Posted in Christian Service, Life Inspiration, Life's Failures

Trust Issues

Written by talk2shari Published August 19, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

T.R.U.S.T. – Total Reliance on Something Tested

I use my cell phone as an alarm clock, and as it goes off in the wee hours of the morning there are usually message popping up on the screen as well, it’s certainly not uncommon. But an encourager in the faith who occasionally and very randomly messages me awoke me this morning with that acronym, a word of encouragement and scripture from Psalm 44. He didn’t know that I needed it. Only those very close to me knows that I’m facing another time of uncertainty in my life. And Satan, who has been trying very hard to discourage me, has been thwarted at every turn by the Lord. I’m so humbled, because my weak faith certainly doesn’t deserve it.

Over the past few days I’ve been meeting my past. Memories, people, things… and as I walked across the campus of Glenville State College I happen to run upon a previous boss, that I loved, and in my frustration I ask “God why is this happening? Why now, when I need encouragement, am I meeting past failures?” And as sure as my name is Shari, He spoke to my heart and said those weren’t failures, those were provisions. Those were times when you had nothing and I gave you great things. Why do you always depend on yourself?” So I reflected again on the people and the places of my life… and sure enough there it was as He had said. Provision, and not of my own.

Psalm 44

His Work

1-8 We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old.

²How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out.

His Weapons

³For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them.

⁴Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob.

⁵Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.

⁶For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me.

His Worship

⁷But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us.

⁸In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah.

His Word

In the scripture, and through the message of another child of God he encourages me to praise Him today, for He alone is faithful. My secular job ends September 30^th. In these very uncertain times not having a job can be an issue. I’ve been here before, several times… And each time God did a miraculous work! I’ve been here since the day I told God “no” to full time ministry in 2010. Do you think that’s a coincidence? Me neither.

For those who do not know the story, I did not tell God “no” in disrespectful rebellion (though it was rebellion.) I told Him “no” because I really couldn’t see the “how.” After jobs kept “mysteriously” ending I stopped asking “how” and began asking “when?” I’m still waiting for that answer… rebellion comes with a price.

Posted in Life Inspiration

Do you need to hear from Jesus today?

Written by talk2shari Published July 26, 2014July 26, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

I’ve had afew days off to rest and recoup from VBC teen Camp 2014 and I’m enjoying the lack of responsibility (my house will attest to that fact today). I really must get crackin’, but before I do, I’ve spent this morning just enjoying the Spirit of the Lord. Coffee in hand and Chuck Compton singing the glory down through YouTube videos and I’m a happy woman. It never ceases to amaze me what the Holy Spirit does in the life of a child of God. Jesus told us He would, but we so often allow the world to over shadow our daily steps that we forget Who it is that should be leading.

John 16:13-15 ~ Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

How awesome is that! To Shari quote it, Christ said that the Holy Spirit is repeating what Christ would have us to know, and what He would have us to know is everything that He knows. Christ is feeding the Holy Spirit the wisdom we are in need of, and yet we treat it like a radio dial, switching it to another station if it’s not exactly what we want to hear. Color me guilty.

This Saturday morning blog is short and sweet…

Are you in need of wisdom, peace, solutions?…. Tune in. If you’re a child of God you have the answer within but you’ve got to get receiver tuned in to the right station. And there’s only one way to do that… Shut every other noise maker off.

Prior to writing this blog I was praying for wisdom as to what to write about today. As I was praying I was listening to a favorite gospel singer and blessings were just pouring down around me. And while that was an okay thing to do, I couldn’t hear what God had for me. So I shut it all down, and opened the Word of God and this was the direction He and I walked together.

Christ feeds the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit nourishes our souls. But neither will be in competition with anything else. Shhhhhhh….. listen.

