His vs. Mine

He will cover you with His feathers;

you will take refuge under His wings.

His faithfulness will be a protective shield.

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭91:4‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

Did you catch that?

HIS faithfulness will be my protection.

Not MINE.

Because my faithfulness is fickle. It fluctuates with my circumstances. It wanes as dark times invade. It swells when the winds of good favor blow.

My faithfulness falters in the midst of a battle. It must be bolstered by the prayers of others. It must be stoked and fanned into mere sparks.

No, my faithfulness does not shield me from my enemies or push back the darkness.

HIS faithfulness does.

His faithfulness is never changing. It is not determined by my merit or my righteousness. It is not biased or self-serving.

His faithfulness cannot be measured. It has no limits. It’s reach is higher than the heavens and deeper than the depths of the oceans.

HIS faithfulness offers a shield of protection, a refuge in the storms of life, and warmth and security in times of trouble because this is who God is.

But mine?

My misplaced, feeble faithfulness so often does not accept His offer because this is who I am.

Whoever rests in the shadow

of the Most High God

will be kept safe by the Mighty One.

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭91:1‬ ‭NIRV‬‬

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I Guarantee It

Because of the Lord’s faithful love
we do not perish,
for his mercies never end.

Lamentations 3:22 (CSB)

For the hurting and broken, His love brings healing.

For the depressed, His love brings hope.

For the grief-stricken, His love brings comfort.

For the overwhelmed, His love lightens the load.

For the wayward, His love disciplines.

For the lost and wandering, His love points the way back home.

For the returned prodigal, His love forgives and restores.

For the anxious and fearful, His love brings peace and calm.

No matter your situation or circumstances, you can always count on God’s faithful love to come to your rescue.

The rescue may not be as you had hoped.

It may come as a closed door or missed opportunity. It may come as a broken relationship or unfulfilled dream. But the love of the Heavenly Father for His child is still faithful.

Or the rescue may not be as grand as you had imagined.

It may come in a warm embrace or a hand to hold, in a casserole dish or a cup of coffee, in a phone call or in a prayer.

God gives His love in so many different ways.

So be encouraged, my friend. God’s love will always be there.

He will carry you today. He’ll be your strength, your comfort and your joy.

His faithful love will always come to your rescue.

Hold On

God put into motion a wonderful plan for you long before you were even a sparkle in your mother’s eye and you can be sure that God always finishes what He begins.  (Philippians 1:6)

Remember that what you are going through right now – the heartache, the stress, the disappointment, the pain – is only temporary. Do your best not to focus on your struggles. Instead, focus on the everlasting and unchanging love of God for you.  (2 Corinthians 4:18)

Wait patiently for Him. Find hope in the promise that He is working in, on and through you for your ultimate good.  (Psalm 37:7; Psalm 130:5; Isaiah 30:18; Romans 8:28)

God hasn’t abandoned you.

He IS working.

And when he is finished,

your weeping will turn to

JOY!

“Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭30:5‬b ‭NLT‬‬

A Year of Smiles – Day 232

Reason to SMILE #232: THE PROMISES OF GOD

A Year of Smiles – Day 147

Reason to SMILE #147: FAITH

“… Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭17:20‬ ‭NIV

How big is your faith? Are you moving mountains?  Are you defeating the giants in your life?  No?  Don’t worry.  God’s still growing my faith, too.  It’s not always easy to live by faith, to trust God with every aspect of our lives, but we have a faithful God who loves us and has proven His faithfulness to us time and time again.

My faith may not be great or even the size of a mustard seed (which is pretty small, by the way) but God’s great faithfulness keeps me SMILING every day and wanting to share those SMILES with you.

 

 

A Year of Smiles – Day 22

LOOK! THE SUN!!

After the severe storms of January 2nd, the City of Albany and Southwest Georgia sure weren’t looking forward to another storm system rolling through this weekend.  Hail, lightning, flooding and tornadoes are not the ingredients for a weekend filled with SMILES.  They are, however, great reasons to PRAY.

And pray we did!  Through each weather alert, through the continuous rolls of thunder, through every lightning strike, through the heavy downpour of rain and through the intense gusts of wind, we prayed.  Then as the SUN broke through the clouds for a few brief moments after the storm had passed, we prayed again thanking God for the reminder that even in the storms, we are never alone!

When the storms of life are brewing, we can SMILE because our God is always with us!

Psalm 91:1-4 (NIV)

¹ Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
² I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”

³ Surely he will save you
    from the fowler’s snare
    and from the deadly pestilence.
⁴ He will cover you with his feathers,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

Psalm 23:4 (NIV)

 Even though I walk
    through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
    for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

 

Joshua 1:5c (NIV)

“I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Image by symbols-n-emoticons.com

God is Faithful

As I entered our youth’s worship room last night, I could feel the solemnity of the day lingering overhead.  The tragedy of the death of one of our own was weighing heavy on the entire group.  Trey, our youth leader was preparing for the evening, readying our worship leader and recruiting young people to read Scriptures throughout the service.  There were only a few moments remaining before it was time to begin and those of us who were already in the worship room gathered to pray.  We asked for God to join us, to send His Comforter to our hurting young people and the family that lost their loved one, to open hearts and to change lives.  God is faithful to keep His promises.  As we prayed, His presence was undeniable.

