How would you feel if someone came up to you today and said, “Give me all of your monthly bills; I’m going to pay them”. You’d get pretty excited wouldn’t you? But it wouldn’t happen until you did your part to actually hand that person your bills. They can’t pay them for you if you never release them. In the same way, when we release our cares and concerns to God, He promises to take care of them. So hand them over.
As you continue to press forward this year, God wants to give you rest. He wants to refresh and restore your soul, mind, will and emotions. It’s so easy to get caught up in the busyness of this stressful life, and before long, your mind, will and emotions are so spun that you can barely think straight! Remember, even in the hustle and bustle of life, you can find rest, ease and relaxation. God wants to take care of everything that concerns you, so that you can find rest in your innermost being when you come to Him.
Today and throughout this year, release your cares to the Lord. Let Him fill you with His peace and joy. Receive the rest, relaxation and restoration that He promises and enjoy the total fulfillment and blessings for your body, mind and emotions He has in store for you!
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28, NIV).
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, I humbly come to You. I choose to cast my cares on You, so that I can live in Your rest and break free from the stress of this life. Father, thank You for Your goodness to me. I give You my mind, heal it and take control of all my emotions. Please God, lift my burdens and refresh my weariness. God, help me find ways to share Your rest and goodness with those around me. In Christ’ name, Amen.
According to recent news, four out of every ten children in our culture live in homes without their
. Close to half of our children are being raised by single parents or find themselves part of a “blended” family. The so-called nuclear family consisting of two parents and their children is no longer the norm.
Single parents face many challenges. Single parents must accomplish on their own what often is a challenge for two parents. Without a partner, however, they need emotional support. Some single parents find themselves deep in debt and often face financial hardship. Some no longer feel accepted by former friends because their partner is gone.
Today, single parents need the help of the Christian community. In the Old Testament, God made provisions for widows and orphans. James calls us to put our faith into practice by reaching out to them. Had James been writing today, he would have included single parents and their children too. You and I may need to step in and help. Look around in your church for such needs and help. You can help care for young children, accept single-parent families into fellowship groups, and provide financial assistance. In the church, everyone should be accepted and included.
Religion that … [is] pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress. (James 1:27).
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, help us as members of your church to reach out to all who stand alone as they raise their children, Father give us all the grace to accept and learn from each other. In Jesus, Amen.
After spending the night looking at the Super Bowl it made me think about winners and losers. In the Bible, Jonathan became a close friend of David. The Bible describes their friendship as becoming “one in spirit”, and “Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself”.
As the son of King Saul, Jonathan had every right to oppose his father’s warrior. Yet maybe Jonathan had seen things in his father that he did not want to imitate. Jonathan saw David as someone who had the same human hopes, dreams, and aspirations that he had. Jonathan did not dehumanize David as an enemy. Instead of looking with wary eyes of jealousy and suspicion against the young warrior, Jonathan extended generosity of heart, openness of mind, and a spirit of charity.
Today, as we consider winners and losers – David was a winner. He rose through the ranks like a stunning rookie rushing through the NFL. Soon people were not praising King Saul anymore; they were raving about the young sensation who was breaking records left and right. David changed the game. His victories went viral in Israel. All of this made Saul boil with jealousy. All he could see was that David was a threat to his throne. Saul dehumanised David and tried to kill him (the characteristics of a loser). But God had other plans, and if Saul tried to oppose them, he simply could not win.
Saul was very angry. . . . And from that time on Saul kept a close eye on David. (1 Samuel 18:8-9).
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank you for making me a friend when I was your enemy. Father, please make me a winner for your sake. God help me to care about and love people who seem to be my enemies. Help me to live like you. In Christ’s name, Amen.
Do you worry? Some of us worry about paying the monthly rent or mortgage. Some of us worry about the choices our children are making. Others are anxious about the big decisions we must make about our future. With all the concerns in life, can Jesus be serious when he tells us not to worry?
While we will never know a life without concern, Jesus assures us we can know without worry. He points out that worry—any manner of ‘pace-the-floor’, ‘can’t-sleep-at-night’ fretting—is not helpful, because it changes nothing. Worry doesn’t add a single hour to life; it doesn’t solve a single problem. Worry isn’t helpful because life is more than our worries make it out to be! Followers of Jesus are called to live for so much more than the fleeting things we worry about.
