Tag Archives: trusting God

May 20, 2024 · 5:43 AM

Faith Beyond The Moment

I’m a pretty big sports fan. Most of the time my radio is tuned to a sports station discussing my teams. I have to say though that we sports fans can be the worst when it comes to our teams. When they’re winning, everyone thinks this is their year. When they start losing, it’s the end of the world and they need to fire everyone. That’s pretty different for a coach or leader. They don’t judge the team or the players by the results. They know the players and believe in them beyond the scoreboard of a game. They know what they’re capable of, keep them in position and continue to trust them beyond the win loss column. Faith trusts the person more than the result.

In Genesis we read the story of Abraham and Sarah. God promised them a child. They were beyond child bearing years when the promise was made. However, they decided to trust God. Then a year went by, and nothing. Two. Three. Five. Ten. Fifteen. Twenty years and still no answer. They continue to believe God beyond the time gap and the barrenness. Twenty five years after the promise, God answered by giving them a son. Hebrews 11:11 reflects on the faith of Sarah by saying, “Sarah’s faith embraced God’s miracle power to conceive even though she was barren and was past the age of childbearing, for the authority of her faith rested in the One who made the promise, and she tapped into his faithfulness” (TPT). Her faith rested in God and not in the results of her present situation.

Jeremiah 17:7 says, “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence” (NLT). Is your faith in God or in His answers to your prayers? There’s a difference. One is placed in the One who is able to do exceedingly above and beyond our expectations and one is based on the results we see today. Will you continue to trust Him even if the outcome isn’t what you were praying for? Or are you like a sports fan whose faith is on,y as deep and the results? Blessed are those whose faith, hope and confidence rests in the One who is able to even when He doesn’t answer our way or is slow to make good on His promises. Faith is still trusting even when nothing is lining up the way you expect or want it to. Let your trust go beyond the moment you’re standing in and embrace God’s miracle power so you can judge Him faithful no matter what.

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May 9, 2024 · 5:30 AM

Worship In The Valley

Two of the biggest lies we hear when we’re going through a difficult time is that no one else understands and that God doesn’t care. I remember hearing both and believing them. The first one tries to get you on a technicality because there is no one else with your exact situation. I’ve found that while our situations may be unique, the pain and the process we go through is very similar. While someone may not be able to fully understand my exact situation, they can identify with the pain. That leads us to the second lie that God doesn’t care. The lie wants you to think that if God cared, you wouldn’t be going through so much. The truth is that even though you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, He’s there with you to guide you and comfort you. He makes all things work together for our good.

I don’t know anyone who went through as much as Paul or Job. Job lost everything including his wealth, his kids and property. He still was able to worship God in that moment. In Job 2:9, when his wife told him to curse God and die, he responded, “Shall we accept good from God and not the trouble?” (NIV) When Paul was thrown in prison with Silas after having been beat, he invited God’s presence into the deepest, darkest part of that prison in the middle of the night by singing praises. When both of these men felt abandoned by people and God, they worshipped knowing that God dwells in the praises of His people. They held to the truth that God cares for us no matter how bad things may seem.

Psalm 31:7 says, “I will be glad and rejoice in your unfailing love, for you have seen my troubles, and you care about the anguish of my soul” (NLT). In the darkest nights of my life, the most painful times, I turned on praise and worship music to help me worship when I didn’t feel it. God is worthy of our praise no matter what it is we’re going through. He sees the anguish in our soul and He cares deeply for us. He knows that the pain, the hurt, the sadness and the darkness will only last for a little while. He never leaves us in those times though He may feel far away. He’s there leading us into a greater joy and life that often goes through the darkest valley. Don’t listen to the lies and despair. Listen to the truth and worship.

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Throwback Thursday is a feature I’m using to help build some margin into my schedule to pursue other ventures. Each Thursday I’ll be bringing you a previously written devotional that still speaks encouragement to us from God’s Word.

