The Grace to Do It
By Bunny | March 8, 2010
There’s no way to go through life without being hurt. But if you think what the person who hurt you did was bad—wait till you see what bitterness will do. It will extend your pain, infect your attitude, control your moods and cause you to lose friends. Few things are worse than a person who only wants to talk about “what they did to me.” Get rid of the score cards. Burn them. The Bible tells us that love takes no account of a suffered wrong. Love does not keep record of a suffered wrong. It will eat you up and it only leads to self destruction. It is definitely a tool that the enemy loves to use on us. We could say it’s the bait of Satan. Jesus said, “There is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can’t get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others” (Mt. 6:14-15 TM).
“But you don’t know what they did to me. You don’t know how they hurt me and I know it was on purpose.” No, but in reading the Scriptures you’ll discover what Jesus went through. Would you like to compare notes? His family thought He was mad. Some of those He healed called for His death. Even His disciples bailed out when the going got tough. Then add to that the weight of carrying the sins of the world, and you’ve more than reason to harbor bitterness. But instead He preached forgiveness—from a cross. And His Word to you today is: “Bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back” (Lk 6:28-30 NKJV). You say, “That’s hard to do.” Yes, but God will give you the grace to do it. He never tells us to do something without giving us the ability to do it. He knows we cannot do it without His enabling power, but with Him we can do all things.
Many of us would rather settle for achieving less, than put up with some people in our lives. People problems can be very difficult to deal with. Jesus chose twelve disciples to help Him fulfill His mission on earth. One of them doubted Him, one denied Him and one betrayed Him. Yet He called them, knowing what they were—and could become. After listing hardships that would make your worst day look like a walk in the park, Paul writes, “Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of…all the churches” (2 Cor. 11:28 NIV). His love for God is what motivated Paul to obey God and evangelize the many nations. He knew how much God loved people, so his love for people grew as his love for God grew. He loved what God loved. If you don’t genuinely care about people they’ll sense it and they won’t stay with you. They will not be drawn to you. He is the one we are to live like and to lift up when we are around people and that’s what will help us to be able to deal with those that are somewhat difficult to be around. It’s only by His grace that we are able to love the unlovely. To help the “stinkers” of this world. Have you ever been one of them? It may help us to remember that when we come across one of them. Let’s commit to live the Word. Love cares more for others than for self. That’s what I Corinthians 13:7 tells us. When we see it, then let’s do it. That is when we will be blessed. You are blessed to be a blessing. I love you. You’re in my prayers.
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Be A Receiver
By Bunny | February 12, 2010
What attitude brings the greatest benefit when hearing or reading God’s Word? Receive it as God’s Word — not man’s. Receive it as God speaking directly to you. The Word is shared by us, but originated by Him. “When you received the Word of God…from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is…the word of God.” (I Thess. 2:13 NKJV).
Here are four things you must always remember about your Bible: (a) It’s authoritative. “They were astonished at His teaching, for His word was with authority…they were all amazed…saying, What a word this is! For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.” (Lk 4:32-36 NKJV) The forces of darkness around us must recognize and submit to God’s authoritative Word. So stand on it! (b) It’s creative. “By God’s word the heavens existed and the earth was formed.” (2 Pe 3:5 NIV) His Word alone was enough to create all that exists. He doesn’t have to strive or sweat, He just has to say it and it’s done. So speak God’s Word in prayer and throughout times in your day when you need to be reminded that He is in you and that there isn’t anything that you cannot do or overcome without His awesome power that resides in you. (c) It’s effective. “My word…will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” (Isa 55:11 NIV) Every Word God speaks is on a mission and is guaranteed to accomplish it in accordance with His will, His strategy and His timing. So put God’s Word to work! (d) It’s dynamic. “The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.” (Jn 6:63 NIV) When you receive it as the Word of God, it produces life-changing results. It can’t just sit there and do nothing, it must generate, for it is “…the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.” (1 Th 2:13 NKJV)
How can you make God’s Word more personal and effective in your life? By receiving it as a practical and relevant Word. The Bible is not God’s attempt to offer illumination insights, interesting theories or good advice for our consideration. No, it’s an authoritative, indisputable statement of eternal truth for us to live by. It’s intended for real-world application. “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house upon the rock.” (Mt 7:24 NKJV) The obedient builder’s rock-solid foundation withstood the storm’s violence. Conversely, “Everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them,” Jesus says, “is a fool, and the storms will erode his foundation.” (vv. 26-27) Now, Jesus didn’t condemn this man for building an inadequate structure, or failing to hear, understand and believe His words, but for failing to act on them. “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says…the man who looks intently into the perfect law…not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it — he will be blessed in what he does.” (Jas 1:22 NIV) If we think reading, knowing, and even believing God’s Word fulfills our obligation to it, we’re self-deceived. Because it’s God’s Word, His intention for it must be fulfilled. That requires not just believing, but doing the Word. James didn’t say, “He will be blessed in what he believes,” but “he will be blessed in what he does!” When Moses read God’s Word to the Israelites, they said, “All that the Lord has said we will do, and be obedient.” (Ex 24:7 NKJV)
Let me encourage you at this season of love, Valentine’s Day, that you receive the greatest gift of love that anyone could receive, and that’s the gift of God’s love. His love is sweeter than any box of candy that you may get from your sweetheart, or more precious than any diamond that you may receive. His love is eternal. His love is unconditional. His love never changes with the seasons. Receive His love today so that you may experience Valentine’s Day all year round. I love you!!!
