What to Do When You’re Tempted to Reject Your Faith in God

Where do you take your questions and doubts when you're tempted to reject your faith? Here's a closer look at the best place to go with questions about God. #Faith #Doubt #BibleStudy #Blessings

Every once in a while there will be a headline that broadcasts the news of a famous Christian who has walked away from their faith.

And I wonder if that isn’t a major goal of the enemy of our souls. Famous or not the enemy wants people to doubt and reject their faith in God.

So he taunts and tempts us with messages like…

“There can’t be a God because a loving God wouldn’t let this to happen to me.”
“There can’t be a God because – I can’t believe in a God who would allow all of this suffering.”
“There can’t be a God or people who claimed to follow Him wouldn’t be such hypocrites.”
“There can’t be a God because __________”

The enemy uses culture, social justice, and politics as a more appealing “religion” than the truth about Jesus.

And the persecution of believers is a real and harsh truth in many places around the world.

So the writer of this letter to the Jewish believers, who were dealing with people being tempted to reject their faith, wrote:

Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God.
Hebrews 3:12–13

In the face of questions, doubt, discouragement, persecution, and culture . . . we must lift each other up in prayer and stand together so that we might encourage one another to cling to the One who begins and perfects our faith. (Hebrews 12:2)

Why? Because…

If we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ.
Hebrews 3:14

That’s the faith and hope found in the blessing of God’s love.

A Prayer for Faith and Hope When
the Enemy Tempts You to Reject Our Faith in God’s Love

Father, the enemy constantly tempts and taunts us to question Your goodness and doubt Your love. It’s really nothing new . . . he’s been doing it since the Garden. Yet, it’s still hard. But You know that. Your Son withstood a full assault of the enemy’s efforts and still remained perfect and without sin all so He could show us Your love by suffering our punishment. By suffering my punishment.

Please forgive me for allowing myself to listen to the temptings of the world around me. Forgive me for allowing busyness and the louder voices to distract me. Forgive me for failing to keep my eyes on Jesus the One who is my source of hope and life.

Please help me, Father. Empower me with Your Spirit that I might cling to You in faith. Help me fight my spiritual battles equipped with Your Truth, covered by Your righteousness, filled with Your peace, and armed with Your Word. Give me a heart for prayer that I might sit with You and know Your heart. And bless me with a community of faith that stands together on the Good News of Your grace, mercy, and love. A fellowship that holds each other accountable to Your will and makes loving You and living for Your glory the goal of their hearts. I thank you and praise You. And come to You in the name of Jesus. Amen.

When I was a little girl, our pastor made it really clear that it was okay to have questions about God as long as we knew where to take them.

I’m so thankful for His encouragement. Because when I have questions and doubts, I want to know the truth. I don’t want someone’s ideas and opinions. I don’t want to hear from those who have rejected their faith. I want the unchanging everlasting gospel truth.

And I’ve found that in Jesus.

When I look at the men who were closest to Him. Men who were riddled with questions and doubts, who fled when he was arrested and hid when He was crucified. Men who following His resurrection and being filled by His Spirit boldly proclaimed:

“Let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!”
Acts 2:36

So, I take my questions to God’s Word and I take to heart the words of those who walked with Jesus. And I take my doubts to the Lord in prayer and I trust His Spirit to fill me with faith and hope.

He is the One who helps me fight the enemy.

On today’s note write:

I will run to Jesus when the enemy tempts me to reject my faith.

May God be with you today as you go to Him with Your questions and SEEK His lasting TRUTH.

Click here to read the rest of Hebrews 3.

Thank you so much for joining me today.

And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

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How Knowing Money is NOT the Root of All Evil will Help You

10 / 4 / 219 / 6 / 21

Money is not the root of all evil. But your attitude about your money will have a huge impact on your life. Find out how to enjoy contentment and fulfillment. #Money #Contentment #Satisfaction #Blessings

“Money is the root of all evil.”

Right?

That expression has become so common you can find it in the Dictionary under Idioms.

Here’s what it says:

“Money, or, more specifically, the desire to obtain and amass it, is the ultimate reason humans do evil things to one another.”

It’s not money itself that is the source or root of evil.

That idiom leaves out one very important word from Paul’s letter to Timothy…

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.
1 Timothy 6:10a

Money is neutral—neither inherently good nor evil. After all, it can do great good. It can put a roof over someone’s head, provide food and other essentials. It can be used to care for an impoverished family, provide clean water for a community, and get nutrition and medical care to those without.

However, the desire for and the accumulation of money can become an obsession.

Read what Paul wrote just before:

People who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.
1 Timothy 6:9

And he finishes the phrase about money with this:

Some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.
1 Timothy 6:10b

So, what should our attitude be about money and wealth?

True godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.
1 Timothy 6–8

Whether we are wealthy or not . . . we can trust God to give us something to do and provide for our needs.

Money is temporary. But faith, hope, and love . . . the gifts of God that give us peace, contentment, and joy—those things last forever and ever and always.

A Prayer to Trust God and Resist the Root of Evil

Father, I thank and praise You for who You are and for all You’ve done for me. I love You and I want to honor You with my life. Please forgive me for allowing myself to be distracted by the things the world calls important. So much of our culture seems to admire those who possess more while looking down on those who don’t. We foolishly put more value on how things appear than how they really are. And we fail to remember that everything in this life is a gift from Your hand . . . the air we breathe, the food we eat, the knowledge we hold, and the jobs we do. You give us our talents, gifts, and abilities. And every day of our lives is a gift from You.

I devote myself to You. All that I am and all that I have. Please help me to use everything You have given for Your honor and glory. Please help me trust You to guide me each day. Please help me to work hard to do my best . . . to use my time, my abilities, and my money remembering that they have all been entrusted to me by Your loving hand.

Please help me resist the temptation to love money. Help me realize the joy of contentment found in living rooted in Your love. Help me stand on Your promises, obey Your will, and follow where You lead. Please give me an eternal perspective that remembers this is not my home . . . I am just passing through. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Just to close today, here are a few quotes about our attitudes and money:

“Sixteen of the thirty-eight parables of Jesus deal with money. One out of ten verses in the New Testament deals with that subject. Scripture offers about five hundred verses on prayer, fewer than five hundred on faith, and over two thousand on money. The believer’s attitude toward money and possessions is determinative.” ~ John MacArthur

“If a person gets his attitude toward money straight, it will help straighten out almost every other area in his life.” ~ Rev. Billy Graham

Do good with your money, or it will do you no good. There is no power in it of itself to do real good to you. It may even do you evil; but, if used for God and his cause, and the poor, it will bless yourself.” ~ Charles Spurgeon

On today’s note write:

Money may not be the root of all evil but the love of money will hurt my soul.

