Today I wanted to pick my blog up and discuss confidence.  Many days I have had the feeling of being inadequate.  The Lord has been working on me for many years in this area.  Today on my calendar it focused on 1 John 5:14.

This verse in 1 John speaks about coming to our Heavenly Father.  We can rest assured that as long as we ask His will on a certain situation, then we can be confident it will come about.  Christ’s faithfulness to His promises and nature will never fail.

My prayer is that I will come to a place where the world will see the fruit of the Holy Spirit in me.  I was reading a scripture in Jeremiah where it mentioned the righteous having a spirit of peace, confidence in Christ.  That is awesome!  Let us all go forth in confidence as we face our various battlegrounds!

Galatians 2:20 is what I wanted to blog about today. Paul mentions being put to death with Christ. He then goes on to explain that when we die to ourselves, we actually are really alive. What happens is that Christ lives in us, making us alive.

This ties in with Matthew 16:26, where Jesus was sharing how important it was to focus on the spirit. It doesn’t make since amassing wealth and living for your own desires if you do not have a relationship with Christ. Everything is passing away, including us, so it is wise to plug into the Holy Spirit. He is our life!

We as Christians should be set apart from the world. When we allow God, His Spirit will be able to be seen. People will no longer be seeing our old man…we will be lights on a hill!

Wow!  When I read Romans 8:28 this morning, I didn’t realize that the Spirit would back it up with the Scripture given by Pastor Kevin for prayer today!😊  I love it when the Spirit speaks.

I started dwelling on the fact that everything turns out for the best for those who have been chosen by God.  Since we have been selected and marked by His Spirit, then we will see the best coming about in the end. In Genesis after God spoke things into creation and made things, it says He called them all “good.”  Well…He created us and made us new in Christ, so that makes things good.  He plans good things for each of us…we need to be encouraged that everything we go through has been run by Christ.  It is for our good.

I then started dwelling on my life and a couple of people in the Bible, how this fits in.  My Turner Syndrome (genetic condition) has made me more reliant on God, and it has checked me from becoming arrogant/puffed up. My Mom’s battles with health issues has drawn her closer to God, and it has knit the Honeycutt Family closer together. Finally for me, I would say my unfortunate divorce has shown me that when I put my trust in God instead of totally in my husband, He will step in.  Hallelujah for Alan and I being brought back together!

When contemplating about people in Scripture I was reminded of Joseph, Nehemiah, Esther, Ruth, and Mary. Joseph was not treated fairly by his brethren ; but, God used this man to bless his family and save Israel. Nehemiah was used to rebuild the wall in Jerusalem. Esther was chosen by the king in Persia, which ultimately saved the Jews from the plot of Haman. Ruth was chosen by Boaz, and it changed her life and she was able to conceive Obed. Finally, Mary was chosen by God to carry the Savior of the world…Jesus! All of these people didn’t have an easy road all the time, but played a key role in carrying out God’s plan. His plan is always good! Let’s take our thoughts captive (2 Corinthians 10:5), amen!

What an inspirational section of Scripture! Habakkuk made an excellent choice by saying he would rejoice in the Lord no matter what was going on with his fields or flocks! It is a state of mind I am praying I can get to!

Paul encouraged the Philippians by saying he was content in whatever state he was at. That can only come by our focusing on the fact that we are God’s children, and He is the Good Shepherd.

In thinking about rejoicing in the Lord, it made me focus on my prayer life. I may not always have words for the Lord; but, He is always worthy of praise! We should enter His gates with praise! He is worthy!

• 

This morning I was shown Revelation 1:9.  This was God sharing how He never changes.  The same Almighty that spoke the world into existence is the same Lord that wants to have fellowship with us now, and will be the same God who will judge in righteousness in the future.  This is very encouraging and uplifting.

For myself, I have had a hard time having hope for the future.  I need to stop myself and redirect my thoughts on what is true and uplifting.  It would help me very much to dwell on what God is and has done.

God is love: He is everywhere at all times, all knowing and all powerful! Since He is all of these…I don’t need to fear. The Lord is able to be trusted forever with our futures…He has gone before us in time to part the sea.

