Faith Hope and Love Blog

Walk in freedom.

Not freedom to live as I wish.

But true freedom, which comes through Christ.

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”  John 8:36

Release the chains of guilt, shame, and fear that burden your heart.

Unshackled from regret and shame.

No longer a slave to sin.

Freedom.

Seek the Lord diligently.

Walk closely with Him.

Find true freedom in His presence.

Happy New Year!

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”  Galatians 5:1

Begin each day with silence.

Before you get busy with the demands of the day, let the foundation be established in the peace of the awareness of God’s presence..

Each day quickly becomes hurried and stressed.  Take these first moments to let His presence give you peace, which you can carry throughout the day.

If we cannot experience the peace of His presence in the quietness of the early morning, will we be any more likely to feel His peace in the rushed activity of the day?

Do not be distracted by electronic devices or anything else.

Be still in His presence.

Begin to quiet your thoughts by writing a few verses from the Bible in your journal.

Sit quietly and surrender your thoughts to God.

Your fears, your anxieties, your worries.

Surrender them all and entrust them to His care.

This is not a time to give a list of requests.

Simply Surrender.

Surrender your attempts to control the world around you.

Trust Him.

All of your insecurities and anxieties.

Surrender them.

Your pride and selfishness.

Surrender.

Seek the presence of His Spirit, and allow His grace and mercy to overflow.  That He might be hold His rightful place of authority over your life, and that you might receive the gift of grace that makes you His child.

Embrace His grace.

Receive His peace.

Let the pursuit of the peace of His presence be a priority during this coming year.

Happy New Year!

 

 

 

When you start something new, there’s a fear that you won’t finish.

Often, in order to avoid failure, you don’t even start … not considering that “failure to try” is worse than “failure to finish.”

If you feel that God has called you to undertake a task, but you’re afraid you might not succeed, you need to obey anyway.

In fact, if the task before you feels too big, that may be a good indication that it’s something you should pursue.  In his book “Experiencing God,” Henry Blackaby says that “when God calls a person to join Him in a God-sized task, faith is always required.  Obedience indicates faith in God.”

Do not be afraid.

Do not quit.

Do not lose hope.

Focus on the goal before you, and “run with endurance the race that is set before us.”  (Hebrews 12:1b)

God loves you.  He is for you.  Seek Him, and move forward in faith, as He leads.

Do not fear what the future may hold.

Trust God because He holds the future.

Tragedy surrounds us.

For many, the first question asked:  “where is God?”

But when chaos happens, it does not deny the presence of God.

Instead, it confirms His Word.

Tragedy doesn’t mean He’s not here.

It’s why He came.

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation.  But take heart;  I have overcome the world.”  John 16:33

He is with us.  Even in the midst of pain, suffering, and heartbreak.

We are inclined to think that when there is tragedy or injustice, God should immediately intervene.  We want Him to fix the broken world.  Our hearts cry out for Him keep us from hurt.

Through His life, death, and resurrection, Jesus has overcome the world.

But when we are in the middle of a mess, it is difficult to feel that victory.

The fact that Jesus has overcome the world doesn’t mean that we won’t experience tragedy, hurt, or brokenness.  But when these things happen, He has given us the answer where to find hope, peace, and love.

Hold on to the truth that you know:

God is good.

God loves you.

God’s plans are often beyond our understanding.

 

God has placed eternity in our hearts, and He has given us the awareness that things are not yet as they should be.

But He has provided a solution.

He has provided a Savior.

“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”    2 Corinthians 4:17