Tag: Travel

God’s wonderful nature is unbound. He has set us apart as His sons and daughters to be partakers of His glorious plan of salvation. We no longer bear the penalty of our sins, for Jesus, the Lamb of God, gave His life so that we could live. No other truth is as incredible in depth, as magnificent in width and as breathtaking in height as that of knowing God loves us.

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Romans 8:35,37)

In every miracle God is there showing His love for those who believe. His powerful presence is in all things He created, for by His spirit He holds all things together for good. Whatever may become of us when we perish will not hold fast. As true as the sun rises, so will we one day rise to stand before the throne of God and marvel at His heavenly countenance.

Had God not loved us, we would not exist. For as we draw breath into our lungs, God is giving us life continually. Our days are as autumn leaves falling to the ground, blown by the wind to disappear in the distance. Yet our hope lies in living once again—this time forever.

Therein is God’s everlasting love for us.

If we were to take note of all the ways we have loved and of all the times we have loved, our love would be as a drop in the ocean, for God’s love is greater. He loved us first, He loves us unconditionally, and there is no bound to His love. God is love.

“Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.” (1 John 4:8-9)

How powerful a message it is to know that God would give up His divinity so that He could walk among us, experience things like us and die like us. His love for us is so vast that He would choose to die for us in order that we might live.

Every moment we have of breath is a moment closer to being with God. His plan is for us to be like Him: gracious, kind, considerate, gentle, patient, joyful and loving; His spirit in our heart is all it takes for Him to live through us.

If we feel defeated, God’s love is greater. If we tell ourselves no one cares, God’s love is greater. If our spirit has taken to surrender to forces unknown, God’s love is greater. With God’s love, we will defeat. With God’s love, we will care. With God’s love, we will have the spirit to overcome. That is because God’s love is greater.

In our weakest state, in that moment when we are about to do anything to remove a trial from our lives, our only choice is to look to God. He, and He alone, will give us the relief we need to rise from our sufferings and move forward.

God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

(Psalm 46:1-3)

We have no reason to fear. God is great above all other gods. He is the one and only God. If He can create the simplest of flowers, how difficult is it for Him to rescue us from the sufferings of this present age?

Our hope remains in God the Father, who sacrificed Jesus His Son for the forgiveness of our sins. We should count it all joy to know that our tribulations are for a purpose; and that is to change us to become more like Him every day.

What may seem impossible to us is possible for God. What may seem extraordinary to us is ordinary to God. He takes the weak from the world, imparts His spirit and builds His church. We are of the body of Christ; fashioned of the same countenance; saved by God’s grace.

No one other than God is our fortress.

Jesus forgave those who persecuted Him. Likewise, we should do the same also; for when we forgive our enemies, God will forgive us. Even more so, He will bless us beyond that which we could have ever imagined possible.

“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:11-12)

God commands us to rejoice and be glad when we face persecution. Our hardships are as seasons, and as seasons change, so do the circumstances to our hardships. What seems difficult now may one day seem as a distant memory. Our persecution will one day fade.

Every trial we face by the hands of an enemy is one step closer to what God wants us to look like. He is building a new person within us. When we are ready, He will rescue us from the hands of our tormentors. It is a promise our Father will keep. He will not surrender us to anyone.

Outwardly, we may have the countenance of sheep, meek and willing to serve. Inwardly, God has given us the heart of a lion, ready to roar at the face of trial. We may feel weak, but with God’s spirit living within us, we are strong. We are of the same unshakable resolve as our Father: to do good to all, even to our enemies.

For then we will have fulfilled our calling, and these words will come to pass: blessed are the persecuted.

King Solomon, the wisest king who had ever lived, once wrote that there is a season for everything: a time to grow, a time to harvest; a time to build, a time to tear down; a time to mourn and a time to dance. With every time that passes, we have a chance to learn more about what God’s will is for our lives.

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

As we grow as sons and daughters of our Father, we have the opportunity to become more like Him every day. We gain a sense of who God is by doing His will. By listening to His still, small voice, we learn His heart, which then becomes our heart. We will have compassion for those who sin against us, forgiveness for those who wrong us, and mercy for those who hate us.

Our lives will have meaning by the changing of the seasons. For as time moves forward, we will forever learn just how much God loves us by remembering that He gave His only son as a sacrifice so that we might live. Moreover, God’s powerful testimony for us is Jesus’ willingness to lose His life in order that we might gain ours.

How wonderful God is to look after us in due season. His mercy is awesome and His love for us will never fail. Let us count it all joy to know there is a time for everything.

As we look to the future, we know two things: first, God will be there for us in this life; second, we will rise again to glory and honor in the next life. Our faith is not in vain, for Jesus promised that in everything we suffer now would not compare to what awaits us in heaven.

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)

When we accepted Christ Jesus as our personal savior, we accepted God’s promises. Not a one will fail. We believe that. We also believe God’s hand will scoop us out of the grave, set us before His throne and comfort us. Our salvation is sure. No one can take that away from us.

We have a new life in Christ. Whatever sin may have ensnared us, God freed us from it by Jesus’ death and resurrection. We no longer are prisoners to its penalty. Our hope is in God’s grace toward us and His unshakable protection over His people, whom He loves.

In the Father, our new life is complete. His spirit dwells in us, giving us the ability to love our enemies, to feed the poor, to take care of the elderly and to look after the homeless. Whatever the challenge may be, He will never fail us, for we have a new beginning with God.

Take pleasure in the Lord and in all His deeds. He created all things for his glory. Give praise to His name on high, for He is great above all things and wonderfully gracious toward us. His mercy never fails.

“Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.” (Psalms 33:1, 21)

God’s love for us will endure forever. Through His son Christ Jesus, we have salvation. Through no other name will we rise again. He gives mercy to the merciful and honor to the humble. Our joy comes from loving Him with all our heart.

As many times as we feel alone, God will not leave us. As many times as we feel abandoned, God will not forsake us. His spirit lives in us and He will comfort us. His unceasing love will always warm our heart. Whatever we may be feeling, God is there, helping us along the way.

All glory belongs to God. Every word of worship belongs to Him. May our prayers be as sweet incense and fill the heavens with our heartfelt praise. May we reap joy and gladness with every word that we pray, for God is good and His goodness makes our soul glad.

Let us give thanks and praise, for this is true joy in the Lord.