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God’s Promises Shape Our Lives, #4

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God’s promises are more than words on a page. His promises sustain us throughout our lives and throughout eternity. His promises are our assurance that He will never leave us or forsake us.

Lisa Blair

This is the fourth installment of the five-part series. Promises of God’s Word focuses on the authenticity of His Word. God’s word is all truth. You can rely on everything He promises us. He is not a man, who can lie. This means that if his promise does not manifest when you would like it to, it will in time. For example – You may have lost your job and pray that you can pay your rent or mortgage payment working diligently to do it yourself. Still operating carnally, you become desperate to no avail. Then something unlikely occurs, your landlord or banker offers a reprieve in some form, or God may work through people in another way to resolve the situation or circumstance. Sometimes we reach the bell tolling indicating we are out of time, there is no answer. You end up being forced to move. At that very moment, you feel lost. You begin to question God and His promises. However, after the ordeal, you find that you were offered a higher paying position, one you thought you would never achieve. You have a higher salary, career mobility, and the revenue to rent or purchase a nicer apartment or home. This may not have happened without God’s intervention. His ways are not our ways. We cannot begin to understand how God operates in our lives; we only see the result. God knows sees the steps needed to achieve the end result. Our entire lives are a series of lessons. Sometimes the lesson is not only for you, there may be a lesson He wants someone else to experience before He can activate the promise and respond to His request.

The moment of crisis offers a moment of trust, obedience, and dependence upon God. The crisis propels you to cry out to God, knowing He is the only answer to the predicament. It is also the most challenging time because, as humans, we want to take things into our own hands, make decisions without His input, and forge ahead blindly only to make things worse. I believe these scriptures will help you strengthen your relationship with our Lord. They will become part of your treasure trunk of scriptures that you can rely on and hold close to your heart.

He Will Do It

Numbers 23:19 GNB

God is not like men, who lie; He is not a human who changes his mind. Whatever He promises, He does; He speaks, and it is done.

Matthew 24:35 GNB

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

2 Corinthians 1:20 NIV

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are YES in Christ. And so through Him the AMEN is spoken by us to the glory of God.

God cannot lie. He offers eternity, the earth can pass away, but His Word will stand. His promises are made good through His Son Jesus Christ. God will always protect us even in the worst of times; even in our greatest sin. He will provide for us. Our Lord will never leave us or forsake us.

He Blesses

2 Samuel 7:28 NKJV

And now, O Lord God, you are God, and Your words are true, and You have promised this goodness to Your Servant.

1 King 8:56 NLT

Praise the Lord who has given rest to his people Israel, just as He promised. Not one word has failed of all the wonderful promises he gave through his servant Moses.

When Christ was crucified, we became the new Israel. His promises always remain the same – yesterday, today, and forever. There is no reason to doubt, God is ever-present and aware of every breath you take. Stand fast in the Lord, and in faith, you will begin to experience the calm and peace ever imagined.

Resources: Life Principles Bible, by Charles Stanley; Biblestudytools.org; Biblegateway.com;

Images: Google Images, LAB Photos

The Voice of Adventure

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The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? ~ Psalm 27:1

This devotion is from, Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year, by Max Lucado. 2000

Jesus says the options are clear. On one side there is the voice of safety. You can build a fire in the hearth, stay inside, and stay warm and dry for what you don’t try, right? You can’t fall if you don’t take a stand, right? You can’t lose your balance if you never climb, right? So don’t try it. Take the safe route.

Or, you can hear the voice of adventure-God’s adventure. Instead of building a fire in the hearth, build a fire in your heart. Follow God’s impulses. Adopt the child. Move overseas. Teach the class. Change careers. Run for office. Make a difference. Sure it isn’t safe, but what is?

____

Don’t let life pass you by, each day is a blessing, each day is a day you can accomplish something new. If not an adventure around the world, take a different route to you destination. Read something different. Enjoy viewing the majesty of the world through God’s eyes, it is always brighter and peaceful even in the midst of the storm. Take a breath and step out of your norm.

Life is full, enjoy it. Remember, you never walk alone-with Christ in you.

God’s Promises Shape Our Lives, #3

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God’s promises are more than words on a page. His promises sustain us throughout our life and throughout eternity. His promises are our assurance that He will never leave us or forsake us.

Lisa Blair

God’s promises blanket all aspects of our lives. He is the author of Creation, and as such, addressed our lives in totality. I was in prayer one day and reading the Bible and came across the Promises Index in Charles Stanely’s Life Principles Bible. God often speaks to me and in His quiet voice instructed me to write about His promises. And, of course wiith all instructions He identified which promises He wanted me to write about.

This entry highlights three areas that fall within His promises for protection, which are promises as our defense, as our refuge, and as our security. His promises take precedence over our experiences. We can rest assured that we are protected by our Lord and Savior despite what we may be going through. Our faith in His Word as all truth ensures us that He is always present, leading us down the path to safety. He promises to always protect us.

As our Defense

God protects us by surrounding us with a shield, and a hedge of protection. He provides refuge and a place of rest. When we think of His provision for our defense and rest in this truth, we are protected regardless of what we are experiencing, we are able to rest in peace as He provides a way out of no way.

