Passing Through Deep Waters

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you. - Isaiah 43:2

A lot of folks--maybe you're included--can accept the fact that God is a God of concern, but they wonder how much of the time He's in control. They can accept, "If it's good, it must be of God!" but they also reason, "If times are tough, I must have missed God somewhere!"

In chapter 43 Isaiah recorded words that still bring a great deal of comfort. "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you."

God says, "I will be with you," and those five words should make all the difference in the world. And if that's not enough, they're followed by two other statements. God says, "You are honored, and I love you" (Isaiah 43:4). Wow! That's good news! We could only face all the battles of life victoriously with the certainty that He is with us.

-From Just for Today

My Strength is Perfected in Weakness

And then he told me, "My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness." - 2 Corinthians 12:9

Where is God in relation to your greatest flaws? Some folks thing that God just ignores our failings since He's busy running the world, but that isn't what the Bible says. He knows our flaws and our weaknesses. So how does He view them? While the Bible contends that we are responsible for our failures, the best news of all is that God says, "My strength is made perfect in weakness."

The word weakness can refer to a physical or moral weakness. You know what yours is; God does too.

God never forces Himself on you. As you pray, "Lord, help me overcome my weakness," He goes to work. His effort begins and your weakness ends with your invitation to let Him meet your need.

-from Just for Today

Getting to Know God

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator if the ends of the earth." - Isaiah 40:28

Many individuals know something about God but do not know Him personally. They understand that there is some kind of a connection between creation and the Almighty Creator. But they wonder, "Can I really know God?"

You can, but you've got to look for the answers in the right place. You see, reading a book on cooking will never help you be a good chef. Reading a book on royalty isn't the same as a face-to-face audience with Queen Elizabeth II of Britain.

That's why you need to go to the only real source which answers the question, "How can I know God?" It is the Bile. This book says you can know God personally through His Son Jesus Christ. The Cross became a bridge for us to know God and to become His children.

You are no accident. You are one of a kind among the billions of people who live on planet Earth, and it is God's desire to bring you into a relationship with Himself. Don't settle for anything less than knowing God.

- from Just for Today

Our Love for God

You know how Jesus said that we are to love God with all of our heart, and how this is of such importance? (Mark 12:30)

Well, I believe that as we spend time with our Father, we are richly rewarded. I think that as we get to know Him and let Him into our lives more and more, that we grow to love Him more and more, for there is nothing about Him that we can not love. He is perfect and He bends over backwards to help us out and to show He cares when we ask and I think that as we get to know Him it would be impossible not to love Him with all of our hearts.

It's a shame that in our fallen states it is hard for us to love at times, and sometimes almost impossible, but with God all things are possible and I think the love for our Father will change everything! God Bless!

Inspirational by Lance Eh as posted in Jesus Devotionals.org

Is There God?

Have you ever wondered, "Is there truly a God?". And then you look up at the sun, or the stars, or a beautiful light, and you realize that out there somewhere, something or someone had to create all this. It seems like there is too much beauty for it all to be chance. And then there are those moments that make you think. Moments of true beauty. Moments that are so Divine that they take your breath away and leave you wondering. A little child, a warm hug, a gentle laugh. Something that happens throughout the busy day that makes you stop and think, there must be more.

These are the moments that make us think. Sometimes they may be few and far between. Some may be closer than others. But these are the moments that define reality. That make us really think, God must be watching now, and He must want me to see this. He must be there, and He must care enough to go out of His way to do this for me. Maybe He has never stopped caring, even if I forgot about Him, He never forgot about me. Maybe He has been there all along, and in those split moments we see a little glimpse of what is really going on. A little glimpse of who He is, what He is truly like. These are the moments that make up life and eternity. God bless!

Inspirational by Lance Eh posted at Jesus Devotionals.org

Singing during Hard Times

The Lord is my strength and my song: He has become my salvation. He is my God and I will praise Him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.”- Exodus 15:2
Sometimes when my walk with Jesus is difficult and hard

I sing a song to get the sadness out of my heavy, burdened heart

Because the music lifts my sorrows to Him I worship most

He is my Father in heaven and the Host of host

He knows how heavy my cross at times can be

He carried once His own

And He did way more then that for me

Because He carried His alone

My burden is nothing compared with what He endured

And because of it, my life is in Him secured

That is why, in every situation and in every circumstance

I will rejoice and I will dance

Because when I sing ESPECIALLY in times of sadness and of grief

He takes away my sorrow and I find in Him relief

a poem posted from Windmill ministries

Sin's Pressure Cooker

By Glenn Ansley
DeeperDevotion.com

Lamentations 5:15-16
The joy of our heart is ceased; Our dance is turned into mourning. The crown is fallen from our head: Woe unto us! for we have sinned.

