The Heavenly Joy In Trusting God

So do not fear, for (because) I (God Almighty) am with you; do not be dismayed (to break down the courage of completely, as by sudden danger or trouble; dishearten thoroughly; daunt:), for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10

Do you not know?  Have you not heard?  The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.  He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.  He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.  Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:28-31

The flesh is weak.  It doesn’t want to submit to or trust in God.  It wants its own way.  Most people try everything else before they finally step out and apply God’s Word to their lives no matter the cost.

I was so weary.  Until I stopped making excuses for not truly believing in God’s Word, and until I started trusting in God’s Word, alone, until I began to stand on it and put it to practical use in my life by applying to my everyday circumstances, my strength did not begin to be renewed.

What Heavenly joy enters our lives when everything but our trust in God is stripped away.

God bless,

Mark

His Rest

Did you know that God has His best in store for you?

As a husband and father, I love it when my wife or daughters trust me (my daughters are married now and have their own families).  It’s pretty special.  Very satisfying.  When I see them put their trust in me (While I’m trusting God to see us through) and rest in me, it gives me great joy.  It’s just natural that they’ll transfer that trusting posture to Jesus.

But without faith it is impossible to please him:  for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Hebrews 11:6

As I said yesterday, I lived so many years not pleasing God.  It’s the truth…and life stunk.

Unbelief is bondage, pure and simple.  And it’s so easy to spread and share that bondage with others.  I know.

As Hebrews 4:3 points out, I was one of those who couldn’t enter God’s rest (life was full of turmoil, confusion; I had a hard heart, and strife; I couldn’t believe Romans 8:28, etc.) because of my unbelief, my failure to trust God.

God takes trusting and having faith in Him very seriously because He knows all about the destruction unbelief causes.

He wants the best for us – No fear in our lives, and His rest.

He knows we can’t grow in Him and be truly happy if, like the children of Israel in the wilderness, we choose to live with doubt.

Let’s trust God and teach our families to do the same.  After all, it’s His command to do so.

I can honestly tell you that entering His rest is like nothing I’ve ever experienced – and it’s the real deal.  I still have moments when it’s difficult for me to trust God, but those times are fewer and farther between.  Now, I spend most of my time in His rest, trusting He’s working all things for my good.  His rest is worth everything.  It’s the sweetest thing I know.

1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.

3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts:  and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him:  for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

6 But without faith it is impossible to please him:  for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:

10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.

13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.

15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly:  wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God:  for he hath prepared for them a city.

17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac:  and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:

19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.

21 By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.

22 By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.

23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.

24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;

25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt:  for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

28 Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

29 By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land:  which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.

30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.

31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.

32 And what shall I more say?  for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:

33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions.

34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:

36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:

37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword:  they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;

38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
Hebrews Chapter 11

Isn’t it the most beautiful thing that God wants us to live with no fear always trusting in His care for us?

God bless,

Mark

Psalm 112:7

When the unexpected comes up in our days, we’re expected to react with stress and strife.  But God wants us to stop responding this way.  He loves us and wants us to trust in His love for us.  He wants us to live care-free knowing that nothing surprises Him and that He’ll always come through for us…Always.

What a blessed Savior we have, dear ones.  We need never be afraid of sudden fear.  We don’t need to be careful about anything.  Instead, we can always be steadfast in the Lord trusting Him and knowing He’s always in control.  This is the place God wants us to dwell in, the secret place of the Most High.  With the Lord’s help, let’s choose to live there.  Let’s follow our Leader, Jesus, our Prince of Peace.

This is what the Lord is doing in my life.  I know He’ll do the same for anyone –

He shall not be afraid of evil tidings:  his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.
Psalm 112:7

Isn’t that powerful?

I’m so blessed that God wants us not to get rattled by anything that occurs around or to us.  God desires to make us people who don’t get upset whenever the enemy tries to bring fear into our lives.  The Holy Spirit, living in us, is constantly monitoring our hearts and surroundings ready to keep us steady no matter what comes across our path.

his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord. ☺


 

 

 

God bless,

Mark