Author Archives: cb.cooksey

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About cb.cooksey

This blog was created from a desire to reach the internet community with a ministry of encouragement. I post as God directs and pray that the right people will land here and read His encouraging message of love and hope. If you are reading this, I have prayed specifically for you, and I hope that God's words take root in your heart. Blessings to you!
Dec30

Yet I Will Rejoice

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Cardinal in snow crop“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines,

though the olive crop fails and the fields produce not food,

 though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls,

YET I WILL REJOICE IN GOD MY SAVIOR.  

 The sovereign Lord is my strength;

He makes my feet like the feet of the deer, He enables me to go on the heights.”  

Habakkuk 3:17 – 19 (NIV)

The verse above describes some very bleak circumstances:  starvation, desolation and loss.  Perhaps you are experiencing difficult times in your life:  Job loss? Financial struggles? Illness? Heartache? Or the loss of a loved one?  When everything around you is going wrong and the burdens you face seem to be more than you can bear ~ even when all is lost ~ God is still there!

What should our response be when we experience hardship or trials?  Some of us might begin to question why a just God would allow bad things to happen to His children.  Why does an all-powerful God ~ who can do anything ~ not prevent tragic events from impacting our lives? We might begin to doubt Him, and our faith might waiver during difficult times. Yet Habakkuk proclaims that even during devastating circumstances, he will still rejoice in his Savior and have faith in God’s ability to strengthen him.

At some point in time, we all experience difficulties in life.  Jesus Himself told us, “…In this world you will have trouble…” (John 16:33 NIV)  He knew that our lives would not always be easy.  But the conclusion of that verse gives up great hope, “…But take heart! I have overcome the world.”  So even though the world will bring us trouble, our Savior has overcome the world!   

If the circumstances of your life seem to be constantly churning with tumultuous changes, “take heart” and place your hope firmly in the unchanging Lord of your life. Rejoice in this truth:  “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)  Trust in the eternal love, mercy, grace, and goodness of God, and realize that your “faith muscle” is being strengthened during times of adversity.  Don’t allow your attitude to be dictated by your circumstances, but rather find joy ~ and your strength to keep going ~ in Jesus Christ. Perhaps God has a better opportunity for you on the other side of this hardship, but you have to have faith in Him to see you through the dark valley.  So when your life appears to be crumbling to pieces all around you, rejoice in the fact that Christ is your firm and solid foundation.  “He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved.”  (Psalm 62:2 NIV)

Nov28

Give Thanks in Everything

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“Give thanks in all circumstances;

For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

1 Thessalonians 5:18

“For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus…” What’s the will of God for you?  That in everything you give Him thanks.  That’s His will for you.  The circumstances swirling around you aren’t necessarily His will, but He desires that you give Him praise and thanks in the midst of those circumstances.  By doing so, you begin to infuse any situation with the possibility of His divine presence and His almighty power.

Sometimes it’s very easy to be thankful.  When God’s blessings seem to be overflowing in our lives and everything is running smoothly, it’s easy to have a thankful heart.  But in times of hardship or heartbreak, in times of bitter disappointments, in times of tragic loss,  in times of painful suffering, in times when the diagnosis is bleak, in times when we’ve been treated wrongly ~ God’s will for us in those situations is to continually give Him thanks.  Through these difficult times, we shouldn’t be thinking, “This terrible thing must be God’s will for my life,” because God didn’t necessarily cause the thing that happened to you.  But as Christians “we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”  (Romans 8:28)  This is not saying that God caused bad things to happen to bring about good in your life.  No, this tells us that even when bad things happen, God can weave His power and love in it, through it, and beyond it to bring about good in your life.

So as His children, we know that God can take the worst of circumstances and weave in threads of hope and goodness to form a beautiful tapestry.  Psalm 22:3 tells us that God inhabits the praises of His people.  Begin to praise Him and thank Him in the midst of your circumstances, and invite His presence to permeate your situation.  Your present condition may or may not be directly changed by God, but ultimately He promises to bring about good in your life as a result.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Psalm 100: 4 – 5

Nov25

God’s Compassion

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“Yet this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.”