Sin will crush your spirit like few others will. The burden of guilt is an unyielding force pressing you from every direction. The accuser’s lies fall upon your head like shards of broken glass. The Father’s voice seems no more than a distant memory.

The joy in your heart has ceased. Gone away with your innocence is the ability to rejoice in the Lord, to worship in truth, or to sing songs of praise. Your dancing has turned into mourning… a constant distraction from the realities of the cross. Your crown all of honor, your splendor, anything that you could have held as dignity has past away. It has fallen from your head and you search desperately for the place where it rests.

As the Lamentation says, “Woe unto you! For you have sinned.”

Take joy in knowing that you serve a compassionate God. You’re Father has paid the price for your disgusting habits. His Son has died for your sin. But have fear. Remember that His Son DID die for this sin. The Father has willingly allowed Him to do so, is overjoyed by the results, and beacons you to come to Him in repentance. Nonetheless, His forgiveness has come to you along with His strength. You are no longer enslaved to sin, therefore deeming each instance as a choice of your own.

The Father will always forgive a repentant spirit, but He takes much more joy in one that’s contrite, steering away from the sin in the first place.

The Importance of Prayer

Prayer is of such great importance in our lives and our walk with our Father. Prayer needs to be our connection to Him, our inviting of the Holy Spirit into our lives, our daily resource. Since God is the source of all of our strength, I believe it is of utmost importance that we stay connected to Him through prayer.

The more and more I live, I see the vast importance of prayer in our lives. Almost like a soldier receiving orders, an athlete discussing matters with a coach, a son spending time with a Father, prayer is so important to us. Without it, without that open communication to Him, I believe that we can easily become lost in this tough world.

Thankfully we have prayer to keep us on track. Not a list of rules or regulations or things we must do or say, but talking to God from the heart and listening. Let it not be a chore but something to be loved. Time with the Father can be great and can relieve our burdens and answer our needs. If you have questions, let Him know. He is here to answer. He wants to help. Invite Him into your life and allow Him to teach you and show you the true way.

Let us stand fast in prayer and our connection to Him, for it will lift us higher and higher while we walk through this life! God Bless!

Inspirational by Lance Eh.(Jesus Devotional.org)

Is There Hope?

It can sometimes seem to us
As though we fall behind
Other things seem to emerge
That crowds our troubled minds
There are days we feel as though
We can’t take it anymore
What’s the use of carrying on
When we struggle in the Lord?

Why all this needless grief?
And why do we carry on?
Frustration is our only friend
And the hope we had is gone
Each new day that we face
Is the dawning of the same
We feel a sense of hopelessness
When we see that nothing's changed

Joylessness and uselessness
It seems it’s all we have
Even though we proclaim Christ
We’ve lost the spark we had
The anguish of the Christian soul
So twisted in our grief
It seems as though it will never end
Our hearts continually bleed

Is there hope in carrying on?
Is there hope in God?
Who is He that will carry us
When we’re in spiritual fog?
Though at times we feel these things
God stays faithful and true
He fully understands our pain
And He sheds a tear or two

Jesus too has felt real anguish
In Gethsemane that night
Torn between living His life
And what He knew was right
And even on the cross He felt
The heaviness of our sin
He saw the pain deep in our hearts
And the prison we are in

He won the victory over death
In His hand He holds the keys
That unlocks our prison doors
And sets our spirits free
So yes there’s hope in carrying on
And reason to believe
Jesus Christ is our hope in life
And for Eternity.

© By M.S.Lowndes
Devotionals © Heavens Inspirations

Waiting on His Miracles

Patience is something that our God would have us all to learn. Patience is also a fruit of knowing Him (see Galatians 5:22-23).

Imagine the Israelites having to wait before the Red Sea for God to act. Meanwhile, one of the most powerful armies of all the world is nipping at their heals and closing fast open though. But they dare not move, not without their God that is. So as the Egyptian army is steadfastly closing in on them, Moses waits in patience, only holding up the staff which God had given him, for he knew that God would act, he knew that God would show himself strong. This faith gave him such great patience and perseverance, waiting upon the Lord our God.

And God did act, He came through and showed himself strong, as He always does for those who wait upon Him and trust His might hand.

Psalm 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God"

-from Jesus Devotionals.org

A Bad News World

Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land. - Proverbs 25:25

Have you noticed how little "good news" there is anymore in a bad news world? It is not without reason that we refer to the Gospel as "The Good News!"

