Dig a Ditch

And he said, “This is what the Lord says, ‘Make many cisterns in this valley,’ for this is what the Lord says, ‘You will not feel any wind or see any rain, but this valley will be full of water and you and your cattle and animals will drink.’ This is an easy task for the Lord; He will also hand Moab over to you. 2 Kings 3:16-18 

To human thinking it was simply impossible, but nothing is hard for God.

Without a sound or sign, from sources invisible and apparently impossible, the floods came stealing in all night long; and when the morning dawned, those ditches were flooded with the crystal waters, and reflecting the rays of the morning sun from the red hills of Edom.

Our unbelief is always wanting some outward sign. The religion of many is largely sensational, and they are not satisfied of its genuineness without manifestations, etc.; but the greatest triumph of faith is to be still and know that He is God.

The great victory of faith is to stand before some impassable Red Sea, and hear the Master say, “Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord,” and “Go forward.” As we step out without any sign or sound—not a wave-splash—and wetting our very feet as we take the first step into its waters, still marching on we shall see the sea divide and the pathway open through the very midst of the waters.

If we have seen the miraculous workings of God in some marvelous case of healing or some extraordinary providential deliverance, I am sure the thing that has impressed us most has been the quietness with which it was all done, the absence of everything spectacular and sensational, and the utter sense of nothingness which came to us as we stood in the presence of this mighty God and felt how easy, it was for Him to do it all without the faintest effort on His part or the slightest help on ours.

It is not the part of faith to question, but to obey. The ditches were made, and the water came pouring in from some supernatural source. What a lesson for our faith.

A.B. Simpson said, 'Oh, for that faith that can act by faith and not by sight, and expect God to work although we see no wind or rain.'

Are you craving a spiritual blessing? Open the trenches, and God will fill them. And this, too, in the most unexpected places and in the most unexpected ways.



see also:  Just Say No to Reasoning
                 The Man with the Plan

No More Fears

Fear not [there is nothing to fear], for I am with you; do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties, yes, I will help you; yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My [victorious] right hand of rightness and justice. Isaiah 41:10

Experiences and people in your life may have taught you to fear, but the Word of God can teach you to push past that fear. You can learn to be bold, courageous and confident. Work with  the Holy Spirit and He'll teach you.

Don't let the fear of something prevent your success and joy in daily living. Don't let it immobolize you. Don't let it cause you to panic and tremble. When you feel afraid, you don't have to quit or turn back. GOD IS WITH YOU, and because He is with you, you can feel the fear and do what you need to do anyway.

Don't let thoughts and/or memories of fear keep you from God's best for your life. You don't have to cower anymore. Hold your head high and walk in God-fidence. Believe in yourself. Believe in God in you. God's got good plans for you.

Father, help us not to be afraid. Let Your love wash over us and melt away the horrible terrors, fears and dreads. May the good news that You are with us bring us peace. In Jesus' name, amen.

Door of Hope (for Suicide Prevention Month)

There is one ray of hope: His compassion never ends. It is only the Lord's mercies that have kept us from complete destruction. Great is His faithfulness; His loving-kindness begins afresh each day. My soul claims the Lord as my inheritance; therefore I will hope in Him. The Lord is wonderfully good to those who wait for Him, to those who seek for Him. Lamentations 3:21-25

Have you lost your hope? Are you feeling hopeless? Some feel hopeless about specific areas such as their marriage, children, parents, school, significant other, health, finances, or job. But for others, this emotion permeates their entire lives. They exist but have no hopes, dreams, or goals. This is not the way God intends for us to live. He created us to live with purpose, working toward goals with a sense of anticipation for things to come.

This month is Suicide Prevention Month. There needs to be awareness, to bring it out in the open, to let others know that they don't have to be ashamed, to let others know that we all struggle at times, and even more so, that they are loved and valued and that there IS hope ... one day at a time ... so DON'T do it ... is part of what it's all about.

Where there is no vision [no redemptive revelation of God], the people perish. Proverbs 29:18

Hope is a word of optimism, and it defines what we are living for. Jesus can change our hopeless perspective into joy we can only imagine. There is no such thing as 'beyond repair' for God. He has a purpose for each of us, and there is a reason for the trials we face. Sometimes only God can see a way out, but there is ... and Jesus is the way-maker because He is the way.

Why are you discouraged and depressed, O my soul? And why are you disturbed and in turmoil within me? Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise Him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God. Psalm 42:11

God HAS NOT forgotten you. He HAS NOT overlooked you. He DOES see you. He DOES hear you. He DOES long for you to draw close to Him and to sit at His feet, just basking in His presence.

Our spiritual lives are full of highs and lows, valleys and mountaintops. But some people panic, or grow bitter and angry, when they face a disappointing situation. They ask, Where is God? Why hasn’t He answered my prayer? Why is He silent while I’m hurting? Many become disillusioned and hopeless. And instead of seeing a valley, they see an endless tunnel with no light at the end.

If you are at a low point and feeling hopeless, be encouraged. The Good Shepherd, who is the Sovereign of this universe, IS with you. You may not always sense His presence or see how He is working, but He IS there. The Lord DOES love you unconditionally and IS ready and willing to help. All you need to do is turn to Him.