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Keep Your Peace
By Bunny | January 30, 2010
The wisdom that is from above is…peaceable. (James 3:17) Have you ever gotten into an argument before church and felt like a hypocrite during the entire service? Understand this: the devil knows that God’s Word can only be “sown in peace” (James 3:18), so he will do everything he can to keep you from receiving it and being blessed by it. That’s why you must do whatever it takes to keep your peace. There’s power in peace. If the devil can’t get you upset he has no power over you. He only gains control when you “lose it.” He plans to get you upset in order to steal your peace, confuse you and make you run in circles. Don’t let him.
James writes, “The wisdom that is from above is…peaceable.” Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust environment with people that live right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor. Notice, getting along with others can and will be “hard work.”
Too often we get caught up in the cares of this life. Problems at the office, not enough money for all our needs, society is going down hill fast, had another fight with our mate, we don’t like who our kids are hanging around with, we’re worried about the future. The list can go on and on. Unfortunately, the list does go on and on in many of our minds. That’s why you must decide to be a person who lives at peace; with God, with yourself and with others.
In going for the very best, you must develop peace within yourself. Allow the peace of God to rule in your heart, not what the news says, or what another person does. You will never have peace in your life until you decide that you are in control of your own life. Then you can let the peace of God rule in your heart and mind.
Isaiah 26:3 tells us if we keep our mind on Him, we can have perfect peace because we can trust Him. If we meditate on the Word and think on Him, the peace of God will be there and help us to fulfill our day with sound decisions and not ones made in our emotions or blinded by confusion. Allow me to give you a few scriptures that you can think on today.
Psalm 29:11 says, “The Lord will give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace.” John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT) “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
So next time you get worked up about some issue, ask yourself, “What’s the enemy trying to do here? If I give in to these emotions what will the result be?” When you’re stressed out you lose your joy, and when you lose your joy you lose your strength because “the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Neh. 8:10). As Augustine said many years ago, “Our souls are restless until they find their rest in God.” So today, pray, exercise self-control, and keep your peace. I call you peaceful.
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Stand Your Ground Again In 2010
By Bunny | January 15, 2010
We will reap a harvest if we do not give up and quit. Perseverance means, succeeding because you’re determined to, not because you’re entitled to. Achievers don’t sit back and wait for success because they think the world owes them. No, if you’re wise you’ll ask God for direction, stand firm on the Word He has given you, go forward and refuse to quit. You must adopt the attitude of the man who said, “We are determined to win. We’ll fight them until hell freezes over, and if we have to, we’ll fight them on ice.” Recalling the trials he’d faced, Paul said, “I started and I’m going to finish. I’ve worked much harder, been jailed more often, beaten up more times than I can count, and at death’s door…And that’s not the half of it.” (2 Corinthians 11:23-28) One word describes Paul—relentless.
