"Searching for Strength"

DAY #73 - 'A Woman of Faith' Devotional
Verse: "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." Psalm 46:1 NKJV

Searching for strength? I think we all can fit into that category. Where do we go to find that strength? In ourselves, in a protein drink, to the gym, or to the source of strength which is the Lord? God is the ultimate source of all that we need. He does give us certain talents, gifts and characteristics that help us get through each day, but we are to seek Him, so that we know we can do all things through Him who gives us strength. (Philippians 4:13) He gives us strength physically as well as spiritually, mentally and emotionally.

Nothing we can do that will be fulfilling will ever be done in our own strength. Each day we need to seek the Lord while He is here, call on Him while He is near. The quality of our lives here on earth depend on where our foundation and our source is. God is always there for us, because He is faithful. We on the other hand are not faithful. We stray, we sin and we try to do things on our own and in our own strength. By choice we are making bad decisions in our lives, and God cannot bless us as He desires. We need to tap into the STRENGTH of the King, and He can help us to do the impossible. Nothing is impossible with God, or to those that believe!

BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING!

"Our Greatest Refuge"

DAY #35 - 'A Woman of Faith' Devotional
Verse: "For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised." Hebrews 10:36 NASB

NIV- "You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised."
KJV - "For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise."


'God is our refuge, and God is our strength. An ever present help in trouble. Therefore I will not fear, though the earth be removed. And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.' Those words of an old worship song still ring true today... God is our refuge and strength in time of trouble... yet He is always there in good times and bad times. When everything around us starts fading, sinking or disappearing... God will always be there. God never changes, He will remain the same yesterday, today and forever.

Patsy Clairmont once said, "If you are walking toward Jesus to the best of your ability, He will see you through life's unpredictable waters -- but you must risk launching the boat." So many times we say we are trusting God, we are walking with God and we expect God to perform like a trained dog who does tricks when we want Him to... yet we don't do our part to fulfill that blessing. We cannot get through rough waters and storms of life, if our boat is still tied to the dock -- We cannot walk on water without getting out of the boat. There's another comment made that 'Faith can move mountains, but don't be surprised if God hands you a shovel'. We all have to do our part as well. Start digging... start walking ... just get that boat moving. :) We need to remember that God promises to be with us in the waters. "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you." (Isaiah 43:1-2)

God promises to always stand by us. He is always there for us, He will never leave us nor forsake us. But we need to also stand firm with Him. Mary Morrison Suggs once said, "He is within and without. His Spirit dwells within me. His armour protects me. He goes before me and is behind me." We need to remember to DAILY put on the spiritual armour of God, just as we would physical armour in a real-life battle. The world around us is filled with evil, and the devil is prowling around, seeing who he can devour. If we are covered by the blood, and with our armour there is little that he can do, but GREAT things that God can do in, for and through us as well!

Read Ephesians 6:10-18 -- Here is the MESSAGE TRANSLATION, "And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we'll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels. Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life. God's Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out." One way in which this translation fails us as believers is that it does not tell us which part of the armour it is, nor that we have to wear it as armour. So, in another translation, here's the parts of the armour and what they do. (Eph 6:13-18 NIV) "Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people."

Everyday, we need to pray (and I know sometimes in my busyness I forget too, and I can't anymore) and put this armour on. Even sometimes throughout the day, when you may feel like you've been hit lots, put on a fresh suit. :) By the power of the blood of Jesus, and the strength of God through use of the armour He has given, and through prayer to the Father through Jesus nothing shall be impossible to Him that believes. Get out there and seize the day! Carpe Diem!

BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING!

"Beyond Discouragement"

Day #29 - 'A Woman of Faith' Devotional
Verse: "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1 NKJV

This is a good follow-up devotion to 'The Gift of Cheerfulness' (click to read if you haven't already)... as we make the choice to be cheerful in whatever circumstance may come our way. When that circumstance leads us to discouragement or disappointment, we still can remain joyful knowing that God is in control, and that He never gives us more than we can handle. (See photo above - 'I know God will not give me anything I can't handle... I just wish He didn't trust me so much.' ~Mother Teresa)

