Ask GOD! Trust GOD!

Are you struggling to reach a stubborn child?

Watching your marriage crumble? 

Dealing with unfairness on your job? 

Out of work and can’t pay your bills? 

At the cross roads of a life-changing decision? 

Are you unable to sleep at night because you worry about how you can solve a very trying situation?

Here’s an idea…ask GOD!

Why ask GOD?

Ask GOD because He is your Father and your GOD, and He is waiting to hear from you. Not to chastise you, but to help you – to give counsel, to ease your burden, to relieve your anxiety, to give you peace so you get back to sleeping through the night again (Philippians 4:6-7; James 1:5).

Ask GOD because He told you to. He said to ask with boldness! Ask anything! Ask about everything! No need in your life is too minor or too great. GOD cares about it all. If it concerns you, it concerns Him. Ask because He is gracious in giving. GOD will never make you feel badly for being needy…that’s man’s way, not your Heavenly Father’s.  (Hebrews 4:16)

Ask GOD because He enjoys taking care of the total you. The LORD is your Shepherd (Psalm 23:1). Making sure all our needs are met is how GOD shows His love to all His creation (Psalm 104).

Ask GOD, your creator who does not act towards you with hidden motive. You may not trust your boss or your next door neighbor to act unselfishly on your behalf but you can trust GOD (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Why trust GOD?

You can trust GOD as a sincere and able helper simply because of His attributes – what makes Him GOD.

Sovereignty – GOD rules and reigns above all creatures in heaven and on earth. No one tells Him what to do, He does what pleases Him and no one can change His will. Everything and everyone belong to GOD and He cares for all He has made. (Psalm 135:6; Psalm 115:3).

Immutability – Being immutable means it is impossible for GOD to change in His person or His purpose for all time. Who GOD was in the beginning He is still. Deceit is not in GOD’s nature. GOD is unable to cheat and/or lie. (Numbers 23:19; James 1:17; Malachi 3:6).

Holiness – GOD’s has no moral failing, is pure in His thoughts and His will, and His actions reflect this. There is no hidden darkness or evil in GOD as in humans. When GOD swears to something in the Bible, He swears by Himself or His Holiness which are one and the same. GOD’s holiness is the reason JESUS died on the cross. GOD can’t look on our sin with pure eyes. (1 John 1:5; Hebrews 9:22; Habakkuk 1:13).

Faithfulness – Faithfulness is one of GOD’s perfections, the reverse is true of humans. He never forgets, never fails, never wavers, and never goes back on His word. GOD has a flawless faithfulness track record with His people, the proof is in His WORD. He is faithful that promised. Hebrews 10:23. GOD’s faithfulness is total. He holds back nothing that is good for us, even His SON. (Psalm 36:5; Galatians 4:4; Psalm 119:138; John 3:16).

   

Goodness – GOD is good by His very nature. His goodness does not depend on anything to be real as ours does. Human beings have no goodness without GOD. GOD’s goodness is eternal. Like Him it has no beginning and no end. GOD is good, so He does good (Psalm 16:2; Psalm 119:68; Psalm 145:9).

GOD simply does as He is but unlike humans His perfections are what make GOD a trusted ally in times of doubt and trouble. These separate Him from the rest of us to make Him totally trustworthy.

Are you in trouble?

Talk to your GOD. He is available and He's able.

God, our God... Psalm 67:6

Prayer and Thanksgiving: Holy Father and our GOD. Trouble is never far but our Father is always near. Teach us to trust your sovereignty, holiness, goodness and faithfulness and to have confidence in your unchanging hand for all eternity. Remind us that YOU care about all that trouble and burden our souls; that YOU know all things, own all things and that all creation is under your control. YOU have been our help in ages past and will be our hope for years to come. In YOU we have perfect peace and restful nights. Thank you for being our constant source of comfort and strength. Thank you for being the GREAT I AM! We love you. To you, Father, be dominion and power for ever and ever. We pray and ask all in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Always by God’s Word and prayer,

Cecile

Called to Praise

Praise the LORD, all nations! Glorify Him, all peoples! For His faithful love to us is great; the LORD’s faithfulness endures forever. Hallelujah! Psalm 117 (HCSBC)

These two verses make up the shortest Psalm in the Book of Psalm. Psalm 117 is also a direct call to all nations and all peoples to, “Praise the LORD!”

Why is this important?

In Old Testament times GOD chose the Nation of Israel as His own special people to praise and worship Him. (Exodus 23:25)

Then came the New Testament covenant that brought the gentile nations into the family of GOD. "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation.” Mark 16:16. CHRIST’s atoning blood made it possible for all who were “afar off” to receive salvation and the Holy Spirit.