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May 7, 2024 · 5:48 AM

Getting Some Rest

Did you know that humans are the only mammals to put off sleeping? We stay late, get up early and work ourselves to death. It’s no wonder the coffee industry will do more than $350 billion in sales in the US alone. The energy drink market is over $20 billion a year. We’re caffeinating ourselves to wake up and stay awake throughout the day because we’re missing rest. I’ve worked for a company that valued long hours. They wanted people in debt because it meant they had a reason to work. When we work so hard and rest so little, we can forget that God is our provider. I’m not against hard work or coffee or making a good living. We just need to be careful of what we’re sacrificing and what our motivation for it is.

Jesus worked hard too. He grew up understanding hard work as a carpenter. He carried that over into His ministry. He even got tired and exhausted from the work God called Him to. John 4:6 says that Jesus was tired and sat down next to a well to rest. That’s when He met the Samaritan woman. In Matthew 8, we read the story where Jesus was asleep on a boat. They had to wake Him up to calm the storm. He took time to rest even though He was about His Father’s business. He also trusted God to give He and the disciples their daily bread. Luke 8:3 tells us the names of several people who contributed to the Jesus to provide for His needs so He could minister. He was able to rest and trust God to take care of His needs.

Psalm 127:2 says, “It is useless to work so hard for a living, getting up early and going to bed late. For the Lord provides for those he loves, while they are asleep” (GNT). Don’t let worry or work continuously rob you of rest. God rested after a week of work and even made taking a rest one of the Ten Commandments. Our bodies and minds were not created to go 24/7. What is the motivation behind staying up late and working hours that are longer than normal? Is it the praise of people? Is it that you see yourself as your provider? It’s good to be a driven individual. Just watch your motivation. Man looks at the outside, but God is looking at your heart. You are to be a good steward of your time, your energy, your body and your money. Ask God to give you wisdom in how to be a good steward in all these areas and to trust Him to provide even when you sleep.

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May 6, 2024 · 5:40 AM

The Lesson Of Contentment

One of the hardest things to learn is contentment. Last week we watched the movie “Unsung Hero” about the Smallbone family. The father lost everything, including their house, when a concert tour he was promoting flopped. He was promised a job in the US, so he moved his family here only to find out it wasn’t a sure thing. The rented a house, but had no car, no food and no furniture. They made a chart of prayer requests for their needs and as God answered their prayers, they moved them over. The kids were content with nothing, but the dad struggled with it seeing their situation as a reflection of him. His discontentment led to depression and family arguments. Discontentment affects relationships horizontally with people and vertically with God.

Job in the Bible was one of the wealthiest people of his time. He had everything you could want. He had land, resources, a family that he loved and lots of employees. When Satan approached God to accuse people, God pointed out Job and his contentment. Satan said that he was only content because of God’s blessings and protection. When Satan took everything from Job in a day, we read how Job fell to the ground and worshipped. He prayed in Job 1:21, “Naked (without possessions) I came [into this world] from my mother’s womb, And naked I will return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord” (AMP). He had possessions, but they didn’t have him. Because he recognized that everything he had was from God, he was able to be content even with nothing.

Paul had learned a similar lesson. In Philippians 4:12, he explained, “I know how to get along and live humbly [in difficult times], and I also know how to enjoy abundance and live in prosperity. In any and every circumstance I have learned the secret [of facing life], whether well-fed or going hungry, whether having an abundance or being in need.” That secret is contentment. Simply put, contentment is submitting to God’s plan even when your circumstances are not ideal. This doesn’t mean you don’t have ambition to improve your life or circumstances. It’s an attitude like Job’s that recognizes what you have has been entrusted to you by God for this moment. Are you stewarding it well? Are you content with what He’s given you? Or is your discontentment affecting your relationships? The secret to facing life in any circumstance is contentment.

