Christmas Giving

CHRISTMAS: it has been dubbed as, "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year," yet for many it is quite the opposite. Christmas can be a time of stress and dread. It can be a time of frustration, heartache, anger or even pain.

There are many families, orphans, widows and widowers who will not celebrate a Merry Christmas this year. The reasons are as different as the people themselves. Some may not have the monetary resources to have a big celebration. Some may be dealing with loss. Some may have lived through Christmases with huge disappointments that time has failed to heal. Some may have family members who will not be with them this year, for one reason or another.

What can we possibly do to help?

The first and most important thing Christians can do to help is to pray. Pray that God will bless those in need in a very special way this Christmas. Pray that God will send help to those in need. Pray that their hearts would be open to receive the gift God has for them. Pray for God to heal and bind up the wounds of those who are hurting.

Next, you can put action to your prayers. If you know of a need and are able to fill it, go ahead and do so. Do not wait for someone else. God may have laid them on your heart for a purpose-not just to pray, but to bring them some joy.

To accomplish this may mean giving of your time, money or other resources. It may seem trivial or just too hard, but it could bring about big changes to the landscape of eternity.

If you are wondering what you could possibly do, I have a few suggestions if you will allow me.

1. Gather some friends and go carolling through town.

2. Go carolling at your local senior's centre.

3. Give to the Salvation Army, Food Bank or Soup Kitchen or other group that helps the needy of your money and/or time.

4. Give to a local family in need: provide them with a Christmas feast and gifts.

5. Go to the hospital and sit with, read to or talk with someone who is lonely.

6. If you are blessed with money this season that you were not expecting, donate it to a family in need or an organization that helps those in need.

7. If you want to do something that is on-going, sponsor a child.

These are but a few things we can do to make an impact. Be prayerful and ask Jesus to show you what you can do. What better way to spend Christmas than to help a neighbour in need? What better gift could you give Jesus this year?

"For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited me; I was in prison, and you came to Me."

Matthew 25:35-36

Each time we help someone, we are showing the love of Jesus and shining His light. May your light shine this Christmas season and all year long, lighting the path for those in need.

What's in a Name?

"For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6 NASB How do you think about Jesus this time of year? Is He a baby in a manger? Is He simply another decoration in your home? Or does His name stir something deep-down within your heart and soul? The names of Jesus in this passage of Scripture gives us a picture of the Lord we serve. He is not just a baby, born of a virgin in a stable so many years ago. He is our Wonderful Counselor. Jesus lives within each one of us, abiding in us through the Holy Spirit He sent to dwell within believers. We have access to be counselled by the best if we would listen and wait for His wisdom. Jesus is our Mighty God. Who else could heal the blind, lame and sick? Who else has the power to raise the dead? He is also our Mighty God. Mighty are the things that He does. "Nothing is impossible with God," Matthew 19:26 (paraphrased). Who else is that mighty? Jesus is our Eternal Father. He was there when the foundations of the earth were put together. He is here now and He will be here when the earth passes away. He is the One who is, who was and who is to come. He will be there always in all ways. That is a Promise you can count on. Jesus is the Prince of Peace. He came into this world to give us peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:6-7). If you do not have His perfect peace, take the time to claim it for your own. It is there for the asking. All we must do is ask and in faith believe and receive. What a wonderful gift this Christmas to accept. The love and peace that only Christ can give us. Dear Lord, Thank you for the many blessings of my life. Father I pray in the name of Jesus that You would reveal Your truths to me in simple and clear terms. Father, I release my will and my ways and accept Your will and Your ways. Cover me with Your peace and joy You alone can give. Fill me with the fruits of the Spirit that I may be complete in You. Father, let me look past the baby in the manger and see the Man, Jesus who is here with me now, who always has been and always will be. Thank You for all You are. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

