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Seasons of life can sometimes lead to an enormously desolate place. Your compass can break and your hope can get sapped down to its last drop. But when you call upon the Lord and ask for His help, He hears. He promises to lead and guide you in the way you should go. Even better, He will give nourishment and strength for your body, and peace to satisfy your dry, parched soul. So, call on Him, look to Him – He is able and willing to bring you out of any barren wilderness. Keep your eyes on Him and believe in His goodness for you.

Did you by chance get up this morning and think, God is watching me today. As much as He’s got to do in the world, He is watching me! Not from the point of trying to catch you doing something wrong, but because He adores you; watching you is His priority because He loves you. He is not distant or preoccupied with His endless to do lists. He knows your life, your heart, and all that you need, and He’s working now to provide for you to the fullest. How wonderful to know you are not alone, ever. Will you make time to look back at Him? Lord, I feel so special and loved knowing You are watching me as well as watching over me.

When you feel overwhelmed or are struggling about something and you just need to vent or get help, you are most likely to call someone who’s “been there”, right? That person will have the empathy and compassion you need for lifting your heart out of a pit of discouragement. Problem is, your friend might not be available – they may be too busy to take a call, which is even more frustrating. But Jesus is already on the line waiting for you. And He’s been through battles and temptations that brought on the very feelings you are struggling with today. He’s “been there” and He “is there”. So next time, call upon Him!

God – the all-powerful, all-knowing almighty One who created the universe, the stars and planets, and all who have existed since the beginning of time – is a personal God. He created you because He loves you and wants fellowship with you. All you have to do is draw near to Him and, no, He doesn’t stand back and wait for you to reach out to Him. When He sees you drawing near, He approaches you in unison. He moves toward you to embrace you with His big and welcoming arms. All you have to do is still your heart and make your move. He is waiting. Lord, I think of that song “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” and feel warm in knowing that You are so very close to me as a friend. I love You and want nothing more right now than to be still in Your arms.

Father, I long to bask in Your peace – it is peace like no other. Drown out all the noise around me and fill me now with Your great peace.

Imagine being a little bird locked up in a cage only to sit on a perch, never to use your wings. But one day, someone carries your cage outside, lifts the door, and says “Fly, little one! Fly as God made you to!” Oh, the wonder and excitement, the joy and the rush from that first push off the door frame and into the open sky. After flying into freedom, you wouldn’t fly back into that cage again… or would you? So often that’s what we do after God releases us from shame or whatever prison our heart was in before. But freedom in Christ doesn’t come with a return address. When He says free, He means free.

Just how old is the Bible, anyway? The answer’s not that simple because it wasn’t written all at one time; it was written by forty different authors over a 1,500 year-period. The first book was written around 1400 BC, the last book around AD 90. So going back to the first book, the Bible would be over 3,400 years old! And if you counted from when the last book was written, it’d still be over 1,900 years old. Considering the fact that the Bible is the highest selling book to date ever, even after all these centuries of time, it looks obvious that it’s going to last forever. Besides, God’s own Word says it will, and His Word is truth. What a gift!

King Darius had just witnessed a miracle: Daniel spent an entire night in a den with wild, hungry lions and walked out unharmed. There is no explanation except that God ruled over the lions’ desire to eat Daniel, and the miracle changed a king’s life. Are you in a den with lions right now? Is your faith being tested and you’re wondering what in the world is going on? Well, God is going on – He is working in you to trust Him more than ever, and displaying for others His presence and goodness. Yes, goodness. Your life is a testimony. It’s about others seeing Christ and His power in you so they will want Him too – the way a king was won over through Daniel!

Our lives are always moving in the direction of our strongest thoughts. What we think shapes who we are. Our lives do follow the direction of our thoughts. The better we grasp that truth, the better equipped we’ll be to change the trajectory of our lives. But don’t take my word for it. Both the Bible and modern science provide evidence that this is true. Here’s a brief example of both: In Philippians 4:8–9, the apostle Paul writes, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” In these three sentences Paul moves from thought (“think about such things”) to action (“put it into practice”) to experience (“the God of peace will be with you”). Paul tells us that our thoughts shape our lives. In recent years, an entire discipline of modern psychology has developed called cognitive behavioral therapy. This breakthrough teaching reveals that many problems, from eating disorders to relational challenges, addictions, and even some forms of depression and anxiety, are rooted in faulty and negative patterns of thinking. Treating those problems begins with changing that thinking. I don’t know about you, but when the Bible and modern psychology say the same thing, I want to know more. What science is demonstrating today is what God told us through Solomon almost three thousand years ago: “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” Proverbs 23:7 So if both the Bible and modern science teach us that our lives are moving in the direction of our strongest thoughts, then we need to ask ourselves, “Do I like the direction my thoughts are taking me?” If your answer is no, then maybe it’s time to change your thinking. Maybe it’s time to decide to change your mind so God can change your life. With God’s help, you can transform your mind. You can stop believing the lies that hold you back. You can end the vicious cycle of thoughts that are destructive to you and others. You can allow God to renew your mind by saturating you with His unchanging truth.

