Blessed is the man who always fears the Lord, but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble. Proverbs 28:14
I want to be that person who always fears the Lord (which doesn't necessarily mean being afraid of God but holding Him in the highest esteem, having reverence toward him, feeling awe about Him). I do not want a hard heart. I want a heart that is seeking God's heart and is willing to do His will for my life.
Trust in Him at all times, O people. Pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge.
Just spend a few minutes thinking of these words.
Trust in God at all times. ALL TIMES. Good times, bad times, hard times, uncertain times, etc. ALL THE TIME.
Pour out your hearts to Him; pray to him, sing to him, cry out to him.
And why should we do this?
Because our God is our refuge.
And He will never abandon you nor forsake you. He is ALWAYS there, 24/7, 365 days a year. Never sleeps nor slumbers.
You can trust him ALWAYS!
I will be careful to live a blameless life, when will you come to help me? I will lead a life of integrity in my own house. Psalm 101:2 NLT
blameless - innocent of wrong doing
integrity - the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles
I will be careful to live a life that is innocent of wrong doing. I will seek God's help through the Holy Spirit as my comforter, counselor, and guide to do so. I will live a life of being honest in all I say and do and try to live with strong moral principles.
Help me to do so Lord!
I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me? Jeremiah 32:27 NIV
There is nothing too hard for the Lord. Nothing. He is the Lord of all and He is more than capable of doing whatever He chooses to do. Think of what He has done:
1. Parted the Red Sea.
2. Poured plagues down on Egypt and spared Goshen.
3. Rained fire down on Elijah's sacrifice.
4. Fed the Israelites in the desert with manna.
5. Provided water from rocks for the Israelites.
6. Killed Goliath with one sharp stone.
7. Raised Lazarus from the dead.
8. Fed the 5000, then the 4000 with leftovers both times.
9. Healed the sick, made the lame walk, brought sight to the blind, and hearing to the deaf.
10. Calmed the storms and seas.
11. Raised Jesus from the dead.
And so much more. There is NOTHING God cannot do if it is within His will. I trust in that.
For the Word of the Lord holds true, and we can trust everything He does. Psalm 33:4 NLT
God tells the truth all the time. He does not lie. His Word, the Bible, is all truth. We can believe every word of it. Every promise made that has not been fulfilled yet will be fulfilled in God's perfect timing.
And because God is truthful we can trust everything He does. It might not make sense to us at the time but His way, His purpose, His plan are always good and must always be for His glory and honor. So I will trust in God's word and believe it and I will trust in everything He does. Always in all ways.
Jesus:
You are God
You are eternal
You are everlasting
You are I AM
You are the Way
You are the Truth
You are the Life
You are the Only Way to the Father
ALL authority has been given to you.
Nothing catches you by surprise.
Truly these days evil is considered good; and good considered evil.
You told us it would be like this
BUT
You also said "take heart, I have overcome the world."
So it really doesn't matter who is president. You are still in control. You still have a purpose and a plan. Your kingdom will still advance. You will come back one day.
What really matters is eternity. We live so temporally, our lives are SO SHORT when compared with eternity.
So what truly matters is where one will spend eternity.
So getting the word out about Jesus, proclaiming HE IS THE ONLY WAY TO THE FATHER is what is important.
I trust my needs will always be met.
I trust Jesus knows what is best for me.
I trust Jesus knows exactly when my dash will end and how it will end.
I don't have any fear of any viruses or of persecution.
Jesus says multiple times DO NOT BE AFRAID.
So I won't be. I'll take that to heart and try to live my life for the glory of God who is my audience of one. What He thinks of me is the only think that matters.
God is faithful.
God is for me not against me.
God is great.
God is loving
God is compassionate
God is forgiving.
God is provider.
God is protector.
God is trustworthy.
God is almighty.
God is a promise keeper.
God is restorer.
God is redeemer.
God is mighty.
God is powerful.
God is salvation.
God is strength.
God is wise.
God is knowledgeable.
God is understanding.
God is caring.
God is creation.
God is marvelous.
God is peacemaker.
God is God!
God is Yahweh.
God is my only hope!
I will sing to the Lord for he has been good to me. Psalm 13:6
I will sing praises to you Lord.
I will tell of your greatness.
I will proclaim your holy name.
For you have been good to me:
You have provided for me.
You have protected me.
You have guided me.
You have sustained me.
You died for me.
For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever and his faithfulness continues to each generation. Psalm 100:5 NLT
Unfailing - without error or fault; reliable or constant
God's love is unfailing.
It never gives up.
It never changes.
It is reliable.
It is constant.
It is not influenced by circumstances.
It is always there.
It is not whimsical.
It is dependent.
It is amazing.
It is perfect.
It truly is UNFAILING.
The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil. 1 Peter 3:12 NLT
Help me Lord to do what is right. I want your eyes always on me to watch over me and your ears always open to hear my prayers.
I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6
NO ONE comes to the Father (God) except through Jesus. The Bible clearly states it. We have eternal life only through Jesus and what He did on the cross with his death and then with his resurrection; taking on our sins and his Father's wrath for our sins.
Choose for yourself what you will believe. But I believe Jesus is the ONLY WAY to the Father and the ONLY WAY for eternal life after we pass from this life.
May all my thoughts be pleasing to Him for I rejoice in the Lord. Psalm 104:34 NLT.
I can (somewhat) control the words I speak to try to be kind or loving or not to be cruel and hateful. But no one other than God knows what I think unless I share those thoughts. Because God knows my thoughts, even before I think them, I want all of them to be pleasing to Him. Hard order when there is so much in the world going on but that is the second part of the psalm. If I rejoice in the Lord, my thoughts, actions and words should always bring Him glory, honor and praise. Tall order, but I do want my thoughts to be pleasing to God and I want to find true joy in Him and Him alone. Help me to do so Lord!
I will sing to the Lord as long as I live. I will praise my God to my last breath. Psalm 104:33 NLT
Nothing and no one will prevent me from singing to my God corporately or privately.
John 14:27 NLT I am leaving you with a gift - peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give you is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid.
Jesus did not leave us alone. He gave us the Advocate (Holy Spirit). He gave us a gift - a precious gift the world always wants but cannot give. He gave us peace. Peace of mind and heart. Peace that transcends understanding.
A gift the world cannot give because the world is not peaceful. The world is filled of strife and conflict and unrest and so much more.
Jesus is filled with love and mercy and peace and so much more.
And he tells us not to be afraid or troubled.
During these uncertain times I will unwrap the gift of Jesus and the peace only he can give. I will not be troubled. I will not be afraid. I will trust in you Jesus!
Hear my prayer, O Lord. Listen to my pleas. Answer me because you are faithful and righteous. Psalm 143:1 NLT.
David, writing this psalm, used three verbs "hear", "listen", and "answer" when he is talking/praying to God. David knows God is not passive but alive. He knows he is praying to a deity that is real - not manmade. He knows God is hearing and listening and will answer his prayer in God's timing because he knew God was faithful and righteous. He could trust God. We too can trust God. He listens when we pray. He hears our pleas. He will answer them the way He chooses to for His glory in His perfect timing and will. Remember that and rest in that promise.
The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love (Psalm 103:8 NLT)
Just think about that for a minute. Say it out loud slowly. Let the words soothe your soul.
The Lord (God Almighty)
is
compassionate and merciful (kind)
slow to get angry (patient, long suffering)
filled (full)
with
unfailing love (it never fails, it never ends, it never gives up)
That is a true statement. This is to be trusted and believed about the Lord our God. Rest assured in that.