May God bless you today with the contentment found in the wealth of knowing and living for Him.

Click here to read the rest of 1 Timothy 6.

Thank you so much for joining me today.

And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

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How You Can Turn Your Worry Into Peace and Happiness Today

9 / 8 / 219 / 8 / 21

There are so many things to worry about but you don't have to live with anxiety. With God's help, you can turn your worry into peace and happiness. #Don'tworry #Prayer #Blessings #BibleStudy

What if you could stop worrying? How much more peace and happiness would you enjoy if you could replace your negative thoughts with positive ones?

I know, you’re probably thinking . . . “that would be awesome but how in the world am I supposed to make that happen?!”

Remember as you read the following, that Paul wrote it from a prison cell.

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6–7

This is not a simple cliché like “don’t worry, be happy!” It is not the “power of positive thinking!”

This is your personal invitation to quickly take every worry to God.

I am a former chronic worrier. So, I imagine you’re thinking—I do that! I take it to God in prayer but then I take it back again as soon as I’m done.

Yep, I know what it’s like to cry out to God in prayer and spend the day worrying.

My problem was I was forgetting an important part of the verse. I would pray but I would fail to remember all that He had done for me in the past. I failed to “thank Him for all he has done.”

You see when I remember God’s past blessings . . . I believe He is able to help me with my current problems. When I remember what He has done in the past . . . I trust Him with the future. And when I believe and trust in Him . . . I have peace that exceeds anything I can understand!

So, going back to getting rid of those negative thoughts.

The truth is, we’re always going to think about something. So in the next verse, Paul tells us what to think about…

Now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
Philippians 4:8

I’m not very good at that on my own but with the Spirit’s help, I can replace the junk in my head with memories of past blessings and promises of a hope-filled future. I can live with peace and happiness.

A Prayer to Turn My Worry into Peace and Happiness

Father, I am so prone to worry. Please forgive me. I know You want me to enjoy peace and happiness. I want that too! I feel so foolish about my worrying. Most of the time I’m worried about things I can’t control and things that never happen. It is such a waste of time and it robs me of enjoying my life today.

Please help me take the things that concern me and bring them to You in prayer. Thank you for Jesus’ promise to help me carry my burdens. (Matthew 11:28) Thank you for Your promise to “renew my strength. (Isaiah 40:31) Thank you for promising to “always be with me and help me.” (Isaiah 41:10) Thank you for all the ways You have blessed me and helped me in the past. Thank you for comforting me when life was hard. (Psalm 94:19) Thank you for promising that nothing can separate me from Your love. (Romans 8:38–39) Thank you for promising to take my anxiety and replace it with peace. (1 Peter 5:7)

Father, I bring my worries to You. By the power of Your Spirit, please replace them with thoughts that are true and lovely and excellent and praiseworthy. Please help me count my blessings and remember Your promises. I ask this all in the name of Your Son, Jesus. Amen.

I told you I’m a former chronic worrier.

Of course, I still have problems and I still have things that concern me. But by God’s grace, I’m getting better and taking them to Him in prayer, remembering all that He has done for me in the past, and holding on to His promises for today and tomorrow and well into the future.

And you know what?

I’m having so much more fun! I’m living with more peace and happiness. And that is just a better way to live.

On today’s note write:

I will take my worries to God and trust Him to help me enjoy peace and happiness.

May God bless you today and give you everything you need to let go of worry and pray about everything.

Click here to read the rest of Philippians 4.

Thank you so much for joining me today.

And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

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How You Can Become a “Living Sacrifice” in Response to God’s Love

7 / 1 / 217 / 1 / 21

The Bible is full of the truth of God's love and it adds that the response He wants is that anyone who follows Him become a "living sacrifice" through faith. #TrustGod #God'sWill #BibleStudy #Blessings

God loves you!

He really loves you!

Not a “love ya” at the end of a note or an email but deep lasting involved love that cares about every aspect of your life.

The Lord’s love for you and me is so much more than warm fuzzy feelings. He loves us completely. God sent His Son who willingly died an excruciatingly painful death to suffer the punishment for our sins. And when He rose again, He sealed our victory so that through faith, we can have His power for everyday living and the sure promise of life with Him eternally.

Paul emphasizes those truths throughout the first eleven chapters of Romans.

Now, through the last five chapters, he will present what that means for you and me. Our response to God’s immeasurable love.

Romans 12 in The Message begins with these words:

So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
Romans 12:1–2 (MSG)

Other translations say it like this:

Present your bodies as a living sacrifice.
Dedicate all of yourselves as a living sacrifice.
Offer yourselves as a sacrifice, living and set apart for God.
Give your bodies to God. Let them be a living sacrifice.
Surrender yourselves to God to be his sacred, living sacrifices.

What does it mean?

It means to make the conscious decision to, with God’s help, surrender our own desires and follow His will, offering Him our time, energy, and resources—trusting Him to guide us.

I know I can’t on my own but I also know that if God says that is what He wants for us . . . He is able to help us accomplish it.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:13(NKJV)

A Prayer to Become a “Living Sacrifice”

Father, You have given all for me. James wrote, “every good and perfect gift comes from God, our Father.” (James 1:17) And David wrote, “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.” (Psalm 37:4) Your love overwhelms me. I want to be the completely surrendered living sacrifice You want me to be. But I fall short of what I want to do and I definitely fall short of what You want me to do. Please forgive me and help me.

By the power of Your Spirit, please help me entrust every part of my life to You. My body, my mind, my emotions and my will. Every part of my life is a gift from You. You forgive and give. You watch over and guide. You proclaim and promise.

Please help me trust and love You with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. Help me SEEK You in ways that give You first place in my life. And help me follow Your will and obey Your commands. Help me be a living sacrifice. I believe Your plans and purposes for me are good and filled with hope.

I surrender this day to You, Lord. With Your help, I will follow where You guide and I will do Your will as You reveal it to me. Please strengthen me to trust and obey—that my life might glorify You alone. In the name of Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

We don’t want to sacrifice. The enemy uses the world’s voices to tell us we need to focus on and put ourselves first.
But God says when we put Him first and love Him most we will have everything we need.

I want that . . . don’t you!

On today’s note write:

With the Spirit’s help, I will give myself to God as a “living sacrifice.”

May God bless you today and give you everything you need to “take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life” and offer it to God.

Click here to read the rest of Romans 12.

Thank you so much for joining me today.