Blessed Endurance

“Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and see the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful,” James 5:11 (NKJV). The Christian life is not all peaches and cream. There are some blemishes and pits. Christians walk through trials and fires, just as anyone does. However, we have a secret weapon: faith. Where God is, there is hope. Sometimes, hope is all we have to cling to. Do you know the song that goes, “for the God on the mountain, is still God in the valley…”? Going through the valleys of our lives is where we grow. Stop for a minute and think of the valley. In the valley is where the lush green grass, fruit trees and flowers take root, burst forth from the ground, grow, blossom and bear fruit. This is the place where it all happens for us too. We long for mountaintop experiences, yet our growth of faith and endurance come from being tested in the valleys of our lives. When you have reached a mountaintop experience, take the time to enjoy it. Take it all in and bask in the glory that is God’s alone. But don’t tarry there too long. Pray, believing God’s promise to “never leave you nor forsake you,” (Hebrews 13:5), and head wherever He takes you—even if another valley is what awaits you. It is often difficult to explain to someone who is struggling with physical, emotional or spiritual battles that they are being blessed, but it is true. Take Job for instance: He had it all, he lost it all, and through it all he never lost his faith in God. In the end, he regained it all with more added to it. God blesses those who endure. Will you take the time to praise the Lord for being with you, whether in a mountaintop or valley experience? Will you allow Him to lead you into the valley and follow, without hesitation? “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths,”(Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV).

Trusting, Trusting

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your path.” Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord. Do you find that a difficult task? Do you sometimes think you should be able to handle it—whatever it is—all by yourself? Many times we trust in our own abilities and brilliance to get us through. This passage of Scripture tells us different. We can put our faith in Jesus Christ and then trust in Him with ALL our heart. This is what He desires of us: our whole heart. As a race, humans can get headstrong and independent. We think we have all the answers to all the problems of the world; yet when it comes to our own lives, they may be quite a mess. Leaning on the Lord to give understanding is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength. Having the ability to admit to our shortcomings is a gift. We are unable to do it all, or know it all. However, with the presence of the Holy Spirit who dwells within each believer, we have the power to seek guidance from the Lord about any and every situation in our lives. When we look to Him for direction and guidance, we are admitting to our inability to do it all on our own. This is a positive step. This is the kind of humility God can use. There is tremendous freedom in allowing God to take the lead of your life. I have found there is much less stress in my life when I allow Him to take the driver’s seat. Whenever I get independent and think I can do it alone, fear and frustration set in. Yet, giving the lead back to Him results in peace that I cannot explain. Whatever we do, we can make a choice to keep God at the front. Give Him all of your cares and concerns then trust His decisions. He will direct you and take you places you could not imagine going. Remember to acknowledge Him in all you do. Take the time to listen to what He is saying to you. He will amaze you.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Lord I give You thanks and praise for who You are.

Take my life Lord and lead me in Your way.

Mold me and make me into Your image. Forgive me for being headstrong and independent.

Heal my heart and guide my life. Lord, I give You control and trust in Your will.

In Jesus' holy and mighty name I pray, Amen. If you are not a Christian and would like to understand more, scroll down the page to my blog post titled, The Greatest Promise.

Powerful Prayers

“Now this is the confidence we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him,” (1 John 5:14-15 NKJV). Have you taken the time lately to stop and think about the prayers you are praying? What is it you are asking for, and why? What do you hope to happen as a result to your prayers being answered? Jesus gave us the perfect model for prayer when He gave us The Lord’s Prayer. You can find it in Matthew 6:9-13: “Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your Kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen,” (emphasis mine NKJV). Sometimes we think of prayer as a magic chant or magical method of getting what we want, yet that is not what prayer is about. Prayer is our line of communication with our Lord and Savior. It is a way to deepen and strengthen our relationship with Him. When we pray according to God’s will, things change. We may not always want to pray His will be done, because for the most part, human beings want what they want, when they want it. We live in an instant society. Instant coffee, instant potatoes, instant stain remover; we desire instant gratification… You get the picture. Not all of our prayers are answered instantly. Some may not be answered at all. Yet, we are to continue on, praying, knowing and believing that God is sovereign. Having said that, we can go back and examine; praying in His will. His will; will be done. So how do we learn to pray in His will? We seek Him first. Spend time in prayer sharing and also listening to what He is saying to you. I have been known to go to the Lord with a checklist. I want this, this, this and this and I want it done in this way. Selfish? Oh, yes. Is this what He desires for His children in prayer? I don’t think so. Learning to pray His will simply means going to Him and asking what we desire, but in the end of it all; simply pray, Lord, not my will but Yours be done. This can be extremely difficult for those of us who like to feel some kind of control. When we surrender our will to His: that is faith. Remember, His desire is to give us the great things, not just the good things. When we truly stop and take time to follow His way and His will, we will be blessed with the great things. God knows what we need and the best way to give it to us. Will you pray, Your will be done, and let God be God?