When you’re done reading, and listening to the Holy Spirit, please go back up and click Chuck Compton’s name… get ready for the glory – “Did I mention that I Love Him”

Posted in Life Inspiration

It may be his job… but you can send him packin’

Written by talk2shari Published July 25, 2014July 26, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

A week filled to the brim with blessings… a new little sister in Christ, getting to know our new Pastor & and his family, rekindled friendships, falling to sleep to sounds of children laughing and the Floridian Pastor, outside my dorm room, playing the guitar with camper Connor Boggs and singing Almost Heaven West Virginia, Country Roads, take me home… what a sweet week! But now I’m home… and happy to be so; there’s only so much fun one chick can take, and I think my husband may have missed me a little.

Satan had done his best to steal the joys of the week before, during and after camp. It’s his job and he’s really good at it!

John 10:10

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

A verse that should be written on the outside of every suitcase, vanity mirror, coffee cup, even the toes of our shoes… upon the places we’ll look before, during and after our destination. To serve as a reminder that the joy God has set before you on your journey is on the verge of being dismantled if you allow it. The last thing he will willingly allow is for you to have a joyful time. He’s been on me like white on rice since I walked in the door of the house. Messing with my mind, placing discouraging and attempting worrisome thoughts in my mind.

I determined that I needed to:

Thwart the thief

Matthew 6:19 says – Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

He cannot steal what he does not have access to. The joys that I have experienced and that the Lord has in store for me today are laid up in Heaven. They weren’t at camp, they aren’t in my home, car or any other physical place on earth. They are in the spiritual possession of my LORD. What I can do though is allow Satan to get my eyes off of the spiritual side of the blessing and onto the tangible side. The part that moths and rust corrupt. Things break, (hearts included), plans change or fall through, personalities clash, things don’t always work out, but the blessings that God provides in abundance are those joys within our soul that Satan can’t touch!

Take captive the killer

Oh my stars! I don’t know how many times during camp Satan would try to kill the Spirit of the service, or the relationships of the kids and counselors. I spoke to the kids one morning of a vision that God had put into my mind of two wrestlers by the camp fire; the host of heaven on one side and the host of hell on the others cheering the wrestlers on as they struggled on the brink of falling into the fire. That’s what our services were like. Satan did his best, but God is better! Hallelujah!

Dismantle the destroyer

If you want to dismantle Satan’s ill intentions you’ve got to take some pieces out of play.

Pride’s got to go.
Self has got to go.
Your plan has got to go.
Your way has got to go.

Those are game pieces that Satan can manipulate on the board to his advantage. Those things take your focus off of the Lord Jesus Christ and put it on to the things of earth, where our treasures are not.

IN GOD THERE IS LIFE ABUNDANT! God is good, all the time. Even in a storm the goodness of God can be found. Stop settling for less.

Following the news of God’s abundance is the news of God’s goodness:

John 10:11

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

He has His life for us so that we could have life in abundance… don’t turn it down.

Posted in Life Inspiration

Do You Know The Cuddler?

Written by talk2shari Published June 26, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

How precious is that! My Grandbaby Parker Keith arrived home to be greeted by his very excited siblings and cousins as well as a few very excited grandparents! Six weeks after a birth weight of 2 # 13 ounces he now tips the scales at 4 pounds 7 ounces and although I’m certainly glad those weeks of concern are behind us it was as usual a life lesson. Parker has already taught Noni (that’s me) a spiritual lesson I’ll not soon forget.

During his time in the hospital, a 2 ½ hour journey away for us, he spent a few days alone. His Momma had two other children at home who needed care, their families had jobs and responsibilities that would not allow us to spend every day with him and our hearts were torn. Daughter Tiffani traveled every other day to Morgantown, West Virginia to cuddle and bond with her precious new child. But what about the days no one was able to be there? It was gut wrenching to think of him being alone. But it turns out he wasn’t alone. West Virginia University hospital had paid cuddlers! It was their responsibility to spend time each day cuddling babies and providing emotional support to the families. It made my heart a little lighter knowing that someone was cuddling Parker in our absence. Isn’t it awesome that as children of God, we have a cuddler too!

