Tag: refuge

Has a “fiery trial come on you?”

“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed” 1 Peter 4:12,13.

I’m surprised. Perhaps you’re experiencing a great trial as well. Our minds are in a battle to focus on faith in God, our physical bodies are taxed beyond understanding. But God is greater than anything we can face.

“My God is so big, so strong and so mighty, there’s nothing our God cannot do!” I pray God enables us to stand in faith and not enter fear.

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and of a sound mind” 2nd Timothy 1:7.

Join me to fight this battle on our knees.

What is our comfort in this time? Psalm 119:50 tells us, “Your Word has given me life.”

I share an hour’s worth of prayer to meditate on so we can think on “things above, not on things of the earth,” and because we have believed in Jesus, and have “died” to this world, “our life is now hidden with Christ in God” Colossians 3:3. 

Together, today, all who are in great trial, we choose to:

“Therefore humble (y)ourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,

casting all (y)our care upon Him, for He cares for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” 1 Peter 5:7-8.

But God is greter. We will seek His presence and choose to think on His truth.

“This is the voctory that overcomes the world, even our faith” 1 John 5″4.

Jesus alone is our peace. Our hope. Our everything.

Let’s keep our minds in a safe place, “rejoiocing in hope, praying without ceasing, and giving thanks in everything, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for us” 1 Thessalonians 5: 16 & 17.

Prayers for our souls to take comfort when our heart is overwhelmed

Where is Love?

Constant Love is Found in Jesus
The sweet love of Jesus is genuine and steadfast, enduring forever through all things. And the meaning of the word “all” is ALL!

Where is love?

“If God is love, where is He?” Some might be asking.

“This is so elementary. I don’t have time for this,” some might be thinking.

But perhaps, it’s in simplicity that God paints His pictures of love everyday.

If we open our eyes, we can see love in everything.

Color, design, majesty, in each leaf and flower. We are awed by each morning’s sun.

We understand the need from protection from danger. We blink before something might touch our eye.

Simplicity is found in much complexity.

A Designer? Many of us agree, “Yes. I believe in God.”

Many believe shallow thoughts that the Bible is only a religious book. Fluffy, fairy-tale like, with a long set of rules.

God’s Word is far from soft and fluffy, especially in its definition of love.

God’s creation went his own way, deceived by the snake, disobedient to God’s instruction way back in the beginning, Genesis 3.

The prophet Isaiah sums it up like this,

“All we like sheep have gone astray . . .”

no longer under the protective care of the Shepherd, we, stubborn sheep go our own way and then are overcome by pestilence and fear.

Hatred.

Pain.

Darkness. Every day. More and more.

Where is love?

Over 2000 years ago, on a hill called Calvary, Jesus took all our filthiness, cruelty, stubbornness, envy, pride, hatred, and murders and was nailed to the cross. He willingly left the glory of heaven to come down to us.

He took all our sin on Himself.

That’s what love is.

“Who has believed our report? . . . He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised and we did not esteem Him” Isaiah 53: 1-3.

God. Loves. The world. He sees. He knows. He never slumbers.

Do we cry out for His presence?

“God so loved the world that He . . . “

gave. . .

His only Son, . . .

for me. For you.

“Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed” Isaiah 53:4-6.

Love offers freedom, healing, the power of . . .

forgiveness and new Life.

Love is not like the natural man, ever.

Only God is perfect love. And He took all our failure on Himself and He offers His love to us, today, no matter what we’ve done.

The Bible tells us so:

Love is very patient and He’s kind.

Love’s not irritable,

or rude.

Love doesn’t demand His own way.

He’s never jealous or envious.

Love is never selfish, boastful or proud.

Do we hold grudges?

God’s love does not.

God’s love hardly notices when others do it wrong.

Love is never glad about injustice!

But, Love rejoices whenever truth wins out.

Love came down and was, and is loyal at a great cost.

Love always believes the best about people.

Love hopes the best for all.

He says, “I’ve been waiting for you. You are such a treasure to Me. You are Mine.”

He cleanses and heals our broken and darkened hearts. He shines light to repair all damage done. He makes all things new when we invite Love in.

Do we resist God’s love? . . . still?

Isn’t it time?

His love never fails.

Never.

(Taken from 1 Corinthians 13, Living Bible with emphasis added).

“Draw near to God and he will draw near to you” James 4:8.

Do you feel the Lord touch your heart today?

Talk to Him. He’s been calling You by name.

Nevertheless God

We desire friendship with Happiness. We yearn for acquaintance with Joy. But often we find hidden around the corner, Distress and Restlessness.
Where is Rest?
Airwaves reveal that women “roar” and men “parade themselves.” Children very young and very old, and all the ages in between seek Refuge.
He reaches His hand out in the storm. He speaks, as “our bodies had no rest, . . . we were troubled on every side. Outside were conflicts, inside were fears.
Nevertheless God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us . . .” (2 Corinthians 7:5,6. NKJV).  
Refuge comes in the storm. His Word brings His companion, Calm. And Calm has a twin, who’s name is Song.
“O soul are you weary and troubled. No light in the darkness you see. There’s a light for a look at the Savior and life more abundant and free.”
Then Remember came to my rescue and offered some strong exhortation:
“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Mark 14:38, NIV.
“O God,” I cry, “Remind me.” The mountains quake, the trials mount. When lying on my bed, my head cries, “There’s no way out!”
And a still, quiet voice speaks mysteriously deep:
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.”      Psalm 46, from the Holy Book.
God speaks in the hymn of old, when weariness overtakes our soul, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.”
So I run to the Word, His present help, and I turn to Psalm 46 to calm me back to sleep:

 “There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy place where the Most High dwells.
 God is within her, she will not fall;
    God will help her at break of day.
Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
    he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

 The Lord Almighty is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress.”

So, let us “turn our eyes upon Jesus and look full in His wonderful face,” that we might seek refuge from the Lord and not men. That we might have Peace dwell deep inside, giving counsel and comfort to put anxiety aside,

that we might have an abundance of hope and joy and all the rest, because we have made God, The Almighty, Lord of All the Universe, our confidence.

Today, today – let us yearn to seek His face.