November 29 2018

What Did the Lord Say?

On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.”
Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” Mark 4:35-40

Jesus spoke to the disciples and said, 
“Let us cross over to the other side.”  
He knew where they were going.  
He knew the plan.  
But part way across the storm came up and the disciples were afraid that they would perish.  
Jesus was sleeping.   
They woke Him up, 
“Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”  
Jesus got up, rebuked the storm and then asked them why they had been so fearful, where was their faith?  
Jesus had told them they were going to the other side and yet, half way across, they panicked when they saw the storm.  
We are so much like the disciples.  
We hear the voice of God telling us where we are going and yet, half way through when the storm clouds gather, we begin to panic!  
What did the Lord say? 
If the Lord said we are going to the other side, then we need to trust that He knows the plan.  
We need to keep our eyes on Him and not on the storm.  
If Jesus said we are going across, then no storm is going to stop us from crossing over.  
What did the Lord say?

November 29 2018

ALL Things

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

Everything that happens is not good.  
Everything that happens is not welcome.  
So it is hard to imagine that God can bring all things together for good.  
The Word doesn’t say that all things are good, only that God has the ability and desire to bring all things, the good, the bad and the ugly, together in our lives, in a way that turns out for our good.
I know it may be hard to understand.  
It may be hard to believe.  
But at the end of the day I choose to believe the Word of God over what I see in my circumstances. And because of that I have hope and peace, despite what I’m going through.  
What will you believe today?

November 28 2018

Be Encouraged

I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the LORD
In the land of the living.
Wait on the LORD;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the LORD!
Psalm 27:13-14
There are days when everything seems to be going sideways, nothing that was planned goes as planned, and the things you haven’t planned for, present themselves.  
That is part of life.  But we have a good God, a good Father, a Father we can go to for encouragement when we get discouraged.  
The Psalmist talks about not losing heart because he knows the goodness of the Lord.  
He reminds us to be encouraged, and to wait on the Lord. 
Are things going sideways in your life today?  
Even this morning?  
Take some time 
(I know you don’t have a lot of it, but it will be well worth it),
 sit and wait on the Lord.  
Hear His sweet voice of encouragement and love for you.  
Be strengthened in your heart.  
Now you will have the courage to face those things that are going in every direction.  
Be encouraged today!