Each task has its own challenges and each day its own events. You have to get out of bed the next morning and run again, but it’s never exactly the same race. To be successful you must keep plugging away. It’s said that Columbus faced incredible difficulties while sailing west in search of a passage to Asia. He encountered storms, experienced hunger, and extreme discouragement. The crews of his three ships were near mutiny. But his account of the journey says the same thing over and over: “Today, we sailed on.” And his perseverance paid off. He didn’t discover a fast route to the spice-rich Indies; instead he found a new continent. The scriptural key to success is—running the race each day (See Heb. 12:1-2). So, this year make that quality decision that you will stand your ground and persevere in the things of God. No matter how hard it may get and no matter what it looks like. You will not stop seeking Him and giving Him your very best. He deserves it.
Nehemiah loved God and the things of God. He saw a need and wanted to fill that need. The wall that defended God’s people was torn down and he knew that God’s people were unprotected, so he made the decision to do something about it. He made plans to go to Jerusalem and rebuild the wall around it to once again bring safety to the people of God. But in all of our lives, there is always going to be opposition when we do anything for God. And in Nehemiah’s case it was no different. There was a man by the name of Sanballat that wanted to stop Nehemiah from doing the work of God. And no matter how he tried, Nehemiah would not allow him to keep him from doing the will of God. Nehemiah 6:3 says, “I am doing a great work, so I cannot come down.” That’s what we need to say in the face of our adversary: “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. I will not allow the attacks of the enemy to stop me from having peace. I will not allow the attacks of the enemy to keep me in fear that my needs will not be met. I will not allow the attacks of the enemy to distract me from being a witness to those around me. I will not come down to his level and stop the great work I am doing for the Master.”
Love the Lord with all your heart and let your love and appreciation for what He has done for you cause you to persevere in your service for Him. In Nehemiah 6:9, Nehemiah says, “Even though we may get weak, strengthen the hands of Your people, oh God.” That is my prayer for you today and throughout this entire year. That your hands will daily be strengthened by God, to continue and persevere in the work and your walk with God. His plans for you are good, and in obeying that plan for your life it will only bring you great joy and fulfillment.
So let this be a year that you make that decision to stay up on that wall and not allow anyone or anything bring you down. Build one day at a time and watch what God will do through you.
I call you blessed to be a blessing.
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Start Your Day With God
By Bunny | December 18, 2009
“In the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.” (Ps. 5:3) We think everything rests on our shoulders, but it doesn’t! It’s God’s world, not ours. At the beginning of each day God reminds us that He has His way, that He controls outcomes, and that He cares about every detail of our lives.
The way we get up in the morning sets the tone for our entire day, so try this: First thing tomorrow, get alone with God for a few minutes. Don’t try to make it last an hour, just start with five minutes. Go over your plans for the day. As you talk to Him about your day, ask Him to give you the wisdom to do what needs to be done in a way that will be pleasing unto Him. Ask Him to lead your steps and guide you to the people He would have you share His love with that day. That’s our purpose for living. It is to be available to Him and do whatever He wants us to do to help promote His kingdom.
As you talk to Him about your day, maybe you’ll think about something that concerns you. Turn that over to Him and ask Him to help you see that situation as He does, and it will begin to seem so much smaller in your eyes than it was before. If you don’t get an immediate response from Him, just trust Him knowing that He heard you and when the time comes you will know how to handle the situation and you’ll know what to do.
So many people start their day anxious, hurried, fearful, or dreading their day. But we don’t have to. We’re going to start our day anyway; why not start it with Jesus? Do we have any better options? We’re going to have a first thought for the day, a first word, so why not let it belong to God, before Whom all our anxieties flee? We can do this. We really can. We can start our day with God. Seek Him first and everything else will be added to us. That’s what He promised to us. Put Him first and He will add whatever we may need for that day. He is a good God that cares about everything that we care about. We are a blessed people to have a Father that does not leave us all alone to fend for ourselves. Take a moment and meditate on this Scripture: “Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.” (Ps. 90:14 NIV) Have a God led, carefree day. Be blessed!
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Need Help? Wait on God!
By Bunny | November 30, 2009
They that wait upon the Lord shall have new strength. Isaiah 40:31, “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” God usually doesn’t tell us how He will answer our prayers, or even when. But He does promise those who wait on Him one thing — Strength. The word “wait” in this Scripture pictures a Hebrew word used in the making of rope. Every rope starts out as a thread and every strand added just increases in strength. So each time you wait on the Lord you add another thread to the rope; you get a little stronger, a little more able to cope. Do you feel like you’re just hanging on by a thread today? Spend more time in God’s presence and God’s Word, and watch your thread turn into a rope.
