Month: July 2020

In Part 1, we saw how God is omniscient, He knows all. He knew us when we were being formed in our mother’s womb, He currently knows how many hairs we have on our head and He has plans to give us hope and a future. In Part 2, we saw how He goes before us in the future. He is already there waiting for us, how the ultimate plan and provision for us is a home in eternity with Him.

Here in Part 3 there is still hope for our future when we experience failure or unexpected events in life. In the book of Daniel chapter 3, we see his three friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego tossed into a fiery furnace for remaining faithful to God. King Nebuchadnezzer was ruler of Babylon during that time. He had an image made of goldIf we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us^[a] from Your Majesty’s hand. King Nebuchadnezzer commanded that anytime the people heard the sound of instruments the people were to bow down and worship the image of gold.

^{“However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceive the things God has prepared for those who love him”}

I Corinthians 2:9

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to obey King Nebuchadnezzer and remain faithful to God. So King Nebuchadnezzer had them thrown into a fiery furnace. Standing up for what they believe in, honoring God and they are thrown into a blazing furnace? You may be saying,”How is that fair?” Well, no that’s not fair in our human perspective and life is not fair. And we should obey the authorities place over us. However, if those authorities are asking one to go against what God’s Word says, then one needs to make a choice. These guys KNEW, Daniel 3:17 – “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand.” They knew EVEN IF, they were thrown into the furnace, God would take care of them. And God did. They came out unharmed! They didn’t even smell of smoke!!! Not a hair on their head that God has counted was singed!!!

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego knew that no matter how God took care of them they would be ok. “Even if, ” even if things don’t work out like we expect, God has a plan. He will either remove the issue from us, provide a way around it or walk with us through it.

I Corinthians 2:9 – “However, as it is written:“What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceive the things God has prepared for those who love him”

And in Ephesians 3:20 “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.

Our world has been turned upside down. Lives have been disrupted. Crazy things happening all around us. The future can look bleak. But, there is still hope for our future. The God we serve will deliver us. We just need to remain faithful to God our Father. He has the answers and He will provide.

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In the last post we saw that God knows ALL, nothing goes unnoticed by Him, He views the ends of the Earth; Job 28:24. We saw how He knows us personally. Before we were born; Psalm 139:13, presently; He knows the number of hairs on our head; Matthew 10:30, and He knows us in the future; Jeremiah 29:11.

Let’s look how He cares for us, how He goes before us and is ready to meet us.

Do Not Worry about Tomorrow

Luke 12:22-26 ^{22 “}Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. ²³ For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. ²⁴ Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! ²⁵ Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? ²⁶ Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?”

Such an easy trap to fall into, zapping us of any joy. Be present, be in the moment, most of all “be still” Psalm 46:10; ” Be still and know that I am God…” If God goes before us, Deuteronomy 31:8 “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; then He KNOWS what we need before we do..”, then He knows what we are going need before we even ask, Matthew 6:8; “…for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” Notice, what we NEED not what we want; Philippians 4:19, “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”

While it’s good to plan and prepare responsibly, it’s bad to dwell and worry about all the ways our planning could go wrong.

…”I am going to prepare a place for you…”

John 14:2

A few years ago, I came across an article where a man renovated a house he bought and prepared it for his wife and family. A wife and family he didn’t have, yet. He thought of every detail to accommodate his future family. In the master bedroom closet he designed spaces for high heeled shoes and in the master bath he had the drawers lined with velvet for jewelry. He also designed furniture and cabinetry to accommodate his height of 6’3″ as well as a woman around 5’7″. Here’s a link to the story: https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303916904577378073585064442 (unfortunately as of 7/17/25 you will need a subscription the Wall Street Journal)

How much more does our Heavenly Father care for us? How much more does He KNOW about us than we do? In fact, God does the same thing for us. John 14:2-; “My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” WOW!!! There’s a whole story behind that verse too, but for another post.

That’s some Hope for the future. God knows! He Knows all, He knows our needs before we ask. If this guy can create a home for a family he doesn’t have, how much more can our Heavenly Father who is omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent take care of us?!!!

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F.E.A.R. – False Evidence Appearing Real.

The Bible tells us repeatedly, “Do not be afraid” and “fear not,” etc. These phrases appear over three hundred times in the Bible. Some may argue 365 times, one for every day of the year. Fear can be describes as:

• bondage – Romans 8:15
• torment – 1 John 4:18
• a snare – Proverbs 29:25

Other time scripture tells us “do not be discouraged” along with “do not be afraid” – torn apart or panicked.

