more faith]. As it is written: “The man who through faith is just and upright shall live, and shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17).

    Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because “the righteous will live by faith” (Galatians 3:11).

    Look, his ego is inflated; he is without integrity [not upright]. But the righteous one will live by his faith (Habakkuk 2:4).

    “But My righteous one will live by faith; and if he draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.” But we are not of those who draw back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and obtain life (Hebrews 10:38-39).

    Indeed, our lives are guided by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).

    Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen; for by it our ancestors were approved. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen has been made from things that are not visible (Hebrews 11:1-3).

  • Why Do You Fear?

    Lord Jesus, I have nothing to fear knowing You are in control. There is no accident, injury or circumstance that can happen beyond Your sovereign will. Please guide me to realize just how great and powerful You really are!

    Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the Word, but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desires for other things come in and choke the Word, making it unfruitful (Mark 4:18-19).

    Jesus said to him, “If I can? Believe! All things are possible to him who believes” (Mark 9:23).

    Fear limits the joy you experience in your life.

    “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:40)

    Fear is faith working in reverse. Faith can never be found where fear is. Fear always cancels faith.

    “You of little faith! Why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31)

    “Don’t be afraid. Just believe!” (Mark 5:36; Luke 8:50)

    The Hebrew word for “fear” means to reverence or to honor God as God. We are not to fear anything or anyone but God alone.

    Wrinkles should merely indicate here the smiles have been.

    For God is not the author of confusion but of peace (1 Corinthians 14:33).

    In as much then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death – that is, the devil – and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage (Hebrews 2:14-15).

    To rescue us from the hand of our enemies and to enable us to serve Him without fear (Luke 1:74).

    For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption! (Romans 8:15).

    For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love, and of a sound mind/judgment (2 Timothy 1:7).

  • Our Calling

    Do you feel inadequate because of age, education or talent? God will not lead you where He cannot help you! But God does not lead you where He does not need you!

    God has called us each individually. Let us shine for Him in gratitude.

    Everyone who is called by My name whom I have created for My glory, I have formed him. Yes, I have made him (Isaiah 43:7).

    Now, we are ambassadors for Christ! (2 Corinthians 5:20)

    God not only expects me to do His will, but He is in me to do it! (Oswald Chambers)

    For the battle is the Lord’s (1 Samuel 17:47).

    I realize that whatever God does will last forever. Nothing can be added to it, and nothing can be taken away from it. God does this so that people will fear Him (Ecclesiastes 3:14).

    He died for all people so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the Man who died and was brought back to life for them (2 Corinthians 5:15).

    Listen to Christ rather than the voices of men. Jesus says you can’t please men and still be a servant of God. Those who listen and follow Christ will be received into heaven by the pierced hands of the One who knows the freedom of giving up what you cannot own in order to receive what no one can take away.

    The [note with its regulations, decrees, and demands] He set aside and cleared it completely out of our way by nailing it to [His] Cross. [God] disarmed the principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made a bold display and public example of them, in triumphing over them in Him [Christ Jesus], and in it [the Cross] (Colossians 2:14-15).

    God’s favor has been given to each of us. It was measured out to us by Christ who gave it (Ephesians 4:7).

    To Him the gatekeeper opens the gate, and the sheep hear His voice, and He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out. And when He puts forth His own sheep, He goes before them, and the sheep follow Him, for they know His voice (John 10:3-4).

    Cattle are driven, sheep are led. God did not and does not drive His people. Rather, He leads the way Himself and enables His followers to come after Him.

    For God is not the author of confusion but of peace (1 Corinthians 14:33).

    The Healer knows our hurts; He voluntarily became one of us. Why? So that when you hurt you will go to Him – your Father and Physician – and let Him heal you.

    Remember, God has perfect timing.

    I know that my Redeemer lives! And that in the end He will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my [new] flesh will see Him. I myself will see Him with my own eyes – I, and not another [for me]. How my heart yearns within me!!! (Job 19:25-27)

    No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels nor demons, nor the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God… (Romans 8:37-39)

    For in Him we live and move and have our being. As some of your own poets have said: “We are His offspring” (Acts 17:28).

    Your life is entwined with the God who gave you birth.  Frail dust, remember you are splendor!

    God transformed you into a new creation.  Live like it!

  • The Good That Can Be Done

    For the rest of the time we must still examine thoroughly (1) the duties of the place in which we currently are; (2) the real good that can be done here; and (3) the tools God gives for our success here. (Fenelon)

    Opportunities surround us. We must keep ourselves uplifted, available, and ready for use.

    The Holy Spirit has assigned opportunities for service to each believer. Look for the lost. Watch for needs. Opportunities are plentiful.

