Renewed Strength - Trust in the Lord

Treasures in Heaven

Wed, 09 Oct 2013 15:38:00 -0500

“The way you store up treasure in Heaven is by investing in getting people there.” ~Rick Warren

Mr. Warren’s quote is truly a great one, and one of my favorites. It helps us stop and think about what is really important in this life and what is really worth investing in. What is the one thing in this life that we can take with us to heaven? Our friends and family!

It’s interesting to stop for a second and put life in this world in perspective, compared to the life we will be spending in Heaven. I have heard some good illustrations of this where a speaker will roll out this long strand of toilet paper that rolls out to over 20 feet long and then say “This roll of paper represents all of eternity”. Then the speaker will place a small item, like a speck of sand, on that paper and say, “This speck of sand represents the history of Earth, and smaller than that piece of sand, is your time on Earth.” Of course, that is not even a perfect representation of the actual comparison. The true comparison would have to be a piece of paper that rolls out forever, with no end. But it still serves as a great visual.

So what do you want to invest in? The things we can keep during that speck of sand, or the things we can take with us for the entire roll of that toilet paper?

Investing in getting people to heaven may be time consuming work. It may keep you from being able to do the various other activities in your life that you enjoy. But take a moment to think about this quote and decide if the other activities are worth the same investment. You will get joy from the investment you put in others as well. Jesus promises us that.

This reminds me of the parable in Matthew 13:44: “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.”

At first glance, the parable is not directly related with the quote but it does speak to the type of investment this man thought heaven was worth. Every item he had acquired over the years, from working hard all his life, he joyfully sold because he knew how much more heaven was “worth”. Let’s make this type of investment in the friends and family in our lives. The investment is worth it.

Who in your life could you spend a little more time with? Invest more in that person’s “stock” and reap the rewards for eternity!

For more Christian quotes on images, visit ChristianQuotes.info. All of the images are free to use on your website, blog, Facebook, or other social media sites. The list of quotes and images are added to every day, ranging from popular authors of 100s of years ago, to some of the most famous living pastors and authors. We also feature some of the most popular Bible verses.

What is your ministry

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 13:19:00 -0500

About a year and a half ago, this question really got me thinking and sparked a big change in my life. About 6 months prior, I felt that God was calling me to stop being a “back row Baptist” and actually serve Him. I grew up in a Christian home and was active in the Church. I have considered myself a Christian for as long as I can remember. The problem is that I was going through the motions rather than actually living my life for Him.

While in a Bible study prayer meeting, one of the other members looked at me and said that he could tell that God had a special purpose for me and wanted me to serve Him. I was speechless! I completely agreed with what he said, but how did he know? My wife and our Pastor both knew what I was feeling, but how did this man know that?

Well life went on as usual. I constantly thought about how much I would love to be in full time ministry, but there was no way I could do that right now. Working my current job to provide for my family trumped any possibility of going to seminary to become a Pastor. Then about six months later, I ran into this man at McDonalds. We got talking and he plainly asked me, “What is your ministry”. Again, he rendered me speechless. How can I have a ministry? I’m not a preacher.

I spent a lot of time thinking and praying about what he said. In Ephesians 4:11-13, The Apostle Paul writs “And He personally gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, for the training of the saints in the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into a mature man with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness.”

That's when it hit me. I don’t need to be an apostle, prophet, or pastor to build up the body of Christ. We are all called to serve Him. The Great Commission applies to all of us.

Ok, so now I knew that I was being called to serve Him in growing His kingdom. I knew that I did not have to be ordained to do it. But how was I to have a ministry? I started thinking about the gifts I have been blessed with. Although it is not my profession, I have several years of experience in web development so I thought I could start an online ministry. Renewed Strength was born.

Now this too was a hard move for me. I am very technical minded but I am not a heavy reader, much less a writer. I barely passed high school English. Then I remembered Romans 8:28; “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose.” It doesn’t matter if I am a good writer, I definitely don’t claim to be, and I don’t need to be. I know that my ministry here is prayerfully considered and led by the Holy Spirit. He has blessed me with the opportunity to have an online ministry that reaches thousands every week.

So what is your ministry? How can you use your own God given talents to help others?

Image courtesy of Flickr user

Trust– A Five Letter Word

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 08:05:00 -0500

Although trust is just a five letter word, it carries a load of meaning. It has the ability to make or break a business, a marriage and even a person. Its power cannot be understated. Where trust exists between two business partners, a business can thrive. Where trust exists in a marriage, that marriage will prosper, joy will flourish, love will blossom.

It’s fundamental to our success. It’s fundamental to our very existence.