Jesus reminds us that worry isn’t necessary for a child of God. Your heavenly Father knows precisely what you need and when you need it. Your heavenly Father is good. The same God who paints the flowers of the field and tends the birds of the air, holds every part of your life in his nail-pierced hands. The same God who loved you so much that he went through the hell of Calvary for you, loves you too much to leave your life to chance. Don’t worry! God is in control!
“Do not worry about your life …” (Matthew 6:25).
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, you hold the vastness of the universe and the intricacies of the smallest molecules in your hands. Please help me to trust in your perfect care for me, so that I may be free to build my life in you. In Christ’s name, Amen.
In this day and age, many people are filled with worry about their future. They live stressed out, wondering, “What’s going to happen if I lose my job?”,“how am I going to handle it if my loved one doesn’t make it?”, or even “my parents are getting older, how can I take care of them and my own family at the same time?”. As I settle into another year of this thing called life, I have made up my mind that I’m not going to worry or fret anymore. I will trust in God’s grace to be there at every stage of my life, to help me do whatever I need to do.
Remember, God’s grace is what saves us, but that’s not all. His grace is His enabling power. His grace will give you the strength, wisdom and favour to accomplish what you could not normally accomplish on your own. His grace is sufficient for whatever you need in your future. Hallelujah!
Today, if you’re in a difficult marriage, if you’re raising a child that’s going astray or if you’re facing a sickness, one thing you can count on is that the grace of God will be there. Receive it today by faith, and let Him empower you to walk through the difficulty, into a place of victory in Jesus’ name!
“But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out His special favour on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by His grace.” (1 Corinthians 15:10, NLT).
Pray With Me Yahweh, thank You for Your grace and mercy upon my life this past year. Father, thank You for empowering me to rise above every obstacle. God, I trust that You are moving me forward into victory in this next year of life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
It’s been a hard school year with the pandemic around. Finally, the school year has ended and the kids and teachers alike shouted “I’m free.” Freedom is something we all crave. Many people have been told that God wants to set them free, but yet they still walk around feeling defeated and carrying unnecessary burdens. But you don’t have to live that way when you embrace the freedom that Jesus paid for you at calvary. You are set free from the bondage of sin, fear, lack, sickness, worry and cares. Hallelujah!
Today, school may be over but in six weeks the cycle starts again. God wants to set you eternally free! Take a minute and think about it. How would you feel if you never had to worry about money, sickness, or fear about anything? God has a plan for you to be “free indeed” in every area of your life. He wants to direct your steps on the path of life, and give you His pleasures forevermore. Accept God’s peaceful, emotional and spiritual freedom, and follow His path, and live the burden free life He has for you!
“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36, NIV)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank You for Your plan to set me free eternally, emotionally and spiritually. Father, I release every burden, fear and care to You today, because I know You care for me. God, please help me to understand Your goodness, and empower me to walk completely in Your freedom, no matter what’s happening around me, in Christ’s Name! Amen.
With many of us distant from family and alone in this turbulent time, it would be nice to have someone put an arm around you just to let you know that they care, and that you are thought about. Showing the love of God, being hugged, prayed with and sang to, that is the kind of life-altering love that Christ showed as an example in the Bible.
Many of us use the word love to describe our affection for places and things, however biblical love is best exhibited when shown to people as Christ did. When we show the selfless love of God, this would let the world know that we belong to Him.
Today, let me remind you that love is a good word and action, so don’t be afraid to use it or show it. Christ said that more than anything else, love will be the way that the world knows the disciples of Christ. With loneliness on the rise this weekend, call an old friend, tell your family that you love them, or do something for someone to express the love that you have for them.
“Your love for one other will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” (John 13:35, NLT)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank You for loving me first. Father, please give me the strength to love others as You have loved me, and to display Your love for the world to see. God, please comfort those who are lonely and separated from family and friends, in Christ’s Name! Amen.
During these difficult times many people struggle with sleeping at night. They stay awake or get poor sleep because they are constantly focused on their problems, and worrying about tomorrow. But that’s not God’s plan! He wants you to enjoy your sleep as a time of blessing and refreshing.
Scripture reminds us that the Lord longs to pour out blessings on us even while we are sleeping! Understand that God has His hand on your life even in the midnight hour. He wants to speak to your heart and restore your dreams. He is taking care of those things that concern you.
Today, cast your cares on God and trust Him to work out every detail of your life, you’ll be able to enjoy that sweet sleep that He has promised even in these hard times. Make the decision today to enjoy the blessings of the Lord as you sleep tonight and always. Say a prayer before you go to bed and cast your cares, worries and stresses on God, let go of anger and wrath and rest in Him.