Jesus spoke in John 14:16-20

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

Even though God is not physically here with us, His presence is felt in the child of God and what a privilege that is! I need not go through anything alone. Every heartache and sorrow that I’ve faced I’ve had that Cuddler within me speaking peace to my heart. Do you know that feeling? It’s a peace and comfort that only accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior can afford. He died for you, paid the sacrificial penalty for sin (death on the cross) so that you and I would not have to be separated from our Holy God, Who knew no sin. I hope you have that peace today. If not, please contact me and let me introduce you to the saving grace of Jesus or check out the Romans Road to Salvation page on my site. God bless!!! And if you prayed for Parker…. THANK YOU!!!!

Posted in Life Inspiration, salvation

Stress and the Greatest Coping Factor known to Man

Written by talk2shari Published June 14, 2014October 20, 2023 Discussion Leave a Comment

Saturday morning as a kid was spent watching cartoons like Bugs Bunny & Daffy, Scooby Doo Where Are You, Josie and the Pussy Cats, The Adventures of Mighty Mouse, The Pink Panther Show and a few dozen others. I had little responsibility and zero stress. I was blessed. I know now the zero stress factor did not hold true for every child. Click on view website if you want to know more about stress reduction. It no longer holds true for me either, so Praise God! for salvation. It didn’t eliminate the stress factor but it is certainly the greatest coping factor known to man.

Acts 3:19

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.

Please don’t misunderstand, I’m not insinuating that saved people don’t have stressful days or days you’d just as soon pinch the head off someone than to hear them utter another word. We have those days, believe me. But the difference is, I don’t pinch their head off and when stress comes I have a refocusing mechanism on the inside of me that helps me to cope with the stress off the day; the Holy Spirit.

While some may seek various methods to cope with stress, others might explore alternatives like cbd vape juice, recognizing the value of both spiritual and natural remedies in finding balance and peace. Just as faith serves as a source of strength, some individuals find relaxation and relief in the soothing effects of CBD vape oil, emphasizing the diverse approaches people employ to navigate the challenges of everyday life. Ultimately, the choice of coping mechanisms, whether rooted in faith or natural remedies like CBD vape oil, reflects the deeply personal and intricate ways individuals manage the complexities of stress.

In Acts 3, Peter stood before a crowd of people who had just witnessed a miracle, it was a great day! Most everybody wants to serve the God of miracles. But what about the disastrous days ahead that God’s Word warns us of; the days we don’t want to think about. The day of the lame man’s healing the people were refreshed in seeing him healed, it was a day of rejoicing and praising God; but how much sweeter will it be in the troubled times ahead that you will still feel the refreshing of the Lord.

Salvation is awesome every day, but its importance is never any more understood than on the bad days when you need someone to hold on to and it seems the world has walked out, or even if they’re there, there’s no comfort found in them. That’s when the Holy Spirit rushes in and there is an unexplained calm that comes over you and you feel the presence of the Lord.

There are times I long for the no responsibility cartoon days. But I’m ever so glad that when reality bites I have a friend in Jesus.

Do you know Him? Trust Him. If you don’t… let me introduce you. Click here: https://thejesuschick.com/the-road-to-salvation/

Posted in Life Inspiration, Life's Failures

Deserving of Mercy?

Written by talk2shari Published May 29, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

Who deserves it? Certainly not I. This is something that is a daily struggle in my walk with Christ. So much so that it is often detrimental to my service because I’m always feeling lower than a snail’s belly. Maybe it’s not so with you, but for the record I’m a wretched sinner. No, I’m not going to confess it to you, you’re not God. Just trust me, okay. And although confession is good for the soul I’ve seen too many people’s lives turn into an episode of Jerry Springer and he’s not in the building. James 5:16 does say “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” But it doesn’t say for you to air your dirty laundry or somebody else’s on Facebook and Twitter. A close friend will do nicely. Whew! That was tangent of a commercial break. Now back to the message.

So who does deserve mercy?

