Tag: trust

What God Does Not Promise

Posted on by Dorci

As we journey through life and all its twists and turns, it’s encouraging to be reminded of the promises of God, but it’s also good to remember what God does not promise. 

Jesus sat with His disciples as they ate together for the last time. He’d washed their feet, including Judas’s, showing them how they were treat one another.

Once Judas left them, He began to prepare them for what would come. 

Over and over He tells them He must go away, that He was going back to the Father, but they would see Him again. In the meantime, He would send the Comforter to be with them forever.

Then He began to prepare them for what would lay ahead – the world’s hatred, persecution, even their murders. But again He reminds them that the Spirit of truth will come and guide them.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

There are some who believe, and some who even teach, that after we’re saved our lives will be perfect, that God will keep us from going through any hardships. But that’s not what Jesus taught. 

He did not promise a life with no trouble. 

The word for trouble here is thlipsis, which means afflicted, anguish, burdened, persecution, tribulation.

Now, that we live in a world with trouble might seem obvious, but when we’re in the middle of the affliction, the tribulation, the persecution, the anguish, we can be tempted to wonder where God is. 

Why is He allowing this? Is He angry with me? Does He hear me? Has He forgotten me? And there may even be times we wonder if we were ever saved at all. 

Jesus explicitly said these things because He knew where our minds could be tempted to go when we’re hurting, and He didn’t want us to believe those lies.

We live in a sinful world full of heartache and suffering. He did not promise to take it away, but to be with us in the middle of it. 

If you’ve ever sat with a child who’s in some kind of pain, whether emotional, physical, or spiritual, no matter how young or old they are, you know you hurt at least as much as they do, maybe more. 

You pray for them, you cry with them, you ache for them. 

If we do this with our own children, how much more will our Heavenly Father, who sent His only Son to die for us and sent us His Holy Spirit, who loves us with an everlasting love, do this with us? 

Yes, we will have trouble, but Jesus said

“…take heart! I have overcome the world.”

It’s a done deal. He’s conquered this sin-filled world and all the pain that comes along with it. He already has the victory, and in Him we have it, too. 

He will be with us through all things. And even more, He will strengthen us with courage and hope and even joy as we go through it. He will grow our faith, give us wisdom and a testimony of His grace and mercy, and prepare us for the life to come when we see our Savior face to face. 

“Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:5b

***

Heavenly Father, help us keep our eyes on you, especially when we’re going through the storms of life. We ask for your strength, courage and hope through the power of your Holy Spirit as we walk through our trials with you. Don’t let us believe in the lies of the enemy, but instead walk in faith, believing in your constant love and presence with us and your promise to prepare a home for us and take us to be with you forever. We pray in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, amen. 

 

Photo credit: 21326550 / Storm © Pictureguy66 | Dreamstime.com

Sunday Praise and a Prayer to Live Unafraid

Posted on by Dorci

Dear Heavenly Father, we praise your most holy name. We praise you for your faithfulness and goodness. We praise you for your love and for the plans you have that are so great, so glorious, so miraculous, that we cannot even begin to conceive of them. 

Father, when your servants, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were faithful to you and trusted you even in the furnace, you protected them, and because they chose to live unafraid, even King Nebuchadnezzar praised your name.  

Lord, we ask that you would give all of us who believe in Christ the kind of courage and strength and conviction to live unafraid and that the world will see your faithfulness in and through us and have no choice but to praise your name. 

No matter what we’re going through, whether it’s physical, emotional, financial, or even persecution for our faith in you, may we live unafraid, filled with the sure hope we have because of what Christ did for us on the cross and because the Holy Spirit indwells us, knowing that you are an ever-present help in time of need and that you promise to be with us and love us to the end.  

Thank you for giving us all we need to walk victoriously. May we daily avail ourselves of all the riches of your glory in Christ Jesus. It’s in His blessed name we pray, amen. 

God Promises To Provide

Posted on by Dorci

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.

If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 

So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 

But seek first His kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Matthew 6:25-34

 

God Promises Our Labor is Not in Vain

Posted on by Dorci

“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”
1 Corinthians 15:58


There are times when the Lord allows us to see the fruits of our labor in Him, but there will also be periods of time when we see no immediate outcome from our service to the Lord, and we might be temped to fall into despair.

Paul reminds us, as he reminded the church in Corinth, that our labor – our toil, our pains, our trouble, our weariness – in the Lord is not in vain.

We know because when we work in the Lord, abiding in Christ through prayer, obedience, walking in the Spirit, adhering to the truth, we have faith that God is working in and through us. 

And the work the Lord does, no one can tear down. 

Though we don’t always see its fruit, the Lord does. He is doing things in the hearts and minds of others we will never see until we’re before the King, our work withstands the fire, and we receive a reward.

