Category Archives: Believe

Feb2

Anchor for your Soul

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“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure…” Hebrews 6:19

 

Do you ever feel as though life’s circumstances are engulfing you like a powerful rip tide, pulling you into a tumultuous sea of despair? You are powerless to the force of the current, and the more you fight against the flow of events, the weaker you become. When life is seemingly out of your control or when events take a sharp, unexpected turn, remember that by placing your hope in our Heavenly Father, He will be the immovable anchor for your soul. His promises are unchanging and true. His love is unfailing. His strength is limitless. Regardless of what you are going through, you will be secure in His grasp. Just as a ship anchor holds firmly to the seabed, our hope is firm and secure when our souls are anchored in God.

Jan27

Hope Whispers

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When the World says “Give Up,”

Hope whispers, “Give it One More Try.”

(Anonymous)


 

“We have this Hope as an

Anchor for the soul,

Firm and secure… ”

Hebrews 6:19 (New International Version, ©2010)


 

Jan25

Heavenly Help

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“But You Yourself (God) have seen trouble and grief,

observing it in order to take the matter into Your Hands.

The helpless entrusts himself to You;

You are (our) Helper…”

Psalm 10:14 (Holman)

 

God is watching over you

God is observing each minute of your life.  He sees everything you are going through.  Nothing is too difficult for Him to handle.  He wants to take your trouble and grief into His hands.  Entrust your life to Him and seek His Heavenly Help.

 

Jan22

The Gift of Peace

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”I leave peace with you;

I give *My* peace to you: 

not as the world gives do I give to you.   

 Let not your heart be troubled,

neither let it fear.” 

John 14:27 (Darby Translation)

What is True Peace?

The end result of the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives is deep, lasting peace.  This peace transcends our understanding, meaning it can never be completely understood.  It is a peace that is difficult to explain and must be felt in order to fully comprehend its meaning.  Worldly peace is usually defined as the absence of trouble or conflict, but the peace of Christ is a peace we have in the midst of the trouble or conflict.  This peace is confident assurance in any circumstance.  It is a sense of God’s wholeness, of everything coming together for good.  Heavenly peace comes from total trust in God.  With this kind of peace we don’t need to be afraid of the present or the future.  Peace of mind and heart is a precious gift.  The world cannot give this kind of peace, because this peace is a result of God watching over and guarding your mind and your heart. 

How do we obtain Heavenly Peace?

When you are in the midst of a crisis, worry, fear, doubt, and anxiety are constantly battling for your focus and energy.  A mind controlled by the flesh will race night and day, composing many what-if situations, and you will virtually live out the worst-case scenarios.  Keeping track of all the possible outcomes is exhausting.  So if you are in the middle of a life crisis and feel consumed with worry and fear, begin to shape your worries into prayers.  Let Christ know your concerns.  Lay your burdens at the foot of His cross.  Isaiah 26:3 tells us that “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.”  So perfect peace is dependent upon total trust in our Heavenly Father.  Fill your mind with the promises found in His Word.  Trust in His promises to you.  In other words, believe His promises:   trust that He has a plan for your life; trust that He causes all things to work together for good; trust that He knows how all the pieces of the puzzle in your life fit together; trust that He will use this trial to perfect your faith; trust that He is all we truly need; trust that He will carry you when you are too weak to move forward; trust that He will provide your comfort, your strength, your provision, your shelter from the storm, your protection; trust that He is your Rock and your Salvation; trust that He will be your guide and give you wisdom; trust that He will light your path; trust that He sees your distress and hears your cries for help; trust that He is always with you and will never leave your side; trust that He catches each one of your teardrops; and trust that nothing is too difficult for Him. 

What is the end result of Heavenly Peace?

We are instructed to “let the peace of Christ rule your hearts…”  (Colossians 3:12)  If we choose to let the Prince of Peace rule, then worry, doubt and fear will be banished from the kingdom of our hearts.  When we allow Christ to completely fill our hearts, He will completely displace all our distress.  When our hearts are overflowing with Christ instead of worry, God will stand guard over your heart and your mind, and He will bless you with a Heavenly Peace that no one can completely understand.

~cb.cooksey

Jan18

God carries His children

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“In His love and mercy, He redeemed them; 

He lifted them up and carried them

all the days of old.” 

Isaiah 63:9b

God is faithful to keep His promises.  His love is unfailing.  In our weakness, He is our strength. 

When you don’t have the energy to put one foot in front of the other,

or when you don’t know the next step you should take,

believe that God will carry you through any “desert” or “valley” in life.

Rest in His loving arms.  Feel the peace of His presence in your life and know that He is holding you

…and carrying you through the toughest times.