Psalm 103:17-18

¹⁷But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children;

¹⁸To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.

God’s Property for God’s People

Mercy is “of the Lord.” It’s entirely up to Him and His righteousness on who He chooses to dole it out upon. I know one thing for certain, I’ve been extended an abundance of mercy. But that’s okay, because there’s an endless supply. His word said it was “everlasting to everlasting.” That’s a really long time. For those that fear him. That’s the child of God. He or she who has made a confession of faith that Jesus Christ is Lord, crucified for our personal sin, risen again the third day, proving He alone has the power over death, Hell and the grave and now is our intercessor at the throne of God providing forgiveness for our sins, and yes, mercy. It’s one of the awesome benefits of a child of God that we take for granted, until we need it. And then we’re begging for it. It’s there for not only us but for our “children’s children.” My Grandbabies! I am the Mama of Mercy when it comes to them, I extend it far above what I should or so my children say. I consider it a privilege of grand parenting to have that right. That’s probably not actually biblical, but to say that God has the right to extend mercy to the undeserving is true.

God’s Promise to God’s People

If you’re disobedient you have no promise of God’s mercy, you may receive it, but you’ll not have peace in the process. But the Word says “To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.” To them mercy is promised. Those who believe in the New Covenant, which is Jesus Christ, but not forsaking the law. Yes, Christ died because man couldn’t keep the law, but that didn’t make the law of no effect. We will sin, but we’re to turn from it and repent to God in sincerity. You cannot live in blatant sin and expect the mercy to continue to rain down upon you. But, to the child of God who sincerely tries to live in the ways of Christ, they have a promise!

I must confess again, I’m not the keeper of the faith. I fail God so often it’s ridiculous. Please live better than me. I’m trying to live closer to the foot of the cross, I want that promise and the peace.

May God’s mercy be with us all…

Posted in Church Unity, Life Inspiration

Fighting Fire with Fire: Resentment gone wrong

Written by talk2shari Published April 7, 2014April 7, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

The human spirit is so deceptive. Someone hurts you and the first thing that enters into your mind is “One of these days….vengeance will be sweet.” But it’s not long after vengeance has occurred that you realize you still feel as bad as you did prior to it happening; it resolved nothing. If you’re a child of God, you’ve been rewired. That deceptive human spirit, although it’s still in there, now has a God nature to contend with, and God’s way of handling things has nothing to do with your enemy getting his or her “come uppin’s.” God’s ways are to quench the anger with water of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 12:20

Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

This thought came to my mind as our new Pastor candidate delivered his sermon yesterday morning. A passing thought in the sermon that he didn’t dwell on, but I couldn’t keep my mind off of) was “We want to fight fire with fire, but most fires are put out with water.” Fire is a destructive source. Brush fires scorch acres and acres of property in our community each year leaving nothing behind but blackened trees and ground; but oddly enough what you think would be destroyed beyond hope, grows again with time.

As far as humans are concerned time doesn’t always heal all wounds. Anger and resentment are fire to the soul and spread as quickly as any wild fire. Retaliation in response to someone who hurt us is mostly like gasoline on a flame, it bursts up quickly and gives the appearance of success, but just as quickly burns away to a slow consuming fire. If a fire keeps burning, two things happen, you either have to add more wood, or the wood is consumed. If you want to keep anger in your soul, you’ll either have to stoke that fire, or let it go out on its own, but it’s a whole lot less destructive if you pour water on it in the beginning.

Are you harboring anger or resentment today? Undealt with anger will destroy you from within. But Praise God! The very thing the enemy would use to destroy you also has a built in extinguisher.

Jesus said in John 7:38

He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

Isn’t it amazing how our Lord works!

I’m not casting a single stone here this morning, I’ve stoked that flame in my own heart on several occasions, it actually felt gratifying for a minute, but it always ends the same. More heartache.