And yet many of us struggle with trust. Life has hurt us…people we have loved let us down or even betrayed us, wounding us. We guard ourselves and promise to never trust again. “I’ll never be that vulnerable again,” we whisper to ourselves, clinging to the pain.

And our life is altered. But not for the better.
So what is Trust? Webster defines it as “reliance on the integrity, strength, ability,

surety of a person or thing; confidence. Confident expectation of something. Hope.” With so broad a definition, who can possibly attain its ideals?
Yet God asks just that of us. He asks us to trust Him.

Isaiah 26:4 says:

“So trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord is an everlasting rock.”

A rock is something determinedly unshakable, unmovable, and unbreakable. A rock expresses who God is. We can trust Him. He will not let us down.

In my book, Love’s Memory-the Scotts of Mountain Ridge Book One I write of an average married couple who have been bruised by life; their dreams and hopes dashed. Trust erodes between them, and it doesn’t take long for love to follow that same path. Without knowledge of God, they have nothing to stand on, thus their marriage hangs on the precipice of disaster.

But someone is praying for them. And God, who is stronger than their pain, who is stronger than their catastrophe; has a way out. Because the nature of God is good, He is trustworthy. Jeremiah 29:11 says

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.”

And that’s the point of my book, Love’s Memory: to reveal a God who knows us so intimately, who understands our struggles better than we do, and who works behind the scenes in every detail of our lives. He is a GOOD God even though we walk through bad situations.

To get to the gist of this tale, I wrote Love’s Memory from both Manny and Valerie’s
point of view. As a woman, writing from Valerie’s perspective was simple. Her trials, conflicts, and behaviors were second nature to me. She was me.

But writing from Manny’s point of view? I struggled, I prayed, I studied. I was determined to write his story as a man would write it; as one who would feel and understand things purely from a man’s perspective. But that made Love’s Memory all the more fun for me. God is a mystery and I guess it only makes sense that our God-given partners have a bit of the mystery in them as well.

If I could leave one thought, it would be this: never underestimate God, never
underestimate the power of His love, and never underestimate what He can do through two
people who love Him and trust Him.

This has been a guest post by Shannon O’Donnell, author of the book Love’s Memory-The Scotts of Mountain Ridge Book One. Get your copy here: http://shannonhopeodonnell.com

Are we letting the Government remove Christianity?

Sat, 12 Jan 2013 11:04:00 -0500

The news lately has been flooded with stories that are upsetting to many Christians. Gay marriages becoming more popular, government mandated abortion coverage, religious leaders classified as persona non grata (an unwelcome person) at the presidential inauguration, and many others. When issues like these surface in the news, there is a lot of reaction from Christians. All of the Christian news outlets are covering the story and talking about how bad it is. Many blogs and websites are posting information and talking about how bad it is. A ton of people are posting on Facebook and talking about how bad it is. But what are we doing to combat the problem?

I am not into politics. I don’t have any grand plan to change the government. My point is, what are we doing to change the way our country is going. There are many organizations in the country that are risking everything they have and putting all of their effort into removing God from our country. What are we doing to stop them? Are we quietly complaining about the problem, or are we actively standing up for our beliefs?

Many school districts have removed any mention of Christianity from there school and programs. In most cases, all it takes is one person complaining and the School will comply for fear of a law suit. We need to voice our opinions also. Don’t just leave it up to the big groups or important people, we ALL need to stand up and make our voices heard.

I know that a lot of people just don’t want to make waves, don’t want to get in the way, and are scared they will say the wrong thing or scared of what people will think. It is time we get out of this mind set. Each and every one of us is called to be a witness to others for the glory of God. We are also promised that the Holy Spirit will empower us so it doesn’t matter if we think we can, we just have to be willing! (Acts 1:8)

If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.

1 Peter 4:14-16

In 1 Peter, we are warned that as a Christian, we will be persecuted, but that we should not be afraid to suffer according to God’s will. Are you ready to accept The Great Commission or are you only comfortable being a Christian when your in the safety of your Church? Are you ready to show the world that you truly love the Lord and risk it all to stand firm in your beliefs?

Are your seeds sown on rocky soil

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 07:39:00 -0500

Jesus often used parables to teach lessons to the crowds. In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, & Luke, we read the Parable of the Sower. Here Jesus explains that when sower went out into the fields to sow his seeds, the seeds fell in 1 of 4 ways (Mark 4:3-8):

Along the path
On rocky soil
Among the Thorns
On good soil

In this parable, The sower is God, the seed is His word, and the 4 locations are the 4 ways people receive His word. Jesus goes on to explain the meaning of these locations for the seed to grow.