You can have a lot of friends, but there are very few with whom you can share your deepest thoughts. Your bond can be so tight, you know what the other is thinking or how they’ll react in any given situation. Did you know that, in the same way, God is your friend – the closest you’ll ever have? He loves your company and wants to hear what is on your heart and share what He knows will bless yours. It’s true – He really does. Won’t you call to Him now?

Have you ever tried to lift an anchor? They are heavy! Their weight is determined by the size of the vessel they’re meant to hold during high current and wind conditions. No matter how harsh the weather, the boat it’s attached to will stay securely in place until the weather calms and returns to normal. Likewise, the hope you have in God is stronger than the very trial you are facing so you won’t be moved. Through hope, you are anchored to Him who will never let you go and who will supply all help as you rest in Him.

In today’s world, people are all over the place! Nice people are being mean; mean people are being nice. Some people are trying to make things better; others are trying to make things worse. Then, there are those who are trying to hold on to what they have, and others are trying to get things they’ve never had. Everybody’s snatching and grabbing, pulling and tugging, because the world is in chaos. We are being bombarded with negative imagery and all kinds of news. During such times, people ask, “Where is God?” as if He no longer exists. To the contrary, this is God’s best time! God works best in chaos. God created the earth in chaos. God brings order to chaos. He separates and regulates, He orchestrates and manages, because He works best in chaos! What this world needs right now is for God to bring order to our chaos. We need God to put things in order, but we will never see God move if we do not pray, seek His face, or call on His name. We will never see God move until we understand that He can get great things to come out of unpleasant encounters. God works in chaos and confusion, in problems and turmoil. It was in the middle of a kingless Israel, where everything seemed right in each other’s eyes, that God planted a seed in the barren womb of a woman named Hannah — where His plan was to bring order to a chaotic Israel. This is how newness begins, how order comes out of chaos. It doesn’t start in a way that satisfies the desperation of the masses. In the midst of this world’s crisis, God is already raising up, moving in, and stretching out. He has already planted the seed that will bring order to this world’s chaos — whether we see it or not. God is always doing something whether we know it or not. Real change happens behind closed doors. God does not announce His plan publicly, because He does not need approval, criticism, or opinion of any kind to get it done. To know God is to know that He is working all the time and that He will bring order to the chaos.

We serve a God Who will never allow something major in our lives that can’t help us. He won’t allow any tragedy into our lives that can’t be used for our benefit. He can take something that is terrible and work it out to where it is a blessing in the long run. We often cannot see that in the short-term, but it is a truth that we find in Scripture. Life is full of epic challenges and obstacles, and we must find ways to overcome them. Some obstacles in life are small and easy, but some may seem nearly impossible. Life’s obstacles can bring fear. When we come to those obstacles and they look scary, we may wonder how in the world we can possibly conquer them. Often, God will give us things in life to test us. Such testing is designed for us to be strengthened. Every time we do any type of exercise, we are strengthening our bodies. We actually strengthen our muscles by tearing them down. Most exercises are developed in a way that tears down so that our bodies can rebuild stronger. That’s the whole purpose of a test or exercise, and such is the same in our spiritual lives. God will send testing our way. If we can work through it and get over the obstacles, it will strengthen us so that next time we will be able to do something greater.

Fear runs wild when we have a distorted view of God’s truth. It leads us to live a life based on half-truths, where fear penetrates our minds and hearts. For so long, this described me. I expected God to meet my needs only if I obeyed the rules, and that He would never give me more than I could handle. But, as I got to know God and His truth, I discovered how wrong I was. He’s not about rules, and ALL things are possible in Him. If we want to win the battle against fear, we must align ourselves with the whole truth of who God is and who He says we are. To grasp the truth that God offers, we have to learn who He is. His character. His attributes. What makes Him angry? What makes Him sad? The more we know, the more we understand how He protects our hearts, guards our minds, and equips us to fight. God is who we need. But, we can’t know this unless we dig in and do the hard work. This means reading the Bible, applying it, sharing our thoughts with God, and letting Him share His with us. God is the only One that will quiet the fear that holds us captive. We must get to know Him. The more we know God, the more we learn about who He says we are. We discover we are loved and important. We realize we are disciplined overcomers with talents and gifts. The more our truth increases, the more our fear decreases. We unleash God’s power within us to overcome doubts, stop fear, and live with confidence. The confusion fades, and the truth stands tall. We use fear instead of letting fear use us. Fear becomes a feeling that points out the areas of our minds and hearts not aligned with God’s truth. We stand victorious when we know God and our identity in Him. Fear doesn’t have to make us run and hide. We can take every fear-filled thought captive and experience freedom through a personal relationship with Jesus. It’s time to let Him become the center of our life. Today, as you read Scripture and engage in conversation, evaluate where you are by asking these two questions. Do I know about God or know Him personally? Do I believe who God says I am?

