Category Archives: comfort

What is Grieving You?

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 “For they speak against Thee wickedly, and Thine enemies take Thy name in vain. I am grieved with those that rise up against thee”                                                         Psalm 139: 20-21

Does it grieve your spirit when someone speaks against the Lord, when they take His Name in vain? We use the Name of the Lord in vain when we use His Name to justify our bad behavior. When we say the “Lord told us” to do something, when really it is our own desire, we use His Name in vain.

If we honor the Name of the Lord, we will never use it in vain. We will call upon the Name of the Lord for our salvation, but not for our justification when in rebellion. We use His Name in vain when we say He said something that is totally against His character.

God never contradicts His Word. He will not condone our sin nor will He make us uncomfortable in it. When we call upon His Name, He will set us free; He will untangle us from the lies we have believed, and He will set our feet on a solid rock and establish our goings. If Jesus has set you free, praise His Holy Name right now and lift His Name up high.

Heavenly Father,
I realize that there are many ways in which I have used Your Name to justify my own bad behavior, and have used Your Name in vain. I confess this as sin and ask for Your forgiveness. Show me any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.

In Jesus’ Name,
Amen

Come and Drink!

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“For He satisfies the longing (thirsty) soul and fills the hungry soul with goodness.” Psalm 107:9

Come and Drink  

One of my favorite things about where I live is that I can see the deer out in the morning and evening as they are looking for fresh water.   They remind me of that Jesus said, “Come unto me all you who are thirsty and I will give you a drink.”  Jesus is inviting us to come and drink and be restored.  He has living water that will satisfy the longing of your heart and soul.

When you spend time with Jesus and receive a drink of this living water first thing in the morning you will be full of life all day. Then when you get to the end of your day, you simply return to the fountain that never runs dry.

“As a deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul longs for you, O God” Psalm 42:1-2.

Come and DrinkNo matter where you are on the planet, this living water is available to you. Jesus says “come and drink.” The Word of God is the Living Water and as you drink, it will begin to flow into every area of your soul. Even into those dry desert areas where there has not been life in a long time. You will know when the water has reached the desert areas because all of a sudden, life will begin to appear; a new thing will begin to happen, and you will see it spring forth. Living Water produces new life!

 

God says, “Behold, (watch) I am doing a new thing! Now it springs forth….I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” Is 43:19

 

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Abiding in His Presence

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If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.   John 15:7

Abiding in His PresenceIn today’s fast-pace and hectic lifestyles we often strive to accomplish our tasks in order to feel accomplishment.   Unfortunately, those busy tasks often cause us to ignore the vital importance of spending time in the presence of God.

The word “abiding” means to remain continuously.  Our need is to abide in His presence continuously and allow His words to remain in us continuously.  Unfortunately, too often we replace  abiding in His presence with other tasks and priorities and become overwhelmed with things of this world – rather than living victoriously in Him.

We can find a deep, comforting delight that just arises from spending time with our Heavenly Father and abiding in His presence.  There are a lot of people who enjoy quite moments alone and perhaps sit by their fireplace in deep meditation!  They may be lonely and hurting.  They might sit alone, however there is someone who is hidden from view, but ever-present and waiting for their reach.  Yet, for some reason, people often do not completely recognize His presence.

Recognizing God’s presence can be limited by the stresses of mind, feelings, physical condition, or even the weather conditions outside.  The rainfall or thick fog outside, the lack of sleep or intense pain, seem to obstruct people from the ability to grasp the fullness of His presence.

We simply need to call upon Him and surrender those moments to really basking in His presence.  He is always faithful to meet us.  As we rest expectantly in God’s presence, the Lord takes control and starts to draw our attention to God’s word and His peace that passes all understanding.  We begin to sense His comforting love as His presence fills our hearts.

There is a deep demand in every one of us to be close to our God.  Abiding in His presence is something to be sought after and not to be stayed clear of. While many try to live our lives according God’s word, our experiences with God will make it all come alive.  The Bible is a book of experiences, of men and women of God throughout history, whose lives were changed with a divine encounter.   Our lives will also be changed as we seek to abide in His presence.

There is more than simply understanding His presence.  The higher important thing is to appreciate His presence and enjoy the precious time with Him.  He is close to you, and His presence is real.  He is always present, a warmhearted friend, and the all-powerful Lord.   He is there to listen to your hurts, fears and disappointments, as-well-as your joys and victories.

This is a joyful reality for hurting hearts everywhere… God is with you, and is closer than ever.  You are not alone, He is always there.  Abide in Him.

