You have probably seen small children hold on to their parents leg when they are afraid or uncertain; or when they have a nightmare, will climb into bed with their parents. Being close to their protector gives them a sense of safety and comfort. It is a bit more complicated to overcome fears when we grow up.

James 4:7 gives us a great formula for dealing with fears in life. James, in writing to the followers of Christ says. “So submit to God. But resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.” NIV

There cannot be anything more peaceful and powerful than to have God, the ultimate power and the source of love, “near us,” and James explained how.

Dear Lord, we submit our “to do list” to you. Guide us. Give us the strength to resist the temptations of the devil and the world. Draw near to us so we may experience the peace and comfort of being close to You. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

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What are people really saying when they say, “It’s not realistic?” I think what they are really saying is, “I don’t believe it is possible.”

It is kind of academic for us to believe that God created the universe and everything in it, parted the red sea for Moses, raised Jesus from the dead, and the many other biblical miracles. However, when it comes to believing God will do supernatural things in our lives our belief in God’s power is put to the test. Do we put more weight on what we understand in the natural world, and what we think are the probabilities of certain things occurring, or do we put our belief in the power of God to make things work out.

In Matthew 17:20, Jesus told his disciples, “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”

In Exodus 4 God tells Moses to go talk to Pharaoh and tell him to let the Israelites leave. Moses comes up with all types of excuses why he cannot, including his poor speaking abilities. God tells him, in 4:11,12, “Who makes a person’s mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say.”

In the same way, the message to us is, “Who determines, how much money you have, whether you get promoted, if your medical problem will be resolved, if your business succeeds, if you will get into that university, or any earthly concern?” God does. It is not for us to figure out “how,” it is our job to believe.

Dear Lord, Sometimes we have trouble remembering that you control everything and have the power to do everything. Strengthen our faith so that we will have the belief in you to act boldly in our Christian lives. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

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Many people have the wrong idea about happiness and joy. They think that something from outside them has to occur that will provide them reason to be happy; a promotion, a new car, a boyfriend or girlfriend, someone complimenting them, etc. All these things are nice, but happiness really comes from inside us; how we look at our circumstances.

Solomon writes in Proverbs 1:7, “Joy fills hearts that are planning for good!”

We start the process and plan to do good, and happiness and joy are the result.

Dear Lord, help us remember that our joy comes from within us. Help us plan to do good and share our joy. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

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A couple days ago, I wrote about prayer, and asked that you pray for my father, who was in need of healing. My dad, and our family thank you all for your prayers.

Briefly describing the reason I asked for your prayers. My parents are vacationing about 3,000 miles from their home and due to a medical emergency, my dad ended up in a hospital. Though their trip included driving several hundred miles through some desolate parts of the western US, this emergency happened, thankfully, while they were in San Francisco. The surgeon that attended to my dad is apparently one of the best in the world in his field. As a result of the knowledge and skill of the medical professionals, two days later my dad is out of the hospital, and is well enough to plan on taking a bus tour around the city because the Doctors want him to wait a few days before flying home.

No one can know why this happened the way it did, but the situation reminds me of words God spoke to Isaiah in Isaiah 65:24, “I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!”

God tells us in Isaiah 41:13, “For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” NIV

What a comfort it is to know that God cares about each of us, he knows our prayers before we even ask, and he is right there with us through life’s trials, our own trials, or those we love.

Dear Lord, We thank you that you have control over all of our lives. Thank you for hearing our prayers. Bring comfort and healing to those who face trials in their lives, so they may have your peace. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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You probably know someone, or maybe you are someone who doesn’t worry about things, has a general comfort that everything is going to work out fine, and are confident that God has things working just the way they are supposed to.

David writes about this in Psalm 5:11-12 saying, “But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.”

We all can be like those described above. If we really put or confidence and trust in God, we can be happy, regardless of our circumstances, knowing that God’s favor surrounds us and he has things under His control.

Dear Lord, thank you for caring for and protecting us when we rely on you for support. Help us demonstrate this trust in you in ways that show others your glory. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

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