God Is Able

 ^{Source:InTouch Ministries}


 Read | Ephesians 3:20-21

²⁰ 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. ²¹ Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

Jesus knew firsthand what it meant to live with limited financial resources, to have others--including family members--question His actions (Mark 3:21), and to suffer rejection by those He sought to serve (John 6:66). Yet, in spite of such opposition, Jesus never let circumstances control His emotions or dictate His actions. Instead, He chose to trust that the Father was able to carry out His Word.
We are called to follow the example of Christ by believing that God is able to do what He has promised. For instance, the Bible pledges eternal salvation for everyone who asks for forgiveness in Jesus' name (Heb. 7:25). The Son's death on the cross satisfied the demands of divine justice for all our sins--from "white lies" to unspeakably vile acts. When we have true faith in Jesus, God will forgive us and make each of us a new creation in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). No matter what trouble we may have caused, He invites us to draw near in faith and receive the gift of everlasting life.
God promises to save whoever trusts in Him, and also to establish believers in truth (Rom. 16:25). He gives us a firm foundation in Christ and then builds us up in righteousness. Through His Spirit and the Word, we start to see things as our Father does and then can understand what pleases Him.
By believing God keeps His promises, we grow stronger in our faith and gain peace. Hardships that would have thrown us off course lose their power to shake us. Hope replaces discouragement, and trust overcomes doubt. When trouble comes, focus on God's ability to care for you.

Our Firm Foundation

Source: InTouch Ministries

When I read this devotion, I knew I had to share it.  So many times when we face adversity we let it get the better of us and let our lives fall apart.  Instead, we need to gain our strength from the Lord instead of relying on ourselves because we will always fail.


Luke 6:46-49

⁴⁶ “So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say? ⁴⁷ I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. ⁴⁸ It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built. ⁴⁹ But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins.”

God has ways of shaking the world when He is at work. He literally caused the ground to quake when Jesus died on the cross, and Hebrews 12:26 describes a time still future when the earth will undergo a similar display of His power and presence.
Likewise in our present day, He often lets the foundations of our world be shaken--whether political alliances, financial systems, or other forms of human security. Then we can see the flimsiness of the structures on which we've based our pride and hopes. Individual lives are also often shaken when a family experiences crisis or a marriage begins to unravel. If we have built on the fragile cornerstones of human wisdom, pride, and conditional love, things may look good for a while, but a weak foundation causes collapse when storms hit.
While adversity affects everyone, we can have peace in knowing that God always has a greater purpose when He allows upheaval in our world. Hard times can also shake believers out of apathy and self-focus, reminding us not to trust in ourselves or the temporary structures of this world. There is only one secure foundation: a genuine, deep relationship with Jesus Christ, which will carry you through any and all turmoil. No matter what storms are raging all around, you'll stand firm if you stand on His love.
It's not enough for believers to simply enjoy the security of knowing that our "house" is built on a solid foundation. As God's ambassadors on earth, we have a respon-sibility to extend His compassion to people whose lives are crumbling. Be a living message of hope to those around you today.

Trusting God to Keep His Promise

 <sup>Source: InTouch Ministries

35</sup> So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! ³⁶ Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.  Hebrews 10:35-36

Have you ever experienced the bitter sting of a broken promise from a close friend? Few things hurt worse than this kind of betrayal, most likely because it marks the faltering trust between two companions.
For this reason, it is of eternal value to recognize the trustworthiness of almighty God. We serve a God of promises. He pledged a new land for His people, a child to the elderly Abraham, and a Savior for the world. Each of these and many more promises were fulfilled in time, according to His perfect will. Hebrews 10:23 affirms, “He who promised is faithful.”
Sometimes, however, God’s promises are marked with conditions. Although we serve a God of limitless grace and mercy, He often charges us with responsibilities upon which our success will depend. For instance, in today’s passage, we see that confidence, obedience, and endurance are all vital elements in “receiving what has been promised” (Heb. 10:35-36).
This does not mean that we can earn God’s favor with good deeds. In truth, He loves us not for what we do, but because He cannot help loving each of us passionately just as we are.
If we love Him in return, we must take responsibility for what He has called us to do. This is not a maneuver to finagle blessings from Him, but rather an act of humble submission to His will. When we operate from such a standpoint, we are in the perfect position to grab hold of what He wants to give us.