Let it go…

Posted in Church attendance, Life Inspiration

The Profit of Rest

Written by talk2shari Published February 22, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

Hebrews 4:1-2 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

Ahhhhh the weekend. My absolute favorite part of the week. Short of the house work part of it! But Monday through Friday I look forward to those periods of rest over the weekend that allow me to be rejuvenated for the coming week’s work. Saturday is the precursor to Sunday; the day I prepare my heart to enter into His day of rest. I often wonder what I did pre-salvation and what those whose focus is not on the Lord on Sunday do to find rest. Certainly you can find rest for your physical body, but without the rest for the soul the physical body continues to fight for peace.

We have the promise of rest

God left us the promise of rest, although many fall short of it. Not because they can’t have it but because they won’t have it. They’ve heard the gospel but it’s not “mixed with faith.” Jesus says in Matthew 11:28 ~ Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

We have the profit of rest

God’s desire is to see us successful; not only in the numbers (position and finance) but along with those we should have peace. You can be president of the company with the highest salary of all but without peace you’ll never fully enjoy it… you’ll have no rest. I Timothy 4:14 says “Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.”

Whether you are called into the ministry or secular work there is a gift within you that God would love to bless. But so that it may profit you there is an expectation that you put God first… As “the first day of the week”, which would be Sunday… Which would be church day. Get the picture?

The rest of your week will go much better the first day is dedicated to the Lord. The Word of God teaches it as so. Acts 20:20 ~ And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house,

God doesn’t keep profit away from us. We do. By not reading His Word as fact, and with faith believing every word within. This is not prosperity Gospel. I’m not saying if you give God your time on Sunday that He’ll make you a millionaire on Monday. But I’m saying that when you have faith in God and put Him first, you’ll discover the rest that comes from it is priceless.

The writer of Hebrews (likely Apostle Paul) knew what every other child of God knows that without Christ there is no rest to be found in the whole world.

Mark 8:36

For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

I hope you find profit in this word today!

Posted in Church Unity, Life Inspiration, salvation

Sticks and Stones

Written by talk2shari Published February 7, 2014February 7, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

We’ve quoted it since childhood. For many of us it was our first experience with sarcasm and even though you’ve yet to read it, when you read the title of today’s blog, the words were likely running through your mind… “Sticks and stones can break your bones, but words will never harm me.” What a farce! What crazed mind thought up that saying and why do we teach it to our children? The person who had the original thought, and those of us who say it are likely trying to convince themselves that the person who said the hurtful words doesn’t matter; and they do, else it wouldn’t hurt so deep. I’ve been both the recipient and the thrower of stones. I’m shocked at how quickly words are a game changer for me. The Jesus Chick, who’s supposed to be spiritually mature and within seconds I revert back to that child on the playground who just wants to go home where people won’t be mean to me. I want to take off my Jesus Chick hat pretend that God didn’t call me for such a time as this. Maybe time will wait.

Time waits for no man.

That quote is true, but the other is untrue and unbiblical. Jesus said in Matthew 5:22 “But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.”

Apparently Jewish law had rules against the specific insult raca, (meaning vain, empty or worthless) but Jesus shows that any verbal abuse makes one liable to eternal damnation. Praise God for salvation through faith and the grace of God, for certain I’d be guilty. It is obvious from this scripture that Jesus takes words serious, but do we? We believe that our pain and anguish is justification enough to warrant lashing out at someone, after all they’ll get over it. Do we know that for sure? Our flippant word spoken in frustration might not have been “so bad” but it may not have been the first word spoken to that person and could just end up as the fatal blow to their soul. The one that takes them out of the game.

Ninety-nine percent of the time an ill spoken word will roll off of me like water on a duck’s back…. And then one won’t. It just sticks and Satan drives it into my brain with a hammer and I find myself out of the game and warming the bench. But this morning I met with the Coach who drew me into Matthew 5:22, and showed me clearly that because of salvation I was not in danger of hell fire, but if I allowed words to take me out of the game, someone else might be in danger. And if I used words as a weapon this too could cause someone to fall into Hell, because rather than seeing Jesus they’d see the harshness of life and give up looking for hope.