“…He gives [blessings] to His beloved in sleep.” (Psalm 127:2, AMP)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank You for Your promise of blessing me as I sleep. Father, I ask that You teach me how to receive Your blessing and refreshing while I sleep. God, I cast my cares worries and stresses on You, trusting that You will work all things for my good. Lord, thank You for watching over me and protecting me each night as I sleep, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.
How would you feel if someone came up to you today and said, “Give me all of your monthly bills; I’m going to pay them.” You’d get pretty excited wouldn’t you? But it wouldn’t happen until you did your part to actually hand that person your bills. They can’t pay them for you if you never release them. In the same way, when we release our cares and concerns to God, He promises to take care of them. So hand them over.
As you begin a new year, God wants to give you rest. He wants to refresh and restore your soul, mind, will and emotions. It’s so easy to get caught up in the busyness of this stressful life, and before long, your mind, will and emotions are so spun that you can barely think straight! Remember, even in the hustle and bustle of life, you can find rest, ease and relaxation. During 2021 God wants to take care of everything that concerns you, so that you can find rest in your innermost being when you come to Him.
Today and throughout this new year, release your cares to the Lord. Let Him fill you with His peace and joy. Receive the rest, relaxation and restoration that He promises and enjoy the total fulfillment and blessings for your body, mind and emotions He has in store for you!
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28, NIV)
Let’s Pray
Jehovah, I humbly come to You. I choose to cast my cares on You, so that I can live in Your rest and break free from the stress of this life. Father, thank You for Your goodness to me. I give You my mind heal it and take control of all my emotions. Please God, lift my burdens and refresh my weariness. God, help me find ways to share Your rest and goodness with those around me, in Christ’ name! Amen.
When that guy cat-calls you just to get a reaction, what do you do? You ignore him and keep walking.
When that bully pushes all of your buttons just to make you mad, what do you do? you tune them out and move on.
When somebody tries to convince you of something you know 100% isn’t true, you don’t even give it a second thought before you dismiss the argument.
So why don’t we use this tactic against the father of all lies, a.k.a the enemy that is out to destroy your life? Just don’t engage. As soon as you do, he wins. He is cunning, crafty, and manipulative, and he’s only after your heart. He wants to crush it and mutate it and trample it underfoot until there’s nothing left for God to use.
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy…” John 10:10a
I know this isn’t easy. Trust me, I’m a thinker. Overthinking is my second nature, if not my first nature. I have to think through everything, especially when faced with a conflict. If somebody challenges my opinion, my first reaction is to analyze the entire argument…
What are they saying?
Do I agree or disagree? Why?
What do I think?
How does that compare to what they think?
What is true?
What evidence affirms/denies my argument?
Is there any way there is truth in both arguments?
Why do they think what they think?
Why do I think what I think?
And it goes on …
and on …
and on.
I think you get the idea. By the way, all of that overthinking happens in about 2 seconds. It’s an intense self-interrogation until I think my way into a solution that makes sense to me, so I can feel at peace with what I believe and move on.
Sometimes this is a really useful skill, but the enemy knows exactly how to use it for my deepest undoing. The problem with using the “overthinking tactic” against Satan is that he doesn’t care about logic. His goal is not to convince me that his argument makes more sense. In fact, he doesn’t even care about what he says. He doesn’t even believe the lies himself.
“You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that — and shudder.”
James 2:19
Satan knows God. He knows scripture. He knows what the truth is, and his goal is to keep you as far away from it as possible. He knows the power that God’s word can have in your life and that terrifies him. He will say whatever it takes to get you to question God and doubt His goodness, and the moment you try to reason with him, you’ve fallen into his trap.
I say all of this because I fall into the trap far too often. The devil uses people near and dear to me to convince me of his lies because he knows it works with almost 100% accuracy. Because their opinion matters so much to me, I will over-analyze their every word and body language to my own demise. Something they say – or don’t say – pricks one of my insecurities (unbeknownst to that person), and the trap has been set. Suddenly, I’m hit with an avalanche of thoughts like these:
“They just don’t care enough about you to ask about your day.”
“You’re stupid for thinking ______ would happen.”
“You’re too dramatic, emotional, etc.”
“It’s your fault that you can’t handle this feeling.”
The first step is to recognize the lie. Now, to do this, you have to know the Truth. No, that’s not a typo. I meant Truth with a capital “T” because you have to know God’s Word, and His word is Truth. Once you start to bury His word in your heart, and begin to recognize his voice, you can more easily discern truth from lies.
