Category Archives: God’s Love

God’s Character Never Changes

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Humans are not steadfast. Our character ebbs and flows. Our sin nature does not allow us to be steadfast, we always falter, some more than others, until Jesus returns we are locked into the the fate of sin. The only constant in our life is that God’s character and standards never change.

This means the God who spoke in the Old Testament is speaking to us today. He spoke to His people through the disciples, prophets, and most importantly Jesus. The story always remains the same. Adam and Eve sinned and were thrown out of Eden. We entered eternal sin as the result of their disobedience. The Messiah will come and save us from eternal sin. Jesus will be crucified and return to heaven. He will return again to redeem His people, and we will live as one people in peace through eternity.

We all need stability. God’s character is our stabilizing force. Why? No matter what happens on earth, His plan is consistent, it does not waiver or deviate. The world today is not much different that the world of old. There are still false prophets and leaders who fail to surrender to the Will of God. Leaders still take bribes, or are rewarded by lobbyists. Many priests and religious leaders are bought by large contributions to their church, and fall pray to idols (money, fame, and fortune). Families still struggle to maintain the nucleus to hold the unit together. Economies and social justice are still at odds. And, the Word of God is still lost to many who only hear the noise of chaos.

This seems like desperate times, and in some respect it is. However, this world will operate in phases until the end. Our loving Father will love us, warn us of our wrong doing, judge us and restore us, each time hoping that we will turn back to Him.

The only thing we can rely on is His unfailing love and character that is ever-present, even when it seems He is not with us.

Our Lord never forsakes us or leaves us. He does not turn a blind eye to this world. He sees all, and remembers everything. He is always with us, holding us up when we cannot walk or take another breath. He provides for us when we cannot provide for ourselves.

He is here with us in the light and darkest moments. HE IS FAITHFUL throughout time. Rest assured, the sun will rise and set everyday as part of His creation and plan for our salvation. He is our loving Father who cannot fail. He is all truth and His character is unwavering.

Indecision Is a Form of Spiritual Paralysis

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When we are instructed to wait on the Lord in Isaiah 40:31, God is not instructing us to sit and twiddle our thumbs or coil, writhing in pain over what we should or should not do. The phrase ‘wait on the Lord’ means to wait in expectation, trust in Him, and put your hope in Him, not the circumstances you may be experiencing. If the farmers experience low crop yields, do they say, I will not plant seeds this year and I know God will supply a prosperous crop. No, they plant their seeds, care for the crop and pray that it will be bountiful. If we need a job, should we sit paralyzed or should we search for work and pray that God will direct us to the perfect position and give us favor in the employers eyes.

I am certain many may have experienced God’s work when seeking employment and the opportunities seem to be in conflict with your skills and education, yet that particular type of work seems to be calling. Quite often, God is sending you to a place where He needs you to be His messenger, or it may be a place that requires you to turn to Him and place all confidence in Him (a lesson, not a punishment). Is it easier to follow His direction in this instance, or to remain spirituality paralyzed? I submit, God controls everything, to assume He cannot direct your path is offensive. He created all in the world and universe, His architecture for our lives was completed long ago. He knew and knows all that we will go through in life, the good and the bad, as well as times of comfort and extreme discomfort, therefore He knows His expectations of how we are to approach Him; it is an act of defiance when we fail to reach out to Him. He expects us to firstly ask Him for direction(pray), then listen for His answer (seek), and thirdly act (respond).