The believer is provided with a long list of thing in which worry is not needed:

• enemies – Deuteronomy 1:21
• provisions – Matthew 6:25
• other gods – 2 Kings 17:35
• death – Psalms 23:4
• armies and wars – Psalms 27:3
• separation – Psalms 71:24
• evil days – Psalms 49:5
• children – Psalms 127:3
• the future – Psalm 139:1-6
• sudden terror – Proverbs 3:25-26
• safety – Matthew 10:28
• events beyond our control – Matthew 8:26
• heath – 2 Corinthians 12:7-20
• fearful thoughts – Philippians 4:6-7
• word of others – 1 Peter 3:14
• suffering – Revelation 2:10

Scripture also provides believers with reason to not be fearful or worry:

• We are His creation – Isaiah 44:2
• We are loved – Exodus 14:13
• He is your helper – Hebrews 13:6
• We are more valuable than the sparrow Luke 12:7

And the number one reason we don’t need to worry is God’s presence!

• Genesis 26:24
• Deuteronomy 31:8
• Romans 8:15

We don’t need to ask for God to be present with us. He already is! Emmanuel – God with us!!! We have His word on it, literally – Matthew 1:22-23, Isaiah 7:14. What we need to ask is to be aware of His presence. By remembering His faithfulness in the past – Deuteronomy 7:18-19. Remembering His faithfulness in the past will invoke awareness of His presence.

F.E.A.R. is just a lie. When we acknowledge our fear, we deprive it of its power. When we acknowledge God is present with us we not only banish fear, He strengthens our faith.

“… My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.”

Exodus 33:14

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Job 28:24 ” For he views the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens.”

Nothing. Nothing goes unnoticed by God. He is omniscient! Sometimes that’s hard to grasp when we see everything around us just crumbling and it seems like God isn’t doing anything. But He is and He knows, ALL!

He makes Job 28:24 personal. He knows all about us, each and everyone of us. Let’s take a look at a few verses.

He knew me in the past, before I was born.

Psalm 139:13 – “For you created my inmost being; knit me together in my mother’s womb.”

He knows me in the present.

Matthew 10:30 – ” And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Luke 12:7 -“Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”

He knows me in the future.

Jeremiah 29:11 – “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans (thoughts) to give you give you a HOPE and a future.“ Deuteronomy 31:8 -The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

He knew me when I was being formed in my mother’s womb. He was there with me. And He not only knows the number of hairs on my head, he knows how many are gray, how many are colored and what colors they are. After all He did put them there, well not the colored ones. And He is already there in my future. And He knows all about each and everyone one of us!! He gave us life; He created us.

It may feel like God is so far removed from the evil that is taking place right now in this world and it may feel like God has abandoned you, us. But it’s not God. It’s us. It’s me. It’s you and I who have distanced ourselves from Him.

1 Corinthians 2:9 – “However, as it is written: ‘What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived’ — the things God has prepared for those who love him.” God is still working behind the scenes. He is still with us and He will never leave us or forsake 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 need to draw near to God and He will draw near to us and give us rest; an added bonus.

James 4:8 – “Come near to God and he will come near to you…”

Matthew 11:28 – “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” We need to seek God in the midst of our trials and in the midst of the chaos around us.

We can’t know all that God knows. We have to trust in His sovereignty. He is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. He views the ends of the earth. We may not always feel His presence, but we can become aware of His presence and KNOW that He is near and with us.

#hope #anchoredinhope #kedgeanchor #anchor #hopeanchor #justice #injustice #encouragement #encourage #findinghope #findinghopeinjustice #godisincontrol #godlovesyou #justiceofgod #godsjustice #prayer #theresalwayshope #newdaynewhope #unshakeablehope #hopeforhealing #fullofhope #thehopeanchor #justice #hopeinthefuture #godsnotdead #scripture #drawneartogod #healingscriptures #thelordismyshepherd

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Scripture quoted from NIV

Is there hope in injustice? What do you feel when you see injustice? How do you react when you feel you are being treated unjustly? The only thing I know to do is to pray. I pray that God will thwart the evil plans in that particular situation.

Our society is changing in such a way that morals that were once considered bad are now good and what was once considered good is now bad. It’s not right. 2 Timothy 3:1-5, tells us that in the last days, people will become lovers of self, abusive, ungrateful, unappeasable, the list goes on. We see a lot of what Timothy describes in these verses today; a lot of injustice.

Often I wonder how to pray as prophecy unfolds before our eyes. The Bible has many books and passages of prophesy. The books of Daniel and Isaiah are filled with prophesy. Isaiah 7:14 -“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” Isaiah 52 -53 speaks of Jesus’ death and resurrection, both which take place in the New Testament. I do believe we are on the fringes of the end times. And we see so many people being rewarded because they are offended. That’s just not right. So how does one pray against what is to unfold. And there are bigger things to unfold. The Bible is full of prophecy that has already unfolded as we see in his birth, so there is no denying that the rest is going to come to pass.

