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God Can Deliver
In times of crises, it's easy to feel like God can't deliver. To bolster your faith, consider these biblical accounts of when God delivered His children from their afflictions.
In 1 Samuel 17:37, David knew he could defeat Goliath because God had already saved him from a lion and a bear.
In Daniel 3, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused the king's edict to bow to his idol, and continued to worship God. As a result, they were thrown into a fiery furnace heated seven times hotter than normal. But God delivered them so completely from this ordeal that they didn't even smell like smoke! He even showed up with them in the fire!
Daniel is another example of God's willingness and ability to deliver. Thrown into the lion's den for praying to God, Daniel knew such deliverance that he came away from the ordeal unscathed while his enemies were completely vanquished (see Daniel 6).
Do you notice a trend here? God can deliver His children out of any circumstance. Know today that His power to deliver is bigger than your problem.
Rom 5:1: "So now God has accepted us as right because we believe him. And, as a result, we are friends with God because of our Lord Jesus Christ."
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“Whoever says to this mountain.”
Mk 11:23 NKJV
Does the problem you’re facing seem like a mountain to you? Jesus said: “Assuredly …whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and…cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore…whatever things you ask for when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive…your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father…forgive your trespasses.” (vv. 22-26 NKJV). Here Jesus gives us three keys to answered prayer. (1) Keep speaking God’s Word over your problem. “My word…shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and…prosper in the thing for which I sent it” (Isa 55:11 NKJV). (2) Keep feeding your faith and starving your doubts. “Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them” (Mk 11: 24 NKJV). (3) Keep forgiving. “Whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him” (v. 25 NKJV). The mountain in your life can’t be removed if you’re harboring unforgiveness. God’s willingness to answer your prayers depends on your willingness to forgive the person who hurt you. So ask yourself: Is it worth holding on to bitterness? Bernard Meltzer says, “When you forgive, you in no way change the past, but you sure do change the future.” Whether or not you think your offender deserves to be forgiven, do it for your own sake—so that the mountain can be moved.
“God shows no favoritism.”
Ac 10:34 NLT
A lot of us are like the lady in the prayer meeting who said, “I love everybody.” The problem is—she had her eyes closed! Discrimination makes us accept without question the opinions and biases we’ve heard growing up, and the pronouncements of narrow-minded people. Rarely do we stop and ask, “Is this right?” Or more importantly, “Is it Christlike?” Discrimination relegates people to second-class citizenship because of their color, gender, economic status, church denomination, or the circumstances of their birth. Sometimes our biases are so ingrained that we can’t see them in ourselves and we react in anger when confronted with them. But God doesn’t let us off the hook. Paul challenged Peter, the future head of the church, over the sin of discrimination: “He [Peter] used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they [the Jews] arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group” (Gal 2:12 NIV). Paul didn’t give Peter a free pass because he had other redeeming qualities. No, his behavior was hurting people and reflecting badly on the church. The most quoted text in the Bible is: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (Jn 3:16). Note the words “whosoever believeth.” That means we’re all equal at the foot of the cross. There God makes no distinctions. And before you can deal with the prejudice in someone else’s life, you’ve first got to deal with it in your own. So acknowledge your hidden biases and deal with them.
Staying happy can be a balancing act, so here are five Bible verses to inspire you to maintain your happiness all day long!
1) John 16:33
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
2) Philippians 4:13
"I can do all this through him who gives me strength."
3) Philippians 4: 4-7
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
4) Ecclesiastes 3:12-13
"I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil — this is the gift of God."
5) Romans 5:2
"[…] through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God."
Ps 23:1: "The LORD is my shepherd. I will not need anything."
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“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God.”
Jas 1:5 NKJV
Yesterday we talked about children who are compliant, compared to those who are defiant. Every parent with two children or more is probably blessed with at least one of each. When one child is a stick of dynamite and the other is an all-star sweetheart, the cooperative, gentle one can easily be taken for granted. If there’s an unpleasant job, they’re expected to do it because Mom and Dad don’t have the energy to fight with the tiger. When it’s necessary for one child to sacrifice or do without, there’s a tendency to pick the one who won’t complain as loudly. Under these circumstances, the compliant child gets the short end of the stick. The consequences of such inequity should be obvious. The responsible child becomes angry over time. They have a sense of powerlessness and resentment that simmers below the surface. They’re like the older brother in the parable of the prodigal son (See Lk 15:11-32). He didn’t rebel against his father, but he resented the attention given to his irresponsible brother. That’s typical! So you must try to balance the scales in dealing with your compliant child. Make sure they get their fair share of attention. Help them find ways to cope with their overbearing sibling. And, within reason, give them the right to make their own decisions. There’s nothing simple about raising kids. Even the “easiest” of them need our very best effort—and God’s wisdom. And it’s available: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”
“Your children shall be taught by the Lord.”