And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

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When You Need Humble Strength to Trust God

3 / 5 / 212 / 19 / 21

Mary was asked to accept the greatest act of obedience and she trusted God with humble strength to give her everything she needed to serve and obey Him. #BibleStudy #Faith #TrustGod #CountingMyBlessings #BlessingBloggers #WWGGG

Luke was a doctor, a Greek, and a Gentile believer in Christ. He was a SEEKer who wanted to know as much as he could about the person in whom he placed his faith.

He wrote:

Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write an accurate account for you, most honorable Theophilus, so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught.
Luke 1:3–4

The name Theophilus means “one who loves God.” Although Luke’s intended audience was most likely a Roman acquaintance who was also SEEKing. His words share the accurate account of eye-witnesses to the truth about Jesus.

I love this quote from the Life Application Bible Notes:

Christianity doesn’t say, “Close your eyes and believe,” but rather “Check it out for yourself.”

Be a lifelong SEEKer of TRUTH! God’s Truth!

It would have been amazing to sit down with Mary and hear her talk about her son, Jesus. Listening to her share her own experience as the mother of God’s Son.

Can you imagine sitting with her as she remembered the day the angel, Gabriel, visited her? To hear her admit that she was confused and disturbed by his appearance…

Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean.“Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.
Luke 1:29–31

I don’t know about Luke, but I’m most moved by her response to all she had been told…

“I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.”
Luke 1:38

She had no idea what all this would mean for her future but I think she had an idea that it wasn’t going to be easy. But God asked her to serve Him and in faith she humbly obeyed . . . trusting Him to give her the strength she would need.

Mary humbles me. I spent too much of my life afraid. I doubted God’s ability to face life’s problems and pain.

God’s favor didn’t keep her from either but He did bless her humble obedience by giving her the strength she needed throughout the journey.

A Prayer for Humble Strength to Trust God

Father, thank you for Mary’s beautiful example of humble strength. You asked her for one of the most significant acts of obedience and faith that You ever asked of anyone. She was poor and young without any special ability that we know of . . . yet You chose her. And she trusted You!

Please forgive me for the times I’ve been unwilling to obediently serve You when You have asked. Forgive me for doubting that You would give me the strength I need to fulfill Your will.

Please give me the willingness to humbly obey whatever you ask of me. And help me trust You faithfully to give me the strength I need one moment at a time. By Your grace, I pray that I might, like Mary, live my life to glorify You. Amen.

Humble strength does not come naturally to our human nature. We tend to think of humility as weakness and pride too often goes along with our human way of thinking about strength.

But God turns things upside down. And by His grace, humble strength comes of a spirit filled by His Spirit. A strong core of faith that trusts God to supply whatever is needed for whatever He asks.

On today’s note write:

God will give me humble strength to trust His will.

God bless you and give you all you need today to trust and obey His will.

Click here to read the rest of Luke 1.

Thank you so much for joining me today.

And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

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I’m so excited to tell you about my new book!

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How to Give All You Have and Have All You Need

2 / 26 / 212 / 8 / 21

It's hard to understand how when we give our all to God, He responds by giving us all we need but it is His promise and He is always faithful to His promises. #Faith #Hope #TrustGod #CountingMyBlessings #BlessingBloggers #WWGGG

I’m guilty!

I didn’t want to be guilty. I wanted to be all-in fully surrendered to God. I wanted to give Him my all but…

I was afraid.

Verses like: “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.” (John 16:33) and “Take up your cross and follow me.” (Mark 8:34) terrified me!

My faith has too often been too weak to trust God’s power to give me everything I needed if x, y, or z happened.

That’s why I’m humbled when I read about the widow in today’s reading.

A poor widow came and dropped in two small coins.

Jesus called His disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.”
Mark 12:42–44

I’m not sure this account in Mark 12 has as much to do with her giving as it has to do with her faith. She trusted God enough to give Him everything she had. She had no one to provide for her . . . no inheritance, pension, or social security. And yet, she gave God all she had “today” trusting Him to care for her “tomorrow.”

Jesus wanted the disciples to notice her commitment and faith!

He wants His followers (like you and me) to trust the “everything you need” part of Luke 12:31:

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and He will give you everything you need.

That’s why I write here at Counting My Blessings . . . by God’s grace, I believe this promise. God has proven to me, more times than I can count, that He does give us everything we need when we SEEK Him first, TRUST Him and take Him at His Word, and GIVE Him all our love . . . heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Because when you and I trust that He is who He says He is and that He has done and will continue to do what He says . . . fear is replaced with peace, joy, hope, and absolutely everything else we need.

Today, I believe you and I can give all we have to God trusting Him to give us all we need.

A Prayer to Give God All We Have
and Trust His Promises

Father, I believe You. Please forgive me for the times I’ve allowed doubt and fear to keep me from trusting You completely. Forgive me for ever holding onto anything too tightly because I was afraid that You were unable to give me what I needed each day.

Thank you for proving me wrong. Thank you for allowing me to go through problems and pain to learn that You are faithful to Your promises. Thank you for giving me exactly what I needed moment by moment and proving to me that Your grace is always sufficient for my needs right now.

Father, I give You my all. I surrender my hopes and dreams, my wants and needs, my loved ones and those who have hurt me. I give You my heart, my soul, my mind, and my strength. Please give me a hunger and thirst for Your Word. Guide me. Fill me. Teach me. Strengthen me. And use me for Your glory. I trust You, Lord, to give me everything I need today. I thank you and praise You. Amen.

On today’s note write:

Lord, I give You all I have and trust You to give me all I need!

And then say it out loud again and again and again and again.

God bless you as you give yourself to God today.

Thank you so much for joining me today.

And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

Subscribe to Blog via Email

You can also…

Leave your prayer requests…

and stop to pray one or two of the requests listed.

I’m so excited to tell you about my new book!

Check out our new Facebook Page/Group – #WWGGG – What Would Give God Glory. We’d love for you to join the movement!

And always remember – I LOVE hearing from you! So, please take a minute to say ‘hi’ by leaving a comment.

If this article blessed or helped you today — would you share it with someone? Send it to a friend, family member, coworker, or share it through the links below…

I’m asking God to bless you today!

When You Need to Know that for God Anything is Possible

10 / 5 / 2010 / 5 / 20

Whatever you are praying for, no matter how long the wait . . . God keeps His anything is possible promises. He is true to His Word! #Faith #GodKeepsHisPromises #BibleTruth #Prayer #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG

It seems that so many of the people I talk with lately are overwhelmed with feelings of frustration and discouragement. They feel like they’ve been praying for months or longer and their waiting never seems to end. And that’s just addressing the current year’s problems.

Many of us have things we’ve prayed about for years and years wondering when or if we will ever receive a positive answer to our pleas.