Jan17

Godly Guidance: A Revelation for the New Year

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In your unfailing love you will lead
   the people you have redeemed.
In your strength you will guide them… 
   Exodus 15:13

A Revelation for the New Year

I begin this new year with tremendous uncertainty in my life.  A medical crisis has impacted our home which leads to many concerns about my family’s future.  Each year, instead of New Years’ Resolutions, I prayerfully choose a Bible passage which I call my “Life Verse” for the year.  I call this verse my “New Year’s Revelation.”  It serves as a “theme” for my entire year, and God uses it to teach me new and wonderful lessons.    For 2011, I have chosen the above verse.  It reminds me that God’s love never fails.  Through His unfailing love, He will lead me and guide me.  He will give me strength when I have none left.  He will give me wisdom for the many decisions that I must face.  I am redeemed as His child, and His love will sustain me.  I’m trusting in His promises and believing that He will provide for all of our needs.  He knows every detail of my life, and He has a wonderful plan, even in the midst of this trial.  He will use everything for good, and He will never leave my side.  His is my Rock, my Fortress, my Shield and my Shelter.  His love never fails!

Dec22

God’s Gift to Us

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Who shall separate us from the Love of Christ?

Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors though Him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither life nor death, 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 8:35, 37

~During a time when we celebrate Christ’s birth, let’s also celebrate the very thing his birth and life and death made possible. If you are a child of God, it is impossible to be separated from His unfathomable love for us and Christ’s constant presence in our lives. No matter what…!

This is God’s gift to us!!

Aug4

Optimism

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Lately it seems all you have to do is turn on the TV or read the headlines in the newspapers to feel a tinge of pessimism. However, I”ve always believed that optimism is one of the most valuable qualities you can possess. I’m drawn to those folks who see the glass half full. I’ll admit it’s challenging to always find a rainbow in difficult circumstances, but you can’t have a rainbow unless you have some rain. I love how Winston Churchill put things in perspective for us when he said that a Pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity and the Optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty. If what he said is true, then we are embedded in one of the most opportunistic times of our lifetime, and that’s something to be excited about!

So cancel those negative thoughts. Imagine the possibilities. Look for the silver lining in every “cloud.”  Follow your dreams. Don’t focus on the obstacles. Think instead about the potential you possess. Think of all we have to be thankful for! Live optimistically!

Feb7

God’s Provision for His Children

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Nehemiah 9:15 (New International Version)

15 In their hunger you gave them bread from heaven and in their thirst you brought them water from the rock; you told them to go in and take possession of the land you had sworn with uplifted hand to give them.

God will provide for the needs of His children. Nothing is impossible for Him…His thoughts are higher than our thoughts and His solutions to our problems are divinely inspired. When His children were hungry in the desert, He rained down manna from heaven. He also provided quail for them to eat by stirring a wind which drove massive numbers of the birds from the coast into the desert, where they fell right in the camp of the Israelites. They were thirsty…He brought water out of a rock!! None of those solutions would have been possible in the mind of a human, but God, our Creator, has His own way of solving problems. He will provide for us in unimaginable ways that will meet our specific, individual needs, but we must trust Him as our Father and provider.

Lay your requests at His feet.

Many times we pray for God to intervene in a situation, but before we allow Him to answer our prayers, we try to force our own solution with our limited human ideas. If we simply lay our requests at His feet and allow Him time to answer our prayers, we might be amazed at the “water springing forth from a rock,” or the “bread raining down from heaven” in our behalf, or a “directional wind” blowing favor our way.

Pour out your heart and soul to your Heavenly Father, and prepare to be amazed at the events He will orchestrate to meet your needs in unique ways. God is the Master of thinking “outside the box.” Trust Him to provide for you in your time of need. Anything is possible with Him!

Sep26

Refuge from the Storm

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“Rogers Bridge Over Chattahoochee River”

By cBrown.Cooksey

 

The scene above shows the Chattahoochee River on a peaceful summer day. In the past week, however, the rivers and streams in our area of Georgia have become inundated with record rainfall, causing historic, catastrophic flooding. Creeks and rivers have overflowed their banks, causing massive destruction to anything in their downstream paths. Roads and bridges have been washed away. Homes, businesses, churches, schools and other personal property have been destroyed. Lives have forever been changed. Even at this very moment, more rain is pelting our roof and flashflood warnings blare on the television. Through all of this, I know that I must trust firmly and completely in God.

 

At times our lives can seem as though we are consumed by floodwaters in other ways. We can be overwhelmed with financial strain or relational struggles.  A longterm illness can drain our strength and sink our hope. The death of a loved one can engulf our hearts and take us to the miry depths of grief. Regardless of the crisis in our lives, there is One whom we can call upon to save us. He is our Solid Rock and our Firm Foundation. He is our Refuge from the Storms of Life. Call out to God in your distress…He is listening! “Save me, O God…Answer me out of the goodness of Your love; in Your great mercy, turn to me. Come near and rescue me!”  Let this be your prayer…

 

Psalm 69

1 Save me, O God,
       for the waters have come up to my neck.

2 I sink in the miry depths,
       where there is no foothold.
       I have come into the deep waters;
       the floods engulf me.

14 Rescue me from the mire;
       do not let me sink;
     

15 Do not let the floodwaters engulf me
       or the depths swallow me up …
 16 Answer me, O LORD, out of the goodness of your love;
       in your great mercy turn to me.

18 Come near and rescue me;