So if something, or someone, is trying to move you, to discourage you, to lie and make you believe your work in the Lord is in vain, stand fast. Stand on the immoveable Rock that is Christ and in His promises, and let Him lead you on to victory.  

 

Friday Funnies – Interruptions by the Guy in Up

Posted on by Dorci

Hey Everybody. Hope you’re having a good day.

In case you weren’t sure, yes, today is Friday. As I was looking for something to post for today’s Friday Funnies, I came across this stand-up turned (almost) preaching video by Mark Lowry. It’s got some good chuckles in it, but the primary reason I chose it was because of his mini-sermon on interruptions. 

If I’m going through something I assume at least some of you are, too, and I’ve had more “interruptions” in the last year or so than I remember having in a long time. (Hmmm…)

It can be discouraging, it can be frustrating, but Mark reminded me, and I hope you, too, that what we see as interruptions can also be moments God is calling us to get off the merry-go-round of life for a minute and sit with Him awhile. He just might have something important to say.

Maybe, just maybe, He wants us to set aside our small plans for His eternal ones.

If you have a prayer need, please let me know!

Enjoy. 🙂

 

God Promises To Be With Us Always

Posted on by Dorci

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the 
Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey
everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am 
with you always, to the very end of the age. 
Matthew 28:19-20

God Promises to Be a Refuge

Posted on by Dorci

 
The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold
in times of trouble. Those who know your name trust
in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who
seek you.
Psalm 9:9-10

Be Strong and Very Courageous

Posted on by Dorci
Photo by Mika Baumeister on Unsplash

Seventeen years ago this month my life turned upside down. Or more accurately, I was already upside down and God was turning me right side up. 

A lot has happened in that time. A lot of mistakes, a lot of learning, a lot of growing, and a lot of healing.

Not the kind of healing I originally wanted, but certainly the kind I needed. The kind a good and loving Father knows His child needs, and ultimately wants. 

In January 2004 I had some symptoms, but nothing too concerning yet. What did concern me is that I kept hearing one phrase from the Lord – “Be strong and courageous.” I heard it at church, on the radio, and in my own studies. Four times that month I heard “Be strong and courageous.” 

The first time: Yes, that’s an encouraging word.
The second time: Yep, I want to be strong and courageous.
The third time: Hmm… “Lord, what are you trying to say?”
The fourth time: A friend at church who I’d talked to about these repeated commands from the Lord turned around during the teaching and we just looked at each other. What could this mean?

Then, long story short, one Sunday afternoon in February, I found myself at the hospital being evaluated. 

“Be strong and courageous.” 

I have meditated on and prayed about these words ever since. And little by little, the Lord’s helped me understand them. The funny thing is, its meaning is so simple, yet the application can be so difficult.  

The phrase can be found eleven times in the Old Testament (and one time in the New, but that’s a slightly different story for a different day), most of them as Joshua was about to lead Israel into the Promised Land. 

Moses had just died, and God had called Joshua to lead His people. God speaks to Joshua, letting him know that without a doubt, through every obstacle they would face, He would lead them there. 

Joshua 1:6 – “Be strong and courageous…”
Joshua 1:7 – “Be strong and very courageous…”
Joshua 1:9 – “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

In each of these verses, the word “strong,” in part, means “to fasten upon; to seize…”

The dictionary says fasten means “to attach firmly or securely in place; fix securely to something else.”

Now, fast forward to Jesus talking to His disciples. 

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing..” John 15:5

During this conversation, Jesus uses the word abide, or remain, seven times.

The word “abide” means “to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy): – abide, continue, dwell, endure, be present, remain…”

He’s driving home the fact that, just as a branch must remain attached to the vine so the branch can receive life, grow, and produce fruit, we must remain in Him. Our growth and ability to produce spiritual fruit hinges on us continually abiding, remaining, making our home in Him. 

God told Joshua over and over to be strong, to fasten himself, to hold onto God who would do everything needed to ensure their victory as they crossed into the Promised Land. 

Jesus reiterated His Father’s words, telling His disciples, and us, to abide in Him, to remain in Him continually.

Don’t break off from Him out of fear, anger, anxiety, or just being plain confused and not knowing what to do. Remain in Him. Obey Him. Trust Him. Join with Him in prayer. Abide in Him as a branch abides in a vine, so we can grow and bear much fruit. 


The word courageous means “to be alert, physically and mentally, to be steadfastly minded, establish, make strong…”

The Israelites would meet enemies along the way, and so will we. As we abide in Christ, we must also remain alert and steadfast, remembering that though we have an enemy who will try to trip us up, the Lord has gone before us, and if we’ll remain in Him, He will make us more than conquerors. 

And one more note. 