Lamentations 3:  21 – 24 (NIV)

What an incredible feeling to know that God’s compassions for us never fail…they are new every single morning!  So each new day when you see the beautiful sunrise, remind yourself that God’s compassion for you is renewed and refreshed.  No matter what happened the day before ~ or in the distant past ~ there’s always a glimmering ray of hope…like a bright and glorious ray of sunshine.

Because of God’s great, immeasurable love for you, He will never forget you nor abandon you.  He hasn’t turned His back on you.  Even though you might have walked away from Him, He’s right there waiting for your return.  His compassions never ever fail.

com·pas·sion:   feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering. (dictionary.com)

The Bible is full of stories about God’s compassion for His children.  In the aftermath of rebellion and sin – times when the oppression and hardship on His followers were a direct result of their own mistakes — God’s great love and faithfulness to them was constant and never-ending.    When they finally called on Him, He was ready to compassionately step in and alleviate their suffering and hardship. “And when they cried out to you again, you heard from heaven, and in your compassion you delivered them time after time.” (Nehemiah 9:28 NIV)

God never changes, and His love for you is no different than His love for His children in the Bible.  You are His treasured possession.  Day after day, time after time, His compassions for your are continually renewed and never-ending. 

“The Lord is good to all; He has compassion on all he has made.”  Psalm 145:9

“Who is a God like you,
who pardons sin and forgives the transgression
of the remnant of his inheritance?
You do not stay angry forever
but delight to show mercy.
You will again have compassion on us;
you will tread our sins underfoot
and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.”

Micah 7:18-19

Nov21

God’s Love in the Midst of Our Mistakes

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Amelia Spring Break 2006 194Amelia Spring Break 2006 037

“Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out
falls into the pit they have made.
The trouble they cause recoils on them;
their violence comes down on their own heads.”

Psalm 7:15 – 16

Let’s face it. We all make mistakes at some point in our lives.  And sometimes the deep pit in which we find ourselves is a result of our own doing.  Improper judgment in relationships, mismanagement of finances, misuse of time, poor decisions about those with whom we associate, exploitation of power, substance abuse, gambling, adultery, lying, cheating, inappropriate media, etc.… can all lead to destruction in our lives. 

Scoop by scoop, the hole gets deeper and deeper.  Then when we wake up at the bottom of the slimy pit, which we dug with our own hands, we look up and try to blame God or others around us for our problems.  We wonder why God would “allow” this pain and suffering we are experiencing.  But the harsh reality is that our own decisions and actions caused the trouble in our lives.  Our greatest difficulties are often a result of consequences we bring on ourselves.

If you find yourself at rock bottom due to ramifications of your own mistakes, there is a brilliant ray of hope shining brightly into the dismal abyss. Regardless of what you might have done to land in the depths of this destruction, God stands ready with arms wide open to grace you with His blessed redemption.  His unfailing love and compassion for you is so great that you can never fall so far that you are out of His reach.  He holds the deepest valleys in His mighty hands, and wherever you find yourself, He is there. Yes, He will sometimes allow you to suffer the consequences of your bad decisions, but He’s always ready to redeem your life once you call to Him for help.

There is no pit deep enough to outmatch God’s unfathomable love for you.

Lift up your arms to the Lord because He’s already waiting to pick you up.   His eyes are full of grace, mercy, and compassion…not condemnation.  Call to Him for help, and He will hear your cry.  “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Romans 8:38 -39

“I called on your name, Lord, from the depths of the pit.
You heard my plea: “Do not close your ears to my cry for relief.”
You came near when I called you, and you said, “Do not fear.”

You, Lord, took up my case; You redeemed my life.”

Lamentations 3:55 – 58

Related Verses:

“For no one is cast off by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone.”  Lamentations 3: 31 – 33

“In your love you kept me from the pit of destruction; you have put all my sins behind your back.”  Isaiah 38:17b

“Where can I go from your Spirit?  Where can I flee from your presence?  If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.” Psalm 139:7 – 8

“Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. You will increase my honor and comfort me once more.” Psalm 71:20 – 21

“And they will go to others and say, ‘I have sinned, I have perverted what is right, but I did not get what I deserved. God has delivered me from going down to the pit, and I shall live to enjoy the light of life.’ “ Job 33:27 – 28

“He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.” Psalm 40:2

Nov17

God Leads The Way

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“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.”

Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV)

With God as your life’s Heavenly Navigator, you never have to worry or be fearful when forging ahead into uncharted territory.  You can confidently trust that the Lord is going before you, guiding you in the path that is best for you.  He promises to be with you each step of the way…even in the deepest, darkest valleys and through the most treacherous terrain. When the going gets tough, He will never abandon you or forget about you.

Perhaps you are struggling with decisions about your career, finances, relationships, child-rearing, education, or even treatment options for a health crisis.  You would never travel to a new place without consulting a map or GPS system. Why do you think that you could blindly traverse though life’s journey without consulting God’s divine wisdom?  He is your holy Field Guide for your earthly trek. Instead of feeling overwhelmed or afraid, focus on the fact that God is already ahead of you, leading the way.  He knows the plans He has in store for you ~ seek His excellent guidance and ask Him for wisdom.   With Him by your side, you can have confidence that the choices you make are best

He’s already in your future…follow His lead.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11
“I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
Genesis 28:15
“For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your ancestors, which he confirmed to them by oath.”
Deuteronomy 4:31
Nov13

Do Not Fear…God Is Here

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“So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

For I am the Lord your God
who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear;”
I will help you.

Isaiah 41:11;13

My Precious Child,

No matter what you are facing, don’t be afraid or intimidated.  Don’t be discouraged or dismayed.  As you walk through the “wilderness” of the world, there’s no need to fear because I’m your God, your Heavenly Father, and I’m always watching over you.  Don’t panic.

I’m the Friend who will never leave you alone or forget about you.  I’m right here by your side.  When you feel too weak to go on, I will give you the strength you need to endure.  I will help you through this. I will hold you up and support you.  I won’t let you fall. I will hold your hand with My firm grip.  I’m not letting go!

Believe in My promises to you. You have nothing to fear.

Love, your Heavenly Father

Trust that God is big enough to supply anything you need:  comfort when you’re in pain or grieving, healing when you are sick, safety when you face danger, compassion when are heart-broken, friendship when you are lonely, support when you are weak, courage when you are fearful, provision when you are in need, and never-ending, limitless love and grace to all.

Nov10

God Listens

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DSCF0557I put all my hope in the Lord.
    He leaned down to me;
    He listened to my cry for help. 

Psalm 40:1 (CEB)

God listens.  He recognizes your unique voice and listens intently to what you say. When you speak, He’s paying attention.  In fact, the God of the universe cares so much about you that He leans down from heaven to hear you!  He is compassionately tuned into whatever you discuss with Him.  His ears are attentive to each sound you make…even your faintest, weakest whispers or cries for help.  Your voice matters to your Heavenly Father, and He’s never too busy or distracted to listen.

God doesn’t mind if your speech isn’t grammatically perfect or eloquent. He listens no matter what you have to say, even if you stumble over your words when speaking to Him.  Tell Him what’s on your mind.  Share with Him about the pain or sadness in your heart.  Express your fears to Him.  Verbalize your hopes and dreams.  Convey your desires, and ask Him to meet your needs.

He’s listening, and He cares.

Related Verses:

 God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there.

Genesis 21:17

 I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry.  Psalm 40:1

 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.  1 John 5:14

 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry; Psalm 34:15

 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.  Psalm 34:17

I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.  Psalm 116:1

 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.  Psalm 145:19

Nov9

Above All Else

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Above all else,

guard your heart

for it is the wellspring of life.

Proverbs 4:23

Your heart…is it’s protection your top priority?    Why should this be such an extremely important task?  Take a moment to let the meaning of these words penetrate your mind:

Above all else… Make this the most important priority in your life.  Use this instruction as a guide to filter your thoughts, actions, affections, desires, dreams and feelings.  If your heart’s desires are set on the best that God has in mind for you ~the very purpose for which He created you ~  then you will stay on His desired path for your life, and you won’t veer off course.

…Guard Your Heart…  You guard things that are valuable to you, things that you treasure, things that you want to keep safe from harm, and things that you want to protect.   Your heart is what drives you to action, and it is the essence of who you are.  It’s the core of your being, and with it you connect to God and others.  Watch over your heart with vigilance, and set up protective boundaries around it so that the desires which flow from within are pure and in line with God’s will.  Consistently examine the information you take in visually (through television, movies, internet, social media, print, video games, email, texting, etc…) and audibly (through radio, cd’s, or other audio sources.) Diligently monitor the relationships in your life, and make sure that those with whom you surround yourself also want God’s best for your life.  Do not give your heart to anyone who could cause you to stumble or lead you astray.  Put up virtual signs within your heart which read, “NO DUMPING ALLOWED,” and don’t allow any trash to enter.  You make time for the things that you love and enjoy, so make sure that the things cherished inside your heart are from God and in line with His will.  

