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Fear v. Hope
The difference between fear and hope is that fear is without love. You don’t feel fearful when you know you have someone who has your back with you. Struggles with anxiety are well known in this day and age. If you’ve ever felt fearful to do something but your friend is also fearful, if you go and do the feared activity to prevent your friend from being scared—you just combated your fear with love. “Perfect love casts out fear.” 1 John 4:18. God is perfect love. He can eradicate you from fear. Lift your fears to him. Lay them at his feet. He is a kind and listening father. God…
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A little encouragement for the discouraging times
There are moments in life where situations suck. We all go through something in life. Whether it’s illness, mourning, loss, financial issues, the list can go on and on. There are circumstances in life that are unfair. It can feel like evil is running the world. That could be true, but God is bigger than the evil and the injustice we face. He is gracious, loving and fair. He says to leave the wrongs done against us to him and he will take care of it when judgement comes. We can trust that even if justice doesn’t come in our mortal life, that we will see justice when we are…
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Everything, yet nothing
It’s easy to think the world revolves around money since everything seems to have a cost. We buy all the fancy cars, houses, shoes or appliances. And if we can’t afford them we lust for them or take out loans. We strive for them. Once we get the car or the house or the wife or the kids we think we will be happy. But when we find get them we look for the next thing. It’s never enough, it never fulfills us. That’s because the things of this world can never fill the God sized whole in our hearts. You think of the Egyptian kings. When they died they…
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Sensitivity is a gift
This day and age it’s easy to harden your heart and block out people and pain. It’s the easiest thing in the world to hold onto your brokenness and bitterness. It’s hard to forgive, to open up and say what is going on. Being sensitive and being open does not make you weak. Sensitivity is needed today. People need people who are willing to be there for them, to cry with them and listen to them. Jesus didn’t hang out with the people who had their lives *together*. He hung out with people who were visibly and socially messy. He hung out with tax collectors, prostitutes, homeless people, lepers, women…
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God’s goodness
It’s hard sometimes to see the good. There’s brokenness and evil everywhere. But the good news is we have a loving and kind God who does not forget you. He doesn’t leave you behind. The wonder and glory of God’s goodness lets us see who he is. He’s not a bad guy who strikes down all the evil doers. God is so graceful. He offers more grace than we do. He gives us an abundance of chances. That can be hard to believe for us humans because we easily stereotype people. He’s a murderer. She’s an adulterer. But guess what Jesus says if you hate someone in your heart that…
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Provision
It’s hard to see when fog is blocking your view. It’s hard to see when your future is uncertain. But guess what? God doesn’t say you have to know what is ahead to live a full and beautiful life. God is kind. If God can provide for all the animals of the sea and the birds in the sky, why wouldn’t he provide for you? Animals don’t have the same type of souls as us. We are unique to all other creatures. God has blessed us with speech and beauty and choice. So why wouldn’t he take care of you if you has treasured you more than the birds of…
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Seeking joy
It’s beginning to become winter time in the northern hemisphere, and with that the sun sets sooner and the days feels colder. With Christmas and Thanksgiving we have something to look forward too. But with the lack of sun, we naturally can start to feel sad. Vitamin D helps but what about the sadness that reaches deep into our souls? What do you do when your heart is broken or your spirit shaking? Placing your happiness in circumstances will always lead to disappointment. That’s why we place our hope in Jesus. Jesus is the ultimate healer of sadness and broken hearts. Jesus knows that life isn’t always about rainbows and…
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The significantly small amount
Do you ever feel like you have nothing to give? Are your hands empty? Has all your energy been used up? God is no stranger to taking little and making a lot. The Gospel of John states that Jesus took 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread to feed 5,000 people. This was from a kids lunch box. He gave Jesus all he had and he multiplied more than he could have imagined. As humans it’s easy to get caught up in the day to day stresses and worries. What will I eat? How will I pay for my rent? Will there be a bus that can take me to…
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Peace
“Peace bring it all to peace,” the lyrics from Mosaic MSC’s Tremble are a godsend for this crazy time. God will provide. God has “Praise the name of God forever and ever . . . He controls the course of world events; he removes kings and sets up other kings” Daniel 2:20-21). (Not stating this as a political belief of mine) God knows what he is doing. He doesn’t allow kings or presidents to be brought into power without his knowledge. The Lord will protect us. He loves his children. He hates to see the brokenness that has already come out before the election. God cries when innocent men die…
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Qualified?
Do you ever feel like you don’t know enough, or that you don’t have the experience to get something? Do you ever feel like you are qualified enough for something and get dismissed? I feel ya. I get ya. When it comes to God and what he’s telling you to do, you may never feel qualified but God never checks certification. He just says, “Go.” It’s easy to think of Moses and all the wonders that he was a part of. But don’t you remember? He was a murderer, and had a speech impediment. God doesn’t look at the outside but he looks at the heart. God doesn’t see us…