After our prayer, Trey left the room to gather the group, leaving behind the worship leader strumming quietly on his guitar.  I sat in the darkness listening to the sweet serenade of the Spirit and asking God to give me strength and wisdom to counsel our young people in their time of grief.  Again, God is faithful to keep His promises.  In those few minutes before the service began, the boys who were to read the Scriptures began practicing their reading.  Each one was reading a separate passage of comfort from God’s Word and each, without regard to the other, was reading aloud in the darkness while a soft melody was playing.  God’s Word began to permeate the room filling it with comfort and peace.  And as each word was spoken, I could feel the Holy Spirit rushing into that place of worship.

There are many times in my life when I have felt God’s presence but there are few times, if any, that I have ever caught a glimpse of Him.  Last night, God was there.  I could feel Him next to me.  I could hear Him in the music.  I could taste Him in the Bread of Life being spoken.  And as each young person entered that worship room, I could almost see Him as He took their hands, guided them to their appointed places and then wrapped His loving arms of comfort around each one.

Sitting in His presence, we worshiped our Heavenly Father with our songs, our prayers and our tears.  And in that place, I found comfort in knowing that God, who is near to the brokenhearted, was near to the family of young Madison.  As He was holding each one of us in that youth room, He was holding that mother and father who were aching for their daughter.  And though that family may find it difficult to see God during this time, I know that He is with them.  He is shining through the faces of their church family.  He is embracing with the arms of the friends who surround them everyday and soon, He will reveal Himself in a peace that passes all understanding.

God has promised that He will walk with us through the valley of the shadow of death.  He has promised to hear us when we cry out to Him.  He has promised to comfort those who are hurting and to save those whose spirits are crushed.  And, oh!  My God is faithful to keep His promises.

It is Well

For my friends and all those who may be in the midst of struggles and sorrows today – never forget that “when our lives are filled with cares, God’s comfort brings us joy.”  Psalm 94:19 HCSB

As the waves crashed around her, sorrow poured over her soul.  In only a few moments, Mrs. H. G. Spafford’s world was destroyed.  The S.S. Ville du Havre on which she was sailing with her four children had been struck by another vessel.  The Ville du Havre had completely sunk within two hours and Mrs. Spafford’s four children had not been saved.

Upon arriving in Wales, Mrs. Spafford sent a short message to her husband in Chicago, “Saved Alone.”  The grieving Mr. Spafford replied, “I am so glad to trust the Lord when it will cost me something.”

Not long after the terrible disaster, Mr. Spafford sailed to Wales to meet his wife.  As the ship passed over the watery grave in which his children lay, his anguish became unbearable.  His pain and doubt turned to faith, though, as he penned the words to the famous hymn:

When peace like a river attendeth my way, 

When sorrows like sea billows roll, 

Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, 

“It is well, it is well with my soul.”

What an expression of faith!  Tragedy challenged faith and faith was victorious.

History has produced many stories of those who have remained faithful through trials and tribulation, tragedy and pain, uncertainty and doubt.  God’s faithful have been challenged, and through the corridors of time, there echoes the song, “It is well.”  Abraham was sent to unknown lands far from his own family and home.  In his heart he sang, “It is well.”  Moses was commissioned to be the leader of an entire nation.  Though doubting his own abilities, he said, “It is well.”  Job was left with nothing but his own life.  Through his pain he breathed, “It is well.”  Men have been beaten.  Women have lost children.  Believers have been put to excruciating deaths, but the song has always rang out, “It is well, it is well with my soul.” 

When trying times invade our lives and our faith is on the line, let us join the faithful chorus, lift our voices and sing, “It is well.” 

********

Often, proclaiming “It is well” is difficult and believing it may be even harder but we do have assurance of God’s love and provisions for us.  Just pick up His Word and take a quick peek.  Evidence of God’s faithfulness to us leaps from every page.  H. G. Spafford knew the promises of God’s Word and there is no doubt in my mind that Mr. Spafford held tight to the hope he found in each assurance as he grieved for his children.  Another look at this age-old hymn reveals his proclamation of faith and hope in a faithful God:

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,

Let this blest assurance control,

That Christ has regarded my helpless estate

And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

And we have a hope not only in our current situations but also for the future.  One day, we will live with our Lord forever.  He will wipe away all of our tears and our sorrows will be no more.   We can join Mr. Spafford in his invocation:

And, Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;

The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,

Even so, it is well with my soul.

Oh, it is, indeed, well with my soul!