Isa 54:13 NKJV
There are two kinds of children. The first are compliant ones—those who sleep through the night from the second week of life. They coo at their grandparents, and smile while their diapers are being changed. They never spit up on the way to the grocery store or the doctor’s office. During later childhood they love to keep their rooms clean, and they do their homework brilliantly without being asked. Then there are defiant ones: “strong-willed kids.” They get their mother’s attention long before birth because they scratch their initials on the walls [of the womb] and kick like crazy. They enter the world yelling about the temperature in the delivery room, and complaining about the incompetence of the nursing staff. From about eighteen months forward, they want to run things and tell everybody what to do. Their favorite word is no! Compliant children are a breeze to raise, but defiant ones can turn out fine too. The secret is to shape their strong will during the early years, without breaking their spirit. This is done by setting boundaries very clearly, then enforcing them with loving firmness. Even the toughest kids find security in a structured environment where other people’s rights, as well as their own, are protected. When this is done right, even the most independent child can learn to be responsible and self-disciplined. And God will work with you. He promises: “All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children.”
“And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins.”
(Mark 2:22, NKJV)
A New Way of Thinking
Are you ready for increase? Are you ready to go to the next level spiritually, physically and emotionally? In today’s verse, Jesus is saying that you can’t go to a new level with an old way of thinking.
I’ve found that many people hear the truth that God has more in store for them, and something resonates on the inside. Their spirit comes into agreement with God. But oftentimes, their natural minds will try to talk them out it. Thoughts come like, “It’s not going to happen for you. You’re not going to have a great year. You know what the economy is like.” Or, “You’re never going to get well. You saw what the medical report said.” “You’re never going to get married. You’ve been single so long.”
Friend, those are the old wineskins that you have to get rid of. This is a new season. What’s happened in the past is over and done. You may have been through some disappointments, you may have tried and failed or things didn’t work out. That’s okay. We serve a God of restoration. It’s time to get a new vision for your life. It’s time to open yourself to a new way of thinking so that you can move forward and receive all of the blessings God has in store for you!
Heb 10:35-36: "So don't lose your confidence, since it holds a great reward for you. For you need endurance, so that after you have done God's will you can receive what he has promised."
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“Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back...”
(Isaiah 54:2, NIV)
Increase Your Capacity to Receive
God has many blessings in store for you! He has favor in your future like you’ve never imagined. He wants to take you places that you’ve never even dreamed. But in order for us to partake of all these blessings, we have to increase our capacity to receive.
Think about this: if you have a one-gallon bucket and someone has fifty gallons to give you, the problem is not with the supply. The problem is that you don’t have the capacity to receive the fifty gallons. But, if you get rid of that small container and get something larger, then you will be able to receive more. It’s the same way with God. If we think we’ve reached our limits, the problem isn’t that God doesn’t have the resources or the ability. The problem is that our container is too small. We have to enlarge our vision and make room for the new things God has for us. Our attitude should be, “Yes, the economy is down, but I know God is still on the throne. I know wherever I go His goodness and mercy follow me.” When you have that kind of attitude, you’re increasing your capacity to receive so that you can live the abundant life He has in store for you.
“The world is indeed a wearisome place.”
—Watchman Nee
If I were to say to you, ”Take more vacations,” you might think, I would do that if I had more money or more time off work. But the truth is we can take vacations without money and we can take the time we do have and use it more wisely.
For example, try taking half days off, but don’t use them to run errands, unless, of course, the errands are fun ones. If you can take your vacation time in one-hour increments, try taking two hours off to go to lunch with a good friend or relative you enjoy. When you do take time off, refer to it as “vacation,” not “time off” because the word vacation has a nice feeling and a good emotional effect.
I think we actually hesitate to say we are on vacation too often because we don’t want people to think we don’t work hard enough. When some people find out that I am taking some time off they usually say, “Oh, are you going on vacation?” and I often feel I need to justify my plans by saying, “Yes, but I will be doing some work too.”
We should be able to take time off without working and not feel guilty about it. We don’t always have to be working in some way to justify our existence on earth. Work is good and vitally necessary, but if it isn’t balanced out with rest and fun then we become a slave to it.
Whenever possible, it’s a good idea to take one or two vacations, consisting of a week or more, each year. We need several days because it often takes us a couple of days to gear down and unwind enough to reach the point where we can truly rest and relax. In the meantime, take one-day, half-day, two-hour or ten-minute vacations that are important to keep your life balanced. Use holidays to rest and do things that will refresh you, and be sure to spend your time with people who will make you laugh.
Love Yourself Today: Make enough changes in your life so that when people ask you what you have been doing, you can say something besides, “working.”
“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.”