If Peace is a Promise – Why am I Worried?

Peace is a strange thing. We desire it, we want it, we strive for it, yet it can be elusive. Why? Maybe we are trying too hard. Jesus’ peace is a promise He made over 2000 years ago. “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid,” (John 14:27). Jesus left His peace with everyone who would choose to become one of His children. Many times we spend our days striving to “find” peace, when it is right there for us to grab hold of. Peace is a free gift God holds out to you. It is like the most beautiful gift, wrapped in shiny gorgeous paper, with ribbons and bows flowing from it. He holds it out to you right now, even in this very moment. Like every gift the Master holds out to us, we must be active in our acceptance. Accepting the gifts He has means taking them, unwrapping, and using them. What good would a birthday or Christmas gift be if you took it home and put it on a shelf unopened? Even if it was a book with the answers to all of your questions, or all the money you could ever want or need, it would not do you one bit of good unless you opened it and used it. Each day is new, filled with promises and hope. Reach out to Jesus, accept His gift of salvation and all the promises He has for you. Do not make the mistake I did and think that everything would be perfect without trouble or glitches. Realize that Christians also have trouble, yet we can have “peace that surpasses all understanding” when our hope and focus is on Him. Give Him control of your life and trust that He wants more and better for you than you can possibly think of or hope for. It is not easy to relinquish control, yet it is possible. What is peace to you? Have you ever really thought about your expectations? What would a peaceful life look like to you? Seek the will of Jesus for your life, keeping your focus on Him and He will fill you with His peace in all circumstances.

Happy Thanksgiving

“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.” Psalm 100:4-5 NKJV Tomorrow we celebrate Thanksgiving. Have you thought about the things you are truly thankful for? In each one of our lives, there is something to give thanks for. It may be something small or something huge, but we can all find at least one thing to be thankful for. Take some time this weekend and record some of the things you are thankful for. The promise of an eternal life in heaven with Jesus is something I am thankful for. Knowing that everyone is on level footing and all are welcome is something to be truly thankful for. Forgiveness, grace, mercy, peace, hope, and wisdom; these are all promises to His children. Isn’t that cause for thankfulness? When we enter into His presence, we can do so with boldness knowing that our prayers will be heard. We can enter with thanksgiving because He is and always will be. We can make the conscious choice to praise Him even if we don’t “feel” like it. If you are going through a bad time, take a moment and praise God for something. Find one thing He has done and praise Him for it. Remember, His truth does endure. Pray that He will give you understanding and a discerning heart to hear from Him.

Active Faith

“Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know,” (Jeremiah 33:3 NKJV). This promise recorded in the Old Testament is so often taken lightly in the day and age we live in today. We have a great and mighty Savior, who died for our sins and cares for each one of His children as much as a mother cares for her newborn babe. So many times we pray and do not hear an audible voice answering our prayers and are deceived into believing that God did not hear us. Do not be deceived dear ones. God hears every prayer, those spoken and those of the heart. Faith is not acquired without some action. We are not born with enough faith to last us our lifetimes. To grow our faith, we must do our part. Living in close relationship with the Lord, praying constantly and continually calling upon His name are all ways to grow your faith. Remember, His timing is not necessarily the same as yours. I remember praying for a change in my husband’s job. He was working long, tiresome shifts. Our children were very small and they didn’t see him very much. I was getting as stressed out as he was. We were becoming more and more disconnected as a family and I prayed that God would make a change. Oh, how He has a sense of humour! Not long after I began praying, Rollie lost his job. That was certainly NOT the kind of change I was looking for. Now, being able to look back, I am able to see God’s mighty hand at work in many areas of our lives. Had he stayed in the job he was in, we may not be where we are in our relationships with the Lord. Have faith in the fact that God sees “the big picture” when all we see is the small corner of our situation in the moment we are in. Whatever you may be struggling with or whatever situation you are in, call on Him and He will answer you. Trust Him and have faith in Him, knowing that He loves you completely.