One of the common sources of stress is a loss. You can lose your job, your health, your money, your reputation, or a loved one. During the coronavirus pandemic, stress has been amplified. When people go through loss, there are two common reactions. One is fear, and the other is grief. Grief is good. Grief is the way we get through the transitions of life. In fact, if you don’t grieve, you get stuck! Grief will not kill you if you let it out. Fear, on the other hand, can be a bad thing. Not once in the Bible does it say, “Grieve not,” “Sorrow not,” “Weep not,” or “Cry not.” What it does say is “Fear not.” And it says that 365 times! Because grief doesn’t paralyze us, but fear does. In Psalm 23:4, David says, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” David knew shepherds always carried a rod and a staff to protect their sheep. And he knew God had the power to protect him. So David trusted God, even in the darkest valleys. We, too, can choose to trust God—even in the shadows, where it doesn’t make sense and can seem like it’s a long way out of the valley. But here’s the good news to remember about big, scary shadows. You can’t have a shadow without light. If you see a shadow, that means there is a light shining nearby. So, when you’re going through the valley of the shadow, the key is to turn your back on the shadow and look at the light. Because as long as you keep your eyes on the light—Jesus, the Light of the World—the shadow won’t scare you. Just like David, trust God in the dark valleys, and pray, “When I am overwhelmed, you alone know the way I should turn”(Psalm 142:3).

Here’s a common scenario: Someone raises their voice against you, so you raise your voice in response. Then they raise their voice higher, then you raise your voice higher. And the situation keeps escalating. Some scientists suggest we do this because mirror neurons in our brain are meant to give us the ability to empathize with others and even mirror what they feel. But, unchecked, we can begin to mirror the anger and antagonism of someone in an argument. Let me give you a little tip that will save you a lot of heartache and conflict in your life: When other people raise their voices, lower yours—in your marriage, in your parenting, in your friendships, and at work. That’s called strength under control. The Bible says, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Proverbs 15:1 NIV). Gentleness defuses conflict. It deescalates anger. When someone raises their voice in anger, instead of getting defensive, practice gentleness. Let your gentle answer disarm the other person and diffuse the situation.

Comparison is completely destructive. It makes you feel less than you really are and leads to self-depreciation, self-rejection, depression and fear. Spending your time looking at what you are not, what someone else is doing or what you wish you could be doing only serves to shrink God in you. God did not make you to be someone else or to do someone else’s ministry. He made you to be you, and when you become the best that you can be, there is more of you to be filled with God. Competition is healthy on a sporting field, but not within the body of Christ. We are all a part of the same body; comparison and competition only serve to destroy it. We are called to complete each other, not compete with one another. Let’s remember that we are on the same team, fighting for the same cause, serving the same master – Jesus Christ.

Maybe the reason you haven’t heard from God has nothing to do with God at all. Maybe the reason you don’t feel close to God has more to do with you than him. Maybe it’s because you haven’t been still enough or silent enough to hear him. We live our lives constantly on the go. When you ask someone how they are, how do they normally respond? “Good, but busy.” If you want to get close to God, you have to make time for God. If you want to hear from God, you have to make time to be quiet and listen. If something matters to you, you’ll make time for it. If it’s really a priority, you’ll put it on the calendar. You can’t just assume it will happen. So, what’s your calendar look like? Do you have time scheduled to spend time with God? If not, schedule a time and place right now. Once you finish reading this, open your calendar app, and add a new event.

If God did speak to you, what would it sound like? I think some people believe it will be super obvious when God speaks to them, and, it may be. However, God often speaks in a whisper. Here’s the problem: all of the noise in life often crowds out the voice of God in our lives. For some, the noise of critics and the voices of others drowns out the voice of God. You are too busy listening to the opinions of others that you aren’t making time to hear the truth of God. For others of you, you live constantly distracted by media. You can’t seem to still your mind because every time you have a quiet minute, you pull out your phone to fill the time. What is the noise in your life? Today, how can you quiet that noise and eliminate distractions in order to be still and listen to God?

