Tag: faith

All In, But God, Christianity, Endurance, Healing, hope, Needing Help, nothing but jesus, Psalm 1: 1-3, Relying on God, Uncategorized

One Sightedness

My Everyday Hope

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.” Psalm 1: 1–3

As I sit here and type these words I am so sad at the fact that I’ve allowed months to go by without writing a word here. My heart and my mind have been in so many different places. Places that I have been before and wanted to not enter into again. Places of uncertainty and fear. Continue reading “One Sightedness” →

2 Corinthians 5:17, Believing Lies, Bible Study, But God, hope, Lies, Relying on God, Uncategorized

I am…

My Everyday Hope

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

Don’t you love when people go out of their way to remind you and others around you of who you used to be? Or making sure to point out that you continue to have struggles in one area or another, even after giving our lives to Christ? It happens to me and frankly it’s frustrating as heck.

I’m not sure if the persons that do it are consciously making the decision to make those comments or if it’s just part of their personality. But seriously…I’m a woman in the 21st century, I already have enough things through television, movies and social media to remind me of where I fall short. Every. Single. Day.

Then comes along the ‘unaccomplished’ goals in life. The ones that you hoped you would have done or completed by the ripe old age of _____.  The job that you wanted to have, the kids that didn’t happen for one reason or another. The relationships that failed and the bank accounts that aren’t as overflowing as you’d like them to be.

Society expects so much from people, it is no wonder that the suicide rate has drastically increased over the past few decades. If you don’t have that successful job, great marriage, healthy body and overflowing bank account…you failed.

Or have you?

The enemy is a LIAR!

Friends, the enemy is a liar. As John 10:10 tells us “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy…” He comes to steal the joy out of your life, to kill your dreams and destroy your relationships.  He lies to us about how we should feel about ourselves , our situations and those around us.  Lies he loves to use others to convince us of. Joy does not come from the things that we have, the money in our bank accounts or even our relationships. The only thing, or rather person, that can fill that hole that is constantly within us is Jesus. Yeah, I know. It sounds corny. Maybe it is. But it’s still true.

I’ve been there. Wanting all those things above and then some. Right now we are going through some trials that make me concerned about finances. And all I can do tonight is thank Jesus for being right here beside me. I truly do not know how people go through life trials without leaning into Him. That is the reason that when I had difficulty falling back to sleep the other morning, He placed that scripture from Joshua into my thoughts. So, I went and I read it and was reminded that God loves me and is always with me.

Listen…I love my kids. I adore my husband, I am grateful for my friends. I love my small house and am grateful to be able to have food in my tummy, clothes on my back and this laptop to write to all of you. But all this means nothing without Jesus. In the latter half of John 10:10 Jesus tells us; “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”  Abundantly isn’t necessarily speaking of finances, though He is not against that, rather He wants us to live a life that is fulfilling. I love the definitions that the concordance shows for abundance; in the sense of beyond; superabundant (in quantity) or superior (in quality); very highly beyond…does that sound like God wants us to have a boring, unfulfilled life?? NO!

Tonight, let us, you and I, begin to remind ourselves who Jesus says we are. Starting with the verse above.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 – This scripture is awesome. It is telling us that when we are ‘in Christ’ that we can be at a place of rest. And we can be at rest-because HE will handle it for us. It also reminds us that when we give our lives to Christ that we become new. We are no longer the people that we were. We are found to be found righteous in God’s eyes-through His son Jesus. Although people will try to remind us of our past and even areas that we may continue to struggle in…we are still New Creations and found to be righteous. Nothing takes that away.

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1 Although this a brief line of scripture it is so strong and so important. Why? Because it tells us that we are NOT condemned by God. Once we give our lives to Jesus and ask His forgiveness, it is ALL FORGIVEN. Not some. Not most. ALL. The enemy will do all he can to convince us that God can forgive everyone but someone like you, who did the things that you did in your past. Friends, do not believe that lie! Remind him that you are a child of God, and take that nice hike back to hell in Jesus’ name.

“But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” Philippians 3:20 This is one of my favorites when life gets tough and people are not being nice. It is a reminder that, as a believer, this is not my home. My true home is in Heaven in the presence of God and Jesus. Although I am in no rush to get there, I am looking forward to it. We may suffer physically and emotionally here but when we go home, all will be well. FOREVER!

Friends, there are so many scripture verses that reminds us of who we are and that God will never leave our side. Even when it feels like He did. He didn’t and He won’t. Lean into Him. Search the scriptures for the promises He gives us.

Lifting each of you in prayer for strength, comfort and guidance.

In Jesus’ precious name.