“These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”
Deuteronomy 6:6-7
But it doesn’t stop there! That’s where I made my mistake. I thought, “If I recognize the lie, it will become invalid and it won’t sting anymore.”
False.
Satan is more crafty than that, and he was already one step ahead of me. See, he recognized how I use my interrogation process to reconcile a contradicting thought, so he used it against me. He used it to blur the lines between lie and Truth. So he takes me down this rabbit hole to confuse me and muddle the words of God until I feel so lost, confused, and heartbroken that I can’t even remember what lie got the whole thing started to begin with. He knows how I look for the middle ground to make sense of things, but there is no middle ground between what the devil says and what God says.
So no, it CANNOT end with recognizing the lie. You have to take the next step and make the choice not to engage with the lie. Now, if you’re a thinker like me, this will be hard. Like really, really hard. But you have to choose to look the other way. Change your posture to look toward your loving, protective, jealous, Heavenly Father. Tell the enemy you don’t have time for his games. Don’t try to argue with him and tell him why his lie is a lie and why God’s Truth wins, because he already knows it, and he doesn’t care. He’ll just twist everything around until you find yourself lost in a muddy mess of nothing that makes any sense whatsoever.
“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
2 Corinthians 4:18
To sum it up…
Study Truth, that is, the Word of God.
Recognize the lie, which is not the Word of God.
Don’t Engage. Choose to meditate on and dwell in the Word of God.
“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
Joshua 1:8
This is not something that my genius, overthinking brain came up with one day. This is something that the Holy Spirit whispered to me, and by God’s grace alone, I heard it. I was on the brink of yet another panic attack and fearful of going back down that dark road. I was on the brink of forming another unsuccessful argument for why the lie was a lie and trying to figure out a way to outsmart the devil this time, and the Holy Spirit simply said, “don’t engage with the lie.” Of course I tried to overthink and analyze again, but He didn’t relent. He just kept telling me, “Don’t engage with the lie. It’s not worth it. Just keep looking at Me. Lean on the love of your Father instead of your own knowledge for once.” Hey, that sounds familiar, right?
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways submit to him and he will make your paths straight.”
Proverbs 3:5-6
So go ahead. Give the enemy the cold shoulder. Hit him with the silent treatment. Then you will taste freedom. Remember the second half of John 10:10…
“…I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
John 10:10b
Go live in the abundant life Christ bought for you. The enemy’s lies are not worth your time, precious child of God.
Our days can be so busy that we forget how fragile life really is. It’s easy to allow little things to creep in and steal our peace and joy. Maybe something doesn’t go our way, or someone says something upsetting. Even traffic can cause us to lose focus if we let it. We have to remember that each day is a gift. If we choose to focus on what’s wrong, we’ll miss the beauty that each day has to offer.
Don’t let the precious moments of life pass you by. Don’t wait for holidays and birthdays to show people that you care. Remember, each day is unique and irreplaceable. You have been given time that can be invested or wasted; hours that can be used or misused.
Today, the prayer of the psalmist still applies, “teach us to number our days.” He was saying, “teach us to value every moment we’ve been given.” As you daily keep a proper perspective, you’ll gain a heart of wisdom. You’ll draw closer to God and experience the full blessings that He has for you each and every day!
“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
(Psalm 90:12, NIV)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank You for the gift of today. Father, I choose to focus on the blessings of each moment instead of allowing the little things to steal my joy. God, keep me close to You always, as I submit every area of my heart and mind to You, in Christ’s name! Amen.
There are times in our lives when the challenges we face are many. Whether there are things happening in your life or to the entirety of the world, fears can get the best of you. This can make anyone too scared to take chances and live their lives to the fullest.
Overcoming fears that are holding you back is challenging and cannot happen overnight. There are a few things you need to be able to include in your life in order for change to take place. Here are five simple tips to help you start dealing with the things that scare you and hold you back.
1. Have faith in change
One of the biggest things you need to keep in mind when trying to overcome fears is that change will take time. The fears you are facing have developed from experiences in your past, which have affected your life strongly. Trying to change the feelings these experiences have caused you is no easy matter.
Believing that you are able to change these around is the best way to start this journey. While it might take some time, change is bound to happen when there is will. Having faith in your ability to change will help you see things from a different perspective. Through this, you will manage to keep pushing yourself forward.
2. Focus on positive thoughts
Another thing that can help you come to terms with fear is focusing on the positive instead of the negative. Most of the time, being afraid of something will make you focus on everything that can go wrong. If you allow yourself to feel this way, it will be a lot more difficult for you to see things differently.