Patience has never been one of my strong points, however, God calls us to turn to Him and be patient as He works in our lives.  He never promised it would be easy, but He did promise that He was our strength and wisdom.  All we have to do is call upon Him.

Seeing Adversity from God's Viewpoint

 From InTouch Ministries

Read | Isaiah 55:8-9

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.
    “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. 
 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so my ways are higher than your ways
    and my thoughts higher than your thoughts."
  

When adversity hits you like a ton of bricks, it could easily throw you into a pit of discouragement and despair. Although you may consider difficulties as setbacks, the Lord sees them as times for great advancement. His purpose for allowing them is not to destroy you but to stimulate your spiritual growth. In His great wisdom, the Lord knows how to take an awful situation and use it to transform you into the image of Christ and equip you to carry out His will.
Every adversity that comes into your life is sifted through God's permissive will. That doesn't mean the difficulty itself is His perfect will, but He's allowed the trial to touch you so that He can use it to accomplish His wonderful purposes for your life. Although some of the suffering we see and experience seems senseless or blatantly evil, we must recognize that we have a very limited perspective and cannot always understand what the Lord is doing.
Our heavenly Father sees every aspect of life, but our view is restricted to what is right before us. His plans include not only you but all of His creation, and they reach from the beginning of time to eternity future. Though we'll never grasp the infinite mind of God, we can know His faithfulness and love.
When you can't understand God's ways, focus on His perfect knowledge, wisdom, and power rather than the magnitude of your sorrow. Remember, He sees the entire picture and loves you more than you can imagine. This is a time to walk by faith, as perfect understanding comes only in heaven.




It is so difficult to see God during our trials.  This devotion reminds us that God's hand is in everything we experience.  Everything happens for a reason and it is comforting to know that God can see the big picture even though we can't.

The Adventure of Obedience

Source : Intouch Ministries

The Adventure of Obedience

By Dr. Charles Stanley
Isaiah 30:21  (One of my favorite verses!)

Your own ears will hear him.
    Right behind you a voice will say,
“This is the way you should go,”
    whether to the right or to the left.


Christians sometimes approach obedience as a way of avoiding the negative consequences of disobedience. They see obedience as a burden, not as the road to blessing.
But God intended our walk of faith to be a great adventure, motivated by our love for Jesus Christ. Obedience is about expressing our love for and trust in God, not about avoiding unpleasant consequences. That is why John can say, “This is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3).
When we place our trust in the omnipotence of the Lord and act on His prompting, life becomes worthwhile and purposeful. We need not be afraid of the future because God already knows the outcome of our obedience—and we can trust in His promise that He works everything out for our good (Rom. 8:28). Although we may not understand how, we are confident that the Lord is continuously moving us through a variety of circumstances toward His overriding purpose for our lives. However, if we fail to obey Him because of a mistaken desire for safety, we reject the opportunity for God to demonstrate His awesome power in us.
Small choices to submit to God’s will may seem insignificant, but they lead toward a lifetime of walking with Him. And as His children, we should ask Him to lead us each day. “What would You have me say here, Lord?” or “What is the best decision now?” We must learn to listen to our heavenly Father and remain sensitive to the quiet voice that prompts us throughout the day. Isaiah says, “Your ears will hear a word behind you, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ whenever you turn to the right or to the left” (30:21).
When we keep our minds focused on Him, we begin to understand the significance of our decisions and how He is guiding us along the adventurous path of His will. Ultimately this awareness will lead to a fulfilling, meaningful life of walking with the Lord and receiving His best for us.
As you look at the day ahead of you, what is your next step of obedience? No matter how He directs you, trust Him and do exactly as He says. You’ll be glad you did.