The Greater One—My Father

1 John 4:4 says, Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. Sometimes we need to be reminded that the God who lives inside of us is greater than any circumstance we face. We serve an awesome God who has the ability, power and desire to take care of us. Even though we know He is awesome and all powerful, sometimes our words and actions indicate that we have more faith in our fears that we do in Him.  Our fear-filled words give the impression that our God is not big enough to handle the difficult circumstances of our lives.  Instead of speaking words of fear, children of God should have faith-filled words on our lips.  Rather than speaking defeat and telling God how big our mountain is, we need to tell our mountain how big our God is.

The God who created the universe loves us and wants so much to have a relationship with us that, through the cross of Christ, He made provision to come and live in the heart of each one who will accept Him. He is greater than anything we face—all of our problems, our sicknesses, our fears, and insecurities. Everything that comes against us and makes us feel hopeless can be conquered as we trust in Him. Trust is a confident expectation of something. As we look into the Word of God, our faith grows, and we come to confidently expect that God will do what His Word says. Reading about His provision for us causes us to know more fully the care and concern He has for us and to believe that He has our best interests at heart. He is not a God who is far away, but is our Father who loves and tenderly cares for us.

We have assurance from the Word that we can stand upon the promises He has made. We can rely upon Him because He has promised to never leave us or forsake us. As we take His Word for what it says, we will live with confidence in the truth—and the truth will keep us strong in the face of any onslaught of the enemy.

Scriptures for Reflection

. . . I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. (Hebrews 13:5)

Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. (Matthew 6:25-34)

Lord, I Want To Change!

Do you ever feel that you keep dealing with the same issues in your life over and over—the same problems, the same habits, the same sins? I have heard it described as going around the mountain again and again, just as the Israelites did in the wilderness. We know we serve the One who has the answers we need, but sometimes we feel we just can’t get where we want to be in our Christian walk.

Most of us tend to justify the way we are and make excuses about why we don’t change—until the pain caused by our choices becomes so great that we have to do something about it. For example, it is easy to say, “I know I should make food choices that are more healthy,” or, “I know I should exercise,” but if you haven’t felt the pain yet of getting on the scales and seeing the number go ever higher, or you haven’t really looked in the mirror and seen a body you wish were not yours, then you are willing to continue in your old, familiar habits.

Usually, it is only when our actions produce misery that we are willing to take a good look at ourselves and realize it is time to make some changes. A few years ago, I became very unhappy about my weight. As long as my desire to overeat was greater than my desire to change, I made unhealthy choices, but I came to the point that my unhappiness with my body caused me to make the changes necessary to lose the extra pounds. (I am sorry to say that I have not been entirely successful in maintaining my desired weight. This is one of the mountains I keep going around over and over again. The sad truth is that I went back to some of my unhealthy habits once again.)

After much praying, study and contemplation, I have come to believe that our basic problem is that we have been deceived into believing the enemy’s lies. These can range from, “Your habit is not so bad,” to “You are a horrible person because of this habit, and you can never change.”  Either way, when we believe a lie, that is what we live by. Our actions are produced by our beliefs. In order to make changes in our lives, we have to change our beliefs. And remember, it is not what you believe in your head that matters; it is what you believe in your heart.

How do we change what we believe?  We have to replace the lies with truth.  Where do we find truth?  In the Word of God.  No matter what lie the enemy throws at you, you can find the opposite (truth) in the Bible. If he tells you that you can never change, you can answer, according to Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” If he tells you that you are no good and you will never amount to anything, you can say, “God has given unto me all things that pertain unto life and godliness, and I am a partaker of His divine nature,” and “He who began a good work in me will complete it until the day of Christ.” (2 Peter 1:3-4; Philippians 1:6)

Satan and his forces of darkness are continually bombarding our minds with negative thoughts. In order to combat those thoughts, we must constantly keep our mind renewed with the Word of God. Just reading a little devotion in the morning and then forgetting about it the rest of the day probably won’t do much good. But if we saturate ourselves in the Word, and let it become a part of us, then our beliefs will change, and we will be able to make our stand against the attacks of the enemy. The Word tells us, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32)  It is when we know the truth in our hearts and act on the truth that our lives will change.

