And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love
1 Corinthians 13:13
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Download the image to your phone or tablet as wallpaper or print out to keep in front of you to help memorize scripture.
Perfect LOVE drives out fear. God is perfect, God is LOVE, God is perfect LOVE and if we are anchored in Him and in His Word His love will drive out ALL fear.
Nehemiah 8:10 – “… the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Ever wondered what that really means? How can the the Lord’s joy be our strength? Well, first we need to look at the who, when, where and why of the passage. We need to read the chapters and verses before it. So, let’s journey through the passages.
Most scholars believe The book of Nehemiah was written by Nehemiah himself. Nehemiah exhibited exceptional leaderships qualities and he was a man of prayer. He depended deeply on God and knew how to draw strength and assurance from Him. Nehemiah was a volunteer of sorts. He was deeply affected by the dismal state of Jerusalem and I believe God used this to move Nehemiah forward in rebuilding the wall and spiritually restoring the people of Israel.
“… the joy of the Lord is your strength
Nehemiah 8:10
Without going into too much background, I just want to look at verse 10 – “Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” How does the Lord’s joy give me strength?
Chapter 8 starts with Ezra, a leader of the Jews on the first day of the seventh month read the law to an assembly of people, men, women and children, and all who were able to understand. As they listened to Ezra the people began to weep for they knew how disobedient they had been to God. This was known as the Feasts of Trumpets. Everyone was to stop working and remember the Lord. Everyone started out praising and worshipping God. As Ezra continued to read the law, they wept and mourned because they became aware of how disobedient they had been. The reading and receiving of the law was to be a joyous time. God’s Word has the power to convict, convert and revive and we can be joyous when we are convicted because true conviction leads to repentance and restoration with God. “For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.” – 2 Corinthians 7:10 (NLT). When we repent and change we are restored and that brings us JOY! GOD’S JOY!
How happy are you when someone you’ve hurt forgives you? Have had to repent to someone for hurting them, especially someone you love? When you realize what you have done and feel bad, or sorrowful and want to make things right, you go to that person, apologize and ask for forgiveness. When that person forgives you, you both are so happy and the relationship is restored. How happy have you been when someone apologizes for hurting you?
In Zepahnaih 3:17 – The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” God is love – 1 John 4:8 & 16 1 John 4:8 – But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 1 John 4:16 – We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. John 3:16 – For God so Loved the world, He gave His only Son (paraphrased).
He will take great delight in you … will rejoice over you with singing.’
Zepahnaih 3:17
All we have to do is receive that forgiveness and His love!!! He takes joy in us when we turn from our sin and and are deeply sorry for what we have done. It is a time of restoration and a time to celebrate like people did in verse 10 of Nehemiah. Because God is joyful in my repentance I can draw strength from that.
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
1 John 4:8
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Why do we find it hard to share our faith? We readily share our passion for our hobbies, TV shows, or sports but when it comes to our faith, we shy away. Why? Perhaps we are afraid we may offend someone and they won’t like us anymore. Or maybe we just don’t feel like we are adequately well versed to share what we know about God and His Word. Perhaps we fear we may get a question we can’t or don’t know how to answer.
We are commanded to share the Gospel: “And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.’” – Matthew 16:15. (NKJV) When God says “Go”, GO! It may feel uncomfortable, it may feel weird, but we can trust God to give us the words we need at the right time when we have His Words in our minds and in our hearts. “The Lord God has given Me The tongue of the learned, That I should know how to speak A word in season to him who is weary.” (NIV) – Isaiah 50:4.
Yet there are a few benefits for sharing what we know. We don’t know everything there is about God and the Bible and that’s ok. When we share what we know, we are increasing our own knowledge. Repeating what we know helps us learn and helps us to remember. Our learning and our memories benefit from active involvement. Hearing ourselves repeat what we know helps us retain that information. Thus, why here at the Kedge Anchor, Memorize Mondays is offered to help anyone who wants to memorize scripture. And having scripture stored in your memory you will be more confident to recall God’s Words when you are sharing. And more importantly sharing our faith, can lead others to God and salvation. The Holy Spirit will help you recall what you have learned and in the process of sharing don’t be surprised if God reveals something to you whilst you are sharing. It can happen. I’m not just talking about sharing just the Gospel, I’m talking about sharing our experiences, our walk with God, His promises. God will use anything to lead you to share the Gospel.
Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Psalm 119:11
The waterfall in the picture in this post, reminds me how powerful the God’s Word can be. The waterfall has tons of pressure and force behind it, yet it’s beauty is inviting, captivating and mesmerizing. When we are presenting God’s Word, be it the Gospel, or a promise, or just words of encouragement, when spoken in truth and grace, those words will be inviting, captivating and mesmerizing. God can use anyone, anything, any circumstance for your to share His Word.
So, you maybe asking, how? Practice. Practice just sharing your faith or what you have learned with another believer. Share your faith online. Be bold. If you lose a few friends, then pray for them. A seed has been planted and God will take care of it. Practice living your faith out day to day. Our actions speak louder than words and when others see our responses in certain situations they will wonder, “what do they have, that I don’t have?” Memorize scripture. Sometimes you may not learn a verse word for word, but knowing where it lives in the Bible you can pull it up on your phone. Here is one I find useful: thebible.com. If we are living out what we have learned that too is an active involvement. Start little by little. Be vulnerable when sharing. It’s hard, it’s not easy. We all want to be accepted but we need to live out the Gospel in BOLDNESS!
Do everything in love.
1 Corinthians 16:14
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We could all use some encouragement and hope these days. Can we be encouraged and find hope through persevering?
