…and God Controls the Future

We all have fear at times. It can be created by a number of things, but fear always boils down to concern and uncertainty about something in the future.

If our thoughts are controlled to focus only on the present, the people and blessings around us, though we may have be experiencing pain or suffering, we don’t feel fear. Somewhat like being up high on a ladder, if we don’t look down, we are just standing there on a step.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:34, Living Bible Translation “So don’t be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time.”

Philippians 4:6-7 tells us also, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

We can do this by putting our trust in God. Proverbs 3:5 tells us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding” In other words, God can find a way even when we don’t see a way.

And as God told Joshua as he was leading the Israelites into the “Promised Land,” but a land reported to have Giants. In Joshua 1:9, “This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

So when we fear, remember this process:
1. Focus on the present, share it with those we love.
2. Let God take care of the future.
3. Trust Him.
4. Be strong and courageous, because He is with you.

Dear Lord, We have fear. Though we may know in our minds that you have power over all things, we worry you may not use your power to resolve our fear. Help us trust you, and feel Your love and comfort, and have the peace of knowing You control the future. In Jesus’ name. Amen.F

One thing that will cause frustration in our lives is comparing ourselves to others. God made us all so unique, in our skills, circumstances, relationships, and so many other ways that there truly is no way to make an accurate comparison. We can often fall into the trap of comparing individual aspects of our lives to other people’s. The trouble occurs when we believe we are “better,” than others, or when we believe we are “inferior,” to others. Both of these situations cause trouble.

God made each of us uniquely for his purpose. In Galatians 6:4,5 Paul writes, “Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct.”

He also wrote in Romans 8:28, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”

We need to focus on where God is leading us, and be happy for others who do the same in their lives.

Dear Lord, You made amazing plans for each of us, but we must trust you to see where they lead. Help us do that, by just taking each step forward in the direction we hear you calling, and not compare ourselves to others who are on their own paths. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Have you ever tried to stick to a diet? There are basically two alternatives for doing so, one is to have the sheer discipline to ignore cravings for those things you are not supposed to eat, the other is not to have those things in the house. It is definitely easier to avoid things when there are not around.

The same principle is true with avoiding sinful behavior. Avoiding the questionable movies and TV shows is easier than avoiding their influence while watching them, or skipping the gossip party is easier than trying not to participate once there. There are an unlimited number or potential examples.

Peter writes in 1 Peter 2:11 “Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. ”

Christians are just as susceptible to temptation as non-Christians. By avoiding situations that test our resolve, however, we can set ourselves up for success rather than risking the failure of giving in to the temptation.

Dear Lord, help us think before putting ourselves in situations that subject us to temptation. When we cannot avoid the situation, give us the strength and discipline to overcome temptation. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

We have probably all known someone, or have seen someone on television or the internet who defends behaviors that are immoral and self destructive, and the people are vehemently opposed to Christianity morality, and religion in general. This is not new to our modern times, it was written about thousands of years ago in the Bible.

Proverbs 19:3 says, “A person’s own folly leads to their ruin, yet their heart rages against the Lord.”

The challenge for us is knowing how we respond to a person like this. Arguing is not the solution, but the Bible gives some guidance.

In Matthew 5:16 Jesus tells us, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

And Peter says in, 1 Peter 3:15, “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,”

Dear Lord, Help us live lives that glorify you and result in people asking us why we have a unique hope; Hope in You. When they do, help us to be ready to share our faith with gentleness and respect. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

I think I heard this from an elementary school teacher a long time ago, you may also have heard this said “God gave you two ears and one mouth, use them in that proportion?”

James says in James 1:19, “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen and slow to speak, and slow to become angry.”

This is particularly true in witnessing. People tend to be most open to letting the Holy Spirit in, when they are troubled by some difficulty, tragedy, or fear. Simply listening to people and asking whether they know that God is there with hope and comfort, may be what they need at the difficult time. Psalm 86:5 says, “for you Lord are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you.”

Dear Lord, help us take Paul’s guidance and listen to others so that we might understand them and share your love with them. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.