No matter what you go through and what you are afraid of, God is on your side. Instead of letting negativity impact your decisions and everyday life, have faith that something good will come out of a difficult situation. This way, you will be able to train your mind to focus on the positive outcomes and overcome the fear certain situations can cause.
3. Pray when you feel overwhelmed
The power of prayer is great and can help guide you when you feel scared and helpless. No matter what fear you are facing, praying about it can make it seem more simple and manageable. When you feel overwhelmed with emotions, taking a step back and thinking about it is important.
This is something that you can easily do through praying about a situation. During that time, you are talking about your fears and worries to God and asking for help and guidance. Praying when your fears overwhelm can help you see things clearly and get the reassurance that everything is going to be okay.
4. Discuss your fears with people that care
No matter what it is that scared you, talking about it with people that care about you is going to help you tremendously. Your family, your friends, and the members of your church are all people you can trust and ask for some of their time. Opening up about the things that scare you will make them a lot more manageable.
In addition to that, you will be able to see how someone else understands and perceives what exactly scares you. In certain cases, they will be able to relate to your fears. Other people will be able to break your fears down and help you see just why they should not hold you back.
5. Take some time off
If you find that certain fears are affecting your everyday life in a negative way, it might be necessary to take some time off. Something as simple as spending some time at home or going on a short trip can help you feel better very quickly.
It is possible that the fears you are dealing with are caused by stressful situations in your everyday life. Taking some time to reevaluate certain scenarios and situations will help you seek new ways to overcome them.
Facing your fears with the help of others
Facing your fears alone is a very difficult task. Having the help and support of other people in your church and your community is important. The best way to overcome situations and things that scare you is through finding your strength. God can provide you with a safe place where you can think about everything that scares you. This way, you will be able to think about them more logically and know that you will overcome every challenge that comes your way.
Bio:
Bridgette Hernandez is a professional writer and editor who works with websites such as TrustMyPaper and SupremeDissertations. Brid loves to educate her audience on the power of writing, and oftentimes creates blog content for platforms such as GrabMyEssay. In her spare time, she loves spending time with friends, cooking, and listening to audiobooks.
On Monday night, a family of 5 who were travelling home to Oxford were in a tragic accident, 3 died on the spot and the father and the youngest are in a critical condition. Sometimes, our days can be so full and busy that we forget how fragile life really is. It can be easy to allow little things to creep in and steal our peace and joy.
Things may not go your way, someone may say something that’s upset you, and traffic can cause you to lose focus. You have to remember that each day is a gift. If you choose to focus on what’s wrong, you’ll miss the beauty that each day has to offer. I encourage you to not let the precious moments of life pass you by. Don’t wait for holidays and birthdays to show people that you care. Remember, each day is unique and irreplaceable.
Today, you have been given time that can be invested or wasted, hours that can be used or misused. That’s why the psalmist prayed to God, “teach us to number our days.” He was saying, “teach us to value every moment that we’ve been given.” As you keep a proper perspective daily, you’ll gain a heart of wisdom, and experience the full blessings that God has for you each and every day of your life!
“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12, NIV)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank You for the gift of today. Father, I promise to focus on the blessings of each moment instead of allowing the little things to steal my joy. Help me to make the most of each day and not let them waste away. God, please keep me close to You always as I submit every area of my heart and mind to You, in Christ’s Name! Amen.
Nowadays, it’s easy to forget about our faith, since our busy lives and the negativity have taken over, with people dying, many wrongdoings, and sin being evident everywhere we look. Plus, it’s hard to tell who are friends are, especially when someone whom we’re supposed to trust doesn’t really feel accountable for anything”¦ or anyone. Even when people make promises, they either don’t keep them, or they forget about them.
As you can tell by now, sin is detrimental to one’s life; and, it stops us from being that God has created us to be. Just because we don’t have faith-based friends or careers, doesn’t mean that we, ourselves, can’t be faith-based. So, here are five basic tips on how to stay faithful in your faith:
1. Remember That God Is Your Friend
“There’s no denying that God is a friend to those who believe in Him,” says Thomas Gettysburg, a lifestyle writer at Next Coursework. “As Christians, it’s important to spend time with God as often as possible, just as you would with your regular friends.”
You can welcome God as your friend by doing the following:
· Attend church each weekend. (This is just one of the things that Jesus has asked of all his disciples.)