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April 25, 2024 · 5:30 AM

Close To God

If you’ve ever been to Jerusalem, you’ve probably visited the Western Wall. It is what’s left of a retaining wall built on the Temple Mount to create a flat area to add more buildings around the Temple. I’ve been to the wall a few times to pray. On my last couple of trips over there, I’ve been able to go underground where the foundation of the Temple is. There’s a long corridor running beside it. As we moved down that hall, we came to a place where these women were praying. Our guide informed us that this was the closest spot to where the Holy of Holies was, and that these women come there to pray instead of praying above ground at the wall. In the Jewish culture, God’s presence is found in the Holy of Holies and the closer you are to that point, the closer you are to God. In the Old Testament, all of Israel would come to Jerusalem for the feasts and to pray so that they could be close to God and be heard.

In Ephesians 2, Paul was addressing people with this mindset. In verse 13, he wrote, “Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ” (NLT). The phrase “far from God” in that culture had a two fold meaning. People that lived outside of Jerusalem were considered far from God which is why they visited Jerusalem so often. They wanted to be close to God. There are times that you and I feel like we’re far from God. It’s like He can’t hear our prayers. We can’t feel His presence. We even feel isolated and alone. We all go through these feelings of being far from God, but the truth is that God never leaves us. In fact, He’s made His home in our lives so that He will be with us always.

Paul went on to try to change their mindset about the presence of God as the chapter continued. He ended it with, “God is transforming each one of you into the Holy of Holies, his dwelling place, through the power of the Holy Spirit living in you!” (TPT) You and I have become the Holy of Holies because He dwells in us. When those feelings come that we are far from God and makes us believe He doesn’t hear us, declare this verse over your life. Your feelings will lie, but God’s Word never will. You are never far from God because you are the host of His presence. You don’t have to go anywhere special for Him to hear your prayers. He hears every prayer, spoken or silent. God is close to you today, listening to you, walking with you and working things out for your good despite what your feelings are telling you. Push past those feelings asking God to let you sense His presence today. You are closer to Him than you think.

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Throwback Thursday is a feature I’m using to help build some margin into my schedule to pursue other ventures. Each Thursday I’ll be bringing you a previously written devotional that still speaks encouragement to us from God’s Word.

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April 15, 2024 · 5:39 AM

The Best Route

Sometimes when I use the map app to find my way somewhere it will ask me if i want the fastest route there or the most fuel efficient route. Most of the time I want the fastest route to where I’m going. When I’m on vacation, I’ve been known to take the scenic route in order to see things the fastest route misses. When driving through several states, I took a route that sent us through as many state capitals as possible so my son could check them off his list. Some days though, my schedule sends me on what I call the star route. I go from one side of town to an appointment, then across town to pick up something from the warehouse. Then I have to cross town again to drop it off at a job site. I then drive another way across town to pick up my son from school and back home. All that zigzagging looks like a star on the map. I’ve found that different routes yield different results.

Moses’ life had some strange routes to it. The very first route had him going down the Nile in a basket. He landed at the Pharaoh’s daughter’s house. He grew up privileged and educated. His route took a left turn into the desert suddenly where he was an humble shepherd. God parked him there for forty years before his route took him to Sinai where he encountered the burning bush. That led him back to Egypt to free the Israelites. His route had him confront Pharaoh, which was hard. The route then led he and all of Israel to a dead end at the Red Sea where they were trapped until God showed up. They traveled through the sea to Sinai again and back into the desert for forty years before coming to the edge of the Promised Land. At each place along his route, God was in control and giving him what he needed for the future God had for him. In the moment, I’m sure he often felt lost and would’ve taken a different route had he been in charge.