Sometimes, we use the excuse that God hasn’t told us what to do, so we don’t do anything. We just sit back and wait to hear from God what we should do with our future, what college we should go to, what career path to pursue, or what relationships are worth investing in. But, don’t just sit back and do nothing. While you’re waiting to hear from God on something like that, here’s what you have to know. God has already given you a clear direction on what you ought to do next. When Jesus first went out to choose the disciples, the call was always the same. He went to them and said, “Follow me”. In fact, twenty times throughout the Gospels Jesus says, “Follow me.” That’s what God is saying to you and me today. Just follow me. You might not know what God is asking you to do five years from now, but you can know what he wants you to do next. Just do that. And then do that again. And again. And again. What’s the next right thing you know you ought to do right now? Go and do it.

“After winter comes the summer. After night comes the dawn. And after every storm, there come clear, open skies.” – Samuel Rutherford The truth behind Samuel Rutherford’s statement is what led Jesus to see beyond His crown of thorns to a crown of majesty; beyond the nails in His hands and feet to an exalted name in Glory; beyond the betrayal and abandonment of His disciples to the love and worship of those who would believe in Him; beyond the visible suffering to the invisible glory. Jesus could endure the suffering because He saw the blessing which would follow. This is the same perspective we should have in our trials. While it is true God can make good come from the worst difficulties, He never asks us to paint a rosy picture of the distress, pain, disappointment, or discomfort we feel, or to pretend it doesn’t exist. Instead, He encourages us to look beyond the present hardships we face to the blessings which will come if we don’t quit. That’s what it means to persevere. That’s what it takes to win. There will be times when the going gets tough. It might be a hard time selling a house. It may be a terrible trial involving a loved one. A company may close. Something will go wrong at some time, and we will have to make a choice: am I going to become a victim of despair and self-pity, or am I going to fight my way through it and be a victor with God’s help? If we want to win, then we need to persevere — but the choice is ours.

Don’t allow what you’re going THROUGH to block what you’re going TO. GOD is preparing you for something GREAT!

If you quit right now, you’ll end up back where you first began. And when you first began, you were desperate to be where you are now. So keep going!

God says “I’m not preparing the blessings for you, but I’m preparing you for the blessings.”

Getting your life together requires a certain level of honesty. It’s not easy to realize you’re the one that’s holding you back.

Don't be afraid to start over again. This time you are not starting from scratch, you're starting from experience.

Keep DRIVING. What was once in your WINDSHIELD is now in your REARVIEW.

God is going to bless you without warning because you prayed without doubting. Keep the faith and pray without ceasing.

I quit judging people when God showed me how quick He can put me in their shoes. Be quick to judge yourself and slow to judge others. Pray for them.

You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading the last one. Mistakes don’t define you. The past is just that, the past. The present is a “present” so be present. Keep the faith, keep pushing and move on to your next chapter.

Most people don’t recognize a blessing when there is no money involved. Blessings come in many different forms. Don’t miss out on an opportunity.

Don’t allow the few things that are against you make you forget how many are for you.

Two things define you: patience when you have nothing and attitude even you have everything.

Dear God, Burn every bridge in my life that leads my life back to destruction.

God will never leave you empty handed. If He asks you to put something down, it’s because He wants you to pick up something greater.

Your life has been filled with “almost” and “what if’s.” It’s easy to give up. Keep in mind that the greatest comeback stories always include a “but...”

“Don’t be afraid of your fears. They’re not there to scare you. They’re there to let you know that something is worth it.”

If it’s for you, it will come to you. No chasing, no anxiety, no stress. What’s for you can never pass you by. Trust the process but more than anything trust God and know that he will never leave you or forsake you and wants to bless you beyond anything you can ask or think.

When you move your focus from competition to contribution, life becomes a celebration. Never defeat people; just win them.

God has not forgotten about you. He has not overlooked you. Be patient. There is a time for everything. God has perfect timing.

Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes. INCLUDING YOU...

Since you have been praying for the right people to walk into your life, God will allow the wrong ones to walk out.

Remember, most of your stress is coming from the way you respond, not the way life is. Adjust your attitude and all of that extra stress is gone.

Look at your daily habits and ask yourself if they are causing you to evolve or revolve. Are you moving forward or going in circles?

I’ve learned to give. Not because I have so much. But, because I know exactly how it feels to have nothing.

