A trusting heart remains steadfast, even when we are surrounded by impossibilities. I love 2 Chronicles 20. What an example for us. We go out to battle with praise as our forerunner. King Jehoshaphat had received news that a great multitude was coming.

Verse 3 says that he feared, and set himself to seek the Lord. Then he proclaimed the truth based on God’s attributes. Verse 11 says, “Here they are, rewarding us by coming to throw us out of Your possession which You have given us to inherit.”

Verse 12 highlights his trust. It says, “O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You.”

God’s ways are far higher than our ways. In verse 17 He told them to position themselves, and to stand still because He was with them. In verse 21 the singers went out before the army, saying, “…Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever.”

Verse 22 recorded the power of their praise. It says, “Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes…and they were defeated.” God crushed their enemy through praise.

Praise is the fruit of trust. Psalm 68:1 says, “Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered…” Verse 4 says, “Sing to God, sing praises to His name; extol Him who rides on the clouds, by His name Yah, and rejoice before Him.” 

I have never done this before. I’m giving you some notes I took while listening to a message by John Van Gelderen

The Real You

The real you is God’s nature. If we don’t put the lies of the enemy to death, we will view ourselves as failures, losers, and duds. We then have to pretend to be righteous when around other believers.

Thinking down deep that we aren’t righteous, but God says that down deep we really are righteous. We act out what we really believe. We have to allow the Holy Spirit to convince us of the truth.

Romans 6:10 says, “For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.” He died unto sin once.

At salvation we are placed into Christ. Romans 6:7 says, “For he who has died has been freed from sin.” In the core of our being we are new creations. It is a creative act of God ~ miraculous.

Ephesians 4:24 says, “And that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” This is the real you – His seed was implanted into us ~ inserted and has been there ever since ~ even on our worst days.

We are radically righteous in Christ ~ even when we buy into satan’s lies when tempted to sin and sin. We are still IN Christ. At our core we are righteous. Satan’s lie is that we are fundamentally flawed. God’s truth is that we are fundamentally fixed.

Lies need to be put to death because they become our excuses. We are defined by who we are IN Christ ~ His righteousness is IN us. We need to focus on the Person. Hebrews 12:2 says, “Looking unto Jesu…” He is our Power Source.

I typed this out so I could share it with a new mentee, but you might like it to share with someone ~ or grab hold of these truths for yourself

I love this verse in Nahum 2:1. To me it is very militant. and charges me with power to remain alert and on guard. The enemy of our soul uses our mind as his battlefield. It says, “He who scatters has come up before your face. Man the fort! Watch the road! Strengthen  your flanks! Fortify your power mightily.” Note the exclamation points!

This is not a casual verse. It calls us to arms because our adversary continually sets traps. In Ephesians 6:10-18 Paul wrote about putting on God’s special provision of armor. Verse 13 requires fortitude. 

It says, “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” David had some mighty men that are great examples of fortitude. 

You can read about them in 2 Samuel 23:8-39. Eleazar is the one I want to focus on. Verse 10 says, “He arose and attacked the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand stuck to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day…”

When we are weary in the battle, God’s hidden word ~ our inner sword will fortify our heart, and will carry us through to the victory. 1 John 5:4 says, “…And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” Romans 10:17 says that faith comes by hearing God’s word. We build forts of truth around our mind, and proclaim it in the face of enemy placed obstacles.

The writer to the Hebrews reminded the folks that they needed endurance. I want to start off this new year with an endurance reminder. The Strong’s defines the Greek word hupomone as, constancy, continuance, bearing up, steadfastness, and holding out. It combines two words, “under” and “to remain.”

I love this note in my Bible. Endurance is described as the capacity to continue to bear up under difficult circumstances, not with a passive complacency, but with a hopeful fortitude that actively resists weariness and defeat.

Hebrew 10:35-36 says, “…do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise.”

One of the keys to perseverance is maintaining a grateful heart. By the way, that is the will of God according to 1 Thessalonians 5:16. Hebrews 13:15 described it as a sacrifice. When we want to grumble and complain, we lay that fleshly desire on the altar of praise!

Thanksgiving is a pleasing heart aroma to the Lord. In 2004 the Holy Spirit taught me to combat negativity with gratitude, and He placed a little running melody in my heart. It became my default. I barely heard it and didn’t think others could. 

However, when I was taking care of my elderly hard of hearing friend she did. I had folks turn and thank me for my happy song while standing in lines. Colossians 3:16 recorded it as, “…singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” It lifts our spirit and glorifies the Lord.

Perplexed means to not have understanding. Think of Job. What was God’s commendation? Job 1:8 says, “…Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?”

There was no one like Job ~ a man of heart integrity. Like a domino effect, one chaotic event followed another. Job’s response was to fall to the ground and worship. Job 1:22 says, “In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.”

What a portrait. In Job 19:23 he said, “Oh, that my words were written! Oh, that they were inscribed in a book!” We read them as spectators, he lived them moment by moment. Job had no clue ~ it was a perplexing trial. All through his account we catch glimpses of how the Lord revealed Himself to Job in ways he never knew Him before.

So it is with our lives. We have all of God’s words at our fingertips. 2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”

Today is the beginning of a new year. Yesterday, and all the days and years behind that have passed. We cannot change them or alter what happened. We are given the present only. Galatians 5:16 says “…Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” Our flesh does cartwheels and flips trying to figure perplexing things out. Our spirit man trusts in the One Who knows all things.