Psalm 5:12 NIV

Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.

Proverbs 30:5,6 NKJV

Every word of God is [a]pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.

Ephesians 6:13 NIV

Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

As our Refuge

Psalm 9:9 NIV

The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.

Isaiah 41:10 NIV

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 43:2 NIV

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.

Our God is an awesome God. He knew what we would go through before we were born. He knew the hardships and pain we would suffer, yet He knew that if we trusted Him, He would provide shelter, refuge, food, clothing, our sanity, and meet our daily needs. All He asks is that we trust Him in the face of darkness. He will bring us out of despair and into the light of day, stronger and better than when we were struck with the unknown.

As our Security

Psalm 55:22 NIV

Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.

Psalm 48:14 NKJV

For this is God, Our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even to death.

I particularly like the 91st Psalm as my go-to scripture to surround me with His protection when I feel vulnerable, when I want to place a hedge of protection around my family and home (refuge), and when I need God’s assurance. It seems to sum up all of the verses above.

God is our hope, protection, banner and peace. Call upon Him in times of uncertainty and trouble. You may feel lost, you may in a position when you sense your world is crumbling, that is when you most need to run to your refuge knowing God will bring you through.

Acting premptively, I put on all the Armor of God (Ephesians6:10-18), and read the 91st Psalm to secure my family and home within God’s structure of safety. It’s also my way of opening my daily dialogue with Him. How do you begin your own? Do you begin your day on your own or in lockstep with our Savior?

Resources: Life Principles Bible. Charles Stanley; biblegateway.com

Images: Goggle Images; LAB Photos

Silence the Chaotic Internal Noise

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“Only God can quell the noise of chaos attacking our minds.”

~ Lisa Blair

Are you experiencing a cacophony of inner (chaotic) noise? I think every human in the world is or has recently experienced internal noise. We live in uncertain times and feel we no longer have control over our lives and that of our loved ones. We think we are losing our minds. PAUSE. We have to take command of our sanity and quell the noise that creates inner chaos. Chaos is the result of the external disorder. Satan’s purpose is to destroy our relationship with the Lord and do it through the means of this earth, those things that are temporal and control the circumstances of life.

Do not allow him to destroy your relationship with the Lord or your inner continence and peace. Focus on the Spirit of God, which is internal and eternal. The Holy Spirit lives in us. He can direct our path if we are silent and rely on Him, and not the dissidence the evil one orchestrates to destroy us.

Steps To Quell the Chaos

1. Dress yourself each morning in your Armor of God attire. Put on the Helmet of Salvation. It is part of the Armor of God.*

The Helmet of Salvation holds the thoughts, feelings, and purpose of God’s heart in your mind. Our mind is essential because it houses our perspective of who you are in Christ. If the evil one can attack your mind, he attacks who you are in Christ and weakens your resolve to dispel or reject the chaos he stirs relentlessly in our minds. “Salvation provides a unique perspective on who we are” as Christians. (The Full Armor of God. Larry Richards. 2013.)

2. Sit in silence.** Give God time to evacuate your mind flooded with Satan’s chaos. Let him extricate all airway messaging.

Satan does not like silence because silence is where the Lord dwells. He creates noise, dissension, and destruction. It is, therefore, essential to sit in silence and allow the Lord to speak to you.

3. Turn off the news; it is harmful and weakens your inner peace allowing chaos to enter and reign.

Satan is in control of the airways. Shut him out by turning off the radio, television, and social media. These are his tools to control your atmosphere and create a sense of hopelessness, despondency, and failure.

4. Once your inner sanctuary has been swept and sanitized, continue meditating and praying regularly, especially when you begin to feel hopeless, depressed, and doubtful about your future and the future of this world.

We can live in perfect peace, or we can choose to allow chaos to overwhelm our lives. When life becomes challenging, remind yourself that you must Amour Up each morning by dressing in the Whole Armor of God. I place my Helmet of Salvation on first, followed by the other parts of the armor. Once I am dressed, I take the first few minutes of the day to quiet my mind and body and begin the morning with God. Chaos is an option for Christians. Do you choose chaos or the peace that is greater than our understanding, being steadfast, *** relying on our Lord to fight our battles, meet our needs, and provide a way out when you do not see a way out?

““Be still and now that I am God,” the first half of Psalms 46:10, is a popular verse used to encourage believers to be still and silent before the Lord. This interpretation promotes a healthy rest in the presence of the Lord.” (Christianity.com, What Does ‘Be Still and Know I am God’ Means in Psalms 46:10? By Joel Ryan)

In closing, Cherie Hill writes, “When you begin first thing in the morning, you set the stage for your day. Through your praise, you establish a firm foundation of faith, and you can face whatever you must with courage, strength, wisdom, patience, and peace. I tell you that joy comes in the morning because you will find God’s mercy there.”**** IHe Whispers Your Name by Cherie Hill)

Scriptures (YouVersion. Bible.com)

* Ephesians 5:13-18 NKJV

“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—”

** Psalms 62:5-8 NIV

“Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.”