The sower sows the word. These are the ones along the path where the word is sown: when they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: when they hear the word, immediately they receive it with joy. But they have no root in themselves; they are short-lived. When pressure or persecution comes because of the word, they immediately stumble. Others are sown among thorns; these are the ones who hear the word, but the worries of this age, the seduction of wealth, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. But the ones sown on good ground are those who hear the word, welcome it, and produce a crop: 30, 60, and 100 times what was sown.” – Mark 4:15-30

The seeds that land along the path refer to the people who hear the Word and of the saving grace of Jesus Christ, yet have no desire to truly believe and follow Christ. Satan quickly causes them to turn away from the Word.

Some seeds will fall on rocky ground. A seed sown on rocky soil will flourish for a time, but will be destroyed shortly because of the lack of roots. Some people receive God’s Word in this way. Immediately they are filled with joy and love for Christ, but their fait has no root. When the pressures of the world beat down on them, they immediately stumble and fall.

Seeds that land among the thorns will quickly grown, but the choked out by the thorns. These people receive God’s Word and quickly grow to follow Him. However they do not turn from their worldly view. They are still consumed by desires of the flesh and society. They focus on riches, social status, and power, rather then trusting God to provide all they need.

There are a lot of people who fit into all three of these categories. We have all seen people who call themselves Christians, yet their actions do not show a love for the Lord. Maybe these people don’t realize their mistakes, maybe they are struggling to improve. We don’t know their situation and it is not up to us to judge or condemn! We are here to be the seeds that land on good soil.

The seeds that land on good soil receive the Word, accept it, trust it, and grow to produce a crop for God’s Kingdom. It is not enough for us to go to Church and say you’re a Christian. Even if you have prayed and truly accepted Christ and believe in Him, your work is not done. We need to receive the seed (His Holy Word) on the good soil (our accepting and trusting spirit), then produce a crop (grow closer to Him and go out to make disciples). We are all called to be Followers of Christ, to follow Him and do His work daily. Life is not easy. Being a Christian and a un-religious society isn’t always easy, but if we truly Trust in the Lord, he will guide and protect us.

When the the sun beats down (pressure of life) or the thorns grow (worldly desires), how will you react. Will you wither away and die (eternal life in Hell), or are you ready to grow a crop, produce a crop, and strengthen His Kingdom?

What is this World coming to

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 16:42:00 -0500

This is a fraise I have heard and said many times. Anytime you turn on the news, you will be bombarded with stories of war, poverty, gloom and the like. Global terrorism is on the rise. The US economy is failing. The Mayan calendar ends in December 2012. What is this world coming to? Many believe that the world as we know it, is coming to an end. This can mean several different things.

Our world is falling apart

In the USA we have a failing economy, many have lost faith in the federal government, unemployment and homelessness is at a all time high, and foreign and domestic terrorist attack attempts are at a all time high. These are all unsettling facts! As if this isn't enough bad news, add in the possibility of major natural disasters. Hurricane's, earthquakes, tsunamis, All have the ability to cause massive devastation. All of this can definitely make you unsure about tomorrow.

Our world is coming to an end

The end of the Mayan calendar on December 21 2012 has a lot of people fearing the end of the world in eminent. World war, solar flairs, global climate shifts, galactic alignments, and many other theories have some believing the apocalypse is coming soon and our world will cease to exist any longer.

With the many possibilities for destruction, what should we be doing? How you prep for doomsday is a personal preference. I’m not saying it is a bad thing to have a good supply of food, water, and other necessary supply’s in case of emergency, but don’t let this be what you rely on and trust in your own abilities. "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal." - Matthew 6:19-20

Material possession and supply's may make you feel better about your situation, but what is here today, can be gone tomorrow.

"25 Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." – Matthew 6:25-34

What does the Bible have to say

Revelation 9:20-21 lists the 7 signs of the Tribulation

Rebellion against God
Worship of Demons
Idolatry
Murders
Sorceries
Sexual Immorality
Thefts

These are all present today. So does this mean that the end is near? Many believe so. Matthew 24:36 says “Now concerning that day and hour no one knows—neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son —except the Father only." There is a time set for the Great Tribulation. Some claim to know when it is coming, some scholars claim they can prove when it will be, but no one know except the Father in Heaven!

So what should we do?

We were given a warning in 2nd Timothy; “3 The time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, 4 they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths”. Do not turn away from sound doctrine and the Word of God in His Holy Bible. Do not put your faith in your own abilities or the abilities and teaching of others. Keep your faith in God. Only he can save us from death (physical and spiritual separation from Him in Heaven).

If you have not already accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I invite you to learn How to become a Christian. If you trust and believe in Him, we will take care of and provide for you no matter what the World does.

Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread

Thu, 08 Nov 2012 19:15:00 -0500

If you have spent much time in Church, you undoubtedly have heard and said the Lord’s prayer many times. Reading and memorizing God’s Word in the Bible is a very import part of growing as a Christian. Even more important then memorizing, is understanding God’s Word. This week I have been thinking about the Lord’s prayer, specifically Matthew 6:11 – “Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread”. I never took part in the Adkins diet craze because frankly, I like carbs. I like bread, and I’d like to have some daily. I’m pretty sure this is not the only thing Jesus meant by this passage though. Let’s take a closer look..

A) During our time on this side of Heaven, we are dependent on physical bodies. Without food, our physical body will die. So we do need our daily bread as sustenance and nourishment for our body. Shortly after the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus instructs us not to worry about food or cloths, instead to trust in the Lord (Matthew 6:25-26). The New Living Translation for Matthew 6:11 translates this verse more literally to this point; “Give us our food for today”. I believe we can conclude that Jesus is telling us the will provide our daily food if we ask for it.

b) Now what other daily bread do we need? If we skip ahead to the book of John, we will see Jesus describing himself as the living bread (John 6:51-58). He is the living bread which will allow us to live forever (with Him in heaven) if we eat His flesh and drink His blood (believe in Him, confess our sins, and live our life for Him).

Wait a minute, now that sounds like were talking about becoming a Christian, which we typically only do once and communion which we typically do once a month. Why then are we praying for daily bread? Our Lord Jesus Christ lived a perfect life on earth. This is how he was able to take the punishment for our sins when He died on the cross. I am far from perfect and need his forgiveness daily. I also need my daily bread, Jesus Christ, with me daily as my guiding light to show me the way and help me when things get tough.

Our God is Omnipotent & Omnipresent. He wants to and will provide for our every need, he just wants us to trust Him to do it. Put your trust in the Lord. Ask Him to provide your daily bread, & live your life for Him. You will be amazed by the things He will do in your life if you give Him the opportunity.

Preach to Us Smooth Things

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 07:28:00 -0500

Titus 2; Isaiah 30:9-10

“But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things — that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed. Likewise, exhort the young men to be sober-minded, in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you. Exhort bondservants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing in all things, not answering back, not pilfering, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things. For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. Speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.”

“That this is a rebellious people, Lying children, Children who will not hear the law of the LORD; who say to the seers, “Do not see,” And to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us right things; Speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits”.

Isaiah was a prophet in Israel during a very difficult period in the history of the nation. They had rebelled against God and were not repentant. Isaiah preached judgment on the nation. But the people did not like it. Look at how God Himself described the people in Isaiah 30:9-10. They wanted Isaiah to preach deceit and flattery. They wanted to be like others. They refused to Trust in the Lord

The same is true of our society today. Even in our Churches that have over the years been built on tradition. We want to be like others. We are calling for a new form of teaching, a new form of doctrine, a new form of tradition. Preach to us new things; new ways of life and new morality.

Isaiah resisted the call. He was hated; he was persecuted, and finally, according to history, was sawn asunder between two boards. (Hebrews 11:37-38) That has been the lot of men who stood for the truth over the centuries. Stephen was stoned to death. Paul and Peter were executed. Jesus Christ Himself was crucified. People do not like hard sayings. People do not like the truth. Tell them the truth and they will hate you; persecute you and where it is possible execute you.

We have a choice between standing with the truth, the hard facts of the Scripture, the true doctrine on one hand, and the new morality and the new preaching and teaching on the other.

Take, for instance, the many teachings today about the Christian and wealth, the Christian and affliction, the Christian and the worldly standards. The Christian needs to take a close look at what the Scripture says and give it the correct Biblical interpretation.

Now let us look at what the Bible says about this age in which we live. The passage we read in Titus was Paul’s instruction to this young Pastor Titus in Crete. He had the problem that most of our Churches have today – how do I set this Church in order so that the whole doctrine and truth is preached? Paul instructs him to speak sound doctrine – not what people want to hear. Let women be reverent, young men to be sober-minded; servants to be obedient; rebuke with authority.

In another Pastoral Epistle this time to Timothy at the Church in Ephesus he wrote: Second Timothy 4:1-5: “I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all long suffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”

The Apostle Peter also writing in the same vein urges us all to be careful, See Second Peter 2:1-3 “But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.”

Let us be wary of the new morality, new doctrine and new revelations. I have the inclination to cling to the dictum which says; “If it is new, it is not true and if it is true, it cannot be new.” I still have the old religion.