Tara

 

 

All In, But God, Christianity, Endurance, faith, Forgiveness & Healing, Healing, hope, I am yours, Matthew 11:28, Relying on God, Strive

True Healing

My Everyday Hope

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

My family and I watched ‘The Shack’ again last night. I never read the book but had seen the movie when it was in the theatres. What a heartbreaking yet beautiful story. It came to mind as I was praying on my drive to work this morning. Continue reading “True Healing” →

All In, Believing Lies, But God, Christianity, Endurance, faith, Fellowship, Friendships, hope, I am yours, Needing Help, nothing but jesus, Philippians 4, Put Up or Shut Up, Relying on God

Facing Doubts

My Everyday Hope

“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.” Philippians 4: 6-7

Do you ever get tired of hearing yourself complain? I am so completely at that place right now. What’s going on?

I know in my heart what, in concept, God wants me to do. To share His Word publicly. It is the ‘in concept’ part that I’m having difficulty with. Not knowing what steps that He wants me to take and not knowing when and where this will begin..it causes so much doubt and insecurity for me. It seems like every week, every day even, that I am filled with doubt. I share this with the ladies from my Bible study and I truly don’t know how they aren’t tired of hearing me go on about it yet.

Frankly, I’m tired of speaking the words so darn often.

There are some people that will continue to speak of how they doubt themselves in order to get compliments from others. Now, although my ladies bless me tremendously with their support and words of encouragement, it is not why I share with them my doubts and struggles. I share with them because they continue to guide my heart and mind back toward God.

The constant reminders that God’s timing is perfect, that He has given me certain gifts to be used (another point that I have doubt in) and that He will use me are all parts of the encouragment that we are meant to give eachother as sisters in Christ and these ladies bless me in abundance with them. To say that I am grateful for every one of them would be a massive understatement.

One of the things I love the most about my ladies is that they are praying women of God. Each one of us know and have experienced how important and vital having a strong prayer life is. It’s one of the things I spoke to my Pastor a few weeks ago about  when I had his ear for entirely too long (see last blog post). I had mentioned that I regularly email or text family and friends for different prayer petitions…and I know darn well I can get annoying with it. But if it causes that person to stop and say a ten second prayer for me or my loved one…I’ll take it.

Luke 11:9 states “And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”

“ASK and it will be given to you.’ There’s an action that we need to take and that is us going to God with our petitions. Yes, He knows everything. What we want. What we need. But our faith is an ACTIVE one. We are expected to be participants in it. Not standing on the sidelines expecting God to do all the work.

Unasked prayers are unanswered prayers.

Psalm 145:18 tells us;  “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.”

I love this reminder that God is near to all those who; call out to Him. One of the definitions for the original word here states; the idea of accosting a person met. That’s what God is OK with us doing and wants us to do. To accost Him with our prayers. And through that we will see the stability and trustworthiness (both definitions of the original word for truth in this scripture) we can get only through Him.

If we are a people that truly love Him our prayers will, more often than not, be ones that align with His will for our lives. This is shown in 1 John 3:22

“And whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.”

I love how this is telling us that when we ask (ask, beg, call for, crave, desire, require) Him for things in prayer, we will receive (to take, to get hold of, to seize) what we ask. Why? Because we keep (watch, to guard from loss or injury, keep on eye upon) His commandments…and I LOVE this definition (prescription, injunction, commandment, precept). With all this we will be doing what pleases ( is agreeable) Him. The King James Version uses ‘in His sight’ at the end of this scripture. This is stating ‘before His face, in His presence.’

Sometimes that concept of being, really being, in God presence can be scary and intimidating. But it shouldn’t be. Not if we truly love Him and are seeking HIS will in our daily lives.

Doubts aside, He has been blessing me tremendously with guidance to scriptures that have been bringing me HOPE and reassurance that His hand is in every aspect of my life. The good, the bad and the ugly…all the same.

I have come to a difficult realization…I am not going to know how, when or where God is going to bring me forward in ministry. I’m not supposed to. My job is to continue to be faithful where He has placed me. To take that ‘one step at a time’ that He places before me. And thank Him all the while.

I will continue to seek His face and stop believing the lies of the enemy who only comes to steal, kill and destroy. Satan loves to take truths and twist them. Well, I already know that I am not worth (no one is) and that I am unqualified.  That’s why I love my….BUT God! In HIS hands, anything is possible!

I pray that you too will seek His face in all your situations. God knows the end from the beginning of everything you are facing. Lean into Him my friend. He’s waiting for you.

With lots of love and in Jesus’ precious name.

Tara

#facingdoubts #butGod #Philippians4 #wordsofencouragement #godisgood #myeverydayhope #sistersinchrist #biblestudyladies #churchladies #christianblog

 

All In, But God, faith, He had me at hello, hope, I am yours, Jeremiah 29: 11,13, Matthew West, nothing but jesus, Put Up or Shut Up, Relying on God, Uncategorized

Time to Put Up or Shut Up

My Everyday Hope

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” “If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.” Jeremiah 29: 11,13

Last night my husband and I went to a Matthew West concert at our church. Although he is an amazing entertainer, it is the truths he spoke that resonated with me. The main concept that worked in and convicted my spirit is; Am I really All In? Am I all in with my family? Am I all in at my job? And most importantly…Am I all in, in my walk with God? Continue reading “Time to Put Up or Shut Up” →