Tag: choose

Becoming God’s Witness

Published on by amylinnea4 Comments

I sought the Lord and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34:4

Why are you still participating with fear?

Why are you still choosing to partner without God?

God has overcome ALL things.

Fear. Anxiety. Bitterness.

Inferiority. Depression.

Everything.

God is above everything.

He created You in His image.

When Jesus came to die for our sins, we were given the opportunity for relationship with God Almighty.

Because God is above everything, He is above fear.

He is above anxiety.

He is above it all. Everything.

As God’s child, you are above everything, too, with God’s power running through your whole self.

The Bible reminds us the same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you.

Absolutely incredible.

Fear is nothing to God.

Anxiety, depression, and inferiority are mere bugs to step over.

Choose to focus on your identity in God.

As His child, you are no longer a slave to fear, anxiety, or anything not from above.

But you must choose.

When you do, your body will be healthier, because your mind will be at peace.

Fear wants to control you.

Satan wants to lie, convincing you God is not enough.

But He is. God.

He is absolutely enough and then some.

Psalm 34 reminds us He will deliver us from ALL of our fears when we seek Him.

Refuse those thoughts from the pit when they dare to enter your mind.

Send them packing, canceling their assignment with God’s truth.

Your body will be healthier.

Your mind will be peaceful.

And your smile will broadcast God’s strength to all who witness your beautiful face.

Allow Him to take over, changing your mind from fear to peace.

Allow His witness through you to guide others to His salvation.

Stand tall with God’s strength.

And become His witness.

Photos by M.T ElGassier, Guilherme Stecanella, & Marcos Paulo Prado on Unsplash

He Knows

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You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. Psalm 139:16

God understands you.

After all, He created you.

He planned you from the foundation of the world.

He saw you born.

He saw you grow.

He laughed when your baby babble emerged.

He was touched when you sang your Sunday school songs.

Especially when you belted out Jesus Loves Me.

Because He does love you, ever so much.

He saw you confused as you entered adulthood, unsure of what choices to make.

He saw your bursts of kindness to others, and your not so subtle bouts with anger.

He felt your laughter and your tears.

He continues to count the hairs on your head as He walks beside you every day.

God longs to be your closest friend.

Your sounding board.

There is no one closer to you than God.

There is no one who knows you better.

But God will never push Himself into your life.

He wants to be asked.

And once you do, He’ll step right in, holding your hand the rest of the way.

Go ahead.

Ask Him.

Even if you’ve proclaimed your faith long ago, you still must choose to walk by His side.

Each day, there are multiple times we can choose to walk away from His peace, wisdom, and love.

Probably more like hundreds.

And when we walk away, He’s always waiting for us to run back into His arms.

His grace will always take you back.

The grace from Jesus’ death on the cross, which paid the penalty for all of our many daily sins.

God is holy.

And if it wasn’t for Jesus’ sacrifice, God would not be approachable due to our sinful selves.

Because of Jesus we have everything we need.

But we must choose God each and every day.

Decide to choose Him this today, trusting Him for all your tomorrows.

And do that again the next day.

And the next.

Happily ever after.

Photos by Kelli McClintock, Guillaume de Germain, Alejandro Luengo, & Angelo Pantazis on Unsplash

Your Keeper

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The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. (verse 5-6)

Webster defines “keeper” as one who keeps, such as a protector.

Protection from harm, yet also one who helps things to keep growing.

God protects us, keeping us safely shaded and secure.

Because God protects us, He will keep us from harm.

Neither the day or night will harm us.

The world may hurt, but within God’s protection, we can stay in His peace.

The Lord will keep you from all evil; He will keep your life. (verse 7)

God is our barrier between good and evil.

When we purpose to stay under His protection, we are covered by Himself.

Evil cannot survive in the presence of God.

And when you choose to become a child of the Most High, evil flees.

Yes, it can tempt us back, and rest assured it will constantly try.

Satan, the father of lies, will tempt you with evil thoughts, feelings, desires, and lies.

Constantly, I guarantee you.

But when you lift up your eyes to God, asking Him to fill you with Himself, evil cannot stay.

Evil can only stay when you provide permission.

And when you give evil permission, you remove yourself from God’s promises.

From God’s protection.

When you choose God, verse 7 reminds us God will keep us from all evil.

But only if you choose Him.

The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore. (verse 8)

When you choose God, He covers our activities with Himself.

Your going and your coming.

He is there through it all.

If you choose Him.

There really is no choice, is there.

Photos by Kent Pilcher on Unsplash

Wide Open

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The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms. Deuteronomy 33:27

Jesus is forever our always.

Forever, Jesus is our always.

Always and forever, is Jesus to you.

To me.

To us.

He is and always will be there for you.

Always.

For all things.

Every little thing.

There is no place we can hide from His love.

There is no place away from His presence.

We simply cannot run away from Him.

He is always here, waiting for you.

In good times and bad.

When you want Him and when you don’t.

He is always standing with His arms wide open, waiting for you.

There is nothing you can do to close His arms to you.

There is nothing you can do to close His thoughts towards you.

And there is nothing you can do to separate His love from you.

All you have to do is turn towards Him, accepting His love.

Today.

Tomorrow.

The next day, and the next.

Each day, you must choose Him.

You must choose to abide in His love.

You must choose to listen to His voice, showering you with His blessings.

Since there’s no place you can hide, step out into the light.

Allow Jesus to wipe away your tears.

Allow Jesus to lift your burdens from your shoulders.

And allow Him to give you His strength.

His peace.

His joy.

Allow yourself to be loved by God.

His arms are wide open for you.

Photos by Alex Woods, Milada Vigerova, Nathan Dumlao, Ben White, & Jon Tyson on Unsplash

Needing God

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(God) who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. Psalm 103:4-5

God, I need You.