I’ve been going through a group study with a book called Abide In Christ by Andrew Murray. I highly recommend it. It was what drove home the truth of what God was saying to me seventeen years ago, and how He enlightened and assured me further.  As I was praying during one of my study times, the Lord spoke to my heart and said, “I will sustain you.” 

You might guess what I did. Yep, went to look up the word sustain. I found it in Psalm 55:22:

“Cast your cares on the Lord
   and He will sustain you;
He will never let
    the righteous be shaken.”

Sustain means “to keep in; to maintain, be able to abide…”

Jesus said “Abide in Me, and I in you.”

The Lord’s promise to all of us who abide in Him is that not only will He abide in us, He will enable us to continue abiding in Him. He will maintain us, support us, bear us up under trial or affliction, just like He’s done for me the last seventeen years.

So be strong and courageous. The world doesn’t seem to be letting up on the crazy, and I suspect it won’t. But as we abide in Him, God Himself will abide in us and take us victoriously into the Promised Land. 

In Him,

 

 

Sunday Praise and a Prayer for the Sick

Posted on by Dorci

Dear Heavenly Father, we praise you. You are the omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent God. You are faithful to hear our prayers, and we thank you for hearing our prayer today. 

Father, we lift up to you those who are facing life-altering and life-threatening illnesses.

For those who know you, we ask that you would renew their strength and hope. We pray you would comfort them and fill them with your peace that passes all understanding. We pray you would surround them with people who support them with love and friendship. We ask that you would also give strength and hope for their loved ones and caregivers. 

For those who don’t yet know you, we pray you would reveal yourself to them in a very personal way. Maybe they’ve blamed you for what they’re going through. Maybe they’re angry, or lost and just don’t know where to turn. We pray you would not allow the enemy to fill their minds with lies.

Father, we know what a personal and compassionate God you are, and we ask that you would show them that you know them and you love them.

We pray you would open their eyes and turn their hearts toward you, that they would receive you as their Lord, their Savior, their Hope to walk with them through this time, giving them all they need and more. 

We pray you would remove all fear and help them keep their focus on You, the God Who is bigger than anything they’ll face here on earth. We pray you would give them strength and courage to walk in confidence with you each day. 

Father, you are also the Great Physician. You created our bodies and you can heal them. If it be your will, Lord, we ask that you would do miracles and grant healing and restoration. We pray you would open doors and move mountains to do those things that need to be done.

We pray you would give the doctors and nurses your wisdom, your skill, and your compassion. 

We pray, Lord, that you would also open doors to provide financially, and that all debt is paid. 

Father, we pray you would be glorified in all these circumstances. What the enemy has meant for evil, we pray you would use for your good. We lay it all at your feet, trusting you, and we thank you ahead of time for what you’re going to do. 

In Jesus’ precious and holy name we pray, amen. 

 

Faith, Not Feelings

Posted on by Dorci

I really hate those times when God feels so far away. 

I don’t always understand why it’s that way. Sometimes it might be a sin I need to confess. Sometimes I’m the one who’s been far away, too preoccupied with other things. Sometimes it might be that I just haven’t get enough sleep and I’m feeling grouchy.

And sometimes I think He just wants me to learn to trust Him even when the feelings aren’t there. 

I remember the day my dad taught me how to ride a bike down the very sidewalk in the picture. I was about six. My hands gripped the handlebars and I looked back and forth between the concrete sidewalk beneath me and the scenery in front of me while my dad held onto the back of the seat pushing me along. We did that a few times, and the next time I looked back and he was four feet behind me. 

I remember the days, too, when salvation was new, and the feelings of God’s closeness filled my heart and soul. When He was teaching me to know He’s always right there with me.

And then He began to wean me from my feelings, teaching me to trust Him even when I didn’t feel Him. 

That lesson’s taken longer than an afternoon. Seems I’m still learning it, but I am learning.

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 
2 Corinthians 5:7 

I’m learning He’s always right there whether I feel Him or not. Whether I see Him working in my impossible situation or not. I’m learning He loves me even when I sin, even when I’ve stepped away, even when life gets overwhelming, and yes, even when I’m grouchy, or not feeling well, or sad, or a hundred million other possible reasons.

Not only is our Heavenly Father with us, He loves us so much He’s given His Holy Spirit to live in us. 

No matter what we’re going through, or ever will go through, if we’ve believed in Christ as our Savior, His Holy Spirit is a permanent resident inside our hearts to give us comfort, peace, wisdom, and direction, and He’ll never, ever leave us. 

So we can walk and live and follow and work and yes, ride, not by what we see or feel, but by faith, by our belief that God is who He says He is, being confident in His faithfulness and goodness, His constant presence, and His everlasting love. 

In Christ,