We're His Kids

Because you are His sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, 'Abba, Father.' So you are no longer a slave, but God's child; and since you are His child, God has made you also an heir. Galatians 4:6,7

No longer live as a defeated Christian. Stop hating yourself because of what you've done in the past. Choose to forgive yourself, accept God's forgiveness, and let yourself off the hook.

The important thing is to try to be like Jesus in our attitudes and behaviors and the more our lives are transformed the more everything else begins to fall into place. We need to remember to seek God. To become like Him we must learn to walk with faith accepting the authority that we have as children of the most high God. If we walk defeated, then we are not walking in faith, and then we can't live in the fullness of the blessing in our lives.

… I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). John 10:10

You are special, you are wanted, you are loved, you are accepted, you are the home of the living God.

Father God, You're the best father we could ever hope for, thank You that You call us Your own. Help us to believe and be free ... for we are NO LONGER products of our past. Help us to move forward from here. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Down, But Never Out

From my earliest youth my enemies have persecuted me - let Israel now say - from my earliest youth my enemies have persecuted me, but THEY HAVE NEVER been able to finish me off. Psalm 129:1,2

Has there ever been a people so despised as Israel and the Jews? Despite persecution and numerous attempts at annihilation, the ancient people of God have endured.

Why? Because God keeps His promises.

In a similar way, the church has been a lightning rod for hatred for over two thousand years. Evil rulers (spurred on by the evil one) have attempted to rid the earth of the Word of God and the followers of Jesus - but without success.

Why? Because God is faithful.

Jesus assured us that all the powers of hell cannot stop the church in Matthew 16:18 - On this rock I will build My church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

We’ve probably all been knocked to the ground - many times, but we will never be permanently grounded. Through all the trials, struggles and failures God always through Christ will give us the strength to get up and get back in the race.

We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed or distressed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are persecuted and hunted down, but never forsaken or abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. 2 Corinthians 4:8,9

The scriptures above express the fact that though we face troubles, it is our outward circumstances that are effected. We don't have to let those circumstances change us inwardly or take away God's promises to us and the comfort that we have from within knowing we are His. When faced with defeat, we CAN have the inner strength through Christ to turn failure into victory. Through Christ we CAN keep going.

Proverbs 24:16 says, A righteous man may fall seven times but he will get back up again.

This tells us that no matter how many times we get knocked down, we CAN get back up again. The mere effort of us trying to get up, to keep going ... gets God's attention. In our weakest moments God's strength is made perfect and because of this promise, God ALWAYS shows up in our weakest moments. To help, hold, nurture and guide till we're up on our feet and stable and strong again.

Be determined. Say aloud, 'I will NEVER stay down. I will ALWAYS get back up. I'll NEVER, EVER give in!'

We believers may be down at times, but we are NEVER out.

Father, despite hard times and attacks coming against us, our families, our country, our beliefs and the church, be with us. Keep us. Give us peace despite the fact that the world as we know it is ending and things are going to be a whole lot different very soon. Help us to not get caught up in arguments and distractions and even if our 'rights' are stripped away from us, help us to continue to be faithful, try to live right, and share You with whomever will listen. Cause Your people to listen. Protect Jerusalem and may there be peace within its borders. May Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Hurry and come get us Jesus, and help us to be ready. In Jesus' name, amen.

What in the World is Going On?

But my eyes are fixed on You, Sovereign Lord; in You I take refuge - do not give me over to death. Keep me safe from the traps set by evildoers, from the snares they have laid for me. Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I pass by in safety. Psalm 141:8-10

We’re not always rejected and attacked because of wrong we’ve done. Sometimes, it’s because we’re doing right.

The enemy is throwing road blocks at us, trying to trip us up … so we’ll think that trying to do the right thing is too much trouble and not worth it. You may even hear doubting voices in your head like, 'What's the use in changing if no one notices and they still treat me as if I were still the old me?'

The enemy wants us to get discouraged and give up and ease back into our old ways and lifestyle. He will even throw people, especially those we want love and acceptance from the most, at us with hurtful things like still judging us for our past and bringing those things up over and over because they haven't forgiven us or don't really want us to succeed. Sad to say, some people in our lives are just waiting for us to mess up so that they can say, 'See, you really haven't changed after all.' We have to remember that it's not really them saying those things, it's the enemy working through them.

God wants us to move forward, continue to grow, continue to do what’s right … and trust that He will defeat our enemies and stop the attacks and that it will make us stronger and encourage us to continue to keep moving forward in the right direction.

We need to change for the better whether others believe that we are or not. Whether they see that we are or not. We are to seek God's approval. Do it for you ... and Him. If someone really wants to be a part of our lives they'll come around eventually. Sometimes we just need to regain the trust of those in whom we've lost it. And that can take time. In the meanwhile, they're missing out on the new, improved us.

Yep, you might actually be doing something right, how cool is that?

Let the attacks cause you to be more determined, not cower back and withdraw.

Don’t you dare let the enemy win.

Father, mold us into Your image. Help us not to fear, for You WILL walk us through the process. I pray that our enemies will fall in the very traps that they have laid for us. Help us to continue on, unscathed and unharmed. Help us to be determined to win the race. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Is it in Vain?

Tears may flow in the night, but joy comes in the morning. Psalm 30:5b

Weeping may remain for a night, but joy REALLY IS going to come in the morning.

Good will come from that trial somehow, because … what you've been through not only strengthens you ... the pain YOU'VE been through gives you a message to bring hope to OTHERS and helps bring them through, too. 

If God brings you to it, He believes you are strong enough to handle it and He WILL bring you through it. Whatever it is that you ‘think’ is going to break you, it’s NOT. You won’t even smell like smoke. God’s will WILL be accomplished through whatever He’s allowed in your life. 

YES - you DO make a difference.

NO - what you are going through IS NOT in vain.

Father, give us faith and endurance to wait upon You to come in like a knight in shining armor and save us. Help us to trust Your timing. Bring us through our trials and circumstances successfully and unscathed. Give us words and encouragement to help us in our journey and then bring fellow warriors into our lives that we can share the words you gave us with them. Let what we go through to not be in vain. In Jesus' name, amen.