There’s something that happens in us when we just sit quietly in His presence. We may not understand what it is, but if we obey Him and do it by faith, He said that we would gain new strength. I believe that is physical strength, as well as spiritual strength. And I don’t know about you, but I sure can use both. It reminds me of being outside in the summertime on an overcast day. I didn’t feel the sun. I didn’t see the sun. But eventually the time I spent outside showed up on my flesh. That’s like spending time waiting in the presence of the Lord. I didn’t see Jesus. I didn’t feel Jesus. But eventually the time I spent with Jesus showed up on my flesh. At that moment of temptation, I resisted it because of the strength I received when I was waiting in the presence of the Lord. His Word is true, no matter what we feel or see, all we need to do is believe. But let me say this ? Waiting is not always passive. Sometimes it’s active, like waiting on a customer, seeing that his or her needs are met. In this case, waiting is not so much a position as it is a focus. We can go about our day, taking care of our natural responsibilities, and still wait on Him by keeping our mind on Him periodically throughout our day. Listening to see if there’s anything He wants to tell you about the situation you talked to Him about this morning. The Bible says, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee.” (Isa. 26:3) Whether it’s sitting prayerfully in His presence or actively carrying out His will, you have God’s assurance that your strength will be renewed.
If you’re at the end of your rope today, grab hold of these three promises: (1) “Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord.” (Ps. 27:14 NKJV) (2) “Wait silently for God alone, for my expectation if from Him.” (Ps.62:5 NKJV) (3) “As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters…so our eyes look to the Lord our God.” (Ps. 123:2 NKJV) Do you need more strength? Let me encourage you to wait on God.
Let me pray over you. “Father, you are such a good God that cares about everything in Your children’s lives. I ask You right now in the name of Jesus, to minister to my friend the strength, the wisdom, the healing, the hope that they need, as they wait upon You in Your presence. You are a faithful God that will always keep Your promises to us, Your children. As we do our part, You are more than willing to do Yours. Thank you Father, for loving my friend so much. I praise You for taking care of their need now. In Jesus name.” And you and I say, “Amen.” God bless you and always remember that I love you and pray for you daily.
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The Power of Compassion
By Bunny | November 6, 2009
Compassion is a sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it. Our God is a Father of compassion. He had so much compassion for our suffering that He sent His one and only Son to die for us. Do you share God’s compassion? Do you realize that Jesus Christ wants to express through you what the Father expressed through Him, bringing love and hope to a hurting world? We, God’s people, are to be clothed with compassion. (Colossians 3:12) What are you wearing today?
Some of us, when our tender hearts see the troubles of others, may think we are too far away or too powerless to help. But that is so untrue. Our prayers are full of heavenly power. They transcend time and space. We can be on our knees in our living rooms and reach our president in the White House, a homeless person on a city street, children starving in North Korea, missionaries in South America, or a sick family member in California. With the power of compassion combined with prayer, we can make a difference. I can’t touch everyone physically, but I can touch everyone prayerfully ? And you can do the same. The power of compassion, that love for people that God has placed in our heart, can do such miraculous things that we can not comprehend.
Praying to make a difference is unselfish praying and in all likelihood, is going to cost us something. It’s probably going to make us uncomfortable and take us to places — spiritually and geographically — where we wouldn’t dare go unless God had birthed it in our hearts. Praying to make a difference in this world means we learn to get past ourselves and our problems and pursue a greater purpose. Nehemiah was an unselfish man of prayer who looked beyond himself and his needs. His example shows us what we need to do to be powerful intercessors for this world. Like Nehemiah, we need to find out what is happening outside the sphere of me, myself and I. When Nehemiah met Hanani, one of his brothers who had come from Judah, Nehemiah asked for news of the Jews in Jerusalem. It was then that he found out the specifics of the desperate situation, how the wall of Jerusalem was broken down, leaving the Jews defenseless against their enemies.