For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” Acts 2:38-39

This call to praise goes out to the millions of sinners once bound for certain hell who are now rescued by GOD’s abundant grace.

You can now join the ancient people in worship to GOD for all eternity.

Praise the LORD for the unsearchable riches of His gospel grace to you in JESUS your LORD. Ephesians 3:8-11

Glorify Him who chose you in CHRIST, before He even created the world, to be holy and without fault in His sight. Ephesians 1:4

His faithful love to us is great in that while you were still sinners the Father sent His SON to die for you! Romans 5:8

The LORD’s faithfulness endures forever to those who are in CHRIST. No amount of unfaithful acts on your part, great or small, can change the Father’s heart and promises towards you. Romans 8:38-39

The chosen of GOD has but a single obligation in life, to glorify the Father who is in Heaven for all eternity.

Your eternity starts today!

I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. Jeremiah 29:11 (MSG).

Prayer and Thanksgiving: Our Holy Father in Heaven. We thank YOU for choosing us before time to receive grace to bring us into YOUR family and making us YOUR holy people and a royal nation. Teach us to obey YOUR command to praise YOU only as the one true and faithful GOD. Thank YOU for the eternal hope we have in CHRIST JESUS and the Holy Spirit to keep us to remain sincere in our worship. Remind us that YOURS alone is the love that will endure to save us completely for all eternity. All power and all glory we give unto YOU for ever and ever. We pray and ask all things in the precious Name of JESUS CHRIST our LORD. Amen!

Always by God’s Word and prayer,

Cecile

When a Barrier Becomes a Blessing

A BAD thing happened!

For months I tried to plan a lunch date with an old friend and finally we had a date set for a Friday at 12:30. We both were looking forward to getting together. 

But it wasn't to be!

At noon on “D” day I left the house for the restaurant with 15 minutes of extra drive time. It was not unheard of to have a traffic delay in the middle of the day for road repair, etc. and I didn’t want to be late.

 As I walked to where I park my car in the community lot, I saw from a distance that something was very out of place. A huge rock sat where the rear wheel on the driver’s side of my car should have been. This improvised car-jack had obviously been used to lift the car off the ground and remove the wheel. Stolen!

My first reaction was shock and disbelief. Then I was angry. I had looked forward to this day for so long and it was not going to be.

Lunch was unceremoniously cancelled!

First I broke the news to my friend! Then I spent the afternoon making telephone calls to the local police and the car insurance and tow truck companies. It took me hours to prove that I was the victim of a crime but ten minutes or less for the thief to do the crime!  

Eventually I reached all the right people and got the approvals for repairs and a rental.  

The events I describe above in no way resemble what I had in mind when I got out of bed that Friday morning.

But here’s what I want to focus on as a child of GOD—that day’s events were upsetting but the day was not wasted!

A GOD thing came out of it!

When I got over the initial shock of the theft and my legs would carry me again, I went back into the house, fell to my knees and cried. I poured all of my frustration out to GOD. I felt so wronged!  My property was taken from me, as well as the longed for time with my friend.

GOD let me wail and carry on, for a bit. Then He quieted me down and gave me peace to properly pray His will.

I prayed for strength and favor to do all that I needed to do.

I prayed for patience and to remain calm during the long wait for the local police to respond; and the tow truck to show up; and the insurance people to do what they do.

I prayed silently as the “good Samaritan” who came to my aid struggled to get the spare tire on the car. He was helping me so I could drive to the repair shop and not wait in the heat for the long-promised tow truck that hadn’t arrived.

When we realized that the nuts to hold the tire in place were on the stolen wheel, I prayed for the misguided and lost soul who was the cause of these problems. I prayed that GOD would save him so he becomes a giver to society not a taker, and have a life that’s whole and productive.

My plan for that day was to eat a meal and chat with a friend. GOD’s plan for me that day was to spend quality time in fellowship with Him!

I talked to GOD more that day than I would on any regular day and I could feel His presence with me the entire time.

By 5:00 pm I was settled with a rental car and on my way home. I was hungry and tired, but above all, I was at peace. All the way home I thanked GOD for His grace and mercy. At the end of the day I felt closer to GOD than I had for a long time and wanted only to praise and worship Him.

The facts of the day hadn’t changed. The wheel was lost as was the long awaited lunch date. But my joy was intact!

The take away here is, regardless of the troubles that come our way, we gain much more than we lose when we come under our Father’s care.

The fact that the Sovereign GOD of the universe longs to be with us and care for us make us winners every time!