· Speak to God, and listen for Him every morning and every night. Offering yourself to God each day and night allows you to be closer to Him.
· Volunteer to help others (e.g. helping out in soup kitchens, offering your services to homeless shelters, etc.). In this way, you’ll not only help others, but also help yourself know and love God more.
· Go to confession at least once a month. Sacramental reconciliation allows you to “begin again,” to restore and strengthen your friendship with God.
· Seek counsel from someone trustworthy (e.g. a good priest or well-informed lay person) that you can talk you whenever needed.
2. Call Up A Friend
In today’s world, most people can’t live without their cell phones for more than .003 seconds away at any given moment of the day. So, why not make some good use with your phone by calling up a friend, and checking in with them.
You may want to have someone you trust on speed dial, so you could have them on the phone within seconds. Just keep in mind: don’t vent to them if you don’t want to; you can always start a conversation about something else, in order to take your mind off the negative. And
ultimately, God knows about your personal woes; so, give up all the negativity for Him to take care of.
3. Keep Your Rosary Handy
There’s nothing wrong with carrying a rosary with your in your pocket (or in your bag or purse). Or, you can wrap your rosary around your wrist; though, don’t make it seem like a fashion accessory, rather than a scared tool. Wear it (or carry it) as a constant reminder of Mary saying “yes” to God even when times are tough. Let your rosary encourage you to say “yes” to God, even when it seems impossible. And finally, don’t be afraid to pray with it, either.
4. Remember Your “Alternatives”
Let’s face it: temptation is where. So, if you’re not with accountable people, have an alternative activity that is your “go to.” Train yourself to avoid sin.
The best way to avoid sin is to use your gifts and talents the right way. For example, if you’re an athlete, you must make it your job to keep training and exercising to stay active. Another example is that if you have an interest or hobby, find an alternative way to do these things, so that you can use your gifts to glorify God, not sin against Him with.
5. Surround Yourself With Inspiration
Looking for inspiration from your faith? Why not have visuals inspire you?
One way to do this is to change the background on your cell phone and computer to show an inspiring Scripture verse, or even a picture of Jesus. Basic? Yes. However, this will remind you of your commitment to Christ each time you might be tempted to use your devices to sin.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the key to staying faithful in your faith is to commit to being faithful, and not straying from the path. As you stay on the path with these 5 simple tips, not only will you grow in holiness, but you’ll also grow with God.
This year things have not gone the way anyone expected. When things don’t go the way you planned, or something unexpected happens, how do you respond? Do you start expecting the worst, or do you go to God’s Word and remind yourself of His promises?
Faith comes by hearing the Word of God. Faith activates God’s promises. When difficulties come and you’re tempted to get upset, remind yourself of His Word and declare, “this is not going to prosper against me. They may be talking about me. It may look bad, but I know God is my vindicator. He’ll take care of me. I know God has me in the palm of His hands.”
Today, remind yourself of God’s promises. You don’t have to get worried. You know God is still on the throne. You know that problem didn’t come to stay; it came to pass. So today, remind yourself of His promises and feed your faith, so that you can move forward in the life of blessing He has prepared for you!
“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
(Joshua 1:8, NIV)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank You for every one of Your amazing promises. Father, I choose to meditate on Your Word which brings life to me. Almighty God, fill me with Your peace as I stand in faith, until I see the victory You have promised me come to pass in my life, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.
Have you ever been through a challenge that has brought you to tears? It seems like God doesn’t care, or that you are no longer important to Him? But He does care and you are important to Him. He cares so much about every detail of your life. He cares about your thoughts, feelings and emotions. In fact, what you are going through is so important to Him that He records every sorrow and collects every tear you’ve shed.
You may ask why would God record your sorrows and collect your tears? Because He loves you so much, and He is your vindicator. He’s keeping account of every wrong that’s ever been done to you, so that He can make up for every single one of them. He wants to restore everything that has ever been stolen. He wants to heal every single hurt and pain. He sees the longings and desires of your heart, and you can rest, knowing that He is working things out for your good!
Today, you are valuable to Him. He has your best interests at heart. He is working to bring restoration and peace to you. Keep standing, keep believing, and keep doing the right thing, because the One who collects your tears will restore every broken place in your life!
“You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.” (Psalm 56:8, NLT)
Let’s Pray
Yahweh, thank You for loving me the way You do. Father, thank You for being my vindicator and the lifter up of my soul. God, I choose to release my tears, hurt, pain and sorrow, knowing that You will make all things new in Your time, in Jesus’ Name! Amen.