In Difficult Times, God Hears Our Weeping

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The Lord has heard my cry for mercy;  the Lord accepts my prayer.  Psalm 6: 9

It seems that everywhere you go now people are discouraged, hurting, and afraid.  The news media gives us a steady flow of painful reports that often overwhelm us with concern, and attempt to steal our hope.

Unfortunately, in our cluttered and hyper-paced lifestyles we often rush through our challenges and attempt to control the outcomes ourselves.  We sometimes get drawn-in to the painful reports and feel overwhelmed with the difficulties.

It is important to recognize that in our times of difficulty, we have a resource we can turn to for comfort and guidance.  As the times become more difficult, we must discipline ourselves to spend more time He Who is our refuge in times of trouble.  In Him we will find peace during the storms.

Consider what David shared in Psalm 6.

1 Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger
or discipline me in your wrath.

2 Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am faint;
heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony.

3 My soul is in deep anguish.
How long, Lord, how long?

4 Turn, Lord, and deliver me;
save me because of your unfailing love.

5 Among the dead no one proclaims your name.
Who praises you from the grave?

6 I am worn out from my groaning. 

All night long I flood my bed with weeping
and drench my couch with tears.

7 My eyes grow weak with sorrow;
they fail because of all my foes.

8 Away from me, all you who do evil,
for the Lord has heard my weeping.

9 The Lord has heard my cry for mercy;
the Lord accepts my prayer.

10 All my enemies will be overwhelmed with shame and anguish;
they will turn back and suddenly be put to shame.

God Will Answer

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“Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness…You have freed me when I was hemmed in and enlarged me when I was distressed…” Psalm 4:1

Have you ever felt hemmed in, trapped and unable to move?  At that moment you can call upon God, and He will answer you.  He will lift you up and free you from the present bondage.  He will never leave you or forsake you.

The children of Israel were hemmed in and unable to move when they were in bondage in Egypt.  But they cried out and called upon God, and He answered. God sent Moses to lead them and deliver them out of bondage and captivity.

If you too feel you are hemmed in, call out to God!  He will answer when you call.

The Psalmist David said, “May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob set you up on high and defend you…send you help from the sanctuary and support, refresh, and strengthen you from Zion.” Psalm 20:1-2 Amp

What Do You Magnify?

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And Mary said, “My soul doeth magnify the Lord” Luke 1:46

What do you magnify?  Magnify, according to Strong’s Concordance means, to make or declare great.   Whatever we magnify becomes bigger and bigger in our mind.  If you magnify a problem then you can’t see the solution, all you see is the problem. Think about Mary’s problem. The angel came to her and said, “You will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son and shall call His name Jesus.”  (Luke 1:31)

Mary’s response in Luke 1:38 was, “Behold, I am the handmaiden of the Lord; let it be to me according to what you have said.”  She would soon be pregnant and unwed.  That could have been a huge problem.  But, Mary did not focus on the problem; her attention was on God.  She trusted God!  If this was of Him, He had the answer.  So, she looked to the Lord and magnified Him!

Today, take your mind off your problem, focus on the Lord and His blessings.  You will see the problem decrease and the Lord will be magnified.

Rise Up!

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“Fear Not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” 
Isaiah 41:10  NKJV

Many people have been hurt by rejection.  If you have ever experienced rejection, you can probably relate to that downward spiraling effect that rejection gives you.  It has a progressively negative effect; at first it affects your opinion of yourself, your emotional well-being, and if not dealt with rejection will continue to affect interpersonal relationships through-out your life.

Rejection is so painful and devastating that we can all agree it is one of Satan’s most successful tactics that he uses to separate and destroy homes, families, and relationships.  Once you are healed from rejection, you can breathe freely without the fear of rejection taking you down into that black hole of despair.

Rise up!  Receive your healing through the Truth of God’s unchangeable, unexplainable, and unconditional love and acceptance.

How to Overcome the Enemy

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For it was not an enemy who reproached and taunts me, then I might bear it… Psalm 55:12-13

Words are powerful, destructive, and so very painful.  And the enemy uses those who are closest to us to speak out hurtful words because he wants to get a “close up” shot, one that will do some damage.  He uses their knowledge of the past and words that are connected to that painful event.  So, every painful event that has not been healed is his target.  A profound truth on how to overcome the enemy is you must work through all the wounded areas of your heart and remove all access points by grieving the losses.

It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.   Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.   The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.   Ecclesiastes 7:2-4

You can be very strong in the Lord until it comes to a place where you have experienced losses.  It is in these times of loss that we get hurt and even angry at God because we can’t understand why things happen the way they do. We can even begin to doubt His love and protection with questions like:  why did it have to happen to me?  Why didn’t God stop it?  Why was I the one that had to suffer this way?