Firstly, it tells you that God is concerned with you. This is in contrast to how life today leaves you with the impression that there are few who care about what happens to you.

Secondly, it promised an end to the problems confronting the world. The Bible says that God is in control. Reading the book of Revelation reveals the eventual return of the Prince of Peace to rule and reign. It says there is a limit to how far God will allow humanity to go; He'll eventually step in and say, " That's enough."

Finally, it tells you that y our life can be different. That is the bad news of all. With God, there is forgiveness and help. You need not be a victim of your failure and sin or live in bondage to the hostilities that imprison. You can be a new person with a hope and a future.

Read the Bible. There you'll find the best news you will ever get.

-from "Just for Today" by Harold J. Sala

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When Suffering, Trust God

Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him
Job 13:15

When we cannot trace God's hand," wrote Charles Haddon Spurgeon, "we can always trust God's heart." We all have times that confront us when we can see neither rhyme nor reason in what is happening. Why God allows the circumstances is not always clear.

When we have unanswered questions, we can curse God and blame Him--or turn to Him and let the trial drive us closer to him. G. Campbell Morgan once said that any suffering would be bearable if we could only understand the reason for it. Yet faith is trusting Him--without doubt or bitterness--even when we cannot understand.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones." (Proverbs 3:5-8)

taken from " Just for Today" by Harold J. Sala

Scriptures Telling Us To Be Courageous

"Be of good courage." (Numbers 13:20)

The failure of 10 of the spies to obey this commandment cost them their lives and cost the Israelites 40 long years in the wilderness.

Deut 31:6 "Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you."

We are not permitted to fear our spiritual or natural enemies because Almighty God is the One who goes with us. He will not leave us or forsake us.

Deut 31:7 The Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, "Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the LORD has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it.

Anyone called to bring God's people into their inheritance must be strong and of good courage. And God is expecting us to win!

Deut 31:23 Then He inaugarated Joshua the son of Nun, and said, "Be strong and of good courage; for your shall bring the children of Israel into the land of which I swore to them, and I will be with you."

Again the idea that we must be couageous because God is with us.

Jos 1:6 Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.

Jos 1:7 Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.

Jos 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

God repeated this a lot to Joshua. He needed to hear it often and so do we!

Jos 1:18 Whoever rebels against your command and does not heed your words, in all that you command him, shall be put to death. Only be strong and of good courage.

Now the people of Israel are also telling Joshua they expect him to be courageous. The people of God have a right to expect this from their leaders.

Jos 10:25 Then Joshua said to them, "Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed; be strong and of good courage, for thus the LORD will do to all your enemies against whom you fight."

The people of God are commanded to be strong and of good courage also. God will destroy our enemies against whom we fight, so why not be courageous?

Using Time

You can spend your time, invest your time or even waste your time. It's your choice.

We all have exactly 24 hours a day. No more; no less. No one else is forcing you to do anything. You only commit to things because you choose to; so, your schedule reveals your priorities. Examine your schedule, and you might be surprised when you discover what your priorities turn out to be.

Instead of scheduling your priorities around your life, you ought to schedule your life around your priorities.

What should those priorities be? In Matthew 6:33, Jesus says, "Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Of the Ten Commandments, the very first commandment God gave was: "You shall have no other gods before me." The Bible is clear: God should be our number one -- most important -- priority.

In John 15:1-4, Jesus talks about pruning off things that produce no fruit. That is, he tells us to cut off anything that does not have meaningful, eternal value, which means that we are to get rid of anything that doesn't further our relationship with God. Clearly, God doesn't want to be number ten on a list of top ten priorities. In fact, God really doesn't even want to be number one on a list of ten; God wants to be number one on a list of one!

You could spend or waste your time doing meaningless things; or you could invest your time in order to achieve maximum eternal impact.

When you seek God as the only thing you need, he will take care of everything else (see Matthew 6:33). In Luke 10:38-42, we learn the story of Mary and Martha. As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." That's what it means to seek the only meaningful, eternal thing -- God.

Therefore, prune your life. List practical ways that you can cut out the junk in your life in order to focus on knowing God better, seeking him and knowing his word and his truth. That's the only thing needed -- that's how you invest your time wisely.