As soon as he heard of their situation, Nehemiah sat down and wept. He felt compassion and his heart mourned. The Bible says he fasted and prayed, asking God to hear him, remember His promises to His people, and give him success. A few months later Nehemiah went to King Artaxerxes, and with one look of his face, which revealed sadness of heart, the king inquired as to Nehemiah’s troubles, asking what he could do for him. Here Nehemiah took direct action as he reached out to another. Through their conversation they were able to assess the situation in Jerusalem and ultimately, rebuild the wall.
Nehemiah was filled with faith, telling those who later ridiculed the rebuilding, “The God of heaven will give us success.” (Neh. 2:20)
What walls can you help rebuild? What needs do you see around you in your coworkers lives? Around your family, your neighbors? Is God prompting you to pray for them or go and speak an encouraging word of hope to them? When you hear of distress in someone life and your heart responds with compassion, make a difference. Do something. If so led, take direct action by doing whatever He tells you to do and always begin and end the situation with prayer. Be filled with confidence that God will work in their situation.
In this world, Jesus says we will have trouble. But we are encouraged to be of good cheer, because He has already gone before us to assure us that we can have the victory. What a good Father. Allow the same compassion that He demonstrates toward us, flow out of you to those that are so desperately in need of it. We are His hands. We are His arms. Watch and listen as He shows you who to demonstrate that compassion on today. You were created to be a blessing. So be one.
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By Bunny | September 23, 2009
As I read, I discovered the powerful words of Jeremiah 29:11-12, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.” I was thrilled. God had plans for me! Plans to prosper and cause my life to be blessed. Plans to give me hope and a future. I began to revel in the knowledge of a great hope in store for my life. I realized that when worries began to come upon me, all I had to do was call upon Him, seek Him with all my heart, and tell Him all my fears of the future, and He would listen and lead me to go in the power of His divine guidance, urging me to be confident that He is before me. He’s got a plan for my life, full of hope, and prosperity with Him, and He will give me the power to proceed. He will do the same for you, if you will only believe.
When you neglect to read the Bible, you are purposefully cutting yourself off from being encouraged by God’s voice or receiving very important and specific directions for the day, week, month, and beyond. God loves to communicate with us. He wants us to tune our hearts to Him so that in a crowded room of opinions and temptations, there is just one Voice we recognize and walk toward. His voice will always lead us to do what is right toward others and ourselves. His ways are pure and holy. That’s why it is so vitally important that we train ourselves to listen to Him. Just stay with it as you’re learning to know the voice of God. He sees your heart and He knows you want to follow Him.
When worries about your future plaque you, delve into God’s Word, turn your heart to seek His face, and pray to the Lord your Savior who never ceases to instruct you and teach you in the way you should go, and guide you with His eye (Psalm 32:8). Ask God to give you the power of His divine guidance, helping you fulfill His plan for your life. And remember that the Lord goes before you into the days ahead, allowing you to leave the irreparable past in His hands and step out into the irresistible future with Him.
Please pray this with me.
Father, as I come before You today, delighting in Your presence, I ask for Your guidance. You know the desires of my heart—to know, love and live in You. Show me the way You want me to go. Give me the courage to face the future, knowing that because You go before me, I need never be afraid. Lord, You have a purpose for my life. You have plans to prosper me, so I put my life, my heart, and my soul in Your safe hands, this minute, this hour, this day. No matter what happens, Lord, I cannot be separated from You and Your love. Oh, what that means to me. Fill me with the love that never ends. May it flow through me and reach those I meet this day. May my future be filled with blessing upon blessing so that I may be a blessing, and may I praise You today and in the days to come. In Jesus name I ask all these things. Amen.
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On The Alert
By Bunny | September 2, 2009
“Be careful how you live, not as fools but as those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity.” Ephesians 5: l5-l6. The word opportunity is derived from the Latin nautical term, opportunus, which denoted “favorable winds.” Because such winds were advantageous to ships seeking harbor, opportunus came to mean “coming at a convenient time.”
Many people look back upon their lives as a series of missed opportunities. Are you one of them? We cannot change the past, nor should we waste the present by lamenting over how many times we’ve allowed the winds of opportunity to pass us by. Don’t let yourself become caught up in the “would’ve-could’ve-should’ve” mode. Take the following steps to ensure that you make the most of every opportunity in your future.