Peaceful Living

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God: and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV) I used to think that to live was to worry. Worry was my constant companion. There was always something to worry about and when there wasn’t, I could quickly find something. Worry was my middle name. However, thanks to the grace and mighty power of the Lord, that is changing in my life. I remember walking in to see our new pastor – after my family had started going to church – with a heavy burdened soul. I was not yet convinced that the God who created the universe could ever really know me. Not only that, but why would He care about me. After talking with the pastor for a little while he looked squarely at me, leaned forward and asked “What are you looking for?” It didn’t take me long to reply. I told him in one simple word. PEACE. Then I shared that I wanted to have a life that was peaceful on the inside. I am not naïve enough to believe that God will make everything perfect in my life but I thought that maybe, just maybe, I could find a peace. The type of peace you carry inside, knowing everything will be okay even though all around may be trials and hard times. As I prayed about this and my prayer partners began to pray for me, I started to feel this place in my soul that felt sunny. It’s the only way I can describe it. Amidst all the turmoil and hardship and through all the tears; somehow God revealed to me in this place deep within that He was there and He was bigger than all that other junk going on. I remember praying one night and asking the Lord to show me what I needed and when I opened my Bible the verse at the beginning of this entry is the one that He showed me. I love this passage of Scripture. What a promise! God is so good. Although there are still struggles and situations that come up, I have this place where I know that everything will be okay. No matter what, God is bigger. His purpose is bigger. His aim is higher and His intention is always for good. Now when I am tempted to worry I try to remember this Scripture. I’m not always perfect or even good at it, but through His grace, His love and His timing, I know that all will work for good and there is much peace to find in that. Trust God to be Lord of your life. Give Him controlling interest and He will guide and direct your life to amazing places. Don't be like I used to be doubting Him, but put your faith in Him. Do not trust your feelings, but trust the fact that He wants more and better for you than you can begin to imagine.

Sufficient Grace

"And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness," (2 Corinthians 12:9 NKJV). Is His grace sufficient for you? In my Christian walk, I have found His grace to be all sufficient. I have gone through spiritual battles, family problems, and health issues (my own, family and friends) just like everyone else. Each time a battle surfaces in our lives, we have a choice to make. Either we can decide to take control and deal with the problem ourselves or we can choose to pray and release our cares to God. When I choose to deal with it myself, it usually becomes a great burden, too overwhelming to deal with. The fear can grow out of control turning into a monster. On the other hand, if I consciously choose to take the time to pray and give it over to God's way and timing, then I experience peace. Please don't get me wrong. I didn't say it was easy; but I do experience a peace that surpasses all logic. Knowing that I cannot control the outcome, but realizing that Jesus can, gives me wonderful peace. Admitting my weakness opens the door to allow God to be God, revealing His strength through me. Each one of us has limitations but God's power to take us through difficult (even impossible) circumstances is limitless! Are you able to let go of all the "bad" things you are dealing with right now? Are you able to say to God, "Have thine own way Lord," and truly mean it? Can you admit to your inability to control the events of your life and relax, knowing that God who created everything you see out of nothing cares and is truly in control? Will you step out of the way and give God control of your life and say to Him, "Your grace is sufficient for me," meaning it? Jesus died so we may have abundant life, not just a mediocre one. Lean on Him. Allow Him to "run" your life. Give Him the control and grab on tight. Follow Him wherever He leads. It may not always be easy, but you will never be alone. Trust in the One who loves you completely and have faith that His grace is sufficient and it will be.