As God’s children we should want to please our Heavenly Father. We can glorify God in what He asks of us and even in the midst of a trial. Jesus set that example for us. He glorified His Father by completing the work He was asked to do here on earth, even to the cross.- John 17:4. When God puts before us a task or places us in a situation that tests our faith we can find ourselves uncomfortable and want to quit. Sometimes we have no choice but to endure, yet we must persevere. Jesus set the example for us when He endured the cross to complete the task His Father asked of Him, to die for the sins of the world. – John 3:16
Perseverance is the ability to progress in spite of adversity.
Jerry Bridges
When our boss asks us do something, we can choose to do it or not to do it. But by choosing not to do it or do it poorly dishonors our boss. Whether or not we agree with the task or enjoy doing it, we complete the task to honor our boss. Luke 9:51 – “As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.” (NIV). Jesus was resolute in carrying out the task His Father set before Him. He endured the cross for us to glorify His Father.
So when God sets before us a task we need to resolve that we want to glorify and honor God. Even if given a list from our spouse, parent, or whomever, when we complete the task for them we are honoring God as well. By anchoring in Christ, we have this hope firm and secure – Hebrew 6:19, giving us the ability to persevere, especially through a trial. Knowing that Jesus endured the cross for us so that the Father would be glorified we can find encouraging because Jesus knows what it’s like to face a trial.
We can find encouragement as God provides what we need to endure and persevere. His provision gives us hope that we can accomplish what He has asked us to do.
When we see how God provides what we need, it gives us hope and encouragement that we will be able to accomplish the task or endure the trial so that God will be glorified.
Nothing, nothing surprises God. There is nothing new under the sun. A new administration has begun in our government and some citizens are feeling disappointment whiles others maybe celebrating. One thing holds true and remains the same, God still sits on the throne. He knew before the foundations of the world how this election was going to play out and He knows the future. Daniel 2:21 – “He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.” God is in control.
Now, whether or not we agree with the outcome, we have a new president. We don’t have to agree on anything and we don’t have to resort to violence or name bashing and tearing other people down. What we need to do as Christians is pray for our leaders. The Bible tells us in 1 Timothy 2:1-2 – “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.” And in Romans 13:1 – “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.” We need to pray for our leaders. As hard as that may be, we need to pray for them.
When authorities begin to cause us to go against scripture and disobey God that’s when we need to resolve who we are worshipping. Who will we obey? As Daniel resolved to do when King Darius ordered that everyone worship him, if anyone was caught praying to any other god or man beside Darius, they would be thrown in the lion’s den. Daniel had been getting down on his knees praising and worshipping God three times a day and he resolved that nothing was going to change that. It cost him a night in the lion’s den, but God protected him and shut the lion’s mouth. The next morning, King Darius saw no harm was done to Daniel. He recognized that the God Daniel worshipped was indeed God.
Philippians 4:8-9 – “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.’ ” When we think bad of others, we are dishonoring God. We are to take every thought captive. – 2 Corinthians 10:5. Will you resolve with me to think good of others and pray for our leaders? We won’t be perfect at it, we will have days. But God is gracious, just and willing to forgive us. – 1 John 1:9
God still sits on the throne, He is in control and He is sovereign.
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.
Isaiah 43:18-19
See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”
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Could resolving to live life on purpose reduce anxiety? Could it reduce the fear of the mountains we face? Who isn’t experiencing anxiety these days? We are all experiencing it on different levels at different times. From making simple decisions as to what will I wear today to what’s our world gonna look like in six months?
What’s causing anxiety and stress for you today? Do you feel like you have no choices? Too many choices? Last week we saw Daniel resolving or choosing not to eat the choice foods from the king’s table. Where do you think he was experiencing anxiety? Was it being true to God or in refusing to eat the king’s food? There were consequences to either choice. What or who do you think he was more anxious about?
God had a purpose for Daniel and Daniel chose to live that life on purpose for God. Daniel feared God more than King Nebuchadnezzer. Daniel knew the consequences of not continuing to remain faithful to God. Resolving or choosing to remain faithful to God eliminated the fear and consequences of that choice. What did Daniel have to fear if he knew he was remaining faithful to God?
King Nebuchadnezzer couldn’t deny Daniel and his three friends were in better health after the ten day trial – Daniel 1:17-21. Daniel resolved not to defile himself, to remain true to God- Daniel 1:8. So what if we applied resolving to how we do things, how we live life? Would that help reduce anxiety in your life. What helps you remain faithful, what have you resolved to do in your walk with God?
From resolving how we handle ourselves in situations to how we choose to remain faithful to God can help us live lives of integrity and amidst anxiety and in chaos. Taking a test causes anxiety for many students. But the student who is diligent in their studies and in some cases seeks a tutor for those difficult subjects will have more confidence in passing a test. The student has resolved or planned to pass by choosing to take the steps needed to pass. The same can be applied to our walk with God. What do you need to do to ensure you are being anchored in God’s Word? Does an app help you, joining a small group at church or an accountability partner? What helps you keep on track with any New Year resolution, fitness trackers, a workout partner, joining gym? What keeps you on track with how you live life, controlling anger and emotions, behaviors, how you share and live out your faith?
There will be challenges this year that will threaten your resolutions. Your walk with God will be challenged. There will situations that will arise and cause you anxiety. What can you do to help limit or eliminate the anxiety and set you up for a victory? What will you resolve to do this year to anchor in Hope, anchor in God’s Word and share your faith? Will you choose resolve and live a life of integrity?
The Kedge Anchor 
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