Proverbs 20:24 says, ”It is the Lord who directs your life, for each step you take is ordained by God to bring you closer to your destiny. So much of your life, then, remains a mystery!“ (TPT) Are you wondering what route you’re on right now and why is God taking this one? Me too, but I know He is in control. He doesn’t always take the fastest route or the easiest route. He takes the route that prepares you for your destiny. He takes the route that you didn’t know was there. Sometimes it’s painful and dark. Other times the route may feel like a dead end. I’ve found that God will use whatever route is necessary to get you where He’s taking you while equipping you along the way. Your route is ordered of the Lord, especially when it’s a mystery. Hang on and let Him keep driving. He has plans for your life and they’re good plans to prosper you. Trust in Him as He leads and directs your life. That is the best route.

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April 4, 2024 · 5:30 AM

Trusting The Master Artisan

In the mid 1990’s, I lived in Cairo, Egypt. One of the things I did pretty often was to visit the Lillian Trasher Orphanage in the middle of the country. One of the trade skills they taught kids was using a loom to create rugs. I remember seeing the loom for the first time. I was amazed at how these kids were able to use the shuttle to weave threads in and out of the warp (vertical, tight threads). More than that, they were able to see what i couldn’t – the overall design and plan for the rug. They created these perfectly symmetrical designs by weaving the different colors in and out of the warp. It was incredible to watch the artisans at work.

Our lives are not much different than that loom. God is at work in our lives creating something beautiful, but too often we can’t or don’t see what He’s doing. Many times we question the threads He uses or placement of them. We don’t know the design He’s creating so we feel incomplete or unfinished while He is weaving people, circumstances and situations in and out of our lives. It’s easy to question what you don’t see or don’t understand, but God is the greatest artisan of all. He knew you before you were born (Jeremiah 1:5), and had created His master design for your life.

Romans 8:28 says, “So we are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together to fit into God’s perfect plan of bringing good into our lives, for we are his lovers who have been called to fulfill his designed purpose” (TPT). Your life may seem random at times, even chaotic, but God is at work in every detail. You may not understand why he wove a certain thread in until He has completed His work, but don’t let that stop you from trusting Him. He works everything out for our good according to His plan for each of us. Remember that we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art] (Ephesians 2:10 AMP) that He will continue to work on until His plan is complete in our lives. We must learn to trust the artisan of our lives completely.

Photo credit: Joel Heard

Throwback Thursday is a feature I’m using to help build some margin into my schedule to pursue other ventures. Each Thursday I’ll be bringing you a previously written devotional that still speaks encouragement to us from God’s Word.

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March 27, 2024 · 5:43 AM

Perception Isn’t Reality

I love rollercoasters, but I don’t like the 3D / 4D rides. After waiting in line for Avatar at Disney World, they handed us 3D glasses before going on the ride. I straddled a motorcycle type seat and looked at the IMAX style screen. When the ride started, it showed that we were flying on a banshee. The seat between my legs inflated and deflated to make me feel like the banshee was breathing. The ride tilted and moved along with the flight video to give the sensation of flying. When we flew by the ocean, we could feel a mist on our faces. Then we flew into a cave and you could smell the dampness. As the banshee returned to flight and dove down behind a pack of water buffaloes, my stomach felt like it was in my throat. Then a water buffalo jumped back and we all flinched. While my mind and body were fooled into believing all these things, we never left the area we started in. It fooled our perception of reality.

On Wednesday of Holy Week, the Bible doesn’t say what happened. Some people refer to it as Silent Wednesday. However, God is never silent. We only perceive Him to be at times. Those times often come when it feels like we need Him most. We cry out, but hear a deafening silence back. Oswald Chambers wrote, “When you cannot hear God, you will find that He has trusted you in the most intimate way possible – with absolute silence, not a silence of despair, but one of pleasure, because He saw you could withstand an even bigger revelation.” It takes a lot of faith to keep walking in the silence. In those moments, we have to trust the promises more than our perception. We must lean into His all sufficient grace for strength because the silence can be overwhelming.