How can we say we love God who we can’t see…when we don’t demonstrate love to people we can see? That eternal question pricks our hearts every single time we hear it. This is one of the greatest challenges when the sour taste in our mouth has been caused by another person. Dealing with betrayal, a lie told about us, or any other type of hurt caused by another human being is an area where we often miss the mark. Of course, we want to show God how much we love Him, but loving human beings who hurt us can present a problem at times. They say that hurting people hurt people. I know for a fact that this is truth to the tenth power. How do we display love, yet express our hurt and disappointment? Take it to the specialist. Before we deal with anyone else about their junk, we have to do business with God about ours. It stings when we have to face our own shortcomings especially when we are eager to find a place to throw the blame. Every time we try to solve an interpersonal problem by pointing fingers we have to be mindful of the three fingers pointing back to us. We are the common denominator in all of our relationships. You may feel like the issue you’re facing had nothing to do with you and everything to do with them. That might be true, but your response is 100% up to you. You can choose to respond after you have done business with God or you can fly off the handle. You can choose to pray for your enemies in spite of the way they treat you or risk cursing yourself by cursing them. The choice is up to you. Clean up some unfinished business with someone who has hurt you. It could be a recent hurt or something you’ve been holding onto for years. Pray and ask God to show you what responsibility you bear in the matter. Repent and then begin to ask him for a game plan on how to make amends. You may need to apologize. You might have to repay a debt. At the end of the day, your goal is to begin the process of mending a broken relationship. You don’t have to clean up the entire mess in one day, just get started and God will honor your steps of faith.

For some of us, prayer can seem complicated or overwhelming. Maybe when you think of prayer, you see an image of being on your knees for four hours straight with no breaks, saying excellently worded prayers to God, and reciting at least ten well-rehearsed memory verses. This example, as silly as it is, might be how some view prayer; but the Bible tells us that “we can come boldly into the throne room of our gracious God” (Hebrews 4:16). The Bible also tells us “to cast every care and worry on God because He cares about what is happening to us” (1 Peter 5:7). Let’s explore what is prayer and how we can incorporate it into our lives by looking at Jesus’s example and how He lived. Luke 5:16 says that “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” In other words, Jesus took time on a regular basis to talk with God. This might seem too simple but it really is that easy! Prayer doesn’t have to be a long-winded holy diction that you feel pressured to do. Prayer is simply talking with God, casting your cares on Him, telling Him how much you love Him, and reflecting on how you can continue to live by His will and His love. When we take time to withdraw and talk with God, we end up filled to overflowing with His love, and in deeper relationship with the One who created us.

For some of us, prayer can seem complicated or overwhelming. Maybe when you think of prayer, you see an image of being on your knees for four hours straight with no breaks, saying excellently worded prayers to God, and reciting at least ten well-rehearsed memory verses. This example, as silly as it is, might be how some view prayer; but the Bible tells us that “we can come boldly into the throne room of our gracious God” (Hebrews 4:16). The Bible also tells us “to cast every care and worry on God because He cares about what is happening to us” (1 Peter 5:7). Let’s explore what is prayer and how we can incorporate it into our lives by looking at Jesus’s example and how He lived. Luke 5:16 says that “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” In other words, Jesus took time on a regular basis to talk with God. This might seem too simple but it really is that easy! Prayer doesn’t have to be a long-winded holy diction that you feel pressured to do. Prayer is simply talking with God, casting your cares on Him, telling Him how much you love Him, and reflecting on how you can continue to live by His will and His love. When we take time to withdraw and talk with God, we end up filled to overflowing with His love, and in deeper relationship with the One who created us.

The declarations you make today will be the fruit of your tomorrow. In Job 22 we see that when we declare a thing, it will be established. There is power in your declaration! Declaration: I decree and declare that I am going to step out in bold faith! I declare that fear and discouragement have no authority in my life. I declare I am not a slave to fear or sin. I am free and I am a child of the living God. I decree that I will not forget Your works but I will acknowledge You in all of my ways. I decree that I am going from glory to glory, strength to strength, and faith to faith, in Jesus’ name! Amen!

So much in our lives change. Seasons change, months change, and our ages change. Nighttime turns to daytime. Good times become hard times, and hard times become good times. If we’re not careful, how we see ourselves can change based on who we’re around and the circumstances we’re going through. But while our circumstances change, our identity remains the same. God is the same today as He was yesterday. His promises to us and His love for us do not change. What He said about you at your highest point is true of you at your lowest point. You are who God says you are and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. The God who gave up everything to restore a relationship with you is not bailing on you. And Jesus, who died for you, is right now in heaven interceding for you. That’s right, Jesus is battling in prayer for you (Romans 8:33-34). This is why the Bible calls us “more than conquerors” (Romans 8:37). Nothing the world throws at us can overcome us because the Creator of the world loves us and is fighting for us.