As I opened my Bible, it fell open to;

Job 42 :1-2 “Then Job replied to the Lord: I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. “

Job. Now there is some unjustness. Job lost everything; his health, his family, his wealth, and his possessions. And, God allowed it. But you have to read the whole story. In the end God does restore Job, his health, his family and his wealth. God alone runs the universe, nothing goes unseen:

Genesis 1:1– “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. ” Psalm 22:28 -“For the kingdom is the Lord’s and he rules over the nations.” Colossians 1:17 “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” Isaiah 45:12 “it is I who made the earth and created mankind on it …” Job 28:24 -“For he views the ends of the earth and sees everything.”

God is in control although he doesn’t control our free will, which he gave us. He can still use everything for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28). Joseph in Genesis 37 is another good example – Joseph was sold as a slave by his own brothers. His brothers were jealous of him for Joseph was favored by his father. I’m sure Joseph prayed to God to return him back to his family, but maybe not after the way he was treated. But God was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did (Genesis 39:23). Joseph became second in command to Pharaoh. If you haven’t read it, I highly recommend you do, it’s an amazing passage! So I realized that praying to stop evil in some cases is pointless. God gave us free will so I can’t control what someone else will do. However, God is in control. Genesis 50:20 – “you intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

The injustice Joseph faced in Genesis, God used for his good and to save many lives. God controls everything. He can use evil for his good or his plan to fulfill his purpose.

Perhaps a better prayer I could pray is “Lord, use the evil and injustice against me for your glory.” As a prophecy continues to unfold we can pray for the comfort and protection of other Christians and salvation of the lost. God can and will use the evil, in what I believe to be the early stages of end times, for his glory and to bring others to him. Besides if you have read Revelation, you know how it all ends; God wins, justice wins, the earth and humanity are restored to its former glory and to perfection once again! Revelation 21:4 “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

We can pray for encouragement for all believers, for safety, and we already know that God is with us – Emmanuel. So we can also pray that as we and our fellow believers continue to walk with Emanuel, we would be more aware of his presence, and encourage each other to be obedient to God’s voice and his word.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Injustices are going to happen, it’s a fact of life in this fallen world. How we pray and encourage others in their injustices makes a difference in how we can look forward to answered prayer. Isaiah 55:8-9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,”declares the Lord.
 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” We may not expect the outcome God has for that situation, but I can guarantee it will be for our good and His glory.

How can we encourage others and find hope? Encourage others to be obedient to God’s word and his still small voice. Encourage others to pray and pray with others. Prayer is the only weapon I know of to combat evil. As God’s children the enemy never has the last word in our lives. God does and with that we can rest safely, secure in his hands. He is our only HOPE!

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How comfortable are you staying at home these days? For some this is a piece of cake for others, they are starting to go stir crazy. Be thankful you have a home in which to go a little stir crazy. But it’s ok to be uncomfortable. You don’t have to like it. You can choose to accept it or not, but accepting it will make things easier.

Paul, I imagine, was a little uncomfortable in prison. He is often pictured in chains sitting on a dirt floor, perhaps covered in some straw for some cushioning. I imagine being surrounded by the cold, hard stone cell is not comforting. Maybe it was a welcomed cold in the heat or an uncomfortable cold. It couldn’t have smelled good with the other prisoners and I’m pretty sure the food wasn’t from a five star restaurant.

Paul wrote to the Philippians whilst in prison. Philippians 1:13 “As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.” (NIV) What’s ironic, is the book of Philippians is a thank you letter. Doesn’t one need to be slightly happy about something to be thankful? Happiness and being thankful are choices. Paul not only chose to be thankful, he chose to learn to be content.

Think for a moment about ALL that you have. Look around you. Look outside. If you are reading this in the comfort of you your home, be thankful. There are some right now, they have no home. There are some at home living still in difficult maybe dangerous situations. How does one learn contentment in that? Let’s address those who don’t feel safe at home. I want to be sensitive to that. If you feel your life is in danger where you are, physically, reach out to someone, local authorities, a shelter, a church. God will make a way.

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content in whatever the circumstances.

Philippians 4:11

How does one learn contentment? Be thankful. “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT) Now the verse says IN ALL things, not necessarily FOR all things. The prison walls became Paul’s comfort zone in a sense. This is where he prayed and wrote letters to the churches. Prison walls, prison guards and chains didn’t stop Paul from sharing the Gospel. Being able to share the Gospel from prison walls, brought Paul joy! Being joyful in difficult circumstances doesn’t discredit the grief and pain, but it give us HOPE. The Gospel brings us hope. If it wasn’t for Jesus we wouldn’t have the Gospel.

Jesus was uncomfortable on the cross. A fate He was willing to accept. For us. It still was hard accepting the whips, the beatings, the spitting, the betrayals, being forsaken, but it was because He loves us. We grow spiritually and emotionally, we become more creative, and learn contentment. So we stay at home as hard and uncomfortable as it can be for some because we love our families, friends and our neighbors.

