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)
Jan27
Category Archives: Hope
Jan25
Heavenly Help
“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
”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
“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
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!
Aug4
Optimism
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
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!
Jan1
Welcome 2010!
“In Pursuit of True Prosperity”
As we welcome 2010 today, many of us are facing a new year with hopeful anticipation that this new beginning will bring renewed prosperity. The past year continued with an unprecedented economic downturn, but we now see glimpses of recovery. Most all of us have been negatively affected in some way by the global recession, and we all hope for better times in the year to come. As I think about what prosperity means to me, I am reminded about a scripture passage I read recently which brought the term into a spiritual focus for me. “True Prosperity” can be summed up as simply the blessings of God upon my life. He knows every intimate detail about me and knows exactly what I need for a life of heaven-sent prosperity. God’s definition of prosperity is not the same as our human definition, however. His blessings upon us include peace, joy, faith, hope and love. They can also include favor, gifts and talents. No matter how he chooses to prosper us, His blessings are always superior to what we would glean from the world.
His word is very clear about His promise to prosper the lives of His children if we carefully follow all of His commands. It is also very clear about the consequences of our disobedience. Deuteronomy 30:2-3,9 NIV tells me, “..when you and your children return to the LORD your God and obey Him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything I command you today, then the LORD your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you…Then the LORD your God will make you most prosperous in all the work of your hands…Then the LORD will again delight in you and make you prosperous..” He even tells us how we can know what He commands of us: “what I am commanding is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach…No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.” Deuteronomy 30: 11,14
God has created each one of us with a unique purpose in mind. He will equip each of us to fulfill that purpose and to live a life of true prosperity, but we have to choose to obey Him in every area of our lives. After reading the above passage, I am prompted to examine my heart and soul and determine if I am fully committed to obedience to the LORD. As the New Year begins, I can’t think of a better time to perform some “house cleaning” and self-examination. I pray that I will start the year with a committed heart and soul, purged of worldly worries and encumbrances which crowd out space for God to fill me with the blessing of His glorious presence in my life. I pray that He will use me in mighty ways in 2010 for the glory of His kingdom. In doing so, I will know “true prosperity!”
Oct18
Victory in the Valleys
“Fall Overlook in Dillard Valley”
by cBrown.Cooksey
Victory in the Valleys
By cbcooksey
“The man of God came up and told the king of Israel, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Because the Arameans think the Lord is a god of the hills and not a god of the valleys, I will deliver this vast army into your hands, and you will know that I am the Lord’.” 1 Kings 20:28 NIV
I recently came across this verse in my morning devotional. I have read the passage before, but I must have skimmed right over it, missing the beautiful nugget of truth embedded within. Like the Arameans, we sometimes forget that our God is not only the God of our Mountaintop experiences, but also our Valley-low experiences as well. The story in 1 Kings recounts a great victory in battle by Israel’s tiny army, 7000 men, against the vast Aramean army. God gave Israel the victory in that battle, which was fought in a valley, and the casualties for the Arameans numbered over 125,000. The Lord wanted all to know that He not only is God of the hills, but also God of the valleys. God was glorified through this “victory in the valley.”
At times we find ourselves in a “valley of life,” and it is easy to lose sight of the fact that God is right there with us, fighting our battles for us. Presently, we are in a type of economic valley. The current global recession is a deep dip in our business cycle. We all feel the pain of the slump in our economy, and each one of us has felt some degree of financial discomfort as a result. Yet through this precarious monetary situation, we must learn to place our trust in our Heavenly Father instead of our bank accounts or retirement funds. In Deuteronomy 8:17-18, we are reminded, “You may say to yourself, ‘My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.’ But remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to
produce wealth…” And despite the downward slide of the stock market on Wall Street or the downturn of real estate values, we can hold fast to His promises. “He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure.” (Isaiah 33:6) God is the Lord of the highs and the lows of the financial markets.
Another type of low point some may experience is an emotional valley. By definition, a valley is also known as a depression, which is a widely diagnosed condition in our society. Those who suffer from this prolonged state of emotional dejection, sadness and withdrawal must realize that God is right there with them in their hopelessness. His word speaks life and hope into the depths of their despair and promises that “…there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress…The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned.” (Isaiah 9:1 -2) God’s love can shine brilliant light into the deepest caverns of your heart and soul. God is the Lord of the highs and the lows of our emotional state.
An illness is a type of physical valley that we all suffer through at times. Some illnesses take us to greater depths than others. While our bodies wage war with the invading infection or disease, we must remember that God is with us through every step of the process. In our weakened condition, His word gives us encouragement, “Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40: 31) His word also provides comfort and assurance in our most critical illnesses, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
Our God, The Great Physician, is the Lord of the highs and the lows of our physical state.
The death of a loved one is perhaps the most painful low we can experience. Mourning is a valley of sadness that we experience over the loss of a beloved person in our life. It can last for a prolonged period of time and cause us to feel like we will never come out of the vast canyon of grief. Yet even at a time when no human comfort is effective, God promises in His word, “…I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.” (Jeremiah 31:13) God, our Comforter, is Lord of our sorrow.
Interestingly, geographic valleys are places of lush, fertile land. Mountaintops are not known for growing an abundance of crops. Over time, the elements have eroded the peaks, leaving very little topsoil for vegetation to grow. For example, the higher elevations of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Ranges have very little vegetation growing, yet Napa Valley down below is one of the most fertile regions of the world for growing world-class grapes. The rain and snow drain down from the mountaintops and flow into the valley, carrying rich nutrients which feed the crops and vegetation growing there. Likewise, our valleys of life can be fertile grounds for producing bountiful spiritual fruit. Most spiritual growth is a result of the valley experiences we face. God can use those experiences to harvest a bumper crop of fruit in your life. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:21-23) He can also use those times to draw us into closer relationship and total dependence on Him. Without our time in the valleys, we would not experience such an abundance of spiritual growth.
When you find yourself in a deep gorge of life, look up and realize that your heavenly Father is the God of your hills and your valleys. He is the one true God and wants to bring victory in the valleys for His children. He will receive glory in the process, and all will know He was and is Lord of all, forever!
“Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” (Psalm 25:5)
Sep26
Refuge from the Storm
“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;
everyday encouragement 