Devotionals for the Heart: Trusting God to be with you in troubled times

End Strong
A devotional by Allison M. Wilson

Key Scripture:

Romans 1:18-32, John 16:33, Matthew 6:34, Philippians 4:4-8, 2 Peter 1:2-4, 

Matthew 22:29, 1 Peter 4:12 (NASB)

The passage the Lord laid on my heart for this blog is not an easy one to read. However, it is pertinent for all believers to know as our world devolves before our very eyes. So many are looking for 2020 to be over, and the 2021 year to be less stressful. Will it be, though, according to the Word of God?

We can read Romans 1:18-32 and think it was just for the time the apostle Paul was living in, but we see so many of these same things happening in our own society. God is not honored, relationships are being promoted in ways the Lord never intended, people are filled with unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, malice, arrogance, and mercilessness. These are not new things just this year. We see more of it now, perhaps due to technology giving us access all the time, however, the root of all of this has not changed. This is the human condition apart from the love and redemptive work of Jesus Christ.

As believers, we need to always be aware this world is not our home. We were made for something much more than this, and when we put our hopes in a better time here on this earth, we are setting ourselves up for needless disappointment. In John 16:33, Jesus says we have tribulation in this world. Not that it will be easy and sunshine all the time. Taking it a step deeper, Jesus tells us that we will have daily trouble (Matthew 6:34). How does that match up with our way of thinking? Do we believe that our Christian life should be trouble free? Many of us live as if the troubles and trials we face are something unexpected. (1 Peter 4:12) From the mouth of the Word of God we are told the opposite, yet so many of us are depressed and anxious when our days do not go smoothly or our plans do not turn out the way we expected.

Jesus was very clear when He gave us the first part of John 16:33, but that’s not the part we remember. “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace.” Then He tells us we will have tribulation and that HE has overcome it. We have Philippians 4:4-8 which guides us through how to keep our minds and hearts in peace, yet we do not utilize what God has given us. Instead, we drown ourselves in the tribulation, expecting something to miraculously pull us out. Too many believers have ignored the Word of God, which is life to those who read it. We have 2 Peter 2:1-4 to remind us. We are no different, sometimes, than the Pharisees Jesus was talking to in Matthew 22:29 when He said we don’t understand the power of God.

Will 2021 be a better year? If you are looking for the circumstances of this world to be what makes it better, then it won’t be. If you are looking for your relationship with God to grow deeper and richer, then there’s every reason to believe it will be an amazing year filled with trials and tribulations to bring you closer to the One Who has overcome the world.

Let’s Pray: Dearest Lord Jesus, we have put our eyes on the things around us so often, thinking they are what makes us happy or hold our peace. You told us that the joy of the LORD is our strength, yet we have forgotten it too many times. Remind us of Your truth. Keep Your Word ever on our hearts and lips that we may live this life in such a way that others will want to know the hope which lies within us. In the precious name of Christ I pray, Amen.

~*~
Author Bio:

A very early reader and lover of the written word, Allison M. Wilson has been writing since the age of 8 with the heart to impart stories and God's truth. 

She has judged countless contests for the last 25 years, reviewed for several online publications, professionally edited, and written articles and devotionals.

Wife, mother, writer, editor, teacher, mentor, and mompreneur, God keeps her busy while living in east central Florida with her family.

~*~
Connect with Allison:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allisonmwilson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/amwilson

Thankful Thursday: God is With Us

It's Thursday and I'm thankful for the fact that God is with us.

He is with us in the calm.

He is with us in the storm.

He is with us even when we cannot feel His Presence.

Why? Because He created us and He loves us with ALL of His divine heart.

We are living in troubled times with terror and uncertainty in every corner of the world. But I'm here to tell you that the Maker of humankind, the Creator of the entire Universe, is still on His Throne. Nothing goes unnoticed and at the right time, He will intervene. Until the day of His judgment, you can trust Him to be there for you as an inexhaustible resource.

So go to Him. Tell him what you want. Tell Him what you need. Express your deepest desires and most heartfelt emotions to Him and then have the faith to believe that not only did He hear you but He will answer. Read Isaiah 65:24.

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you (James 4:8).

He loves you too much to leave you to figure out life on your own. Ask Him for wisdom. He's always willing to give you a healthy dose of it, freely (James 1:5)!

God is Good even when life isn't and one day, it will all make sense. But until that happens, hang on to His Word (The Holy Bible), read His Letter (The Holy Bible) and keep holding His Hand.

Here's a song for reflection, followed by a Bible passage (Psalm 46) that reminds me of God's unshakable Sovereignty and gives me hope during troubled times.

Psalm 46 ~ King James Version (KJV) ~ Source: BibleGateway.com

1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

3 Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.

4 There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.

5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.

6 The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.

7 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

8 Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth.

9 He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.

10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

11 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

A note to you

Dear friends,

Growing up, I remember singing a song on in Sabbath School at my church called, "Jesus Loves the Little Children."

The lyrics are simple and sweet:

Jesus loves the little children,
All the children of the world,
Brown and yellow,
Black and white,
All are precious in His sight,
Jesus loves the little children of the world!

We have a responsibility to help each other as we journey through life.

Please keep Japan, its people and its land in your prayers, thoughts and if you can donate to organizations like ADRA who are currently on the ground in Japan providing aide to the Japanese people, please do. For those of you who do not know, Japan suffered a massive earthquake a few days ago and they're not out of the dark yet. You can read the update on the crisis situation on here (article from CNN).

Meanwhile let's look at the bright side of the situation, these events point to the Truth-- JESUS is coming soon! Read about it in The Holy Bible. See the book of Mark, Chapter 13. You also may want to read a short article by Evangelist Shawn Boonstra on this very issue called "Stirred, But Not Shaken: A Reflection on the Japan Earthquake."

Praying for God's peace to live in your hearts and shine through your lives,

Alexis