Typically, I can persistently pray with an “it is what it is” attitude . . . which is my way to trying to cope as I tell myself I’m trying to be patient. But other times, my waiting overwhelms me and I wonder if I should just give up and quit bombarding the gates of heaven with this particular petition.

Maybe you’ve been there . . . or maybe you’re there right now.

Recently, I read the following words…

“Is anything too hard for the Lord.”
Genesis 18:14

God spoke them to Abraham.

Why?

Because for Abraham the wait had been long and he had begun to wonder … to quit hoping.

Can you blame him? I sure can’t.

He was almost one hundred years old and Sarah was almost ninety when the Lord visited them and told them they were about to finally have the son they had been promised decades earlier.

Can you imagine?! It’s no wonder really that Abraham questioned and Sarah laughed. You and I probably would have done the same.

And that’s when the Lord replied, “Is anything too hard for the Lord.”

But that’s not the only example of God doing the impossible . . . look at Jeremiah…

God told Jeremiah to buy a field just north of Jerusalem and Jeremiah obeyed but he also questioned…

O Sovereign Lord, You have told me to buy the field—paying good money for it before these witnesses—even though the city will soon be handed over to the Babylonians.
Jeremiah 32:25

God told Jeremiah to buy a field near Jerusalem as a promise that He would bring the people home . . . 70 years later.

Imagine God asking you to buy a home in an area that He has also told you is about to be captured and almost all of the people including you are going to be taken captive and hauled away to another country.

You might be wondering . . . WHY?

Seriously, even if some of the people do come back there’s no guarantee that the property deed will even be acknowledged.

So, once again, God patiently and lovingly replied to doubt with the words…

“I am the Lord, the God of all the peoples of the world. Is anything too hard for me?“
Jeremiah 32:27

Sarah, Abraham, and Jeremiah all learned that the answer to the question is always…

No! NOTHING IS TOO HARD FOR GOD!

With God . . . ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!

Abraham and Sarah had a son and God’s people returned home.

But throughout those decades of waiting, I would imagine there were many times they wondered if they’d heard God correctly, times when they began to doubt, and even times when their hope began to fade.

Maybe you can relate, I know I can.

When you and I have something or several somethings that we’ve prayed about for years … even decades. The wait is long and hard and possibly even painful. We can get discouraged and even start questioning if we misunderstood and we should just give up hope and stop our persistent praying.

Today, I want to remind you, and me too, of two very important truths.

1. Anything is Possible

Nothing! Absolutely nothing is too hard for God!

Not your broken relationship.
Not your illness.
Not your loneliness.
Not your broken heart.
Not your doubts.
Not the state of the world.
Not the desires of your heart.

Not fires, or climates, or chaos, or anything else this broken world has to offer.

With God, anything and everything is possible.

Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”
Matthew 19:26

I do believe even Abraham, Sarah, Jeremiah, and others would all admit that waiting is hard. Which leads to point number two. I’m grabbing hold of verses to hold close when the wait is hard, when my heart is heavy and doubt creeps in because God’s Word tells us exactly what to do in those moments.

2. Never Stop Praying

Having a prayerful attitude acknowledges our total dependence on God. Persistent prayer is an expression of child-like faith.

Paul wrote…

Never stop praying.
1 Thessalonians 5:17

And Luke shared the following two accounts where Jesus told His disciples about the importance of persistent prayer. 1. Luke 11:5–13 and 2. Luke 18:1–8

Luke 18 begins like this…

One day Jesus told His disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.
Luke 18:1

He went on to tell them about a widow who went to a judge day and night pleading with him to rule in her favor over a dispute she was having with her enemy. And the judge finally does…

Finally, he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’”
Luke 18:4–5

Jesus not only invites but encourages us to be persistent when we pray.

The Life Application Bible Notes describe persistent prayer the following way…

Constant prayer means keeping our requests continually before God as we live for Him day by day believing He will answer. Then live by faith and don’t give up. God may delay answering but His delays always have good reasons. And as we persist in prayer, we grow in character, faith, and hope. (LAB notes for Luke 18:1)

Remember…

All things are possible with God!
Mark 10:27

Jesus promised…

I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.
Luke 11:9

And Paul, the one who was persecuted, stoned, beaten, whipped, and imprisoned wrote…

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen
Ephesians 3:20–21

He also wrote…

Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations.
Romans 4:18

Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.
Romans 12:12

Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.
Romans 15:4

And the writer of Hebrews wrote…

This High Priest [Jesus] of ours understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same testings we do, yet He did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
Hebrews 4:15-16

And…

Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep His promise.
Hebrews 10:23

Friend, when you and I have to wait. When we feel discouraged and want to give up . . . God is faithful. He has promised to always give us what we need.

And I don’t know about you, but what I need most is…

Faith to trust that God is doing what is best even when it doesn’t feel like it.
Forgiveness when I fall short of His will for me.
Hope to trust Him and never give up.
Peace to calm me when life overwhelms me.
Patience to remain persistent in prayer.
Strength to keep doing what He calls me to do each day.
Wisdom to know His will and make godly decisions.
Comfort to get me out of bed when my heart hurts.
Guidance to know His will and the ability to obey Him.
Courage to face the day when I want to hide in bed.
Love to give Him and others.
And Jesus, who is all you and I need today and eternally.

David wrote…

You, Lord, are all I have, and You give me all I need; my future is in Your hands.
Psalm 16:5

And Paul wrote…

For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for His glory.
2 Corinthians 1:20

I know waiting is hard and sometimes waiting with hope seems impossible. It’s understandable that you and I can take our eyes off Jesus and stare straight at our unchanged circumstances. Yes, even wonder if we should just give up and stop bothering God with the same repetitive need.

But then … when we stop and reread Jesus’ words about God’s “anything is possible” love and our persistent prayer . . . we remember that He sometimes allows us to wait because He is working on our hearts.

So, will you join me as I continue to pray the words of Jeremiah…

“O Sovereign Lord! You made the heavens and earth by Your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for You!”
Jeremiah 32:17

Whatever you’re waiting on today . . . never stop praying because with God, anything is possible!

Thank you so much for joining me today.

And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

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and stop to pray one or two of the requests listed.

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How to Know and Trust God’s Will for You

8 / 31 / 208 / 31 / 20

Do you worry about the future? Have you ever struggled to trust God's will? These 5 Steps will help you know and trust His plans for your future. #Faith #Trust #God'sWill #Hope #Fearless #CountingMyBlessings #WWGGG #BlessingBloggers

One of the hardest sentences in my life has been…

“Lord, not my will but Yours be done.”

I’ve had more than a few times when I’ve gone into and through things kicking and screaming that seemed to be God’s will, or at the least, they were things He allowed!