Words can build up, or tear down. I pray that mine always build on the foundation that Christ laid for me. Christians, we have a job to do… time waits for no man. You, who are unsaved…God has allowed you another day to get it right before it’s ever lasting too late. What is “it.” The game changer! Salvation. It is what will allow you to see that though the words of man may hurt, the Word of Christ will heal. Get in the game.

https://thejesuschick.com/the-road-to-salvation/

Posted in Life Inspiration

Consent to be Happy: Permission Required

Written by talk2shari Published January 27, 2014 Discussion Leave a Comment

If I asked if you had a desire to be blessed, I’m sure you’d say yes! I’d be concerned if you didn’t, but then if I followed that by asking what you’d be willing to do for the blessings of God, would you answer me? After all, we’ve listened to enough sermons to know that’s a trick question! It’s likely going to be followed by some “fun sucking, life altering, righteous living advice that requires way too much effort.” Or so Satan has told you.

I don’t believe that God places desires down in your heart without purpose. That is not to say that every desire is from the Lord. But…There is purpose in passion! Psalm 37 is a psalm of prophetic instruction. It does not say if you do this or that, you will live a life without sorrow or frustration; those who preach that have a lot of explaining to do to folks like David, Abraham, Paul and others who served the Lord with great sacrifice. But what it does promise is that there is a threefold provision to the Saints of God that is well worth every second you put in to service.

Promise 1: The Desires of your heart!

Psalm 37:4 ~ Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Who doesn’t want that? I have desires that I have yet to see fulfilled, but I believe they will be because they’re passions with purpose. They’re not fed by vanity or pride, thus they would be of the flesh and God’s not in that; they are instead fueled by a passion for people and to make a difference in lives. But even those could fail to come to fruition if I put even good intentions before God, which I’ve done many times in my life. But as I’ve grown spiritually I’ve realized that it’s all in God’s timing. Verse 7 instructsRest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him:

Waiting… not something I’m very good at, but it’s a prerequisite to faith. Faith is the evidence of things unseen; that’s waiting! And it’s not waiting begrudgingly, but instead like a child on Christmas morning, who knows those packages they’ve been staring at for 24 days have within them the desires of their heart! Woohoo!!!! That’s the kind of God I serve. He knows what I want, and for His glory He’ll provide it, in His time.

Promise 2: An abundance of peace!

Psalm 37:11 ~ But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

I will never be convinced that the unsaved have peace. They may have a false peace or sense of security from earthly wealth, but deep within them their soul is unsettled with God and there can be no peace. But to us who are saved – oh goodness and glory, we are given an abundance of peace! Even in the worst of times, when the world is crashing down around you and debt is around your neck trying to choke the life out of you, there is peace to the saint of God that is more valuable than the gold in Fort Knox. How? From meekness; the submission and humility in the life of Christian that does not show themselves arrogant in their nobility as a child of the King, but humbled that they’ve been given such a great position.

This takes an understanding of who you are in Christ. He preached it Himself in His sermon on the mount in Matthew 5:5 ~ Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth. He spoke it of Himself in Matthew 11:29 ~ Take my yoke upon and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. There is rest to your souls by allowing the God of the universe to handle the affairs of your life. It does indeed require humility to let loose of something you’re passionately concerned about, but it’s the only way to know if it’s a part of God’s plan.

Promise 3: Direction

Psalm 37:23 ~ The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.

The providence of God is a wonderful thing, if we allow it. Matthew Henry said it well when he said “By his grace and Holy Spirit he directs the thoughts, affections, and designs of good men. He has all hearts in his hand, but theirs by their own consent.” The Direction’s there, but only when we allow God to provide it. I won’t say it’s easy. I’ve had more battles with the flesh than I care to admit. But the truth is, and I know it to be, God’s ways are so much better than ours.

Are you struggling with something today? It fits in the bounds of Psalm 37… Give it to God, He’s way better at handling it than you are.