God does not send anyone into a valley, but He may allow us to enter one to teach dependence upon Him. One day, perhaps you’ll look back and think, Thank you, God, for never leaving me, and for carrying me through the low place. You’ll never be able to thank Him enough.

TRUST GOD. Even in the low points in your life. Especially in the low points of your life. YOUR HOPE LIES IN GOD. Cast your cases on Him; lay your burdens at His feet. In His great compassion and love, He will sustain you.

If you haven’t discovered who God is and how He operates, then start now. Spend time reading the Bible each day, learning His promises and committing them to memory. Remember to trust Him with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understandings—or emotions.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5

Follow Jesus, and He will walk with you—and you will never be alone again.

LIVE and have HOPE, for JESUS is the DOOR OF HOPE.

Father, no matter what problems those who are depressed/discouraged are dealing with, I pray that you help them to find reasons to keep living. Give them hope. Encourage them. Be the lifter of their head/countenance. As they reach out to You for help, minister to them. Love on them. Show them who they can go to that can be trusted with their heart to talk things through, such as a friend, teacher, family member, church member, counselor, a help line. Whatever they need Lord, give it to them I pray. In Jesus' name, amen.

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By calling or texting the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline '988' you’ll be connected to a skilled, trained counselor at a crisis center in your area - anytime 24/7 or go to their website at http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org.

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associated AFTA blogs: Don't Self-Harm  You're Worth More  Do You Hate Yourself?



 

Got Joy?

 

 

 

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

 

Father, I pray that You fill us with the joy of the Lord, that overwhelming joy because Your joy is unlike anything this world has to offer. It brings peace, trust and hope and with that a rest because we know You are in control.

 

Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at His tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord. Psalm 27:6

 

I will lift my eyes to the hills, Lord, because I know from You comes our joy and peace. In Your presence, is joy and the fullness thereof. In Your presence, we have everything we need. I thank You, Father, and I love You. In Jesus' name, amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You Deserve a Break

 

[Jesus] said to them 'Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.' Mark 6:31

 

When Jesus asked His disciples to go to a quiet place and rest, He was telling them to do something that He had often done with them. Jesus had withdrawn with His disciples to the lake (2:13; 3:7) or up on the mountain (3:13). Jesus was also in the habit of withdrawing from the crowds to a solitary place to rest and to spend time talking with His Father (Matt. 14:13,23; 26:36; Mark 1:35; 6:46; Luke 4:42; 6:12; John 6:15). The gospel of Luke tells us, “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (5:16).

 

Ultimately, we find true rest through recognizing the presence of God and trusting Him. While we take our responsibilities seriously, we also recognize that we can relax our grip on our work and careers, our families and ministry, and give them over to God in faith. We can take time each day to tune out the distractions, put away the tense restlessness, and reflect in gratitude on the wonder of God’s love and faithfulness.

 

Father, help us to feel free to stop and take a breath. May we get some real rest. In Jesus' name, amen.

Greater than I

Feeling overwhelmed and heavy-hearted, I cried out to You for help in my desperation, Oh Lord and You spoke Psalm 61:2 to me: 'From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.'

I find when I am the most desperate, is when the Lord feels the closest. He's not drawn to me by my begging, complaining, yelling, having a pity party, etc. He's drawn to me because I have a heart after God, and I know that I know that I know ... that if He isn't with me, I can't do ANYTHING. My desperation for Him, my knowing that He's my everything out of all the things/people in the world, that it's Him who is mighty to save, is what keeps me in that place called 'there' and keeps me humble before Him.

Father God, You ARE greater than I Oh Lord, be not far from me. Help me. Heal me. Comfort me. Provide for me. Make sense of all this chaos. I pray for godly wisdom. To be led by Your blessed Holy Spirit. Quieten the raging waves within. I pray this for all those in need as well. I bless You Lord, in the name of Jesus.

Hold on to Hope, for Dear Life

 

For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus. Romans 15:4,5

 

So, are you believing for things that the Lord's promised you, that you haven't seen come to fruition yet? I sure am. Sometimes the wait is soooo long. And I feel like growing weary 😩 . But you know, God's got good timing. Time ⌚ is going to pass, whether we're believing to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living or not.

 

I would have fainted (given up, lost all hope) if I hadn't believed I'd see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Psalm 27:13

 

We might as well wait right, in faith. Good things really do come to those who wait. And, we grow/are strengthened while we wait.

 

They who wait upon the Lord, shall renew their strength 💪 . They shall mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31 

 

Not one of Your promises have ever failed Lord, thank You that YOU are faithful and that YOU never fail.

 

You know in all your hearts 💕  and in all your souls that not one word of all the good words which the Lord your God has promised concerning you has failed; all have been fulfilled for you, not one of them has failed. Joshua 23:14

 

Hold on to hope ... for dear life. 

 

Father, teach us to wait on You. Grow us up. Strengthen us. Help us not to grow weary waiting for what You've promised us to come from the spiritual realm to the natural realm. Give us hope to continue the fight in faith believing, knowing that You are a rewarder of those who diligently seek You. Forgive us for the times that we're jealous of others who are further along than us. Help us to run our own race. In Jesus' name, amen 🙏