Sunday Scripture
and a
Song
John 1:12-13
Showing posts with label John. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John. Show all posts
We are Children of God
Worthy is the Lamb
Sunday Scripture
and a
Song
“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16 (NLT)
One week out from Easter Sunday, we have the joy
to continue the celebration
of our Risen Lord!
Am I Enough?
Who hasn’t struggled at some time in their life with the
deep self-doubt that “maybe I’m not good enough.” Or pretty enough. Or smart
enough. Or liked enough. You fill in the blank. This overwhelming fear of
inadequacy can prevent us from realizing the glory of God’s plan for us.
Believe me when I say that there is no truth to back up
these harmful thoughts. Think about where this feeling of inferiority comes from.
Maybe you can tie it to a past experience or perhaps it is a deeply felt
inadequacy you’ve held onto for a long time. No matter it’s origin. When our
need for fulfillment lies deep within our psyche, it is fodder for the evil
one to do his work.
He preys on our weaknesses, and speaks from a voice within us that
we hear as our own. He tells us we are not worthy, that we will never measure
up. And our hearts wonder "why should I bother trying?"
Realize the source! It isn’t always immediately evident
because of the sneakiness of the predator. But you must realize that Satan is trying to sabotage your will. When I become aware that my thoughts or my actions have been controlled by Satan preying on my emptiness, I realize I have allowed darkness to fill me when I should have turned to the Light.
When the realization finally creeps into my consciousness by God's power in me through His Holy Spirit, and I become aware that I have been duped by the enemy once again, it makes me so angry that I want to
fight back. Satan amplifies our weaknesses, through no fault of our own, by reassuring our psyche that we are not good enough. Then he shows us a way to satisfy our deepest desires, which is actually a path to our own destruction.
When I become aware of this devious deceitfulness and attack on my very life, I go into battle mode.
Spiritual warfare is very real, and for those on the front
lines the battle is never over. Satan will do what he can to prevent the
furthering of the Kingdom of God. If you are working for the purpose of leading
others to Christ, you must realize that there is going to be a battle for you
to keep your forward motion.
Even if you are not in ministry, Satan delights in leading us from the path that God has planned for our lives. He can make the wrong way seem like the truth. It is not until we realize our misery that Satan's devious plan is revealed to us. We need to remain vigilant by keeping a constant awareness of this struggle and search our hearts for something that just doesn't seem right.
Most importantly, we must always remember one thing – God is stronger
than anything sneaky Satan can throw at us! By clinging to God and praying for
His intercession on our behalf, we will always emerge as victors. For in the
beginning of the book of John we read, “The light shines in the darkness, and
the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:5 (NLT)
God is Light. The power of light over darkness is a Biblical reference, and a physical
one, too. Even in the darkest night, a candle or other source of light will shine brightly into the night.
The light will always overcome darkness. And the Light of the World will always
overcome the darkness of Satan. Darkness will scurry and hide from the light, and linger
in the corners for its chance to regain a foothold once again. That is why the
battle continues.
Look to God for your strength. With the armor of
God you can fight the battle and emerge victorious. Simply cry out to Him and
Satan’s stronghold is extinguished. Keep your focus on God, and put on His
armor. In this way you will not know defeat. Be strengthened by knowing God is always on your side. This is a battle we can win.
“Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will
be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will
still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s Righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so
that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the
shield of faith to stop the fiery
arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as
your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. “ Ephesians 6:13-17 (NIV)
(emphasis mine)
Strength for the Journey
This week has been filled with tragic news stories. Sadness overwhelms us at times as we try to understand such pain in God’s world. Tragedy and grief touch all of our lives, and when you add in the daily challenges of finances and health issues, it would be easy to succumb to fear and defeat.
But we must not let that happen. There is Strength that we can draw on. There is Hope for better tomorrows. We can find Peace, when we turn our eyes to our Heavenly Father and rest in His wisdom and grace.It’s easy to feel overwhelmed with sadness amidst the suffering. When we are challenged with yet another trial or obstacle to our happiness, how can we cope?
If the tears want to come, let them. It is a cleansing of our sadness. Let the tears wash away your fears and then turn your heart to God. Pour our your sadness to Him. Tell Him of your fears. Let go of all you hold inside that threatens your sense of security and peace.He is waiting for us to come to Him. He can offer comfort that the world cannot provide. In inexplicable ways, we are calmed when we lay our troubles at His feet. Peace washes over us, and we realize we can go forward into the trials we are facing because we know we are not facing them alone.
God is there with us. He will always be beside us. What a comfort it is to know we never walk alone. When we lean on Him for our strength, we find it is limitless. As we grow in our trust and faith, we begin to find the glimmer of hope that propels us to keep trying. And by resting in God’s love, we are blessed through knowing His perfect peace.
“I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Phillipians 4:13 (NIV)
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid.” John 14:27 (NIV)
Trust in God for Your Peace
No one said this life would be easy. In fact, we’ve been
told just how difficult it will be by Jesus himself. He told us “In this life,
you will have trouble” (John 16:33 NIV), and if your world is anything like
mine, trouble comes with a capital “T”.
If I am honest, though, I must admit that sometimes I make
my own problems. Mostly this is when I try to take the helm and steer my own
ship through troubled waters, instead of turning to the One who can help. When
I try to forge ahead and make a situation work to my advantage, invariably it
ends in ruin. I would be much better off if I remembered to trust in God and
take all my troubles to Him.
I’m getting much better at this, and I have found this trust to be the true pathway to peace. But there was a time, in the not so distant past,
when I grasped for straws when I felt I was drowning. I felt tossed about on the
waves, gulping for breaths before being submerged again.
Instead of trusting God, I took it upon myself to try to
find my own way. I think I put my trust in myself instead of God, and figured
that I could make it work all on my own.
Though I still continue to make many mistakes, I feel that I have made
positive changes in how I deal with stressful situations in my life. Each time a
worry or problem comes my way, I have a choice. I can worry and stress, or take
it to God and know peace. It takes practice, but it really is as simple as
that.
As I develop my relationship with God in my daily life, through prayer
and sharing my heart with Him, I am beginning to understand that knowing Him
intimately is the pathway to peace. I’ve learned that there is a better way
than internalizing my anger and harboring resentment. I can give it all to God,
and in return I get peace. I can trust that He will work for the good in all
things.
I’ve included the complete verses below for the Bible references made in
this article. But I think one that sums what I am trying to say is a familiar
quote from Proverbs. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on
your own understanding." Proverbs 3:5 (NLT)
When we give God the helm to steer, He will guide us to calmer waters; and He will put our feet back on solid ground.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his
purpose.” Romans 8:28 (NIV)
“If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you.
He will not rebuke you for asking.
But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not
waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea
that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive
anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and
they are unstable in everything they do.”
James 1:5-8 (NLT)
“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on
earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have
overcome the world.” John 16:33 (NLT)
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