I Hope So – Psalm 33:20-22

20 We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. 

21 In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. 

22 May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.
– Psalm 33:20-22

I Hope So

Help for any situation is available through our Lord, Jesus.  The Bible is a book of HOPE and in it we can always find scripture that reminds us that God is our help and our shield; that we can rejoice, and our hearts can leap in our chest at the mere thought of His grace, and His goodness, and His love for us.

I don't know about you but I need to remember these things.  I need to read the words and think on how truly amazing God has been in my life – especially when I was weak and I needed Him the most.

I had a nervous breakdown once and it wasn't pretty.  One day after work (when I was living in Texas), I got in my car and I just started driving. I didn't know where I was going but I just wanted to get away.  Looking back, were things really that bad? No, not really, but in my mind they were, and all I knew to do was to just get away.  I wasn't in my right mind and if I'm to be truthful, it crossed my mind during those 3 days of driving to plow my car into an embankment or off a bridge – but God. . .

God knew the confusion in my mind and the pain in my heart, and He knew that I needed protection to get me to a place where I could be safe and let Him help me regain my thoughts and see clearly again . . . He lead me safely to my parent's house in Oregon.  When I arrived, I slept for days.  I don't even remember how I got there or which route I took – that's how out of it I was.  God got me through that "glimpse" of time in my life, and He protected me until I was able to see and think clearly again.  I know that I, in my debilitated state of mind, cursed Him a few times during that breakdown, but He still loved me and He still saw to it that I was OK.

He loves us so very much!  He knows that we aren't perfect, and that from time-to-time, we are going to make a mess of things.  He never questions and He never accuses – He just says:

"Come into the strength and protection of my loving arms and let Me care for you. I will hold on to you and I will see you through. I will make you strong once again because I made you. I know the success you are to become, and I have a plan for you to bring others to Me.  You are mine and I will never leave you."

So you see, no matter what you are facing today, no matter what is up against you, there is Hope!  God is our Help and He is our Shield, and He will get you through whatever it is that you are facing. Just call out to him . . . He will never fail you!

Prayer
Father thank you for Your loving arms of protection. You are my hope and I thank You for all those time when I needed You and You were faithful.  You hear me cry and You reached Your hand across the heavens – just for me.  I trust in Your love and in Your peace.

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard

Hope and Encouragement

7  But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us;

8  we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed ; perplexed, but not driven to despair;

9  persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;

10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 

11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
– 2 Corinthians 4:7-11 (English Standard Version)

Hope and Encouragement
It's only just barely Wednesday and already, this has been a long and tiring week – at least it has felt that way to me!  The rainy weather has my old friend arthritis playing havoc on my body, and work has been crazy, and even though I got them done last night, the stresses of having to get the taxes done has taken its toll, and the fact that I've been neglecting my school work and the semester looms ahead has me all stressed out, and-on-and-on, etc., etc., (now would be a good time for someone to play me a hauntingly sad song on the violin).  Add not feeling well and having no energy to the mix, and all I wanted to do today was crawl back into bed and sleep until weekend.  I know I can't do that though (sigh), . . . and so I press on.

How about you?  Has your week been as crazy, and tiring, and stressful as mine?  We all have different things that we are going through, and we are all affected in many different ways.  We can choose to give in to the pains, and the pressures, and the stresses, and use them as an excuse to escape from the world, but I think the Lord would rather we remember His Word that says, ALL of this happens "...so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our bodies." 

He does not, and He will not, give us more than we can handle (even though it may seem too much when we are in the moment), but He wants us to continually look to Him for our strength – our energy – our peace – our rest – our healing, and our delivery.  Christ IN us can do anything!  He will be our champion when we feel like we can't do one . . . more . . . thing.

He will be our smile and He will be our joy when we are so distraught, and sick, and tired, and stressed, and it seems like life has no meaning.  He will carry us when we feel like we are too weak to move.  He is so that we can be!  So let's look to Him today! Let's cry out to Jesus with eyes and arms and spirits lifted up! Let's show Jesus that we believe what He says and we are willing and ready to receive the life that only He can give us. 

Because according to God's Word to us, we may be afflicted in every way – but we will NOT be crushed. We may be perplexed about our situations – but if we look to Him we will NOT be driven to despair. We will be persecuted by the world – but because He is our Lord we will NOT be forsaken. We may, from time-to-time be struck down – but because of His shed blood, we will NOT be destroyed. 

He is our Deliverer, and He is our Redeemer, and He is our Portion! 

Thank You Jesus!

Prayer
Lord, I am so tired.  I have had a tough week and I need You right now.  I need You to help me to do the things I need to get through my day.  I know that in You I can do it all, and so I am asking You to be my strength and my energy today.  I need You to carry me a few steps so that I can get the momentum from Your love and joy.  Just a jump-start Lord – that's all I need right now, then I can carry You with me throughout the rest of my day. Thank You Lord – You are always there for me, and You never neglect me.  I love You.

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard

You Have It In You! – Philippians 4: 11-13

11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 
12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 
13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. 

– Philippians 4: 11-13 

You Have It In You!

What kinds of challenges are you facing in your life?  Are there obstacles that seem to just come faster and faster like some out-of-control video game?  Have you reached the point where giving up is looking like a pretty good option?  Well where are you going to turn to get you past this trial?  How are you going to find the strength to come out victorious?  Who do you turn to for help?  What is your next move?

The obvious answer is to call out to your Father in heaven and ask for the Holy Spirit to give you the strength and the wisdom to overcome.  The not so obvious answer is that after seeking the Father's face, to look within yourself.  Find the you that is there when you are at your best.  Dig deep, dig hard, and dig until you find the strength and the spirit that God created you with.  The human spirit that He, in His glorious wisdom, so generously poured into you so that you could realize how special you really are and how awesome He created you.

God will help you and the Holy Spirit will give you wisdom and power from on high, and Jesus has given you the grace and love to remain humble, but in the end, our Triune God wants you to show the entire world the wonder that you are.  God did not create us to be weak and powerless - He created us with an incredible potential to overcome - to reach unreachable heights - to defeat the giants of this world, and to push beyond our familiar selves.  He gave each of us His seal of approval and He called us "good."

You and I are amazing and powerful beings - but we need to come to that realization of, and have the faith to know that God said it - and it is true - no ifs, ands, or buts about it!.  Just take a minute to reflect on all the things that you have made it through - God was there through it all.  Yes, the Holy Spirit also gave you the wisdom you needed to make right decisions, and yes, our Lord Jesus has saved you and He set your feet firmly on solid ground.  But you lived through it.  You survived.  You overcame because of the human spirit that our wonderful Father created inside of you.  You honored the power and the wisdom and the love of God by not giving up.

So now, in the midst of your trial, in the make-it-or-break-it time of your life, recall your victories and start praising God for creating you with the ability to walk through it all -  full of hope, full of joy, and full of life!

Prayer

Father I am so thankful for the human spirit that You designed me with.  You are constantly showing me that I can do anything as long as I put my faith and trust in you.  Each time I have had to reach deep and realize the strength that You have given me in order to walk when You told me to walk or to act when You told me to act, I have gained more confidence in You.  I know that it is not in my own abilities but by drawing close to you that those abilities become supernatural.  I am able to overcome anything the world throws at me - because You created me to live a victorious life!

Have a blessed day everyone!

-Richard