Honestly, the idea of completely surrendering my life to the Lord terrified me.

Jesus said…

Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. (John 16:33)
You will be hated because you are my followers. (Matthew 24:9)
I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. (John 15:19)
If you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:28)

I also looked around and witnessed the ways the enemy attacked God’s children.

Because of my weak and immature faith, I didn’t fully believe that I could…

Trust that God is who He says He is.
Believe He is able to do what He says He will do.
Live in peace knowing His love is greater than any circumstances.

I doubted His willingness to give me everything I need.

You’d probably admit that it’s easier to surrender to God’s will when life is easy and He’s working in ways that please you. It’s harder when you can’t understand your current situation or when the road ahead looks hard.

Maybe, like me, you want stronger faith. You want to face each day with obedient surrendered faith without an attitude that says, “MY will be done.”

So, I’ve challenged myself to read and repeat the following until I believe the truth . . . that living completely surrendered to God’s will is by far the best way to live. Until this truth becomes the only way I want to live.

How to Know and Trust God’s Will

1. Know and Trust God’s Love for You

It’s hard to follow someone who doesn’t want what’s best for us and since the Garden of Eden, Satan has used whatever he can to tempt people to doubt God’s love.

Have you ever heard a child say “you don’t love me” to a parent’s “no?” Yet the job of a loving parent isn’t to make their children happy, it’s to do what is best to keep them safe and help them grow and mature.

I’m learning that as our loving Heavenly Father, God is at work in my life and yours guiding us, protecting us, and helping us grow and mature in faith and love.

And if you need a reminder of just how much God loves you…

God showed how much He loved us by sending His one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
1 John 4:9–10

That is HUGE love you and I can trust!

2. Know and Trust God’s Ability to Care for You

If fear and anxiety were Olympic sports, I’d have a trophy case full of medals. The list of things I’ve worried about is too long for this space. Even though I memorized the verse “don’t worry about tomorrow” as a child—applying it seemed beyond my anxiety overwhelm.

But you and I are not doing tomorrow yet. We are living today! It took several major crises before I learned that I just needed to let God help me through this present moment and trust Him to give me what I need in the next. That’s living through faith…

Believing God will meet each need one moment at a time!

Your Father already knows your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and He will give you everything you need.
Luke 12:30b–31

3. Know and Trust God’s Mercy and Healing Grace

Dwelling on the past overwhelmed by guilt is as much of a problem as worrying about the future.

Through Christ Jesus, God completely forgives those who come to Him in repentance. With His help, we can trust Him and rest in His grace and mercy.

Part of surrendering means going to God in prayer asking Him to forgive our past and to help us by giving us everything we need to forgive others. When you and I focus on regret and revenge it’s impossible to surrender to God’s will. Lack of forgiveness will always rob us of God’s perfect peace and joy.

If we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
1 John 1:9

Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
Ephesians 4:32

4. Know and Trust God’s Timing

I’m not good at waiting … lines, doctors offices, etc. I have a schedule to follow. You too?!

But the truth is, there is no peace when I’m tapping my foot and staring at my watch. And there’s no peace when I try to put God on my prayer-answering timetable.

With the Spirit’s help, I’m surrendering my impatience to God, asking Him to help me trust His timing. And while I wait . . . I’m also asking Him to give me His peace and strength.

But they who wait upon the Lord will get new strength. They will rise up with wings like eagles. They will run and not get tired. They will walk and not become weak.
Isaiah 40:31

5. Know, Trust, and Obey God’s Will

I’m a creature of habits and truthfully, not all of them are good. It’s easy to make light of my sins, after all they’re not THAT bad. But all sins are a big deal. They rob me of peace, cause unpleasant consequences, and fail to glorify God.

Lately, I’ve been asking God to reveal to me the things culture and the church excuse that I have come to think of as acceptable to Him. I want to know, trust, and obey His will.

So, I’m asking God to help me know and trust His truth and commands. I’m asking Him to help me believe that His perfect will is best and that He will give me a heart for obedience … not to earn His favor but to glorify Him and testify to His love.

Lord, we show our trust in You by obeying Your laws; our heart’s desire is to glorify Your name.
Isaiah 26:8

I’ll admit that I’m still a work in progress. I have so much to learn about completely surrendering to God’s will.

My sinful self wants to have total control over all that happens in my life. Most of the time, I want what I want and I want it now.

But experience has taught and is teaching me that fighting God’s plan for me will never offer me lasting happiness or peace. It hasn’t happened in the past and I doubt it will in the future.

I believe God wants to help us know and trust His perfect love and surrender to His will because He wants what is best for us today, tomorrow, and always.

Remember the things I have done in the past. For I alone am God! I am God, and there is none like me.
Isaiah 46:9

So with the Spirit’s help, I will surrender my will to God today.

Not on my own.

But…

I can do all things through Christ because He gives me strength.
Philippians 4:13

And that is everything we need!

Here are a few quotes that inspire me.

♥ “If my life is surrendered to God, all is well. Let me not grab it back, as though it were in peril in His hand but would be safer in mine!”~Elisabeth Elliot

♥ “It is wonderful what miracles God works in wills that are utterly surrendered to Him” ~Hannah Whitall Smith

♥ “Real contentment must come from within. You and I cannot change or control the world around us, but we can change and control the world within us.” ~Warren Wiersbe

♥ “Peace is the deliberate adjustment of my life to the will of God.” ~Author Unknown

Daily Prayers of Surrender to God’s Will

Years ago, a dear friend shared this morning prayer with me.

Father God, I surrender this day to You. I will follow where You lead me and do Your will as You reveal it to me. Please help me live this promise – that my life might glorify You alone. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Hannah Whithall Smith also wrote the following prayer:

Lord, I am Yours, I do yield and leave myself entirely to You and I believe You accept me. Work in me all the good pleasure of Your will and I will only lie still in Your hands and trust You. Amen.

I hope these prayers bless and encourage you as you make it your heart’s desire to know and trust God’s will for you.

Thank you so much for joining me today.

And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

Subscribe to Blog via Email

You can also…

Leave your prayer requests…

and stop to pray one or two of the requests listed.

I’m so excited to tell you about my new book!

Check out our new Facebook Page/Group – #WWGGG – What Would Give God Glory. We’d love for you to join the movement!

And always remember – I LOVE hearing from you! So, please take a minute to say ‘hi’ by leaving a comment.

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When You Need to Know How to Be Strong – Put God First

9 / 2 / 199 / 2 / 19

When you and I know and trust God's promises we can put God first and live with the strength we need to follow His will even when life is crazy and hard. #Bible #Promises #Seek #Blessings #Faith

Would you describe yourself as someone who is strong? What about your faith? Is your faith strong?