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“Let us go over to the other side of the lake.”

Luke 8:22 (NIV)

Imagine. Jesus is with you and your friends and he says to you in a gentle, adventurous voice, ” Let’s grab that boat over there and go to the other side of the lake.” So, all of you with Jesus, jump into the boat and set sail for the other side of the lake. Not long after that, a storm brews and sweeps over the lake, tossing the boat, filling it with water. You and your friends are freaking out and you look over and see Jesus, sleeping at the back of the boat.

Ok at this point, you’re scratching your head, like really? He sleeps in the middle of the storm? But, this is Jesus!!! You can actually see him! He may be sleeping but he’s still ever present. Now, if I were a disciple back then, I most likely would have freaked out along with them. But, knowing what I know now, I may have initially freaked out, gone over to him and try to wake him, but would have stopped and realize, this is Jesus. This is Jesus, he’s sleeping. He said he was taking us to the other side. Ok, so knowing this, I feel safe enough to curl up at his feet and hang on tight!!!

If Jesus were to have told you that there was going to be a storm as you cross the lake, would you still go? Jesus tell us “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (NIV) John 16:33. Here’s the truth, whether or not you believe in God, there is going to be tough times. There will be storms in life. We are living in the midst of one right now and this isn’t the only we will face. (Read the book of Daniel and Revelation).

“I’M GONNA SING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STORM …”

– Bethel Music

Now there is nothing wrong with asking God to calm the storm, remove you from a situation, remove someone from a situation, or just change the situation. He can and he will in his time, if it’s part of his plan. But what if he chooses not to calm the storm? Can you trust him to get you to the other side? This is Jesus, Emmanual, God with us. We can’t see him, like the disciples did. But we know he is with us. He will never leave us or forsake 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.”

Being a Christian or a follower of Jesus, is not easy, honestly, and neither is this life on planet Earth. But let me tell you, I do not want to step in the boat without my Savior!!! He is my Anchor in the storm. He can calm the rough seas or He can keep me calm in the rough seas. Either way, He will take us to the other side.

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Raise a Hallelujah video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2XtRuPfaAU (Bethel Music)

Further Reading: Joshua 1:5, Hebrews 13:5-6, Joshua 1:9, Isaiah 41:10, Deuteronomy 4:31, Psalm 118:6, Philippians 4:6-7, 2 Timothy 1:7, Isaiah 41:7,

#hope #thekedgeanchor #hopeinthestorm #anchor #anchorofhope #hopeanchor #singinthemiddleofthestorm #raiseahallelujah #stormyseas #trustingingod #trust #love #jesussaves #emmanuel #godwithus #calminthestorm #godspeace #peaceinthestorm

Banishing Fear with God’s Love (Con’t)

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear …” 1 John 4:18 (ESV)

We are facing crazy, unprecedented times. News reports can instill fear and trigger anxieties escalating worry and attack out peace. The coming days seem uncertain. And they are. But nothing is for certain and that can cause some uneasiness.

But really, times were no more certain a month ago, a year ago, or a decade ago. Things have always been uncertain. It’s just that now, we have been awakened to the uncertainty. Things we have put our security in have been shaken, causing fear and panic. 1 John 4:18 tells us “perfect love casts out fear.”

So perhaps look at it this way:

IF God is love, and He is love, love is His character, it’s one of His attributes, love is His nature, it is who He is.

THEN there is no fear in God, for He and His love are perfect. Matthew 5:48 “… your Heavenly Father is perfect.”

“Just as the Father loved me, I loved you, abide in my love.”

John 5:9

Ok, so God is love, His love is perfect and because He is perfect, there is no fear abiding in Him!

Going even further, Isaiah 7:14 …The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and^[c] will call him Immanuel. (NIV) – God with us. God is always with us, He and His perfect love is always with us, because He is love!

“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.”

Deuteronomy 31:6

It is when we acknowledge and recognize His presence can we experience peace and be free from fear. God alone can banish fear because He is love and His love is perfect. I know this is getting repetitive. He is always with us. We don’t necessarily have to feel His presence. Just acknowledge Him, His presence, recall a Bible verse, pick up a devotional or a Bible and abide in Him.Feelings can be deceitful and can be a false sense of comfort because they are fleeting.

Trust in the Lord your God, abide in Him and banish fear. He is with us always. His perfect love casts out fear!!!!

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#hope #thekedgeanchor #hopeforthesoul #anchor #banishfear #abideinhim #iwillneverleaveyouorforsakeyou #ingodwetrust #perfectlove #godislove #godisperfectlove #love #bestrong #becourageous #bestrongandcourageous #liveinlove #perfectlovecastsoutfear #immanuel #godiswithus