…for it is the wellspring of life…. Imagine a pure spring deep within the earth.  Visualize its crystal clear waters bubbling up and flowing out to form the headwaters of a major river.  Similarly, your heart is the internal fountainhead, or wellspring, from which everything else in life flows.   If you fill your heart with pure, excellent and honorable things, those same types of  things will cascade out of it.  Don’t pollute the wellspring with dishonorable contaminants, because everything downstream will be toxic.

Your heart determines the course of life, and from your heart originates your destiny.  Above all else, watch over your heart; diligently guard and protect it because from a sincere and pure heart come the good and noble things of life ~ God’s best.

For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.  Proverbs 23:7a

Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.  Psalm 37:4

Nov7

Prisoner of Hope

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fortressReturn to your fortress,

O prisoners of hope;

even now I announce

that I will restore twice as much to you.

Zechariah 9:12

Usually the thought of being a prisoner of anything is extremely undesirable.  It conjures up negative images of a place of confinement, such as a jail cell, where freedoms are completely relinquished.  Aside from being held in a prison, there are many other prison-like strongholds in life ~ without locks and bars ~ that can hold us captive.  Some are prisoners of fear, overwhelming debt, difficult life circumstances, a troubled past, controlling relationships, or shameful addictions.  The encouraging message here is that you can break free of anything in life that holds you captive by completely surrendering your life to Jesus Christ.  The key to your freedom lies in His nail-pierced hands.

If you are a Child of God who is completely surrendered to Him, you are essentially a prisoner of Hope.  You are eternally tethered to His divine Hope and captivated by His grace and mercy.  In Colossians 1:27, Christ is referred to as the “Hope of Glory,” and Hebrews 6:19 calls this glorious Hope an “anchor for our soul” that is firm and secure. So you are a prisoner of hope, if you are totally committed to the Hope of Glory, Jesus Christ.  All control of your life has been freely relinquished to your Heavenly Father, and your soul is securely anchored in His limitless love forever.  It’s not just a “life sentence”…it’s eternal!

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin…So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”  John 8: 34, 35

God is your fortress, your strength, and your refuge in times of trouble and distress.  He is a high tower for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of desperation, and a shelter from the storms of life.   So as a prisoner of hope, there’s no better place to be than in the safety of your fortress, the Almighty God.  You will always be under His loving and watchful care.  “Return to your fortress, O prisoners of hope”…

 But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.  You are my strength, I sing praise to you; you, God, are my fortress, my God on whom I can rely.

Psalm 59: 16 – 17

The Lord also will be a refuge and a high tower for the oppressed, a refuge and a stronghold in times of trouble (high cost, destitution, and desperation). 

Psalm 9:9 (AMP)

Nov5

Your Guiding Light

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Light at the end of the tunnelBecause of your great compassion

You did not abandon them in the wilderness.

By day the pillar of cloud did not fail to guide them on their path,

nor the pillar of fire by night to shine on the way they were to take.

Nehemiah 9:19 (NIV)

 Wouldn’t it be nice to have a guiding light shining on the path of your life?  You would never have to question which direction you should head, nor would there be any doubt about whether you were making the right decisions.

We no longer have a pillar of fire ahead of us like the Israelites did when God guided them through the wilderness, but the great news is that God’s Word is like a lantern that lights each footstep of our journey through life.  Psalm 119:105 tells us that, “Your Word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” As we study the Bible, His Words illuminate our path and keep us from stumbling over obstacles in the way.  It’s our field guide as we navigate each twist and turn throughout our days.

If you feel lost in life right now, and the road ahead seems dark and treacherous, open your Bible and begin to read God’s instruction manual.  It will be your guiding light, and it’s the only road map you need as you travel your life’s journey.  Follow the Light!!

I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;
I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth.
These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.  Isaiah 42:16
 
 The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.
Proverbs 4: 18 – 19