Proverbs 3:5 reminds us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Never rely on what you think you know” (GNT). Remember that perception is not always reality. We are easily fooled and our feelings like to manipulate our emotions and what we think we know. Yet perception can fool us. That’s why we can’t lean on, rely on or always believe what our perception is telling us. We can however, trust in the Lord with all of our heart. We can trust in His character over the silence we experience. He has never left us or abandoned us, nor will He ever. In the silence we experience a greater grace and revelation from God than is ever possible when we feel and experience His presence. Will you keep walking and trusting in the silence or will you give in to the perception that God has left you alone? Trust in Him with all your heart. You will hear His voice again. You will experience His presence again. He has not left you alone. He is still standing in the struggle with you.

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March 21, 2024 · 5:30 AM

Keeping A Clear Mind

I’m bad about losing my cool when things don’t go the way I planned. I like to look at a goal, see the steps that need to take place and then take those steps. When something unplanned happens along that journey, I start to stress out, think of the worst case scenario and complain. On the other side of the coin, when I come to my senses and have a clear mind, I have a great ability to improvise. I can make connections where there don’t seem to be any and get things back on track no matter how far off they are. It’s really a matter of self control in those times when my plans go awry. My wife usually has to be reminded that it’s not the end of the world and to step back, clear my mind and reassess.

Joseph, who was Jacob’s son, had a dream that went awry too. After expressing his dream that one day his mom, dad and brothers would all bow to him, he was sold as a slave where no one would bow to him. Instead of panicking, he held onto the dream. When he was accused of trying to rape his master’s wife, he was thrown in prison, even farther away from the realization of his dream. We never read where Joseph panicked or complained. We simply read of a person who did what was required of him in whatever situation he was in. He kept a clear mind no matter how crazy life got, and God’s plan still prevailed no matter what his circumstances were telling him.

In 2 Timothy 4, Paul reminded Timothy that no matter what, he should go,d true to his calling to preach the Word. Then he gave him insight that things will get messy and people won’t listen to his message. In verse 5, he wrote, “But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you” (NLT). He was reminding him and us to do the work we were called to do no matter what things look like or how bad they get. Each of us have a ministry that God has given us. If we get distracted by the things going on around us, we will fail to do it. However, if we keep a clear mind, stay the course and continue working, we will carry out all God has created us to do.

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Throwback Thursday is a feature I’m using to help build some margin into my schedule to pursue other ventures. Each Thursday I’ll be bringing you a previously written devotional that still speaks encouragement to us from God’s Word.

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March 14, 2024 · 5:30 AM

God’s Timing

We once gave my son got a 3-D puzzle of Big Ben, the famous clock at Westminster Palace. This particular puzzle had a working clock on one side. After we built the clock, he asked if we could set the clock to London time. I then moved the hour hand six hours ahead. He said, “Wow! London is six hours faster than us?” Now, whenever he goes by the clock, he announces what time it is in London so we’ll know the difference in their time and ours.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in life, it’s that God has a different time than I do. It’s not as simple as a six hour difference though. He doesn’t look at time by the hour like we do. He looks at circumstances and how they line up to tell time. Whenever I pray for something, I’m typically looking at my circumstances and ask God to intervene in that moment. God’s timing doesn’t just look at what I want in that moment, he looks at the ripple effect and how that affects other moments.

Like a child wanting something at the store, I often demand that God answer right now! To me, what I’m asking for is urgent, but I’m learning that God has a plan and will answer in His time and in His way. In Psalm 69, David is praying desperately for God to answer him. He felt like he was drowning in his circumstances and he cried out to God to save him. Then in verse 13, he changed his tone. He prayed, “Answer me, God, at a time you choose” (GNT). He understood that God’s time was different than His and He trusted God’s wisdom over His desires. It’s a prayer we all need to learn so we can trust His timing.

Photo credit: Chris Hendrix

Throwback Thursday is a feature I’m using to help build some margin into my schedule to pursue other ventures. Each Thursday I’ll be bringing you a previously written devotional that still speaks encouragement to us from God’s Word.

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