As an example to this, the day that I did this devotional, I was claiming that I was going to have a 'fabulous friday' and I was going to remain cheerful. We are going to choose joy. I told the children in my Preschool class right out. Well, we have had a lot of sickness and disease going through our centre... which is obviously an attack of the devil, as God has created us to be healthy and whole. Yet it is also a test of our faith as our church just finished two of the greatest conferences to start out our year. We are tested in things to grow our faith, and to be strengthened by the Holy Spirit. Anyway, we have been praying for healing and restoration in the centre staff, the children, and their families. Well this last week was supposed to be the END of the sickness plague, yet it was in full swing. We sent children home with fevers, diarrhea, vomitting, and more. We had children complaining of sore ears, heads, tummies, throats, and more. THIS HAS TO STOP, as it is bringing discouragement to the unbelievers in our 'family', and also is difficult for those believers. YET, we also need to remember to stand as 'gate-keepers' for our centre. As Christians we need to take a stand of courage, even when others around might not be standing tall. God gives us the courage we need to go through each and every circumstance that faces us every day. We should not fear man, nor should we fear the attacks of the devil, or the devil himself. We need to STRENGTHEN our FAITH and continue to have hopeful hearts knowing that GOD WILL BRING US THROUGH! So, FDN GOD WILL BRING US THROUGH, WE WILL HAVE THE VICTORY THROUGH HIM! In Jesus' Name! We are covered and cleansed by the blood of Jesus, and we will walk in complete health and wholeness! <3 (Think of these last few sentences when thinking of your own struggles and discouragements - The Lord will bring you through!)

Do not let discouragement or disappointment get the best of you. Do not allow yourself to even feel the slightest of frustration, as that in itself is not of God either. Eleanor Roosevelt once quoted, "You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every great experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.' You must do the thing you think you cannot do."

Remember, "...the next time you find your courage tested to the limit... You're probably stronger than you think. And remember--with you, your friends, your family and your God all working together, you have nothing to fear." ('A Woman of Faith' Devotional. Day 29. ©2007 Freeman-Smith, LLC. Nashville, TN. 37202)

BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING!

"He Persevered and so Must We"

DAY #18 - 'A Woman of Faith' Devotional
Verse: "If you do nothing in a difficult time, your strength is limited." Proverbs 24:10 HCSB

WOW! What an eye-opener... doing nothing limits your strength... I had to read this verse in other translations and in the context of the chapter to really understand this verse. I really like it in the MESSAGE version... whoa! "If you fall to pieces in a crisis, there wasn't much to you in the first place."

NIV: "If you falter in a time of trouble, how small is your strength!"
KJV: "If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small."
NLT: "If you fail under pressure, your strength is too small."

Wow! Jesus Himself persevered under all the trials He had to face for us. He is the perfect example for us to follow. How well do we handle crisis', pressures, times of trouble or adversity? Technically our strength is small anyway, as it is His strength that sustains us. I do not want to be seen as one who 'faltered, fainted, or failed', yet I really don't want to be seen as one who 'did nothing'. I do not want to limit my strength or the Father's strength in me. What about YOU? Have you spent a lot of time 'faltering, fainting or failing'? Well get back up, and pray for added strength and a renewal from the Father! He wants us all to be a part of the impossible. He wants us to showcase His strength, to show Him off to the world. Nothing exciting can be done in our own strength anyway. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13)

Sometimes however, we sit back and do nothing, and think God will do it if we just ask. All we need is faith after all. Well I was reading my 'card-making' magazine and in the back in the fun quotes section was a great quote (I used it as my facebook status this AM too) - "Faith can move mountains, but don't be surprised if God hands you a shovel." ~ Author Unknown. This statement is super true. We cannot just sit back and watch God be God and expect BIG miracles in our lives... we sometimes need to dig in and 'get a little dirty'. I still think back to the quote from 'Faith Like Potatoes' too... when I think about miracles and impossibilities. "Condition for a miracle is difficulty; condition for a GREAT miracle is impossibility!" (~Faith Like Potatoes 'Angus Buchan')

The verse above in the MESSAGE translation is still ringing in my ear... "If you fall to pieces in a crisis, there wasn't much to you in the first place." There wasn't much to you in the first place? That's a hard hit... We need to persevere all the more in times of trouble and despair.

According to dictionary.com, the definition of 'PERSEVERANCE' is:
–noun

1. steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., esp. in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.
2. Theology . continuance in a state of grace to the end, leading to eternal salvation.

I would have to be led to say that perseverance itself is not a noun, yet is an ACTION verb. The 'steady persistance' sounds pretty active to me. So c'mon, get off your butt and get into action!! Persevere and Pray hard, and DO SOMETHING. Whether you fail the first time you try, or whether you get a great outcome, keep going! Try, try and try again. If you fall, get back up. If you falter, get your balance and keep going. If you faint, allow God to bring you back to your senses and strengthen you to KEEP GOING!