The Greatest Promise

John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life,” (NIV). One of the most exciting promises in the Bible is found in this passage of Scripture. God loves us so much that He sent His only Son to live, die and be resurrected for us. If you are a Christian, have you ever really taken the time to meditate on what that means? Do you realize that the scars on the hands, feet and side of Jesus are there so each one of us can find forgiveness and be made wholly acceptable before God? If you are not a Christian but would like to join the family of God, the steps to becoming part of the family are very simple. The first thing one must do is admit that they are a sinner because we all fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). We are all sinners and make mistakes. It does not matter how many good things we do, we are still sinners. With this admission we also need to realize that the penalty for being a sinner is death (Romans 6:23). We neither deserve to live eternally, nor do we deserve forgiveness, yet God has so graciously provided a way. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ we can come to Him. The next step is to believe with everything in you that Jesus Christ died for your sins (Romans 5:8). He died for each of us, but it is important that you make it personal. Can you say, Jesus Christ died for my sins, and truly, completely in your heart know it and believe it? If you are struggling with this truth, I recommend you read the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). Read them praying that the Holy Spirit will open your eyes so you may see the truth of what Jesus has done for you. Last but not least; you must commit your life into His capable hands (Romans 10:8-10). Confess to the Lord that you need Him to lead and guide your life. Give your life into the hands of God and let Him make the changes He desires in your life. He created you and has a plan for your life. Will you submit to Him and give Him full control? Who is this promise for? YOU. This promise is for all. It is for anyone who will humble themselves and cry out to the Lord Jesus Christ and ask Him to forgive them of their sins and invite Him into their lives. No one is too far gone to be saved. No sin is too great for Jesus Christ to forgive. No, not one. You do not need to add anything else. The blood that Jesus shed was the requirement and payment for our salvation. It excites me to know this and to share it with you. Putting our lives in the nail-scarred hands of Jesus Christ is a powerful thing. Allowing Him to make us into the people He has created us to be, will fill us with a peace and joy that surpasses anything we could ever imagine. It does not mean however, that your life will be all roses and daisies. There will still be trials and hard times but you will never be on your own. With Jesus by your side, you can be assured that He will stay near. He is never more than a prayer away. Will you put your life in His hands and allow Him to become everything to you?

Changes, Changes

Fall is quickly approaching. It is easy to see here in Nova Scotia. The evenings are beginning to chill off. The days are getting shorter. The first day of school is just around the corner. Even the leaves are in the first stages of change. Our lives are a series of changes. We are born, then we grow into toddlers, young children, preteens, teenagers and then adults. Through each step and stage, there are challenges and many changes. Do you remember your first day of school? I don’t. What about the day you got married? I remember it as though it were yesterday. I was so happy. I found the person who was going to make me happy forever. Not long after that, we had our first spat. It was over something so insignificant – I can’t even remember! Do you remember your children being born? What joy! Looking at that beautiful face, counting fingers and toes, marveling at the beauty and perfection that lay in my arms! Children bring about much change in life. For me, nothing will ever be the same. After having children, my thoughts and opinions have changed very much. Accepting the Lord in my life as an adult has brought change as well. This is another place where my thoughts and opinions have radically changed. My priorities have shifted to the eternal rather than here and now. With Jesus Christ as the centre of my life, I no longer dwell on the “things” I don’t have. I rejoice in my relationship with Him. Through all the changes that have happened and the ones that will happen, Jesus remains the constant. Though I did not always know Him or have a relationship with Him, He has always known me. He has been a gentleman, patiently waiting for me to call on His name. When I did, He was true to His word and came to my rescue. He will do the same for you if you will let Him. Through all the changes Jesus is there, longing to be the One True anchor in all of our lives. Will you release your cares and worries? Will you call out to Him in your good times and bad? Will you allow His promises to satisfy your soul? If you will, there is no change too big or too hard for you to get through. He will take you through every valley leading and guiding your every step. Look to Jesus to be the foundation of your life and you will not go wrong.

Step by Step

“Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105 NKJV I love to watch a toddler learning to walk. One step, maybe two and down they go. However, they don’t stop there. Up they pull themselves, eager to get on with it. One can almost hear the thoughts in their little minds, “I can do it. I can do it.” Seldom have I experienced a look of terror or defeat in a little face.