God is our only prospect for deliverance. Consider your options and listen to the directions God shares with you. It may be as you hoped, and then again it may be something completely out of your purview. For many, attempting to make a decision creates paralysis and indecision; taking the path less traveled may also cause (temporary) paralysis. But, consider this, if we operate outside of God’s Will or chose our own path, we are not honoring God. God gives us strength when we seek Him. He directs us when we abide in His Word. His hope energizes us when we seek Him. When we wait upon Him, trusting He will answer and direction, we begin to exhibit strength, a peace of mind, and deliverance from the storm that rages and attempts to sink us, and consequently seeks to weaken and destroy our relationship with the Lord. Psalms 25:5 advises us to ask God to lead us in His truth and teaches us learn to wait on His reply. Only God is our salvation. Psalms 27:14 implores us to wait on the Lord; to be strong and let your heart take courage as you yield to His direction. We are, according to Webster’s Dictionary, (commentary on Wait on the Lord, word search ‘wait’) stay or rest in expectation until the arrival of His answer is clear. We can rest in the knowledge that His provision will be better than anything we force. 

Waiting on the Lord is active, not passive. It is preparing us to act when it becomes clear that He is directing our path. It urges us not to be indecisive and writhing in paralysis. Psalms 37:7 (ESV) shares “Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for Him to act.” Rest in God’s love, be active and wait on the Lord. “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer.” Roman’s 12:2 (NIV) Continue to plant your crop, in the case of farming, send out your resume, share with others your need for employment, seek out communities of those also searching for employment and ask God to show you direction, ask for a sign that you are on the correct path even when His path may mean lower income that you are accustomed to, he is plotting your path. He will reward you for relying on and obeying Him.

Waiting on the Lord is an active and decisive practice. Indecision is passive and inactive. It is a form of spiritual passivity that creates spiritual paralysis and weakens your relationship with the Lord, our Father.

Images in order: 1) LAB Photos; 2) The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.com; 3) m.lovethispic.com

Scriptures: Bible.com

Resources: Barnes Notes On The Bible, biblehub.com

Defenders

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Sometimes disasters break our Godlessness. ~ Lisa Blair

“A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭68:5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

While studying this scripture this morning and listening to the devotional, I immediately thought of the Polish people. They are defenders of the fatherless, and of widows. They are the bridge to the homeless seeking asylum. You see, the majority of the Ukrainians escaping the attack on their nation are fleeing to Poland.

The lion’s share have gone to Poland, where the number of refugees that have arrived – about 1.8 million – matches the population of the city of Warsaw, Poland’s capital and largest city. (The number of Ukrainians who’ve fled to Poland is equal to the population of Warsaw by Becky Sullivan. NPR. March 16, 20225:00 AM ET)

The Polish people, according to the newscast, have opened their arms. People are defending the homeless, the broken, and alienated victims of war caring for them as they would a family member. The Polish peoples’ actions are examples of God’s love for us. They are providing provisions in abundance, seeking to help those in need. They are sacrificing for those who have not.

This brings me to my quote, Sometimes disasters break our Godlessness. For those of us who live in America, many do not understand God’s love for each of us. We do not understand that His Holy Words are more than Words. We do not apply the convictions He rests on our souls as actions to be taken. We disregard the small voice and turn our eyes away from those suffering on the street. We feel helpless and hopeless in the land of plenty.

It is time we turn to God our sovereign leader and father. We the Godless should look at the Polish people as examples of doing God’s work, who are giving to others things that were once their own, extending an open heart and hand to those in need.

To be clear, we are not all Godless, but our actions reflect a sense of Godlessness. There are many in need in this country. We are often quick to give donations while avoiding those on the street, choosing to look away, condemn, and dismiss them as lazy people who choose not to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps. I say, what bootstraps? If they had bootstraps, they would not be on the street. Most are indigent in spirit, as well as physically and economically lacking. When you fall into the hole, you lose a sense of self and hope, finding yourself in a state of despair. If we acted more like the Polish towards the Ukrainians, our Nation would be made whole. The children of God will have stepped up and begun living and acting on God’s Word, becoming fathers to the fatherless and defenders of widows. (In this case, widows are all of those who are without resources and hope.)

To quote Mother Teresa- Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love. (Top 20 Most Inspiring Mother Teresa Quotes. Goalcast.com)

Photo – Newsweek.com

Scripture – Bible.com