    Don’t look for ‘purpose’ in each day.  God will direct those who are in need to you.  And He will also give you the words to help them.  Just be concerned about keeping yourself humble and out of trouble each day.

    Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything – by prayer and petition with thanksgiving – present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7).

    Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own (Matthew 6:34).

    Today has enough pleasures in itself without dreaming about tomorrow.

    The saint is hilarious when crushed with difficulties because the thing is so ludicrously impossible to anyone but God.

    Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go (Joshua 1:9).

    And, lo, I am with you always…  (Matthew 28:20).

    Pride usually begins with perceived accomplishment, and takes root when we forget where success comes from.

    Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation.  The spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41).

    You shall not be terrified of them; for the Lord your God, the Great and Awesome God, is among you (Deuteronomy 7:21).

    Do not be afraid of sudden terror, nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes; for the Lord will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being caught (Proverbs 3:25-26).

    In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have [already] overcome the world (John 16:33).

    But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength in the time of trouble (Psalm 37:39).

    For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You (2 Chronicles 20:12).

    Some trust in chariots, some in horses; but we trust in the name of the Lord our God (Psalm 20:7).

    Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith? (Mark 4:40).

    Fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and in truth (Joshua 24:14).

    The Lord is (1) good, (2) a refuge in times of trouble; (3) He cares for those who trust in Him (Nahum 1:7).

    I know that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love; a God who relents from sending calamity (Jonah 4:2).

    The extreme goodness of Christianity lies in the fact that it does not seek a supernatural remedy for suffering, but a supernatural use for it. (Simone Weil)

  • Let Us Return To Our Creator

    What is your concept of God? Do you see Him as a timeless, infinite, all-powerful, unchanging, glorious being? Or do you tend to minimize His greatness, preferring to think of Him as one who may be treated as a magic genie to handle your requests, or can be manipulated or mandated to do what you want Him to do? Such a view of God is utterly pagan!

    Our God is an awesome and powerful God. Let us fear Him only.

    Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, to pay attention [is better] than the fat of rams (1 Samuel 15:22).

    Humble yourselves before the Lord (James 4:10).

    “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom. Let not the mighty man boast in his might. Nor let the rich man boast in his riches. But let him who boasts boast in this: that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord exercising loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the Lord. (Jeremiah 9:23-24)

    When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me — until I entered the sanctuary of God. Then I understood.. (Psalm 73:16-17).

    [Please] Do not bring Your servant into judgment, for no one living is righteous before You (Psalm 143:2).

    These things [events in God’s Word] happened to make them an example for others. These things were written down as a warning for us who are living in the closing days of history. So, people who think they are standing firmly should be careful that they don’t fall! (1 Corinthians 10:11-12).

    So rend your heart and not your garment; return to the Lord your God for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness; and He relents from doing harm (Joel 2:13).

    For I desire mercy and not [guilt] sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings (Hosea 6:6).

    Stop bringing useless sacrifices! (Isaiah 1:13)

    But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream (Amos 5:24).

    Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh and strength to your bones (Proverbs 3:7-8).

    “Come, let us discuss this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they will be like wool” (Isaiah 1:18).

    God’s forgiveness is uniquely infinite! He suffers graciously from a very bad memory.

  • Reasons To Strive For Good

    For it is time [now] for judgment to begin with the family of God. And if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the Gospel of God? (1 Peter 4:17)

    Let us examine ourselves carefully. Let us not spend time judging others by appearance.

    You then, why do you judge your brother, or why do you look down on your brother? We will all stand before God’s judgment seat. For it is written: “As surely as I live,” says the Lord, “every knee will bow before Me. Every tongue will confess to God.” So then, each of us will give an account of himself before God (Romans 14:10-12).

    For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done… (2 Corinthians 5:10).

    Do not judge, so that you won’t be judged. For with what judgment you use, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you (Matthew 7:1-2).

    Do not judge and you will not be judged. Do not condemn and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and it will be given to you – a good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over will be poured out into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you (Luke 6:37-38).

    For if we would judge ourselves we would not be judged (1 Corinthians 11:31).

    Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time. Wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God (1 Corinthians 4:5).

    That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow – of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth – and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11).

    Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away (Hebrews 2:1).

    Be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves (James 1:22).

    Establish Your Word to Your servant, who is devoted to fearing You (Psalm 119:38).

    For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges thoughts and attitudes of the heart (Hebrews 4:12).

  • Lessons From Job – Part 2

    “Faith does not comprehend the divine plan. Yet faith knows God reigns in the visible and invisible world. Though he does not understand, the man of faith can trust.” Yes, part of our human experience means accepting that everything about God cannot be understood or explained. This does not mean we look at horrific events and blindly call them “God’s will.” It does mean that we acknowledge God’s ways are beyond our comprehension. Even without a clear understanding of God, we can learn to trust Him. (Andrew Blackwood)

    Trust God to lead you through your dark times. He sees the whole picture.