-from Christ notes

Should You Be Nice To People You Can't Stand?

published from Cebu Daily News, April 24, 2008

There are literally dozens of ways that people get under each other's skin. Greed, laziness, or just plaid rudeness are all character traits that cause people lots of problems in their personal and professional relationships. It may seem like a struggle to put on your best face when confronted by those who bring us grief. But there are some really significant reasons why it's preferable to treat even the most aggravating people with kindness and respect. In fact, you just may be surprised how the age-old adage about "catching more flies with honey than vinegar" holds a lot of validity. The next time someone you know or (don't know personally) displays his/her worst side, you might want to rethink how you react.

What goes around comes around......
You needn't be an overly religious person to understand that in life, very often the behaviours you exhibit in the world, you ultimately experience yourself at one time or another. Since this goes for both the good and the bad, it would behoove anyone to take the "higher ground" as often as possible. The bottom line is that as much as we'd like to seek revenge upon those who cause us harm, we frequently end up harming ourselves more by doing so. One reason is because it usually requires more effort to do something negative than positive. In addition to that, negative responses typically beget negative results -- even if the other person happens to have been in the wrong first. Consequently, it's fairly difficult to "retaliate" against someone whose intentions are pleasant.

Chain reaction
Being kind to those who profoundly bother us has some other benefits. Studies have shown that human behavior itself has "contagious" effects. Think of the rubbernecking that usually goes on after a terrible highway accident. Most of the time, the wreckage has already been cast to the side; but even after the roads become passable, onlookers will continue to clog the area. It's understandable for a hideous spectacle to attract lots of attention. But in most cases, the wreckage isn't terribly extraordinary. In many cases, people choose to slow down and gawk because they see other drivers doing so. Believe it or not, the same principles apply to their behaviors. For example, let's say that a person on your job consistently brings you grief. By treating him/her with kindness, he/she may have the epiphany that his/her actions were ultimately uncalled for. Furthermore, others who see you deflecting the negative behavior may catch on, thus reducing the amount of negativity around. You may also be pleasantly surprised by the way your actions set an example for others. Remember, positive energy is often just as contagious as negative energy.

Personal peace
Perhaps the most important thing you can do for yourself in the face of adversaries is maintain your own sense of peace. On many occasions, people are simply pleased by watching your feathers get ruffled. It brings malicious people a feeling of empowerment to believe that they are capable of altering someone's good nature. By refusing to allow someone to disturb your "inner sanctum" you have just won a major battle. Responding in kind to someone's flip remarks give you the silent upper hand. And it just may prevent that person from attempting to thwart your good mood (or that of others) in the future.

The human factor
It's incredibly difficult sometimes to adjust your mode of thinking where it regards ill-mannered people. But perhaps the most crucial thing to remember about those individuals that cause us distress is that they are still human beings. Believe it or not, there are reasons why people seemingly go out their way to make other's miserable. You need to put someone under a psychological microscope to conclude that certain aspects of their life circumstance figure into their poor attitudes. Nonetheless, everyone has something positive about them than can be acknowledged by others. By seeking out and highlighting their strengths or achievements (instead of stooping to their level) you just may find your "enemies" more tolerable. Sometimes people need to be reminded of the good parts of themselves in order for them to be relieved of their own negative feelings. Mind you, this doesn't mean that you need to go out of your way to analyze and "cure" others. But the mere act of deflecting poor behavior with kindness has, quite an undeniable and irresistible power.

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Changing your life

"You'll never change your life until you change choices."

If you want something in your life to change, then you'll have to change your choices and actions. That is because doing the same thing will never get you different results. In other words, what you do - the choices you make, the way you treat people, the attitudes you have - all impact your life. If, by your actions, you're sowing bad seeds, then you'll reap a harvest of those things." (weekly wisdom from christ notes)

I have always been praying and pleading to God to change my life - the current situation I have in now. I thought God does not listen to my prayers that's why answers never came. Almost everyday as I wake up, I hope that He could magically change everything. Until I stumble upon this article which enlightened me that I could never change my life if I still have the same attitude, the same actions, the same choices.

If I want to change my life completely and free me out of this situation, then I should make the right decision, the right choices so I can never be out of the path I want to take. What we are now is because the choices we make. We can never put the blame to anybody else but to ourselves. We reap what we sow.