 ”He is our GOD. We are the people He watches over, the flock under His care.”  Psalm 95:7

Prayer and Thanksgiving: Our Father Who reigns in Heaven, praise be to your Holy Name! Thank YOU for being our Shepherd. In YOUR tender care we flourish even when our situations seem grim. YOU comfort us when and replace our worry and anxiety with a beautiful crown of peace and YOU cause our cup to run over with joy. We are learn to trust YOU more with every experience, to not rely on our own feeble understanding, to allow YOU to guide our paths. We are YOUR people and the sheep of YOUR pasture. All power and all glory we give unto YOU for ever and ever. We pray and ask all things in the precious Name of Jesus Christ our LORD. Amen!

Always by God’s Word and prayer,

Cecile

T-R-I-A-L-S Are Good for You

 

Trials will come because we live in a world that’s broken. Though they are painful to go through, trials lived biblically will bring you closer to GOD.

Here’s how T-R-I-A-L-S work for your good.

T – Thank GOD (1 Thessalonians 5:18). It is the will of GOD that His children give thanks at all times. Saying thanks in the midst of a trial is to own the fact that GOD is good and His promises are true. You are not thanking GOD for the pain and distress but because He does and will work everything out for your good. Your thanksgiving says that you agree that GOD is Sovereign over all things in your life and you trust His plan for you (Psalm 28:7; Proverbs 3:19).

R – Rest in GOD (Psalm 23; 62). David wrote Psalm 62 during one of the worst times of his life. He had been criticized, lied on and betrayed by people he trusted. Yet David was able to say, “I am at rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him” (verse 1). David put his hope in GOD not man. He allowed GOD to be his place of rest and his strength while he waited for divine rescue. GOD gave His own SON to rescue you from eternity in hell. Rest in knowing that His will is to keep you safe for eternity (Romans 8:32-39; Matthew 11:28).

I – Imitate CHRIST in your suffering (Philippians 2:5-8). CHRIST gave up His right to His throne in heaven to become a man who suffered and died to save the world. He never complained about what He left behind, or the shame He endured, or dying on the cross. He did it all with quiet dignity and obedience to the Father. You represent CHRIST in the world. Let the world see CHRIST in you when you endure trials without complaint (James 1:2-4). 

A – Ask for wisdom (James 1:5). In trials GOD should be your first resort. But too often we seek wisdom in other places first and turn to GOD only when everything else fails. GOD’s WORD says you should ask Him for wisdom. “Ask” here means request, plead for, call for, and even demand. The word context says this is urgent. GOD promises to honor your “ask” by giving as much wisdom as you need, and with grace. GOD wants you to come to Him first with your most urgent needs.

     

L – Love and pray for those who are mistreating you. (Matthew 5:44) One Bible commentary calls this type of love the “love of benevolence.” GOD does not ask that you agree with behavior that is the cause of your suffering. You can hate a person’s conduct yet still wish them well. That person may need your kindness more than your anger and disgust. Speak kindly of them to others and to them. GOD tells us never to pay back “evil for evil or insult for insult but, on the contrary, giving a blessing, since you were called for this, so that you can inherit a blessing.” 1 Peter 3:9.

S – Speak only TRUTH and LIFE (Ephesians 6:14-17). Know that Satan is the real enemy and his attacks are worse when we are at our lowest. Satan tempted JESUS when He was weak and hungry, right after His 40-day fast. But JESUS used GOD’s WORD against every attack and the devil had to give up and leave Him. Scripture defines the WORD as the sword of the Spirit. It is a weapon that never fails. Read it daily to keep out the negative thoughts Satan will plant in your mind to make you doubt GOD’s TRUTH and His promises. The WORD brings to life in our hearts situations that may appear dead to others – it gives us hope.

In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. 1 Peter 5:10

Trials are tough to go through but invite GOD into them with you and He will never let your trials crush you. Instead, your trials will show you GOD’s love in a whole new way. You will know the length and width, height and depth of it (Ephesians 3:18-19). Our trials give us a glimpse into what the future eternal Kingdom with the Father and SON will be like.

When you walk through a trial with GOD at every step, then you can say – “I had heard rumors about YOU, but now my eyes have seen YOU.” Job 42:5

Prayer and Thanksgiving: Holy Father, we give honor and praise to YOU and we thank YOU for teaching us to rejoice in our trials and for YOUR WORD that helps us through our trials to produce all the fruit of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Thank YOU for pouring on YOUR indescribable love while we are in our trials to give us a glimpse of the glory that is our eternal future. Help us to rest with confidence in that love that endures forever and will never fail. To YOU belong all dominion and all power and all glory for ever and ever. We pray and ask all things in the precious Name of Jesus Christ our LORD. Amen!

Always by God’s Word and prayer,

Cecile