Category: Devotions

In Crisis Time

 

"If you faint in a crisis, you are weak."  Proverbs 24:10(GWT)

 

 In periods of crisis and difficulty, the most common reaction is to flee or faint.  Think about all of the wars across history.  People do not make the most rational decisions.  Everything from financial crises to famine, family blowups to battles of the mind, it seems easiest to give up and give in to defeat. 

 

But being realistic, in trying situations, I know my first instinct is not always to seek God.  And you know why, after years of negative programming, the mind does what is natural for it to do.  It will send complaints to your mouth and repeat "defeat" in your brain.  Once you say it and it gets into your heart, its hard to react any other way.  The cure for this is to break that programming; rather, reprogram your mind with faith-filled words.  A commentary of the above scripture goes further to say "Under troubles we are apt to despair of relief. But be of good courage, and God shall strengthen thy heart."  Our hearts are weak because we do not give it what it needs to remain strong.  The only One who can get us through troubles is God.  The only One who can equip us with the tools is God.  But He already gave us the most important tool to stay focused and strengthened in the midst of trials…His Word!  He already sent Christ to redeem us.

 

"For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."  Hebrews 12:3

Do You Know Who You are?

 

"If we are his children, we are also God's heirs. If we share in Christ's suffering in order to share his glory, we are heirs together with him."  Romans 8:17

 

Hi everyone!  I'm at a crossroads right now in my life, and I've decided to evaluate myself and who I am, including every relationship, every ideal, and everything I deem important in my life.  I've been really taking hold of some of things God promises us in the Word.  When you are having an identity crisis of sorts, you cannot base your identity on your circumstances.  2 Corinthians 4:18 says "We don't look for things that can be seen but for things that can't be seen. Things that can be seen are only temporary. But things that can't be seen last forever."  God is forever, His Word is forever, and because we are recreated in Him upon accepting Christ as our Lord and Savior, we will live forever in Him.

 

Because of that alone, we must embrace and fully believe in who God says we are.  Galatians 3:29 says "And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise."  So we are descendants of Abraham–descendants of wealth, favor, love, and prosperity.  Ephesians 3:6 tells us "to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel,".  This makes us members of the Body of Christ, the bride of Christ.  The verse above tells us that we are joint heirs with Christ–we will sit on God's right hand, we will live eternally.  Galatians 4:7 explains that we are sons (and daughters) of God. "If we endure, we will also reign with Him" from 2 Timothy 2:12 lets us see that we are a part of the Royal family of God–kings and queens through the Blood.  After reviewing all of this and seeing what God has provided for us, I cannot stay engrossed in the temporary ugliest of my circumstances.  Situations change, and if you have faith, they will get better.  And as a descendant of Abraham, the father of ALL nations, a co-heir with Christ, my Lord and Savior, a daughter of God, a member of the Body, and a QUEEN!!–I cannot stay in a pity party.  the most important relationship we have is with Christ, because He is the One that changed our destinies.  He blessed us with a new life—"This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!" (2 Corinthians 5:17)  Through Him we inherit all of this, through the leading of the Holy Spirit we can know what is important and which way to go.  Its like a king having a trusted advisor to guide and direct him in the right decisions.  We now all have that blessing.  And I now know who I am; by knowing this I trust in the things of God, the gifts that He gives, and most importantly I can relish in His love.

 

"Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."  Matthew 25:34

"As a result, God in his kindness has given us his approval and we have become heirs who have the confidence that we have everlasting life."  Titus 3:7