Father, help me to get the beliefs that line up with Your Word from my head to my heart. Help me to live out what I know is true.

Scripture for Reflection

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:2)

Self-Discipline Ain’t Easy

As I begin let me say, I am not writing about self-discipline because I have mastered it—not by a long shot. Those who are close to me can attest to that. I’m the person who has the habit of getting out of bed at the last possible moment each morning, and then having to “push the pedal to the metal” to get to work on time . . . or a minute late . . . or five minutes late. Nevertheless, the matter of self-discipline is on my heart. So, here goes . . .

One definition of discipline is to bring to a state of order and obedience by training and control. The Word tells us, For the time being no discipline brings joy, but seems grievous and painful; but afterwards it yields a peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it . . . (Hebrews 12:11, Amplified)

To me, self-discipline is simply doing what you don’t want to do at the moment, knowing it will bring a reward in the future. For example, going to work when you would rather stay home because you need that paycheck; eating the fruit or veggies instead of ice cream to lose those extra pounds; getting up and doing your workout when hitting the snooze button one more time is so tempting; spending time in the Word and in prayer rather than sitting in front of the TV.

All of us know that when we reach the goal it will be worth it; it’s just getting our body to agree with our mind that now is the time to get up and do it. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:27, But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection . . . In other words, he didn’t let his body have its way.

That is what self-discipline is all about—remembering that our body is just the house we live in, and it should not control our actions. Our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and as such should be under the control of the Holy Spirit. When God created each of us, He gave us a will—we can make our own decisions. However, His desire is for us to submit our will to His. We want to “do our own thing,” but His way is so much better. We want to eat the large bag of M&Ms all in one sitting, but He wants us to have a healthy body to better serve Him. We want our life to be filled to the brim with activity. He wants us to take some time each day to just be with Him, so that we can grow spiritually into the men and women of God He created us to be.

I have a long way to go. 

Scriptures for Reflection

Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. (Hebrews 12:11)

But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. (1 Corinthians 9:27)

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

Oops! What Just Came Out Of My Mouth?

This week, on four different occasions in the space of one 24-hour period, the Lord brought to my attention scriptures regarding the tongue. I was confronted with God’s thoughts regarding the words that come out of my mouth. We have all heard the phrase, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” How untrue that is. Words can hurt. Words can also heal. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” (Proverbs 18:21)

I consider myself to be an optimistic person for the most part, but at times I am guilty of allowing negativity to make its way into my speech. God’s desire is for us to speak words that are uplifting that they may bless the hearer. (Eph. 4:29)

It is easy to fall into the trap of complaining. And the more a person complains, the worse their attitude becomes. Your words affect how you feel, and they also affect those who have to listen to you. No one enjoys being around someone who complains all the time.

I have found that when I wake up in a “down” mood, if I will speak aloud the words taken from Psalm 118:24, This is the day that the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it, I begin to feel better. It is uplifting to my spirit.

I have a choice about what comes out of my mouth. Just because a thought enters my mind, does not mean it has to be spoken. How many times have you said something, and the second the words were out of your mouth you wished you could take them back?

The story is told of a man who went through his village slandering the rabbi. One day he felt remorse and went to the rabbi asking for forgiveness and offering to do whatever was necessary to make amends. The rabbi instructed him to take a feather pillow, open it and scatter the feathers to the wind, and then return to him. The man did as he was told and then came back asking, “Am I now forgiven?” The rabbi answered, “Almost, but there is one thing left to do: Go and gather up all the feathers.” “Impossible,” the man said. “The feathers have already been scattered by the wind.” The rabbi answered, “Yes, even though we want to correct a wrong committed, it is as impossible to repair the damage done by spoken words as it is to gather the feathers thrown into the wind.”

Father, forgive me for speaking complaining and hurtful words. Help me instead to speak words of thankfulness and kindness. Set a watch O Lord, before my mouth.

Scriptures for Reflection

Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. (Proverbs 18:21)

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. (Ephesians 4:29)

Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles. (Proverbs 21:23)

If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. (James 1:26)

For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile. (1 Peter 3:10)

Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. (Psalm 141:3)

This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24)