God is so gracious and merciful! I looked at the calendar today and I saw 2 Corinthians 12:9. Paul was sharing about the response he received from God; he had asked the Lord to touch his body a number of times, and God had shared that His grace was all Paul needed. His power is most evident in our weaknesses and trials.

God was gracious and merciful today in getting my Mom through her back surgery…it took longer than expected, but the surgeon was able to make things better. My cat Judy ran out of pain medication; but, Rainier Animal Fund stepped up and footed the cost of the pills. My Husband thought he wouldn’t be able to get the car started at work…it turned out he got it jumped on one of his breaks. Finally, my Sister was able to finally book a visit to the DMV in CA. God is good all the time! We may not be rescued totally from things, but will always be carried through them!

Today in my blog, I wanted to focus on the importance of fellowship in our Christian walk. I happened to be reminded of this in listening to our devotional this morning.  Various parts of The Pilgrims Progress was read.  The part where Little Pilgrim and his companion had to keep each other awake by dwelling on the things of God was very poignant. If they didn’t, they would fall asleep and be overcome.

The Christian life shouldn’t be approached in a sleepy, laid-back way.  Our Enemy is like a lion seeking his prey.  Satan wants to use any means he can to lull us to sleep.  When we are in this state, our effect as witnesses will be hindered. The Body of Christ is vital in reminding each other about Godly principles and promises.

I can say for myself, brothers and sisters in Christ have been vital in restoring my moments of depression.  Sharing the goodness of God has a way of lifting an individual out of their pit.  I also love it when the Spirit has enabled me to be used in encouraging His people.  God help me be ready with my armor on!

On my calendar this morning I came across this encouraging word from God to the Children of Israel.  He told them that He was the same God, and that He would remain with them…Isaiah 46:4.  As His grafted-in Child of God, I can positively claim this for my life.

God is not going to one day decide He doesn’t want to take care of me.  His love is everlasting, and He will carry me to Heaven!  I don’t grasp the level of His love; but, I do know that what He starts with His creation, He is going to complete. I need to give Him my whole being, and trust Him with it.

In my older years, I need to take the time and remember all God has done for me and my family!  He has helped my Parents during my Mom’s illness, He has healed my severely crossed eyes, and He has brought my Husband back to me after an unfortunate divorce.  If He can do that, and He never changes, then why should I doubt Him in the future?  He is going to finish putting together all the pieces of Alan’s and my lives.

 

This morning I feel led to write on dwelling on what is good, on hanging in there with God until the end. I was encouraged to devote myself to focusing on Him whole-heartedly. I seem to be dragging physically and emotionally this morning.

In response to my feelings of weakness, the Holy Spirit kept giving me the encouragement to continue on. For our devotional listening, Alan and I heard of how Joshua was challenging the people to make the Lord the one who they were serving. They were to get rid of the Canaanites, and every thing that crowded out their devotion to Him. We are to do the same with ourselves, people and objects that are drowning out our devotion to God. We are to serve Him and get our inspiration from the Lord, nothing else. Obviously we can thank the Lord and remember everything He has given us…things that are good and lovely.

For me, the thought of God bringing in the harvest brought encouragement and hope to my soul. I thought it was one of those lovely and noble thoughts to hold onto. I happened to read James 5:7 on Facebook, a posting from Calvary Chapel South. We all need to remember that when we are tired out and discouraged, God is there to finish up watering and bringing in the harvest. What He has promised and started, that is what will happen. Amen!

This afternoon I wanted to share on Psalm 25:25.  This was David asking God to direct him in truth. I am crying out to God that same prayer. There is no where else I have any hope.

Looking around me, it is so easy to become upset with myself and to think my future is hopeless. I can also spend time becoming discouraged with people because they don’t always live up to what God wants.

The major reason we all can become depressed and discouraged, is that we elevate ourselves and others so much that we believe we or they will always do what is right/truthful. When we turn to Scripture, we see that we are fallen. The only man who has been perfect has been Jesus Christ.

When we focus on Jesus, He will by His Spirit lead us in the truth. When He was here on Earth, He told us He was the way, the truth, and the life. How can we lose when He is in control of our future!?