Easier said than done

Searching in my files this past week for needed information I came across an old study with a one-month calendar having verses about trusting GOD for each day.  Then I received an old message by Charles Stanley in the mail on trusting GOD.  Plus, several verses speaking of trust came up in my daily reading.

GOD is faithful, HE knew the various situations that were to come to me and those I love, and HE was reminding me that HE was there for us all I needed to do was to trust HIM.

Isaiah 26:³ YOU will keep in perfect peace, the mind that’s stayed on thee: because he trusts in thee.

⁴ Trust ye in the Lord forever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength. (That is one of my favorite trust text because it has been put to music and I can sing it aloud against any of the accusations the enemy might bring back to my mind).

The LORD says to come to HIM about everything (Proverbs 3:5-7).  We are commanded not to be anxious and worried.  So, to be anxious and worried is SIN.  But seriously we can’t handle it on our own.

In order to get rid of our anxiety the LORD instructs us to pour out everything that concerns us to HIM (not everybody else), thanking HIM that HE is there for us and can and will work on our behalf in the situation.  Our GOD who cannot lie (Titus 1:2) promises us that if we give our requests to HIM with thanksgiving in exchange HE will cover us with HIS peace that will throw us beyond having to understand (Philippians 4:6-7).

Have you ever obeyed those instructions and had peace for a moment but then all of a sudden all the concerns rush back into your mind making you more upset than before?

That is because we didn’t read far enough so didn’t follow the instructions fully.  For in Philippians 4:8 we are instructed that in order to walk in (keep) that peace we must redirect our thoughts to that which is positive (Philippians 4:8).

Philippians 4:⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, present your requests to GOD with thanksgiving. ⁷ And the peace of GOD, which surpasses/transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in CHRIST JESUS. ⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

I know, I know our enemy will feed those fears and frustrations back to us.  He does to me, and I don’t think I am unique.  When that happens we are to use the sword of the SPIRIT, which is the word of GOD (Ephesians 6:17) and say aloud to our enemy (just as JESUS did) It is written…GOD told me to give HIM this problem and said HE would take care of it.  So, I don’t need to worry about it. In doing that I am handing the problems back to GOD.

Warning:  The HOLY SPIRIT moved James (2 Peter 1:21) to warn us in James 1 that if we come to GOD and ask HIM we must come willing to believe HE knows best in how to handle it.  If we come only to have HIM do things our way we are not to expect anything from HIM (James 1:6-7).

It is so good to hand over all these surmounting problems to HIM who loves me and sent HIS only SON to die for my sin that I might be forgiven and become HIS child (John 3:16, 1:12-13).  Knowing that HE gave the best for me (Romans 8:32) assures me that now HE is working through the struggles I’m facing to achieve an end result of good for us who love HIM because HE 1^st loved us (2 Corinthians 4:15-18, Romans 8:28-29).

It is easier to say, “Trust GOD” than to do it.  Like any skill it takes practice but trusting GOD sure pays dividends and pleases GOD!

Hugs

Sharon

Have you?

Sometimes when people are struggling with this or that, they get really annoyed with me when, trying to help, I ask, “Have you asked the LORD?”

Have you ever wondered WHY when GOD told someone HE will do something, many- like Moses (Exodus 33:14-15) and King David (2 Samuel 7:16, 25-29), turn right around and then pray to GOD and ask GOD to do that very thing HE had just promised to do?

Ezekiel explains it this way, Ezekiel 36:³⁶…For I, the Lord, have promised it, and I will do it. ³⁷ The Lord God says: “I am ready to hear Israel’s prayers for these blessings and to grant them their requests. Let them but ask…” (Living Bible).

Take for example the Promise GOD gives in Psalm 121:8 “The LORD shall preserve your going out and coming in (traveling around).

That Hebrew word translated preserve means to keep, tend, watch over, guard, protect and take care of.

That promise in Psalm 121:8 is why we pray for traveling mercies.

Have you asked the LORD something according to HIS word?  Then wait and look to see how HE will answer you.

Psalm 123:2 “…Our eyes wait upon the LORD our GOD, until HE has mercy on us.

So, call unto the LORD!

Hugs

Sharon

What do you fear?

Some people seem to FEAR many things and in these trying times FEAR attacks each of us. 

So, what should we do?

“YOU will keep in perfect peace the mind that stayed (focused) on YOU because he trusts in YOU. Trust in the LORD forever, for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength” (Isaiah 26:3-4). 

“For the Lord spoke thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying, “Say not, A conspiracy!, to all them to whom this people shall say, A conspiracy!; neither FEAR what they FEAR, nor be AFRAID.  Sanctify the LORD of hosts HIMSELF; and let HIM be your FEAR and let HIM be your dread (not wanting HIS displeasure).  And HE shall be for you a sanctuary;” (Isaiah 8:11-14a).

The FEAR of the LORD is the beginning both of wisdom and understanding (Psalm 111:10, Proverbs 9:10).  As you focus on the LORD you learn to TRUST HIM (HIS love, control and wisdom) and you have peace. The spirit of FEAR (FEAR of anything other than GOD) cannot cohabit with peace for “There is no FEAR in love; but perfect love casts out FEAR because FEAR hath torment. He that FEARS is not made perfect in love. (1 John 4:18).

As Oswald Chambers said, “The remarkable thing about FEARING GOD is that when you FEAR GOD you FEAR nothing else, whereas if you do not FEAR (trust) GOD you FEAR everything else.”

“Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that FEARS the LORD, that delights greatly in HIS commandments. Psalm 112:1

Who or what do you FEAR, or should I say trust in?

Hugs

Sharon

Depend on the LORD

Today wanting to get through all the names of the genealogies, I read the 1st 9 chapters of 1 Chronicles. Hidden in the genealogies are some fascinating stories. There was Peleg born when the earth was divided-perhaps at the tower of Babel (1:19); Achar who brought trouble to the Jews because he took forbidden loot after a battle (2:7); Jabez who was more honorable than his brothers and prayed to the LORD and the LORD answered (4:9-10); Rueben’s actions lost him his birthright of a double portion inheritance to one brother and the honor of being in the line of the Messiah to another (5:1-2); it tells of brave warriors who became unfaithful to GOD by being seduced into worshiping the idols of the peoples they conquered (5:24-25).

Warnings for us are in these stories, but also direction.

Three Jewish tribes won a battle because GOD helped them and handed the enemy over to them in the midst of the chaos for they cried out to the LORD, they trusted HIM for they knew the battle belonged to the LORD (5:18-22).

Do you, do I depend on the LORD when things get scary?

“If we are to gaze into the face of God, we must look beyond our present circumstances.” AW Tozer.

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear (Psalm 46:1-2) even the coronavirus.

Hugs
Sharon