All these questions must be wrestled with and resolved as you go through the process of grieving the losses and releasing the pain. Grieving Losses is necessary for your heart to heal through His Word and be restored by His Love.

Learning to Trust Again

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“He heals the brokenhearted and bindeth up their wounds.”  Psalms 147:3

Learning to Trust AgainGod has made full provision for healing the pain of past so you can trust again.

Have you ever trusted someone to love you that did not know how to love? Or have you ever loved someone that did not know how to receive your love? In both cases you will experience rejection. This type of rejection is very painful especially when it comes from someone whom you really trust. The pain from being hurt by someone you trust is much greater than being hurt by a casual friend. It takes years to build trust, but it only takes a moment of rejection to tear down trust. This is because when you trust someone, you open your heart up to them. When they reject you, the natural tendency is to close your heart to them in order to avoid being hurt again. The pain that comes from rejection creates a big wound that must be healed in order to be able to trust that person again.

Jesus made complete provision for our physical and emotional healing. But many people are stuck, “locked in time” desperately needing to be set free from the pain of the past. One way many people try to get rid of pain is to just forget what happened and forget about the person who hurt them. You can tear that person out of your address book and for a while you will be able to forget what happened but if healing did not occur the pain is still there. The pain that lingers from the past keeps you tied to the past. Isaiah, the prophet, said in Isaiah 1:4-6 that those people who have not been healed will go backwards. Like taking one step forward and then two steps backward, you aren’t getting anywhere.

Another way many people deal with pain is to run from it or pretend it really isn’t there. Pain is like a shadow you look around and it is still there no matter how fast you run. That is why so many people are walking around with the shadow of the past still on them. Pain must be faced and dealt with in order for it to be put away. Instead of running from pain, stop, turn around and face it. Pain must be faced to be healed. You may be one who has received some healing, but the pain still remains. Jeremiah 6:14 also says that when a person has only been healed slightly, they say peace, peace, but when there is no peace. The amount of peace you are having can be a good indicator of how much healing you have received. Once you are healed and the pain is gone you will be ale to hold your heart open again and trust. Healing produces trust in you. If the person that hurt you has proven over and over to not be trustworthy, suggest they also receive healing. Healing produces trustworthiness in them. Then wait on the Lord to give you peace.

The following steps can be taken to work through healing. These steps will need to be repeated out loud or written down several times during the healing process. You will experience the peace of the Lord as you go through this process. Now is the time for healing!

1. Step one for healing is to face it.

Who hurt you? _________

Who left you? __________

Who did not receive you? __________

Who refused to love you? ___________

 

2. Step two for healing is to face what you lost.

Did you loose a good friend?

Did you loose a husband?

Did you loose a wife?

Fill in the blank, I lost _________.

 

3. Step three for healing is to accept that the thing you lost is gone.

Make a list and write down all that you have lost.

I accept the fact that ____________is gone.

 

4. Step four for healing is to acknowledge to the Lord that you have been hurt and angry.

Lord, I have been angry at __________ for ___________.

I ask you to forgive me, and cleanse my heart of this anger.

 

5. Step five for healing is to release what you have lost.

Lord, I ask for your help to be set free from this pain. Lord by myself I can not accept the losses. I ask for your help to accept what I have lost. I accept the reality that _________ is gone; and I release (person or thing).

6. Step six for healing is to forgive the person.

Lord, I choose to forgive __________ for hurting me. They owe me nothing.

 

7. Step seven for healing.

My hope is in You, Lord. I know You are the one that gives life. Not the person or the things I have lost.

 

8. Step eight for healing is to choose life.

Lord, I choose Life; help me to continue looking forward towards the life you have given me.

 

Where Can I Go to Find Safety?

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“It is better to trust and take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in man.”  Psalm 118:8

In the days we are living, there is troubling news on every side.  There are wars and rumors of wars, famines, and earthquakes in various places. Everywhere you turn, you hear of devastation. Many are like the man who called our office today from another country asking: Where do I go where it is safe? I couldn’t tell him whether or not he should leave his country, but I could tell him to take refuge in the Lord and He would lead him to safety.

In Ps 91:2, the psalmist David says the “Place of Refuge” or safety is the secret place where you go to spend time with God.  In the secret place, your quite time, all voices are silenced and you can focus on hearing the voice of God.

God is your refuge. He is the only one who knows the answer to your present problems.  Take refuge in Him and the answer will quickly come. In the refuge of the Lord, the enemy cannot touch you, taunt you, or discourage you.  You are safe under the shadow of His wings.  Find the secret place every day.  There you can find rest for your soul and strength to overcome the trials of these difficult days.

Psalm 112:7, “He shall not be afraid of evil tidings, his heart is firmly fixed.”