Just like yesterday's message (found here), if you are tired, weary, discouraged, disheartened or if you are one from today's message, that is faltering, fainting or failing... Look to God! Don't have that relationship with God... it's as simple as A,B,C to get on the right track! DO IT TODAY!

1. ADMIT you are a sinner. (Romans 3:23 - "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God") Tell God that you are not perfect, that you are struggling, that you are a sinner. ('Cause yep, we all are.) You also have to repent of that sin... be sorry for it, and TRY not to do it again. (But when you do, 'cause yep we all are tempted to, just repent again.)



2. BELIEVE in your heart that God is real, and that He sent His Son to die for YOU. (His Son now does live again, as He was raised from the dead by His Father) Sin is only punishable by death... Jesus has come to make a way. (Romans 6:23 - "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.") Don't be afraid to ask God if He is real, He wants you to seek Him from your heart. Allow the Holy Spirit to show you, and guide you into the truth. We all know, but do not truly understand the full meaning of John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him, shall not perish but have everlasting life."


3. CONFESS your faith in Jesus as your Saviour and Lord. ("If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved." Romans 10:9-10 NLT) Let God know that you want to change, you want Him to fill the voids or holes in your heart that you tried to fill yourself with things of the world. Some of you have tried drugs, alcohol, sex, work, etc to fill that void in your life... but it can only be filled by LOVE! The Love that the Father has for each one of us.


When God hears you pray this pray with your own words, from your own heart, He is blessed. The angels in Heaven rejoice when a sinner repents. "I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent... In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15: 7 & 10) When you pray this prayer, and allow God to move by the power of His Holy Spirit, you will NEVER BE THE SAME! (Let me know if you've prayed this prayer... for the first time or for the 101st time... just send me a comment, I won't post it if you don't want me too. I'd love to pray alongside you. Even if you just write your name. Thanks!)


Press in, and press on!

BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING!

'His Strength'

DAY #12 - 'A Woman of Faith' Devotional
Verse: Psalm 27:1 KJV ~ "The Lord is the strength of my life."

Is God the strength of your life, is He where you base your foundation? Is He your cornerstone, do you line up with His plumb line? We were actually just reminded of this fact at a Youth Conference I attended this past weekend. A plumb line is defined as;

'plumb line

n.
1. A line from which a weight is suspended to determine verticality or depth.
2. A line regarded as directed exactly toward the earth's center of gravity.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

It helps keep things straight and in balance. A cornerstone is the first stone you place on your foundation, so that all the other stones/bricks are put into place in the proper and straight place. Is your life balanced? Are you walking the 'straight & narrow'? The Bible says, "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." (Matthew 7:13-14 NIV) Small is the gate, and narrow is the road that leads to life... have YOU found that road? 

If you keep in step with God EVERY day, then He can help lead & guide you towards the 'straight & narrow'. However, if you just give Him a few hours on a Sunday AM, or not even at all, just calling on Him when you are in troubs, then He cannot work fully in your life. He cannot give you the blessings that He has for you, and your life will not be fulfilled (as we spoke of in an earlier devotion here on Day #9). We need to reach out to Him, for His strength is what sustains us through each day (it is not truly our own). We might think we can do it on our own, yet it can only be BEST accomplished through the Lord who strengthens us. In Philippians 4:13, the Bible quotes, "I can do all this through him who gives me strength."

"God is as near as your next breath. He stands at the door of your heart and waits. Welcome him in and allow Him to rule. And then, accept the peace, and the strength, and the protection, and the abundance that only God can give." ('A Woman of Faith' Devotional. Day 12. ©2007 Freeman-Smith, LLC. Nashville, TN. 37202)

God is a gentleman after all, He doesn't force anyone to do anything. We have our own choice and free-will. He patiently waits for us to respond, and then when we welcome Him in and give Him control, our lives get flipped, turned upside-down. (not like the 'Fresh Prince' on TV, but the real Prince of Peace who can rule and reign in our hearts & lives.)

'So rejoice! You are giving Him whate He asks you to give Him -- the chance to show you what He can do.' ~Amy Carmichael

Remember... you must repent, and be sorry for your sins & iniquities (sins you did that you knew were wrong before you did them). It's as simple as A,B,C... Accept, Believe & Confess!

Be Blessed & be a Blessing!