I would like to be able to answer with a resounding “yes” consistently but the fact is, I’ve had times when I’m humbled by the strength God has given me and times when I’m ashamed at the way I’ve allowed fear to overwhelm me.

I’ve heard Jesus say…

Why do you have so little faith?

The truth is, my faith is weak when I fail to trust Jesus’ promise…

All the people in the world are trying to get these things, and your Father knows you need them. But seek God’s kingdom, and all your other needs will be met as well.
Luke 12:30–31 (NCV)

My faith is weak when I fail to seek God first … when life gets crazy busy and distractions lead to worry and anxiety.

You see, I’ve learned that I struggle most when I fail to consistently seek God first.

Which made me ask myself … what does seeking a God-first life look like?

I believe the answer is…

A God-First Life Trusts God’s Promises and Surrenders to God’s Will.

Before I can trust God’s promise … I need to know God’s promises!

Promises like:

For Your unfailing love is as high as the heavens.
Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
Psalm 57:10

For Jesus Christ, the Son of God, . . . is God’s ultimate “Yes,” He always does what He says.For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for His glory.
2 Corinthians 1:19–20

But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
1 John 1:9

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
Jeremiah 29:11

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.
John 14:27

The next thing I need to surrender is my will to the truth of God’s promises.

But I’m going to be honest with you. I fall short! I look around and see the many bad things happening in this sinful world and that’s when doubts creep in tempting me to hold back a little, trust a little less and do a little more of whatever I can to be in control my of own circumstances.

Yes, I’m guilty.

Like Eve, I have LISTENED TO THE ENEMY’s WORDS IN THE GARDEN. “DID GOD REALLY SAY?”

Maybe you can relate.

The problem is, when you and I fail to take those “Did God really say” doubts to the truth of God’s Word, we start to question His absolute truth and give ourselves permission to tweak His will a little here and there to make it align more comfortably with culture so we can be in control.

It’s crazy how many painful consequences we experience because we, like Eve and Adam, listen to the original words of temptation and allow our doubts to not only question but edit God’s will.

Imagine what would happen if we stopped before we grabbed the apple and took that bite? If we took our questions and doubts straight to God … surrendering our will again and trusting His promises one more time to give us the strength and power we need?

I love these words of Isaiah…

Have you never heard?
    Have you never understood?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of all the earth.
He never grows weak or weary.
    No one can measure the depths
of His understanding.
He gives power to the weak
    and strength to the powerless.
Isaiah 40:28–29

God wants us to bring our doubts and questions to Him, so He can replace them with the truth. Absolute truth which is able to give us His power and strength.

Which is what we need to live a God-first life.

So, I’ve written 5 steps I want to consistently apply to my life to have the power and strength I need.

Power and strength He is able to give me.

Power and strength God wants to give me.

5 Steps to Help You Put God First

1. MAKE SPENDING TIME WITH GOD A PRIORITY.

I like the saying, “Make time for quiet moments, as God whispers and the world is loud.”

It’s true. The world is shouting ideas and values that are contrary to God’s Word. I know I need to spend time in prayer, read my Bible, memorize His promises, and spend time with people who put God first if I want to know His truth and trust His will.

Jesus said, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
John 8:31–32

2. TAKE EVERY DOUBT AND QUESTION TO GOD.

When the enemy tempts me to doubt and question God’s will … I need to take those feelings and frustrations to God. I need to ask Him to show me the truth and give me everything I need to surrender my will to Him.

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Romans 12:2

3. TAKE A PRIORITY ASSESSMENT.

I’m taking a look at my calendar and budget. I’m assessing my emotional health. I want to know where I’m spending my time, money, and effort. Then I will evaluate my attitudes and decide if the way I’m living really demonstrates God-first living.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.
Proverbs 3:5–6

4. ASK GOD FOR HELP TO START MAKING CHANGES.

When I know where my time, money, and efforts are being spent, it’s time to pray. I need God’s help to completely surrender every area of my life but I believe He will help me trust His will and start making choices that put Him first.

Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.
Matthew 7:7

5. TRUST GOD’S LOVE

I plan on repeating the following phrase as often as necessary… “God loves me. I am His child. He knows and wants what is best for me in every situation and every relationship.”

Despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:37–39

I have victory in Jesus and with His help, I can put God first and love Him with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength.

I FOUND THE FOLLOWING BY RICK WARREN On Ways to Put God First:

Finances. If you want God to bless your finances, even during a recession, you must tithe. Sorry! There’s no other alternative.
Interests. Put Him first in your hobbies, your career, and your recreation. Give God first consideration in every decision.
Relationships. Put Him first in your family, your marriage, and your friendships.
Schedule. That means you give Him the first part of every day. You get up and sit on the side of your bed every morning and say, “God if I don’t get anything else done today, I just want to love you a little bit more and know you a little bit better.”
Troubles. You need to turn to God first when you have a problem. Prayer should never be your last resort. It should be your first choice.

When you and I put God first in everything … life is better.

We will have the strength we need and be blessed with the joy we want no matter what is going on around us.

Don’t believe me?

Look around. How does the other way seem to be working for people?

Thank you so much for joining me today.

And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

Subscribe to Blog via Email

You can also…

Leave your prayer requests…

and stop to pray one or two of the requests listed.

I’m so excited to tell you about my new book!

Check out our new Facebook Page/Group – #WWGGG – What Would Give God Glory. We’d love for you to join the movement!

And always remember – I LOVE hearing from you! So, please take a minute to say ‘hi’ by leaving a comment.

If this article blessed or helped you today — would you share it with someone? Send it to a friend, family member, coworker, or share it through the links below…

I’m asking God to bless you today!

When You Need to Know God Never Changes

6 / 3 / 196 / 1 / 19

I have something to confess…

When life feels fragile and the news is upsetting, I need to remember that God never changes and wisdom says there is nothing new under the sun. #Faith #BibleStudy #Wisdom #Truth #SeekFirst

I can be a pretty passionate hand-wringer.

I know, I’ve told you I’m in recovery when it comes to worry and anxiety, and I am … really! At least that’s what I tell myself. (Picture an awkward smile here.)

But the truth is … the news, a controversial post on social media, or a divisive op-ed can agitate me in a matter of seconds.

When I see the ways the enemy is at work trying to turn us against each other, I’ll admit I occasionally find myself worrying about the future for us, for our children and our grandchildren.

I’ve even been known to do a little ranting about it on occasion. Based on the emails I receive, and the posts and comments I read online … I’m not the alone in this struggle.

Which is why I’m stopping today to remind myself of one very important truth…

God Never Changes!