Let us carefully examine these things before we give in to them. Let us milk our own cows, and then we will have the cream and not diluted milk. Resist the smooth things. In understanding Be Real Men!

God bless you all.

About the Author:
Silas Eke became a new creature in Christ Jesus in September 1969 while on the Nigeria/Biafra war-front. Since then, he has been actively engaged in sharing Christ to others through his writings, invited talks and personal counselling. As a writer, Mr Silas Eke was the author of a newspaper column “Ministering Christ” which appeared every Sunday for six years from 1984 in the Sunday Concord. His first published book “Enjoy your family” stems largely from his work while writing the column. You can find him on the web at http://silarolipte.blogspot.com/

God Is Still On The Throne

Wed, 03 Oct 2012 01:00:00 -0500

Nine Inspiring Verses From Psalms

Our lives can be filled with uncertainty. And uncertainty can rob us of peace and joy, especially when we have been wronged. In fact, holding onto peace and security in our lives can be hard, unless we have an anchor. But an anchor is only as good as the chain that holds it fast to us. Fortunately, God has given us both a solid anchor and a chain. We hold to Jesus as our anchor and the promises in His Word are the chain that links us. It is hard to remember when we are wronged that God is on the throne. So many times it does not feel like there is much purpose, order, and logic to all the happenings in our lives. Getting fired from a job, divorce, theft, betrayal - all these can cloud our mind with doubt and frustration. But the Scripture constantly reminds us that God is on the throne, in control, and active in our lives. And although the ancient reader may not have realized how big creation is, the Bible declares that "everything in heaven and earth is" God's. We can be sure that God is in control and He has a Plan and Purpose for your life. So follow along and claim these Scriptures from Psalms that God is in control and works on our behalf for justice to prevail:

Our Just God:

For the LORD is righteous, he loves justice; the upright will see his face. Psalm 11:7 The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love. Psalm 33:5 Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep. You, LORD, preserve both people and animals. Psalm 36:6 Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom. Psalm 45:6 And the heavens proclaim his righteousness, for he is a God of justice. Psalm 50:6 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you. Psalm 89:14 Clouds and thick darkness surround him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. Psalm 97:2 The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. Psalm 103:6 I know that the LORD secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy. Psalm 140:12

Final Thoughts:

Psalms 89 tells us that every action of God is motivated by love and faithfulness. He is not motivated by hatred or malice. He is not stricken with greed or selfish ambition. His works are geared toward your good. So if you are wronged, know that God is working on your behalf. God will be working for your betterment and the enrichment of others. Since justice, peace, and righteousness motivate God, His actions will lead you to greater peace, joy, and contentment. So being able to be patient and willing to do as He prompts is paramount. And as you learn His Ways, you will be more able to discern His Voice. So grow your heart to love the needy, oppressed, down cast, and struggling. Learn to love as He loves. As you go through hard times, remember your experience well so that you can comfort those when you reach a more stable place. If God can build character and compassion in you, your wrongs and betrayal will produce a light for others to find peace. And know that just as the seasons come and go, your hard time will pass as well. God brings hard times into our lives to refine us. The question is, will the hard times produce good fruit in us? [If you are a victim of sexual or physical abuse do not allow this to continue. Call your local authorities and seek professional counseling. Also, if you are having thoughts of suicide or harming yourself, seek professional counseling immediately.]

22 Inspirational Bible Verses from What Christians Want To Know

Pathway to Peace

Mon, 13 Aug 2012 05:42:00 -0500

A friend of mine named Charles once began a search for peace of mind. But there were things in his life that kept him from finding it. Though deeply remorseful for his wrongdoings, he had never truly faced them head-on. He was a reliable man, a hard worker, but inside he was tortured. Behind the façade of his dedication to his wife, his children and the church, he carried a huge secret. He was having an affair…in fact; the relationship had been ongoing for several years.

He realized there was clearly no way he could make up for, or undo what he had done. But a time came when the weight of his sin became so distressing and his remorse was so heavy, that he proceeded to go and apologize to every individual he'd disappointed or hurt. Especially to the women he’d betrayed. However, as a Christian, Charles knew he had another even more important step to take. He must confess to God and repent. “Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped out, that seasons of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” Acts 3:19 (HCSB)

Charles did confess and repent. He says that this experience, and the peacefulness it produced, was not a one-time event, but a process that continues even now. Often times when he thought that he'd finally arrived at the peacefulness he sought in his life, he would recognize that what he had found was simply a stepping-stone and that day-by-day he must follow God’s path to peace.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.”

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

I pray for all of you that as each dawn breaks, God will shower you with His blessings of love and lead you always to the right path.

This is a guest post by Ruth Lanham who authors Faith Song.