Trust => Worry’s Antidote

Are you worried about something today? You’re not quite sure how something is going to work out & maybe you’re concerned that the fix won’t come fast enough?

Those were thoughts that flooded in as I awakened today. I smiled, though, as I wondered if there‘a an antidote for worry🤗

…and I was quickly reminded there is!

As I began reading Psalm 37, my thoughts shifted from what to Whom.

An antidote is medicine that counteracts the effects of poison, & worry is like a poison that depletes our peace & steals our joy, right?

The passage opens with an exhortation, “Do not worry…” and the remainder of the Psalm tells us why. 🤗

When we shift our focus from the facts before us to the Father over us, trust begins to surface…we realize that this thing is too big of a burden to carry on our own & remember that He’s our Burden Bearer to whom we can entrust the unknown things.

When we trust in Him & do good (versus manipulating circumstances to make something happen), He promises that we will live in safety & even prosper!

His Word also declares that when we take delight in letting Him be Lord, that He will give us our heart’s desire!

No finagling needed!

He will make His unfailing plan for our lives unfold in His perfect timing…

And if our desires differ from His?

He has a way of making them pale in comparison to what He has planned 🤗

Father, thank You that Your Word is always a ready Word when we need it!

You promise safety, prosperity, peace & protection when we trust in You.

Holy Spirit, help us place the hard things we face at the feet of the Father, & Jesus, be our Peace as we wait for His rescue!

#oneyearbible #August20

August 20th One Year Bible Readings

ESTHER 8:1-10:3

1 CORINTHIANS 12:27-13:13

PSALM 37:1-11

PROVERBS 21:23-24

Revival Begins with The Restoration of The Temple (& You & I, My Friend, ARE That Temple!)

When Hezekiah steps into kingship at the age of 25, he inherits a big, fat mess.

His father, Ahaz, rejected God during his entire reign, leading his people to do the same. Because of this, God led the King of Aram to attack him.

When King Ahaz’s plan to bribe a foreign nation for help backfired, he smashed the sacred articles in the Temple of God & shut the Temple doors so no one could worship there. He then set up altars to pagan gods on every corner in Jerusalem!😳

As King Hezekiah assesses the state of ruin, he sees the connection to the boarded-up Temple:

⚠️The doors are closed | Access to God is denied

⚠️The lamps are out |Testimony about God is silent

⚠️The incense burners are cold | Prayers to God are absent

⚠️The altar is empty | There are no sacrifices

⚠️The Temple is filled with trash | Neglect of God is evident

He understands that the key to revival is connected to the restoration of The Temple, so in the first month of his reign, he begins the process through:

 Sanctification

 Sacrifice

 Song

He urges the priests & Levites to, “neglect your duties no longer!” & the men immediately begin purifying themselves & the Temple.

After 16 days of sanctification, the king commands for sacrifices to begin & songs of praise to fill the Temple.

Singers sing & trumpets blow until every last sacrifice is made, & at last, the Temple of the Lord is fully restored to service!

Y’all, our nation is also in a big, fat mess & in desperate need of revival!

Revival begins with a restoratiom of the Temple, & you & I, my friend, ARE that Temple! Sanctification, sacrifice & song are in order!

DOORS | Is there any area where we’ve denied access to God?

LAMPSTAND | Do we let our lives blaze with testimony about His goodness?

INCENSE | Do we shoot up prayers & praise like arrows throughout the day?

ALTAR | Are our lives becoming living sacrifices, allowing Gods Will & way to reign?

And lastly, have we let our Temple become filled with trash?😬 (what we see, hear, think, eat, do…)

Father, start a revival in our land & start it with us! Fully restore Your Temple to service, making our lives sanctified, offered like sacrifices & filled with songs of your greatness!

#OneYearBible

July 31st One Year Bible Readings

2 CHRONICLES 29:1-36

ROMANS 14:1-23

PSALM 24:1-10

PROVERBS 20:12

If We’re in Need, (Not Want), Is the Lord Truly our Shepherd?

David writes in Psalm 23 that all of his needs are met when the Lord is his shepherd. By definition, a shepherd is one who tends to his flock, ensuring they reside in good pastureland where they can properly graze in safety.

The problem of provision doesn’t come from the shepherd’s poor lead, but the sheep’s lack of following.

I heard a phrase the other day on a show I was watching. A mom was talking to her daughter, saying, “I just don’t want to get in your way…”, but the daughter quickly replied, “Mom, you’re not IN my way, you ARE my way.”

Profound, right?

I think that’s often the problem when it comes to letting Jesus be Lord. Instead of remembering that one of His literal names is, “The Way”, we see Him as getting in OUR way.😳

If you read through Psalm 23, you see all of the ways Jesus, as our Shepherd, makes a way when we let Him lead.

When we strip ourselves of logic & lust of the heart (I-want-what-I-want-when-I-want heartstance), choosing instead to let HIM lead, something extraordinary happens…we may not have all of our WANTS met, but suddenly they begin to fade in importance & the things we NEED are met in miraculous ways…

✨We find ourselves able to rest in green pastures (representing everything we need to survive & thrive!)

✨Our strength is renewed.

✨We travel right paths.

✨We bring honor to his name.

✨Even when we’re in a scary valley, we won’t be afraid!

✨We see His correction as protection!

✨We enjoy a feast of peace & joy even amidst our enemies!

✨Our life begins to overflow with blessings, and His very goodness & unfailing love PURSUE us every single day we have remaining in our lives!

✨And lastly? We will land in the house of the Lord for eternity!

Y’all, when you consider the (gisted) promises  above from Psalm 23, are any of them lacking in your life?

If your answer is yes. It just might be a matter of  Lordship - full & complete surrender of leading your life, yielding to His will & His oh-so-perfect Way!

Here’s the bottomline:

If the Lord is our Shepherd, we will have all we need.

So it begs the question:

If we are in need (not want), is the Lord truly our Shepherd? 

#OneYearBible #July

July 30th One Year Bible Readings

2 CHRONICLES 26:1-28:27

ROMANS 13:1-14

PSALM 23:1-6

PROVERBS 20:11