I need Your strength.

Mine is all gone.

I need Your love for others.

Mine is all used up.

I need Your peace.

Don’t have any on my own that lasts more than a second.

I need Your love for me, too.

Mine is all gone.

I need all of You.

Because all of me is used up.

Fill me anew with You.

Cover my ugly shivering self with Your arms.

I need Your safety.

I need Your protection.

I need Your security.

I need You.

You are always faithful.

Always.

In every single thing as long as I ask You.

You’re so gracious, You also let me live in my own self if I bow to my selfishness.

But I choose You.

Totally.

Completely.

Absolutely, I choose You.

Fill me up with all of You.

Only then will I begin to hope again.

Only then will I have strength to keep going.

Only then will I be as I should.

Photos by Tony Eight Media & Ben White on Unsplash

Depending Upon Him

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For God alone my soul waits in silence; from Him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken. Psalm 62:1-2

Don’t hesitate.

Don’t stop and think.

Don’t be afraid to trust in God completely.

Even when you wait in silence.

God is still working.

Your peace is still secure.

His protection is still near, surrounding you like a fortress.

Depend upon Him.

Depend upon Him for strength to get through the day.

Depend upon Him for love to give to others.

Depend upon Him for peace to calm the storm.

Depend upon Him.

God says you will NOT be shaken from His protection.

You will NOT be thrown out from His presence when you are His.

When you choose to dwell with Him.

When He is your salvation.

When you choose to stand in God’s salvation, His protection and peace will steady the shaking, no matter how big or small.

Photos by Eric Muhr and Ben White on Unsplash

Choose and Refuse

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“Today I have given you the CHOICE between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would CHOOSE LIFE, so that you and your descendants might live! Deuteronomy 30:19 (emphasis mine)

We all have choices don’t we?

Too many when it comes to laundry soap or paint colors if you ask me. But in this life, in each moment we breathe, we have a choice set before us.

We must choose and refuse.

What?

We must choose life and refuse death.

Words.

Interactions.

Attitudes.

Real life.

Apply this to your own words, interactions, and attitudes you choose to exhibit.

But I’m really thinking about our reaction to others’ words, interactions, and attitudes.

When reacting to hurtful words, choose and refuse.

Meaning, choose life as refraining from participating in that talk and refuse to take those words to your heart.

When reacting to painful interactions, choose and refuse.

Meaning, choose life as walking quietly away and refusing to react in anger which steals your peace.

When reacting to unpleasant attitudes, choose and refuse.

Meaning, choose life as not taking on that horrid attitude and refuse to let others bring your down.

Real life is so real, isn’t it?

Words, interactions, and moods will sneak up on you in any conversation.

Through you or through someone else.

So you must be ready.

Like a firefighter.

To choose and refuse at any moment.

Takes practice.

If you find yourself going down the wrong path, beginning to stink like your friend’s words, choose and refuse.

You can do that anytime, even if you’ve already begun to fall.

Choose and refuse.

And remember, none of this moves me.

Photos by Jon Tyson, Vladislav Babienko, and Letizia Bordoni on Unsplash

Freedom or Slavery

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For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1

God has set you free.

Free.

Not yoked.

He has set you free for freedom.

He has saved you with the intent of freedom.

Freedom from what?

Sin.

The penalty of sin, which is death.

Literally.

What?

When we trust Jesus as our Savior, He literally saves us from eternal death.

It’s the most wonderful thing, but I’m not telling you anything new.

Most of us have known this since we were young.

But how else does He set us free?

He can set us free from fear.

Free from jealously.

Free from unloving.

Free from guilt.

The freedom Christ offers extends beyond salvation to the here and now.

His invitation extends to this life.

Paul reminds us to stand firm, choosing life.

Choosing God’s freedom.

To not give into our old ways, by listening to lies or succumbing to the flesh, which then becomes slavery.

When one isn’t free, they are a slave.

What ideas, actions, or thoughts still enslave you?

We must be renewed by God every day, but that takes a choice.

Your choice.

Your choice to walk in God’s freedom, or to yoke yourself back with the old ways.

Yoking to the old equals slavery.

Walking with God and living with His power equals freedom.

Choose to walk in the freedom of God.

Keep doing it, standing firm with the help of Almighty God.

And every time you do so, your slavery ties to sin will be break, making this life a whole lot more peaceful.

Keep choosing God’s reactions and it will become more of a habit as you throw off the yoke of slavery to sin.

Experience the freedom of God.

Choose it.

And with His power, withstand the submission to your familiar yoke of slavery.

Photos by Noah Silliman, Robert Collins, Paul Green, & niu niu on Unsplash

Still Loved

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The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen. Revelation 22:21

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I am trying, Lord.

I am trying, yet I am failing.

It seems as if I am failing, yet I know I am not.

I am trying to be who You want me to be.

To everyone I love.

To everyone I meet.

To whomever You place in my path.

But I seem to fail more than I succeed.

My needs jump right in front as top priority more times than I would like to admit.

Why can I not keep You first in my life?

When I look at others, why do I let myself block the precious view of You?

You are in my husband.

You are in my children.

You are in my students.

You are in the lady at the corner market.

You have given me countless opportunities to serve You every day.

Yet, no matter how much I want to serve You in my actions, I fail.

Falling down to serve myself.

My needs first.

I will keep failing and be filled with disappointment when I do not keep asking You to fill me up with Your wisdom.

Your strength.

Your love for every person.

We only have one opportunity for each momentary interaction.

One chance to look at the other person and see You.

May You remind us to love others with Your love.

May You remind us to speak life into others with Your love.

May we bless others through Your love as You have blessed us.

May we see others as You see them.

Your precious child.

And may we see ourselves that way as well.

Loved by you, flaws and all.