Overcoming The Fearful Facts

Are you struggling with any fearful facts in your head that you just can't get rid of? I know I have struggled many times in my life where my mind was consumed with the horrible situations that were happening around me. I felt that I had no control over my situation and that the facts that I saw before me were so real in permanency. We may not have control over our situations, but we do have an almighty God who is capable of miracles. A faithful god who promises us that he will listen to us and protect us from the evil one. 2 Thessalonians 3:3 says, "But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one." With God we do not need the facts of life, because God does not need the facts. He has power over anything that exists, and through him, we have that power to claim against any evil power in our life. 

This world may seem so real and powerful, but we have a God who is more powerful than what this world contains. I recently read a blog about a girl who was fearful to hear the sad news from her doctor. He told her that she was possibly diagnosed with a deadly sickness. She had two choices: 1) To either listen and believe what her doctor said or 2) To listen to God who is faithful and has the power to deliver us from any schemes of Satan. Praise God because she later found that there was no sickness in her body! Do not let anyone else control your life, let God control it. When God is in it, there is no limit. Only he has the power of miracles that go far beyond the facts in life. Do not listen to what people say whether it may be a doctor or hospital saying that you have no hope, or a manager or company that says you are worth nothing. But listen to God who says you are worthy and that he will be with you even in your darkest days. 

Do you want your life to be in the hands of those who only know the facts, or be in the hands of God who has power over anything? Give your fears to God and he will take care of them. Psalm 23:4 says, "Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me." We do not need to be afraid of any situation we face because we have a God who is greater than our situation. 

It can be easy to forget that satan exists in this world. Many of us face life thinking that there is only God, us, and the world. But the truth is that this life contains God, us, the world, and Satan. We  can forget that Satan is the one behind all of the chaos and negative fears with have. We are not fighting against ourselves, but against satan. We are not in heaven yet, where only God and us exist, but we are in a world that is consumed with demons who are constantly trying to steal, kill, and destroy us. Ephesians 6:12 says, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." So if you are facing trials and tribulations, or doubts and fears, remember that it comes from Satan. We need to remember God, but we also need to remember Satan and put him in the equation of our life and the choices we make. Know that Satan exists so that we can prepare to fight against him. Imagine fighting a war, but not knowing that your enemy exists. We need to acknowledge the enemy and prepare ourselves to win against him. Focus on God and not on your fears. 

Depend on God and not on the facts that you see. If you depend on what you see, then what you see if what you will get. But if you depend on God, you will receive the miraculous plans that he has in stored for you. Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." Trust God in positivity. Whatever fear you are experiencing today, know that God is able, and know that we serve a faithful miraculous God. Ask yourself this: What will get in between your faith with God? So remember, you can overcome the fearful facts of life with God. 

What Best Could We Give to God?

Holiness - a word that we all have heard whether religious or not. What comes to your mind when you hear the word "holy"? I'm sure many of us see holiness as something sacred that we tend to separate ourselves from the word itself. But did you know that holiness is actually a large part of being a Christian? Holiness is not excluded to only the priests or ministers, but it is called upon to every body of Christ. Although holiness sounds hard to accomplish, anyone can achieve it. Holiness comes down to simply having the will to have holiness in our life. 

So why is being holy so important? Because it is the best offering we could give to God. Before we can go out there serving others or even having that intimate relationship with God, we first need to give what we have had since the first day we were born: Our body. Our own body and mind is the closest thing we have to ourself and it is one of the things that we care for most in our life. Death has always been the number 1 fear for everyone, which shows how important we care for our body. God desires the holiness of our bodies because he wants what we care for the most. He values the holiness that could only come from Jesus who is the most holy. Romans 12:2 says, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God- this is your true and proper worship."

As a Christian, we were all saved because through the blood and sacrifice of Jesus. His blood was shed to cleanse away our sins. Many of us focus on Jesus being holy that it can be easy to forget that we ourselves are also called to be holy. 1 Peter 1:16 says, "for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." God commands us to be holy because when we were born again through baptism and cleansed with the blood of Jesus, our old unclean fresh was dead. We were born again in a new birth that brings holiness. Holiness may seem something that is far and sacred, but in reality, it is a part of us if we have accepted Jesus into our lives. Holiness was made for each body that is a part of Christ. We cannot please God by separating ourselves from holiness; it has to be a part of us. 