We are rather the opposite. As adults, we tend to give up too quickly; willing to admit defeat at the slightest obstacle. God, on the other hand, never gives up on us. He is constantly there as a source of strength and power just waiting for us to reach out and grab on to the blessings He has promised us.

Reading His Word and meditating on His truths will shed light on every part of our lives if we will go to Him. We can have faith knowing His Word will bring us through good times, bad times and all the times in between. It is our responsibility to take the initiative to step out on faith wherever He asks us to go. His promise is to never leave us nor to forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).

I have learned something extremely important and fundamental about God. He shows us the next step after we take the first one. He wants our faith. He desires for us to lean fully on Him and who He is, not on what we can accomplish on our own. We have no need to impress Him with our wit or strength, but to show Him our devotion is in Him. When we release our selfishness, and embrace Him, He will illuminate the path that leads to blessings.

Can you make a commitment to Him today, with all your heart, trusting in His promise to lead the way and light the path He has chosen for you? Will you follow Him wherever He takes you? Take time to pray that God will lead you and light your way; believing in His promises and taking that first step of faith in Him.

A New Life

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone: a new life has begun.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT This promise is not to be taken lightly. It is filled with hope. This Scripture verse tells us that we are made a new creation in Christ. We are no longer the person we once were. We can live victorious lives because, “The old life is gone; a new life has begun.” Are you stalled in the past? Do you feel controlled by your past? Does it seem like you wear your past on your sleeve for the whole world to see? Then this promise is for you! You do not have to believe the lies of the enemy that says you will never be any different or that you are a loser (or a whole range of other lies). You have a promise of a new life and hope in Jesus Christ. Every single person has a past. There are things in your past that you could not control. There are things in your past you could have chosen to do differently. There are things you may wish you could forget. Choosing right now, in this moment, to live for Christ and asking for and accepting His gift of forgiveness for your mistakes and believing Him, gives you a new life. You can rejoice in the fact that you are a changed, new person. Can you commit your life into His capable, nail-scarred hands? Can you allow Jesus to heal the wounds of the past, whether they are self-inflicted or inflicted at the hands of someone else? Can you allow Jesus to come into your life and make you whole? Your new life will not be perfect. Don’t think of this as a miracle-cure or a cure that will happen in a moment in time. It may take many times of giving your hurts to the Lord, before you feel the pain recede. But, it can and will happen when you give it all to Him. Jesus told us that there will be times of trouble, but we needn’t be afraid because He is with us. When we give our lives to Him, we can call on Him anytime and He hears our prayers. One of my favorite promises is Hebrews 13:5, “…I will never leave you nor forsake you,” (NKJV). And He doesn’t. He is there in all ways, always. One important fact to realize is that our relationship with Him is active and living. It is not a one-sided deal where He gives and gives and we take and take. We need to spend time in His presence, speaking and listening for His still, small voice that speaks to our hearts. He may also use our circumstances and the Christian people around us, but rest assured He will speak. Don’t allow your past dictate your future. Everyone has “skeletons” in their closet – so to speak. Accept the promise of a new life in Jesus Christ, give your heart to Him, believe that He loves you and wants better for you than you can imagine, then commit your life to living for Him. Seek His will and direction for your life and live in His promises. He is waiting for you to call out to Him.