First, pray for God’s eyes. Ephesians chapter 1 tells us how Paul prayed for the church. That the eyes of their understanding would be opened and enlightened to know what the hope of their calling was in Christ. When we pray, we need to ask the Father to enlighten us and to show us the way that He wants us to go in order to fulfill the plan He has for our life, in order to cause increase in His kingdom. We cannot go forward when looking backwards. We must make the most of every opportunity we have, because we will never get that moment back again.
Second, listen expectantly. After you have prayed for your eyes to be enlightened, be still, listen and expect God to speak to you. In the book of James we read, “If you need wisdom ? If you want to know what God wants you to do ? Ask Him and He will gladly tell you…But when you ask Him, be sure that you really expect Him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven an tossed by the wind.” (James 1:5-6 NLT, emphasis added) God wants to use you to help others more than you even can imagine. He wants to flow through you to reach out to a very hurting world. And in your reaching out, God reaches in to you, and meets the need that you may have. That’s how He operates. He is LOVE. We must expect that to happen or it will not.
Third, begin to pay attention to what is around you. John Maxwell writes, “What are inventors? People who see opportunity in things where others see nothing — People whose senses are alive to creative possibilities. Inventors fail many times yet realize the longer they work, the more they study and the closer they look, the greater their chances for success.” Keep your eyes open to the “creative possibilities” surrounding you! What is success? Being in the perfect will of God. Walking in pure obedience to His Word. That is success.
And last, have courage. Sometimes it seems easier to stay anchored in the place where we feel the most comfortable, but that place may not be where God wants us to be. When I think of courage I think of Joshua. Joshua had a life change ? A drastic life change. And God had to tell him, “Joshua, be strong and of good courage. I am with you. You don’t have to do this alone.” People, life is not easy, but God never told us we were doing it alone. He promised that He would always be with us to help us in everything we face. It’s our fault if we try to do it alone.
Instead of being fearful, we must be prayerful. Prayer keeps us connected to our source of help ? For ourselves and for others. It’s our life line. Be confident that He will speak to you to lead you through the storms and cares of this life. Through it all, remember that you are never alone: God and His loving wisdom will be with you throughout your walk with Him, gently guiding you by the wonderful Holy Spirit, through all of life’s opportunities, turning our trials into triumphs.
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The Power of Belief
By Bunny | April 16, 2009
A man brought his demon-possessed son to Jesus and said, “If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” (Mark 9:22) Jesus’ response is a seemingly incredulous, “If you can?” Followed by the simple, yet mind-boggling statement, “Everything is possible for him who believes.” We can imagine that the boy’s father was immediately torn between hope and despair, wanting to believe Jesus yet unable to deny the reality before him. Mark records the father’s desperate response: “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
Do you sometimes feel like the father of this boy? One moment you’re telling Jesus, “I believe, Lord, I believe,” and then ten seconds later you’re tearing yourself apart, thinking, “Well, I think I believe…but maybe I don’t.”
Remember when the disciples saw Jesus walking on the water toward them? They thought He was a ghost and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s You,” Peter said, “bid me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” He said. Then Peter got out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” He said, “why did you doubt me?” (Matthew 14:27-31)
Before this event occurred, Peter had already seen Jesus heal a leper, mute demoniacs, his own mother-in-law, and more. He had even been present when Jesus demonstrated His power over nature by calming the wind. Still, after witnessing all these miracles, Peter wavered on the water. Why? Doubt and fear are the twin foes of faith. It comes to all of us. But like Peter, when we begin to panic and find ourselves sinking, we must cry out in specific and fervent prayer to Jesus, saying, “Lord, save me. I believe. Help my unbelief.” And as Jesus did with Peter and that father, He will immediately reach out and help us, respond to us, deliver us.
By keeping our eyes off our difficulties and fixed on Jesus, we will overcome our doubts and fears and find ourselves walking on the living water of His power, His Word and His promises. We must be unwavering in our faith that God will uphold us no matter what our trial. Each morning, arm yourself before you step out of your home. To keep your heart from wavering, plant these words in your heart by saying, “Everything is possible for him that believes. And I believe.” Then as you pray in faith and in accordance with His will, do not doubt in your heart but believe you will have what you asked that is in line with His Word. Jesus promises that indeed you will have it. He promised! Just keep your eyes on Jesus and your heart filled with His Word, and God will keep you walking on the waters of great expectations.
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