Walking Through Shadows

Scripture:
Deuteronomy 31:1-8

Ephesians 5:18-21

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Growing up our house had huge cotton wood trees lining the back of the property.  There was a high chain link fence bordering our property and a car dealership behind us.  At the corners of our property they had huge lights that shined on the lot.  During the winter months those lights would shine through the bare branches of those trees creating shifting shadows in the house.  There would be times when it would be windy and I would be home alone.  Those ominous shadows shifting along the floor and walls in the den would give me a fright.  It didn't take much for me to scare myself.  When ever I wanted to go to the other end of the house I would turn on every light as I went.  

When we scare ourselves all we have to do is remember that Christ is with us. Deuteronomy 31:6 "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."  We are to fill ourselves with God's Spirit.  Ephesians 5:18 "And ^(A)do not get drunk with wine, for that is ^(B)dissipation, but be ^(C)filled with the Spirit,"  As long as we seek God and call Him Lord He is with us.  We need to remember that even though we feel alone God is with us.  We do not have to walk through the dark house all by ourselves.  God tells us in Psalm 91:15 that he will remember us and be with us. "He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him."  Through thick or thin, better or worse, richer or poorer, health or sickness, through it all God is with us.  He will never forsake us.  We will never truly be all alone in the night...

Are You Still In Chains?

Scripture:

Luke 4:16-21

Phillipians 2:1-11

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In A Christmas Carol the ghost of Jacob Marley is bound in a huge chain with lock boxes and cash drawers.  He is in misery roaming the earth witnessing the suffering of others.  He wants to help but is forever doomed to witness and be helpless.  

How often do we feel the guilt of our sins?  How long do we carry them on our backs as Marley carried those chains?  Redemption is freely given all we have to do is ask.  John 3:15 "...that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life." John 3:17 "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."  Our sins are forgiven if we only ask.  Psalm 103:12 "As far as the east is from the west,So far has He ^(C)removed our transgressions from us."  Once forgiven God remembers them no more.  

So if God forgives and forgets why can we not do the same?  Are we held in a place higher than God?  Are we bigger than him?  Was the price Jesus paid not enough?  If we answered yes then the scripture isn't true.  Then we are all lost.  Since we know the scripture is true John 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." we can do no less than our Lord and Saviour.  He forgives and forgets.  We must forgive and forget our own sins.  It can be the hardest thing to do but in the end we must move on.  We must forgive ourselves, after all God did...

Is Jesus Your Umbrella?

Scripture:
Psalm 18:6-13

John 16:33

Peace in troubled times can be elusive at best.  I find myself constantly bombarded with worries and stress of this world.  As I struggle to find peace and acceptance I wonder how others cope.  I have a friend who never seems to let his troubles get the best of him.  He always is calm and at peace.  I never hear him complain or gripe.  The fact of the matter is that we can all have that.  All we have to do is seek Christ.  Call upon the Lord our God.  Psalm 18:6 "In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears."  

Another friend of mine keeps reminding me of Psalm 91.  I have read it and pray over it on a regular basis now.  Since I started this I have been able to be more at peace.  Verse one states "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty."  God is with us no matter what.  All we have to do is trust in Him and cast our cares upon Him.  Jesus has already won the war. John 16:33 "'These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.'"  This isn't a promise of a stress free life with no problems or worries.  This is just a means to see through the difficult times.  When you walk in the rain you can use an umbrella to stay dry.  Jesus is our umbrella against the problems of this world...

Who Pays The Price?

Scripture:Psalm 9:7-10

Matthew 11:25-30

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Trust, it is so very easy for us not to trust someone.  Harder still to earn the trust of others.  We increase our burdens because we choose not to trust.  It is the same for us with God.  People tend to find it difficult to trust in God.  Jesus tells us that His yoke is easy and His burden is light.  So why do we tend to bear our own burdens?

Psalm 9:7-8 

⁷But the ^(A)LORD ^[a]abides forever;

He has established His ^(B)throne for judgment, ⁸And He will ^(C)judge the world in righteousness;

He will execute judgment for the peoples with equity.  

One fact remains, all of us will stand before God for judgement.  Our choice is a simple one.  We can trust that what Jesus tells us is true and trust in Him.  The other option is to not trust Him and stand before the Father alone in full judgement.  Jesus will stand in our place at judgement taking the full brunt of what we deserve if we just ask Him.  We can find rest in Christ.  We can cast our burdens, worries, and cares upon Him and He will bear it all for us.  He is willing to stand in our place at judgement.  All we have to do is ask.  All we have to do is trust.  Each of us will be judged.  We can take on the judgement ourselves, or Christ can stand in for us.  He will receive our judgement and pay the price in full...