All Things for Our Benefit

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28 Do you believe this statement as recorded by Paul? Do you believe that God uses ALL things for our good? Do you also believe that whatever happens to you – good or bad – God has allowed? Everything that happens to us will be used by God for the purpose of our growth in Him, if we will let Him. Whatever the circumstance, whatever the occasion, He can use it to bring us closer to Him and to become more like Him. I have learned this truth over and over. Going to Ontario this summer, we were traveling on Route 9 through Maine. The van we were driving started shaking and making noise. My husband pulled off the road, onto a beautiful turning spot (that the Lord provided), and saw two lugs had broken off the front driver’s side tire. Looking back toward the road, he found both lugs on the ground in the space close to where we had parked. After tightening the remaining lugs, we ventured into Brewer and after much prayer and God’s hand leading us, we were repaired and once again on the road. Through all of it, I did have a moment or two of worry, but mostly a heart-cry to God asking, “What do you want us to learn from this, Lord?” When you are in the midst of a crisis or troubled time, do you cry out, “Why me?” or do you ask, “What do you want me to learn from this?” Believe me, I am far from perfect and I have far to go in my walk with Christ, but I am learning and growing through the circumstances of my life. One thing I know without a doubt is this: when I keep my eyes on Christ, viewing the problems through Him, I am much more at peace and my faith grows. When I see the problem first, fear takes over. Do you believe that God is in control and He truly wants what is best for you? Do you realize that He died for you and me, to pardon us from all our sins? Do you understand that the promises contained in the Bible are for anyone who will humble themselves before Him and ask for His forgiveness? Jesus loves you. He is waiting for you to say the word. Trust Him to know what is necessary in your life to make you more like Him. When times of trial come along, and they will, ask, “What do you want me to learn from this, Lord?” and quietly listen for His answer. Remember, He is in control and what He does is for our benefit.

Promises for All

From the first verse of Genesis to the last verse of Revelation, God’s promises are recorded. Each promise is there for whoever will chose Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Promises ranging from abilities to wisdom and everything in-between are covered in the pages of the Bible. The Bible is not just another “good” book. It is a life manual. All the questions we have, all the things we wonder and worry about will be answered when we prayerfully read the Scriptures and allow God to speak to our hearts. Not everything will be revealed to us at once. Each time I read Scripture, I am amazed at how it comes alive a bit more. Once you have read the Bible through once, don’t think it’s all over. Reading and rereading the Bible will help us learn more and grow deeper in relationship with Him. The most important relationship you will ever have is the one you share with Jesus Christ. Making time for Him in your day, each and every day, will bring benefits you can not imagine. What are you searching for? What is it that would fill you? Whatever your answer, you will find in the Scriptures. Are you looking for joy? I suggest Philippians. Peace? Try Psalm. Wisdom? Read Proverbs. Do you want to read about the miracles of Jesus? Read John. Whatever you want to find out, you can find it in the Bible. If you want to go deeper, I suggest a good study Bible and a concordance. We live in a society (especially in North America and the Western World) that has information right at your fingertips. When you find a passage of Scripture promising what you are searching for, memorize it. Take the time and effort to imprint that verse on your heart. The more we know God, the closer relationship we have with Him, and the more we love Him. It is easier to have faith in the One we love, than the one we do not know. Take some time and make it a priority to get to know Jesus intimately. Prayerfully read and study the Scriptures, taking extra time thinking and praying about the ones that “pop” off the page at you. Those are the ones God will use to speak directly to your heart. Make Him first in your life. Accept His gifts to you and use them. He loves you and is waiting for you.

Hope

Promises are something we do not take very seriously anymore. Watching T.V. we see advertisements promising miracle products one after another. We read promises for weight-loss and hair removal products that work wonders. If you are like me, you may believe that maybe this time, maybe this is the product that will work. Many times I have tried advertised products, and many times I have been disappointed.

There is hope though. The best-selling book of all times has the answer. Jesus Christ makes promises and keep them. He is the One we can look to and know that His promises will not fail. We can have faith in Him and everything He says. He is honest and trustworthy. He will always be there, unchanging and approachable. He promises us in the Bible that we will have tribulation and trials, yet He will be near us. He explains that He is the same today, yesterday and forever. He also tells us that He will never leave us nor forsake us.

There are times in life when we feel all alone. There are circumstances that seem to be too heavy for us to bear. Taking time to focus on Jesus, remembering what He went through because He loves us will help get us through. Know His love is bigger than all the problems of this world and pray with an open heart to recieve His promises. If we will pray, seeking what He wants us to learn from each experience, we will draw nearer to Him and develop a closer and deeper relationship to Him. This is where we all need to be. In the center of His will, held close by the Master.