‭‭*** Isaiah 26:3,4 NIV

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.”

**** Psalms 59:16

“But I will sing of your strength in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress,
my refuge in times of trouble.“

Images: Google Images
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Don’t Be a Wimp!

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If we are not careful, we can become spiritual wimps willing to accept whatever we hear, follow idols, and disconnect from the grip of Jesus’ hand.

~ Lisa Blair

“Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love.” 1 Corinthians 16:13-14

Paul wrote 1st Corinthians, and in 16:13,14, he states, that we must always beware of our surroundings, and to have a watchful eye. He is cautioning us, Do not be a wimp, easily swayed. We are not to walk around blindly, ignoring everything around us. The blind are easy prey. Far too often, we fall into the traps of the evil one because we are not alert. Case in point, my husband and I began watching a supernatural series, before we know it demons entered the story. We finished watching the episode, and in the end, we both made the same statement at the same time. We acknowledged the theme was demonic in nature and was portrayed in such a way as to lure you in. We knew we shouldn’t watch the TV series. Why did we come to this conclusion? God commands us to be vigilant and not be seduced by evil. When we watch these types of shows or movies, we are opening a gateway into our soul. It sounds extreme, but what we view and listen to either strengthens our resolve or begins to weaken it. These types of fruit begin to rob us of our vision. Galatians 5 reads, the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. The works of the flesh are listed in Galatians 5:19-21.

Jesus gave sight to the blind. We were blind before we received Him as our Lord and Savior. We were subject to the wiles of the evil one highlighted in Galatians 5:19-21. However, once we were saved, the Holy Spirit took up residence in us. It is His voice that awakens us to the attacks of the world around us. It is our responsibility to listen, study the Word, and stay awake. Why, because, at least in my experience, He often uses scripture to warn us. The scripture provides the necessary information to assist us in living spiritually and not carnally, hosting false idols, which includes watching television programs that degrade the spirit.

Further, Paul writes in Ephesians, we are to stand firmly in place, and not to become comfortable on a spiritual rollercoaster, ignoring the clues that we are beginning to walk to the left or right of God’s plan for our lives. He tells us to act like adults, not children. He urges us to grow in wisdom, stature, and favor. Jesus encourages us to act like him. There is an old commercial, the catchphrase is, give it to Mickey, he will eat anything. Are you a Mickey when it comes to the Word? Are you gullible? If someone begins speaking to you spiritually, do you fact check, or do you blindly follow the rhetoric? Paul writes that Satan knows the Bible better than we will ever know it. He will deceive you by modifying the Word to meet His needs. It began in the Garden of Eden and became more pronounced and conniving as the evil one travels through time. He will become more proficient throughout our days on earth and through the End-times when he is finally destroyed.

Until the End-times, we are commanded to be strong, admit our weaknesses, and ask God to strengthen us so we can stand in a world that is wrought with sin, idol worship, lies, and cheating. However, do not be naïve, our strength is no match for Satan’s power, and we cannot win the battle alone. We need Christ in our lives to protect us and guide us in the ways to overcome the strength of the evil one.

And, above all else, we are to do all things in love as Jesus modeled for us. He stood against the evil one, the idol worshippers, the leaders that used the law, God’s, and man’s to further his own ends. Doesn’t this sound like the world we live in today? The talk often sounds like the Word, but in fact, has been either misinterpreted, used in the wrong context, or is a flat-out lie. The problem is, we are often slowly indoctrinated, much like cult leaders convince us that they and only they know the Word and the way.

We hang out with the wrong people, listen to the wrong music, watch the wrong television shows, movies, and news, and suddenly we are sliding down the slippery slope. We slowly lose our footing in the Word, and we no longer stand on solid ground. Today our sin nature is being empowered, our greed overpowers our thinking, and we are much like the grass that sways in the direction of the wind. The things of this earth tempt us. If we are not careful, we can become spiritual wimps willing to accept whatever we hear, follow idols, and disconnect from the grip of Jesus’ hand. Do you find yourself becoming a wimp? Jesus taught us to stand, stay strong, and exude love in all things. Today, more than ever, we need to adhere to His Word and stand firm in the face of the wiles of this earth.

Resources: biblegateway.com; libertylive.church; bible study tools.com

Images: Google images

I Can Do All Things Through CHRIST Who Strengthens Me

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Do not allow your mind to reduce the strength of the Word of God.

~ Lisa Blair

This scripture, Philippians 4:13, keeps surfacing in my mind. Life at the moment is going well, and then Holy Spirit told me, this is not an emergency verse. It is how I want you to live every day. 

I think we often view scripture as a way of life, but often do not apply the wisdom to our everyday lives. We classify scriptures by type and apply them to certain situations. Gods plan does not categorize the Word. His Word is living and applies to a multitude of situations and circumstances we encounter, including the best of days.

The truth is, He strengthens us every minute, hour, and day of our lives. It is through this strength that He connects with us and leads us down the path of holiness.

Life is our time to learn, discover, and recover from things known and not known. When we rest in His strength, we are resting in His peace, His will, His Word, and His Way.