To

Rest

Under

Sore

Trials

Words from Jeremiah 31:14, became part of a new song that bubbled up as I fixed breakfast. It says, “I will satiate the soul of the priests with abundance, and My people shall be satisfied with My goodness, says the Lord.”

Satiate means to fill to the full. Are you consciously grateful for the fullness of His goodness? Psalm 34:8 says, “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him!”

Taste is an interesting word. I’ve been experimenting with a breakfast dish. I’ve made it three times now, and each time I consider the taste. How can I make it more satisfying? Tasting of the Lord’s goodness requires a heart that embraces all the trials and hardships that He has allowed to take place.

Psalm 145:9 says, “The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works.” I savor David’s words of tender mercies. We could stroll down the hallway of the lives of countless folks who turned to the Lord through blessings disguised as tragedies. 

I know that I was never the same after I fell into the ravine. The Lord used that event to woo me into intimate communion with Him. I’m sure you have your own stories ~ how He turned something catastrophic into an enriching blessing.

We are at the end of another year. Only the Lord knows what lies ahead. Let us savor His goodness as we face the unknown. Let us drink deep of His river of pleasures, delight in Him as our Source of Strength, and sing praises that glorify Him throughout our day.

God had an assignment for Moses. He was about to use something totally natural to Moses in a supernatural way. He asked him, ‘What is in your hand?’ Just a typical shepherd’s rod until he threw it down.

Pharaoh opposed God’s ways and His will. After the children of Israel had left Egypt, the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart again. Exodus 14:4 says, “Then I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, so that he will pursue them; and I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army…”

Pharaoh was fashioned to bring God glory. Think of Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from men and ate grass like oxen. At the end of his humiliation, he gave God glory. Daniel 4:34 says, “…I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever.”

God is not a cookie cutter. Each one of us is uniquely fashioned according to His purpose. He uses our specifically designed trials, divine orchestrations. and encounters, to fulfill what He has begun. Nothing is in vain. 

Even though Job was in a severe trial, his focus was on the Lord. Job 5:9 recorded his words. It says, “Who does great things, and unsearchable, marvelous things without number.” Job 11:7 says, “Can you search out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limits of the Almighty?” 

Psalm 145:3 says that His greatness is unsearchable.” Verse 5 says, “I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, and on Your wondrous works.” Verse 20 says, “The Lord preserves all who love Him, but all the wicked He will destroy.” All are fashioned by God for His glory.

Isaiah 43:7 says, “Everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him.” Psalm 119:73 says, “Your hands have made me and fashioned me; give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments.”

Let’s consider how Adam was made. Genesis 2:7 says, “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.”

Can you picture it? I’ve seen some sand sculptures. The sand is wet and easily formed. It stays in one place. Dust? It scatters easily. Adam was perfectly formed. Did you notice his nostrils? When the Lord breathed into him the breath of life, Adam was a fully functioning man. I marvel when I think about it. His cognition was brilliant. 

You and I have the same breath in us. As Adam was given the responsibility to keep the garden, we are given the same stewardship of our bodies. 1 Corinthians 6:20 says, “For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

We are fashioned for His glory. Glorify means to bestow honor. In Jesus’ priestly prayer, John 17:4 says, “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.” What has the Lord given you to do? 

Courage is an inner strength that is continually fortified through the promises to us in God’s word. Courage is never achieved through self-effort. He empowers us to do what He has called us to do. See 1 Thessalonians 5:24. 

God’s command to Joshua was connected to the essential truth that He would be with him no matter what he was doing or where he was going. So it is with us. Psalm 46:1 promises that He is Ever Present.

What holds us back from pursuing all that God has for us? Fears from our past often rise up to stop us in our tracks. We are insecure because we are looking at our weakness rather than His strength. 

When I think of the word embrace, I picture a barnacle clinging to a rock or the hull of a ship. Years ago I wrote an article for our local newspaper entitled, “Barnacle Faith.” I had a great picture of a barnacle.

I have another picture from Psalm 63:8 in the Amplified. It says, “My whole being follows hard after You and clings closely to You; Your right hand upholds me.” Thank You Lord for Your continual upholding, sustaining, and uplifting Presence! 

As you read this verse, I want you to picture a trapeze artist. They have just let go of the first bar, as they are reaching for the oncoming bar. Paul wrote in Philippians 3:13 says, “…one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.” The empowerment to reach comes through forgetting the past. We have to let go of the past to embrace the present.

I read through the book of Philippians three times. Paul is an excellent example for us of one who embraced courage. When the plot against his life was discovered, the commander sent Paul to the governor Felix.

In Acts 24:10-21 he made his defense before the governor. His declaration in verse 16 is one we can aspire to as well. It says, “This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and man.” 

After he made his defense before Felix, he also stood before King Agrippa. When Felix had listened the second time, in verse 24 he shouted, “…Paul, you are beside yourself! Much learning has made you mad!”

In verse 27 Paul embraced courage. He said, “King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets…?” When the Lord intercepted Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus, what did He tell Ananias? 

Acts 9:15-16 says, “…he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.” If you need a refresher of his sufferings, go back and read 2 Corinthians 11:23-33.

God commanded Joshua to embrace courage. He encapsulated it with the promise that He would be with him. Joshua 1:9 says, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” We have the same promises.