    The intense dialogue between Job and his friends not only reflects Job’s inner turmoil, but also reveals his chief desire – an explanation for his suffering. When God breaks His silence and speaks to Job “out of the storm,” He does not answer one of Job’s questions. He doesn’t even concern Himself with Job’s heartfelt cry of “Why?”

    To the casual observer this response from God seems uncaring. But if we look closely at God’s communication with Job, we find that when God speaks out of the storm, His intent is to calm that storm. In order to do so, God must go beyond Job’s questions to the core issue that forms the basis of his inquiry: trust.

    God could give Job an explanation for his suffering, but Job, being human, would be incapable of really “getting it.” Understanding why will not bring Job’s children back to life, or restore his financial security, or erase the pain from his heart or the nightmares in his head.

    And so, instead of giving answers, God gives Job peace by reminding him that God is in control.

    Trusting God equips us with the proper perspective from which to view disappointment. Like Job, I too know the pain of burying a child. I too know what it is like to be angry at God. I too have “shaken my fist” at God. I too know the pain that gives rise to the bitter cry, “Why?” And I too have found that trusting God is more important and valuable than understanding how God works. Trusting in God’s promises and provision has enabled my wife and me to rise up from the ashes of tragedy and look forward to each new day with anticipation and joy.

    In the darkness of disappointment, we can still find the path to God. Job and others like him have blazed that trail to prove that it can be done. And the first step is trust. “Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him!” (Job 13:15)

    [Taken in part from “Night Vision“, an article on “Finding God’s light in the darkness of disappointment” by Rusty Tugman]

  • Lessons From Job – Part 1

    In 1858 the Illinois legislature, using an obscure statute, sent Stephen A. Douglas to the United States Senate instead of Abraham Lincoln, even though Lincoln had won the popular vote. When a sympathetic friend asked Lincoln how he felt, he said, “Like the boy who stubbed his toe: I am too big to cry and too badly hurt to laugh.” When faced with disappointment, many of us find ourselves in the same position as Abraham Lincoln – unsure of our response. Do we laugh? Do we cry? Or do we simply give up?

    Searching for God through the darkness.

    C. S. Lewis was once asked the question that eventually appears on every believer’s radar screen, “Why do the righteous suffer?” His reply was, “Why not? They are the only ones who can take it.” From a Christian perspective, dealing with disappointment is a good news/bad news story. The bad news is that a relationship with God does not exclude us from discouragement, tragedy, heartache, pain, or suffering. The good news is that a relationship with God equips us to handle disappointment in positive and constructive ways. Yet, in the midst of distress, many of us wonder if, as C. S. Lewis suggested, we can really take it.

    This is precisely why the inspired Word of God includes the story of Job, God’s faithful servant who gained the dubious honor of being the world’s foremost expert on human suffering. In his honest no-holds-barred tug-of-war between faith and suffering, Job teaches us the value of working through our difficulties instead of being dominated by them. His experience accurately reflects the observation of Helen Keller who said, “Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.”

    Those of us who have read the book of Job know that, despite his candid laments toward God, Job remains faithful and God rewards him by giving Job twice as much as he had before. Because we know the ending, many of us fail to grasp the full impact of Job’s experience. In the midst of his immense emotional and physical anguish, Job does not know how things in his life are going to turn out. He does not know that he will have more sons and daughters and grandchildren. All he knows is the incomprehensible pain of burying all ten of his children. Job does not know that he will be twice as rich as he was before. All he knows it the paralyzing anxiety of financial ruin. Job does not know that his reputation will grow and that his faith will inspire a multitude of generations. All he knows are the callous accusations of his friends who say that his suffering must be the result of some hideous secret sin. Job does not know that his relationship with God will be stronger and deeper and more satisfying than ever before. All he knows is that God seems to be absent and uncaring.

    We don’t have God’s eternal perspective in which to view our life’s story. Consequently, all many of us are able to see at this moment in time is a marriage that’s failing, a family divided, a bank statement that exposes debt, an addiction that seems unconquerable, an illness that appears incurable… It has been said that “those who know the path of God can find it in the dark.” Even though Job could not see too far ahead, he did indeed find the path to God through the darkness of disappointment. Along the way, he imparted a valuable lesson to fellow travelers like you and me.

    Job learned that trusting God is more important than understanding God.

    [Taken from “Night Vision“, an article on “Finding God’s light in the darkness of disappointment” by Rusty Tugman]