It’s easy to look around, focus on the negative, and get upset when it seems like culture is on a path to self-destruction. But take a look at the wisdom of Solomon…

History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new.
Ecclesiastes 1:9

When I read through Bible as history … the evidence is clear, sin has been sin since the Garden.

People are selfish, prideful, and power hungry. They manipulate the truth for personal gain and do what it takes for popularity.

But God said about Himself through James…

Don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.
James 1:16–17

And through the writer of Hebrews, He said this…

God also bound Himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that He would never change His mind. So God has given both His promise and His oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie.
Hebrews 6:17–18a

And the promise is Jesus…

These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to Him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest.
Hebrews 18b–19

Which makes me stop and ask the question…

How do I keep my hope anchored on the truth when the world shouts louder than God’s gentle whisper?

And that’s when I realize this 3-part answer…

1. Read God’s Word – Old and New Testaments.

I know, life is busy and our time is limited. So, if you and I are able to find time to read our Bibles at all, it’s tempting to stick with the parts that are interesting and easier to understand.

I get it … traveling through the wilderness with the Children of Israel can seem like it’s actually taking 40 years and it’s easy to wonder how the accounts of judges and kings apply to the 21st Century. But reading through the Old Testament reminds me how often I sound like a whiney wilderness wanderer and begin to know that it’s true … “nothing under the sun is truly new.”

This year I’m following the Bible Reading Plan at the back of the Life Application Bible. It “offers a complete view of Scripture and does so without being overwhelming” by skipping repeated material. I have a little more time for study this year, so I decided to add a Psalm or a few verses from Proverbs, and a section from my favorite books of the New Testament (John, Romans, or 1, 2, 3 John).

As I’m reading, I write the verses that stand out to me in my journal and when I’m done I write a prayer based on what I’ve read.

So, part #2 is…

2. Pray

About everything always!

Never stop praying.
1 Thessalonians 5:17

Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.
Colossians 4:2

You and I can trust the God who promises to hear us…

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
1 John 5:14

And calm our fears…

I prayed to the Lord, and He answered me. He freed me from all my fears.
Psalm 34:4

Because He loves us…

God showed how much He loved us by sending His one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him.
1 John 4:9

I haven’t always kept a prayer journal but I’ve discovered this year that I love writing my prayers. Putting my words on paper slows me down and helps me really think about what I’m praying. And I love being able to go back and see the ways God has worked on my heart and mind as I’ve cried out to Him.

The next one is important. At least it is for me…

3. Take the Philippians Challenge.

Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise … then the God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4:19, 20b

Last week, I made the decision to stop following anything or anyone that posts negative rants on social media and I stopped watching all news outlets.

I get to choose what I read, listen to, and watch. I also need to carefully choose what I think about and I’ve decided that for me, it’s self-defeating to dine on a constant diet of messages that discourage my mind and hurt my heart.

When I do these three things, I am better able to…

Trust the God Who Never Changes

The One who has faithfully kept His promises in the past and will keep His promises in the future … God never changes!

What makes me so sure?

He gave us Jesus, the fulfillment of all God’s promises … from the Word spoken in the Garden, to kings and prophets—Jesus is God’s answer.

And when I’m “still.” When I fix my focus on Jesus. When I listen to the Holy Spirit … I’m not worried!

When the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—He will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.

“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.
John 14:26–27

Because God, who created everything, sent Jesus to suffer our punishment and give us eternal life. And for today’s struggle, He has given us His Spirit’s presence to help us remember the truth about His grace, mercy, and love.

So, I’m taking some time to turn away from the stuff that agitates me and spending more time thanking God for the gift of the peace I have in Jesus. And with the Holy Spirit as my Helper … I will reject hand-wringing and remember – God never changes!

Care to join me?!

Thank you so much for joining me today.

And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

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Leave your prayer requests…

and stop to pray one or two of the requests listed.

I’m so excited to tell you about my new book!

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When You Need to Know if Something is From God

7 / 26 / 187 / 29 / 20

Today’s post is the #1 most popular post here at Counting My Blessings. It’s been read more than 400,000 times. I pray it blesses you!

In case you missed any of the first six posts from the Countdown to #1 Series – you can check them out here:

7 of the Best Verses to Inspire Your Worship of God

25 of the Best Ways to Love Yourself the Way God Wants

The Best Ways to Teach Your Child Humble Confidence

12 Things You Need to Know About God that Will Make You Humble

How to Trust God’s NO When You are Suffering

5 Verses that will Help When You Need to Be Still and Listen

Verses that will Help When You Need to Know God’s Will

And now …

When You Need to Know if Something is From God

Do you ever wonder whether you are following God’s will or plan for your life?

Do you worry that you might be heading in the wrong direction?

Do you wish God would clearly write out His to-do list for your day so you could plan in advance?

Yep, me too!

Throughout his years in ministry, Rev received a number of offers to serve at a variety of churches and non-profits. And I had to decide whether I should go back to teaching full-time, part-time or if I should stay at home with our children.

But career choices were just the beginning!

There were also decisions like…

How many children should we have? Where should our children go to school or should we homeschool? Where should we live? Is that the right house for us? The right church family? When should we retire? How should we plan or prepare for the future?

What should we do?

The questions can seem endless, don’t they?

Sometimes it’s easy to tell if something is from God, if it’s His will, other times are harder.

Life decisions can be one of the greatest causes of stress in our lives.

So the question we all ask is this…

“How can I know if something is from God?”

There are things you and I can do to help when we want our decisions to be in line with God’s will.

Steps to Knowing if Something is From God

♥ Pray

Always begin with prayer. It sounds simple but too often it’s the last thing you and I do, rather than the first. I believe God wants us to turn to Him in prayer right away, asking for His help and guidance, and trusting He will direct us according to His will.

Pray that the Lord your God will show us what to do and where to go. Jeremiah 42:3

♥ Glorify God

Ask — Will this decision glorify God?

“God will never guide you to do something that will not give Him glory.”

Other questions to help you know if a decision will glorify God are: “Does this bless my relationship with my family? Does it make it possible for me to serve others? What will my attitude be if I do this? If I don’t do this? Etc.”

Give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Romans 6:13

♥ Agree with Scripture

Will the demands of this decision align with God’s will as He revealed it in the Bible?

God’s Word clearly communicates the things that are important to Him. Read it. Study it. Pray it.

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 2 Timothy 3:16

God’s will always includes love … love for Him and love for others. If your “something” doesn’t include love, it’s not God’s will!

♥ Be Willing to Wait

Be patient. God’s will is always worth the wait. You can trust His timing.

If something is God’s will, He will help you while you wait. It’s okay to slow down. Don’t rush into things – when the timing is right God will let you know.

Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord. Psalm 27:14

♥ Trust God to accomplish His will in your life

God will fulfill His promises and accomplish His will for you.

The truth is I’ve been impatient more often than I care to admit. But I’m learning I can watch and wait . . . God will do what He says He will do, and He will accomplish His will in His timing.

Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Ephesians 3:20

It’s important to know that there will be times when you will do these things and still be uncertain about God’s direction for you.

That’s okay.

You can trust that if God wants something specific in your life He will make it clear.

If you’ve prayed, asked, studied, waited and trusted and still have no clear answer … just keep moving forward.

The good news is if you are trusting and glorifying God with your life you can move ahead confidently.

Rev and I have had times when the choice was clear . . . so clear in fact, we had to change our plans midway.

Occasionally, we’ve asked God to clearly show us His will through specific events that helped to make it easier for us to make a decision.

And I will honestly tell you, there have been a few times when after doing all we knew to do, we still felt uncertain.

So, we just lived each day…

And you can too!

Trust God’s love and lean into His grace and mercy. You can be confident that God will make any specific plans He has for you clear. You don’t have to live in fear of His displeasure when you sincerely seek His will.

Trust God! He is with you!

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:11–13

Seek God’s will and live your life for His glory.

Your Father wants the best for you and He is able to accomplish it!

Thank you so much for joining me today.

And a thank you to BibleGateway.com for sources.

Subscribe to Blog via Email

You can also…

Leave your prayer requests…

and stop to pray one or two of the requests listed.

I’m so excited to tell you about my new book!

Check out our new Facebook Page/Group – #WWGGG – What Would Give God Glory. We’d love for you to join the movement!

And always remember – I LOVE hearing from you! So, please take a minute to say ‘hi’ by leaving a comment.

If this article blessed or helped you today — would you share it with someone? Send it to a friend, family member, coworker, or share it through the links below…

I’m asking God to bless you today!

When You Need to Know God’s Will for Today

4 / 9 / 184 / 9 / 18

Some days I get up and I’ll admit, I’m thinking big picture wondering what God wants me to do with however many years I have left?

But most of the time, I just want to get through today.

This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

Rejoice, be glad, and live today.

Sounds simple, doesn’t it?

If only I could do that consistently.

I worry about the mess I made yesterday and the possibilities of tomorrow even though Jesus said…

So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Matthew 6:34a

Did you know the verse before is the what we should do instead of worrying? And it’s my verse of the year…

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need. Matthew 6:33

Seek God’s will for today and live!

Why is that so much harder to do than it is to say? Because I’m prone to second-guessing yesterday and fretting about tomorrow.

I want to do better.

I want to seek God’s will and live today.

That’s it! So, I’m fleshing it out and getting specific.

When You Need to Know God’s Will for Today

I need to start with the following…

1. Let go of yesterday!

♥ Ask God to forgive my sins, failures, mistakes, and messes of the past.
♥ Forgive the people whose sins, failures, mistakes, and messes have hurt me.

I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. Philippians 3:13

On my own, whew, it’s hard to let go of yesterday … but with God’s help, I can do His will even when it’s hard.

2. Don’t worry about tomorrow!

I know worry robs me of today’s peace and joy, and truthfully it doesn’t improve tomorrow at all! I can’t live today well if I’m fretting about tomorrow.

“If you want to be happy, do not dwell in the past, do not worry about the future, focus on living fully in the present.” ~ Roy T. Bennet

Okay – being free of guilt and worry is a great start… what else does God want for my day – today?

3. Love Him – Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength

But what does that mean? How do I make that more than just words?

♥ Heart – I will make God my heart’s desire.
♥ Soul – I will trust God and surrender my will (attitudes and intentions), my emotions, my thoughts and feelings, and my body to the truth of His Word.
♥ Mind – I will use my knowledge, my reason, and intellect to know God better each day.
♥ Strength – I will honor God with my abilities, my resources, my service, and the way I love the people around me.

You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. Mark 12:30

4. Love Others

Love your neighbor as yourself. Luke 10:27b

I believe God wants us to serve Him right where we are. That doesn’t me we can’t pursue new goals or move toward new opportunities.

But today…

You and I should simply do what He has given us to do. Be the best spouse, parent, child, coworker, neighbor, and citizen we can be. We’re not called to “do it all.” We’re called to do our best and love the people in front of us.

For me, that often has more to do with my attitude than my actions; so, I need to remember…

Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Colossians 3:23

And do it…

5. All with an Eternal Perspective

I believe keeping an eternal perspective is the hardest part because everything else is right in front of us.

The messes I need to confess and forgive, the problems I worry about, the challenges that keep me from loving and serving well, and … well, you get the idea.

Life is hard!

Which is why you and I need an eternal perspective.

Most of the hard things of life lose their power when I ask myself a few important questions:

Will this matter ten years from now?

Will I even remember next year?

What is God’s view of today’s trouble? How does He want to use this in my life?

What do I need to do to live this moment for God’s glory?

It’s funny my attitude changes when I turn my focus from the problem to the problem Solver – to God Himself.

Two verses keep running through my heart and my head.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take. Proverbs 3:5–6

Whatever this day brings, good, bad, or somewhere in between, I don’t have to face it alone. God invites you and me to trust Him, to turn to Him, to ask, seek, and knock. He knows the way.

He is the way. He is eternal, the First and Last … the beginning and the end. And He’s given us a glimpse of His eternal plan so we can live today with His eternal perspective.

You and I can live today without guilt – when we know we are forgiven; without resentment – when we forgive; without worry – when we trust God’s promises for the future; with love – when we focus on the love He gives us to share with others.

It’s just a better way to live.

Today is a new day. A beautiful gift. It holds 24 hours of opportunities, choices, and attitudes. God has given us everything we need to live it for Him. It is precious and full of hope and promise.

I want to make today the best day possible; after all, it’s a one of a kind opportunity. 24 hours, 1,440 minutes, 86,400 breath receiving seconds.

I want to live it for God and for His glory!

I want to…

Love God and His people, all of them.

Know God and make Him known.

Trust Him, seek His will, and follow where He leads.

So, with His help, I will…

1. Repent and forgive.
2. Don’t worry.
3. Love God.
4. Love my people.
5. Keep an eternal perspective.

That’s it! God’s will for today!

What do you think? What is God’s will for living one day at a time?

Leave your prayer requests…

and stop to pray one or two of the requests listed.

Subscribe to Blog via Email

I LOVE hearing from you! Please take a minute to say ‘hi’ and share your thoughts in the comments below.

And if this article blessed or helped you today — would you share it with someone? Maybe a friend, family member, coworker, or through the links below…