Holiness is definitely not an easy task to accomplish 247. We are all human and have those days where our emotions and impure thoughts can get in the way, but the decision to be holy is an easy one.  To keep holiness in us is a choice, will, and desire. Holiness stems from our love for God that brought us to surrendering our life to him. We sacrificed ourselves not because of religion, but for our salvation and love to God. Holiness needs to come from our desire to have it and keep it. Paul is a great example for us to follow. He had the will to have the holiness that God commanded. No one had to force him; it came from his own will. Philippians 1:20 says, "as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or death." Paul had his own eager expectation to stay holy. He made the decision to have the will to commit in holiness. Are you willing to sacrifice anything to keep holiness in your life?

Although we are saved and cleansed by the blood of Christ, we still have to maintain the holiness that came from Jesus. Holiness may seem like a hard and impossible thing to accomplish in today's world, but that is what God desires the most from us. Cultivate your will and desires to worship God in honoring what is most important to him. So remember, holiness is the best thing we could give to God. 

Is It Possible to Live a Satisfied Life in Today's World?

The world is constantly changing at a fast pace and at the times when we want a break, life just never stops. So is it possible to live a worry-free life with all the obligations and consequences that life brings? Can we be satisfied in a word that continues to have increasing demands? I recently found myself struggling over dissatisfaction from the results of my hard work. I know that our expectations will not always get met, but how can we live a satisfying life when we constantly find our expectations failing? I'm sure many of you have found yourself at situations such as mine, and as much as we would love to praise God during times of disappointment, it can be challenging when things don't happen the way you wanted it to. But through prayer and waiting in God's presence, I realized that I was focusing on the wrong thing. I lost my focus on what was truly important: God. 

When you start basing your satisfaction on the things of this earth, you will always find yourself wanting more and unsatisfied. But when you focus on God, you will always find yourself wanting more but satisfied. Depending on the world as a metric for satisfaction will always leave you unsatisfied because there is always more that you can have, yet you can't always have everything that this world offers. But when you depend and focus on God and his kingdom, you will find that you have everything that you need and find that God is always enough. John 4:13 says, "Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again." Jesus told the samaritan women that the water from her well would leave her thirsty, but water from Jesus would give her everlasting life. This shows that anything from this earth will always leave your thirsty for more. But when you focus on God and what he is doing in your life, you will never be thirsty. 

It can be easy to run to the temporary pleasures of this world when we are feeling down or unsatisfied. But remember to run to God and his word when you are feeling dry and thirsty. Just like when you are hungry and find food satisfying, God's word is the food to your soul and satisfaction. God's word will never let you down and his promises stay the same forever. Isaiah 58:11 says, "The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose water never fails." God doesn't just promise to give you what you need, but he promises to satisfy you and take care of you like a well-watered garden. He loves you and he knows the best for you. We just need to change our perspective in our life and focus on what truly matters in our life which is Christ. He will always give you the best and he will always be enough for you. Christ is worth more than anything that exists in this world. The world may give you temporary pleasures, but Christ gives eternal happiness. 

A great example in the bible that we should follow is the life of Paul. Paul learned to be content with any circumstance that he faced because he knew he had something that was better than any circumstance he faced: An all mighty God who has the capability to give him the strength to face any challenge. Philippians 4:12 says, "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength." Paul learned not to base his satisfaction from his circumstances on earth. We all should be like Paul and focus our satisfaction to God who is always enough for us. God will always be there to provide you, watch over you, and bless you overwhelmingly. We just need to focus on him and not let satan distract us with our situations on this earth. 

Do not measure your satisfaction based on what you have on this earth, but on what you have from Christ. Focus on God's love for you and on the amazing plan he has prepared for you. Only through God can you truly be content with your life. God has the ability to give us the assurance that we will always have enough in our life with him. Hold on to God and he will never let you go. Not only will God establish your path, but he will establish a satisfying one for you. So remember, we can have a satisfied life in any circumstance we face.