Dear Precious Friends,
On this TGIFF, (Thank God I'm Forgiven Friday) I pray you are embracing the gift of this day knowing God has each of us here for a purpose and He knew we would be here for such a time as this. As Christians, we are to armor up and share God's truth of Jesus with all we come in contact with. We want no one left behind when He returns and none of us knows our last day on this earth. What we do know... He has given us His word for every circumstance we come up against, He loves us so much He died for us to have salvation, healing and freedom. He left us a specific job description and the reason we are still here is because we have more kingdom work to do. We are here to make a difference on behalf of God that lasts an eternity. Only one life twill soon be past, only what's done for Christ will last.
This is how we measure our true "success" as Christians by what we do each day for furthering God's kingdom.
My friends, Our brothers and sisters in Afghanistan & our military need our prayers more than ever. I will be posting an update of what is happening and how we can help shortly.
Where do we go when crying out to the Lord? We go to Him, to His word for the way, the truth and the life. When we know the truth, the truth sets of free of bondage, oppression, worry, and helps us in the storms of life. We are either in a storm, coming out of a storm or getting ready for a storm. Jesus reminds us in John 16:33 "In this world you will have trouble, but TAKE HEART, I HAVE OVERCOME the world." He also reminds us no matter what we walk through, HE WILL NEVER LEAVE US OR FORSAKE US.
Psalm 28 is our go to Bible teaching and reminder for today. Let's explore what was happening:
Like many of the psalms, Psalm 28 is a prayer for deliverance. David is facing challenging times, and he brings it before God. But, as he usually does, David ends with a note of trust and commitment to God. And, as he frequently does, David’s hope is at least partially expressed in military terms.
David was a warrior. And he understood the importance of both strength and defensive protection. God gave David the strength to endure and be victorious over those who opposed him. And God was also his shield, protecting him from those who opposed him.
David put his trust in the Lord. And his trust was deep seated. With all that he was, David trusted God. And his trust was rewarded. God helped him through all of the challenges he faced.
As I write this, our world is in turmoil. Covid, Terrorism, Natural disasters, Disease, conflict, and unrest abound. The enemies we face in the Unites Sates are generally not attacking us with swords and spears, although the attacks may cause physical, emotional, or economic damage. And we may feel helpless in the face of the onslaught.
But David’s words are true for each of us. For those who trust in the Lord, He will provide the strength to overcome. And He will protect us from the evil one and his followers.
He is our refuge. God provides safety. We take shelter in our relationship with Him (Proverbs 18:10).
He is our strength. God gives us the power we need to endure hardship as we serve Him, fight spiritual battles, resist temptation, and bear up under persecution. We are weak, but He is strong 2 Corinthians 12:10).
He is an ever-present help in trouble. God is at hand. He is not far away from us but nearby to assist us in the tasks He has assigned (Psalm 145:18).
There is no guarantee that we will not suffer in this world. But if we trust in Him, we can rest assured that whatever happens, He will protect us and give us the strength to endure.
And that, in the end, He will bring us to himself. Yes my friends, we are assured of eternal life with Him... He has prepared a place for us in Heaven and we can't fathom on this earth this true promise. Until then, armor up and be prepared for the battles we face and as 2 Cor 12:10 reminds us He gives us His strength to walk through these troubled times, He fights our spiritual battles and helps us resist temptation. WHEN WE ARE WEAK HE IS STRONG. 2 Cor 12:10... He is our strength and it is He who carries us.
Have a beautiful Thank God I'm Forgiven Friday, knowing the truth of who Jesus is, dwelling in His presence which equals fullness of joy despite circumstances.
Love you all.
AMEN