LOVE GOD AND DO AS YOU PLEASE

We can be joyful at all times not because we are spared affliction but because we are completely satisfied in Christ. Jesus promises that we will suffer. In Matthew 10:17-18, Jesus warns his followers, "Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles." Although that quote may seem distant or irrelevant to Christians today, the point remains that, in the words of Christ, "if the head of the house [Jesus himself] has been called Beelzebub, how much more the members of his household!" Not only does Jesus promise that believers must suffer, the Apostle Paul assures us that the path to being an heir of God demands sharing in the sufferings of Christ (Romans 8:17). Similarly, Paul writes this to those in the church at Philippi: it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him (Philippians 1:29). Clearly, we, as Christians, will not be spared affliction. (In addition to the Scriptures above, see Acts 9:15-16, Philippians 3:10-11, and 1 Timothy 1:8-9.) Despite being assured affliction and suffering, Christ-followers can be joyful nonetheless. We can be joyful not by creating a bubbly-faced facade of happiness to hide reality but rather by confidently knowing that, in the face of immense sin and suffering, we are secure in Christ. Why fear and be saddened by those who can only kill the body when you're protected by Him who can keep you from hell (Luke 12:4-7)? Or, to put it positively, rejoice that you have received the Holy Spirit, who guarantees your eternal salvation—and thus, your eternal joy (2 Corinthians 1:21-22). The faith that justifies is the very same faith that satisfies. Saving faith satisfies us by weaning us from the short-lived satisfaction of sin to ultimate satisfaction in Christ. Thus, despite the fact that suffering will come even—or, perhaps, especially—to us who profess faith in Christ, we can have great joy not because we are spared affliction but because we are completely satisfied in Christ.
Love God and do as you please.

Jesus, who is God, made this observation: "If you love me, you will obey what I command" (John 14:15). Similarly, the Apostle John wrote, "This is love for God: to obey his commands" (1 John 5:3). And finally, the Psalmist wrote, "I obey your statutes, for I love them greatly" (Psalm 119:167).

When we love God, then we want to obey him; obeying him becomes a sign that we love him. Jesus linked love for God with obeying the commandments (i.e., with obeying God's law) in this way: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with your entire mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments" (Matthew 22:37-40).

If you love God, then his Holy Spirit, who dwells in you, will conform you—all of you, including your desires—into the image of his Son, Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29). In this way, what pleases you and what pleases God become one and the same such that if you love God, you can do whatever pleases you and God will be pleased.

Sufferings

there is too much suffering in this world. suffering that brought chaos and confusion. suffering from diseases, suffering from financial difficulties, suffering from wrong decisions, suffering from climate changes- name it you got it. "suffering," said Buddha, "extends as far as the eye can see."

with all these sufferings around us many are bound to retreat to end all of these. but what are the causes of these sufferings? aren't we responsible of all these sufferings? we tend to blame God to be the cause of all these things or even blame others. to quote," it is human nature - the worst PART of human nature--to deny or downplay our own responsibility for effects we cause, and project the blame outside ourselves. But no matter how thoroughly JUSTIFIED blame may seem, it only CREATES more problems. And worse, blame can make existing problems practically permanent!"

we have to take responsibility of all that we do. for instance, suffering from financial difficulties which is very common to us. why can't we live with what we earn? easy to say, but hard to do. why? because there is so much pressure in these system of things where material things are being mostly desired by everyone. and we let ourselves succumbed to that system. we are overpowered by the materialistic part of ourselves. so how can we blame others for this suffering? what shall we do now?

what is important to be able to bear all these sufferings and to take responsibility with all of these is to be able to understand and accept the challenges of life. take time for prayer, meditation, and reflection. we should treat life's challenges as a form of exercise to build our spiritiual muscles.

as a conclusion, i would like to share what i have read in faithcrisis.com:

"Clearly, many CAUSES in our lives are outside our control. Here are a few of them: large scale circumstances like international politics; the free will choice of other people; random forces of nature. But no matter what happens in the world around us, each of remains the PRIMARY "cause" or influence in our own lives.

What WE do, what WE think, and especially, how WE feel most profoundly affects everything in our lives. What we MAKE of the events of our lives is more important, subjectively, than the events themselves. And our creative power is not limited to after-the-fact interpretation. Through the choices we make, we are principal creators of even the actual events our our lives as well.

Consequently, we are NEVER completely "at the effect" of circumstances --not even if we choose to feel that way. No matter what is happening in the world around us, we can ALWAYS make a positive difference in our lives. So the relevant questions is not, "Why is life victimizing me, but rather, "Why should I victimize MYSELF?

starting the day with God

it is nice to start the day with God. for we should put God first in everything we do. praying is the best tool to start with. as we pray, we should glorify him, thank him, ask forgiveness and your requests. oftentimes, we pray with repetitive prayers. but praying is like talking to God all your thoughts. we could also read verses in the bible and reflect it throughout the day.

as a start here is the verse for the day:

Daily Bible Verse

Thursday, March 06, 2008
Provided by Christ Notes

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it."

Mark 8:34-35 (New International Version)