Eph 3:20 NIV
Here are some scriptural strategies for conquering your fear of lack: (1) Give God the first tenth of your income (See Mal 3:8-12; Mt 23:23). Don’t debate whether it’s an Old Testament rule versus a New Testament requirement. Wouldn’t you rather do more than required, than find out later that you fell short of God’s expectations? (2) Live by the 10-10-80 rule. After you give God the first 10 percent of your income, put the second 10 percent into savings and budget yourself to live on the remaining 80 percent. (3) Confront the areas in which your fear of lack are the greatest. Food? Housing? Transportation? Health insurance? Retirement? Now cast down those imaginations and replace them with this promise: “God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others” (2Co 9:8 NLT). (4) Refuse to rely solely on your credentials, marketable skills, or influential contacts for the assurance of your financial provision. “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.” Maximize your personal power, but trust ultimately in God’s power alone. Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (Jn 10:10 NIV). That’s not just “spiritual” life, but every aspect of life. Today, believe and receive what Jesus promised by faith, and begin to live “to the full.”
Mark 11:25 (AMP)
²⁵Whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him [drop the issue, let it go], so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions and wrongdoings [against Him and others].
Today’s Scripture“Good sense makes a man restrain his anger, and it is his glory to overlook a transgression or an offense.”
(Proverbs 19:11, AMP)
The Position of Power
Every day, we have opportunities to get upset, be frustrated or get offended. Maybe you had plans that didn’t work out, or someone was rude to you at the office. Maybe you were doing something that should have taken one hour, and it ended up taking three. Life is full of inconveniences; but even though we can’t always control our circumstances, we can control our reactions to those circumstances. I heard somebody say, “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond.”
We should always go out each day with a positive attitude, full of hope and expecting God’s favor. But at the same time, we should recognize that most days are not going to go exactly as we planned. Remember, we were created to live in peace. Peace is our position of power. If you get stressed because you got off schedule, or got upset because your child wouldn’t eat his breakfast, or frustrated because somebody offended you, what you’re doing is giving away your power. Instead, make the decision to release those offenses and disappointments so you live in peace and move forward in the power and victory the Lord has for you!
A Prayer for Today“Father, today I release every care, concern, offense and disappointment to You. I choose to keep the peace that You have given me knowing that with You, my best days are ahead in Jesus’ name! Amen.”
“Teach the wise, and they will become even wiser.”
Pr 9:9 NCV
Whether God has called you to be a leader in church, in business, or at home, here are two important principles you must always practice: (1) Reach for people who stretch you. Solomon said, “Teach the wise, and they will become even wiser.” You can tell a lot about the direction your life is heading by looking at the people with whom you’ve chosen to spend your time and share your ideas. Their values and priorities impact the way you think and act. If they’re positive and dedicated to growth, their values and priorities will encourage you and reinforce your desire to grow. It’s not always comfortable to associate with people who are ahead of you in their growth, but it’s always profitable. So try to cultivate relationships with people who stretch you. And don’t think only in terms of what you can gain; bring something to the table yourself. Remember, you’ve got to make the relationship a win/win, or it won’t last. (2) Realize there are tradeoffs. As responsibilities increase, rights decrease. In a world where perks and privileges often accompany the climb to success, sometimes little thought is given to the responsibilities of the upward journey. As John D. Rockefeller Jr. once said, “Every right implies a responsibility; every opportunity, an obligation; every possession, a duty.” Jesus bottom-lines leadership in these words: “To whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more” (Lk 12:48 NKJV).
When feeling down and out, here are five Bible verses for maintaining hope in your life.
1) Psalm 3:2-6
"Many are saying of me, 'God will not deliver him.' But you, LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. I call out to the LORD, and he answers me from his holy mountain. I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me. I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side."
2) Joshua 10:25
"Joshua said to them, 'Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous. This is what the Lord will do to all the enemies you are going to fight.'"
3) Romans 12:12
"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."
4) Job 11:18
"You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety."
5) 1 John 3:3
"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure."
Mark 7:34 (AMP)
³⁴and looking up to heaven, He sighed deeply and said to the man, “Ephphatha,” which [in Aramaic] means, “Be opened and released!”
Psalm 4:4-5 (AMP)
⁴
Tremble [with anger or fear], and do not sin;
Meditate in your heart upon your bed and be still [reflect on your sin and repent of your rebellion]. Selah.
⁵
Offer righteous sacrifices;
Trust [confidently] in the Lord.
“Do not forsake your own friend.”
Pr 27:10 NKJV
Chuck Colson, President Richard Nixon’s “hatchet man,” went to prison for his part in the Watergate cover-up. In his book Born Again, he tells how he was invited to speak at a university soon after his release from prison. At the time there was still much hostility toward the entire Watergate crowd, especially President Nixon. Questions were coming at Colson rapid-fire, and the students were becoming increasingly hostile. One stood up and referred to a criticism Henry Kissinger had leveled at the president. “Mr. Colson,” he demanded, “Do you agree with this criticism?” Colson said he scanned the room and could tell every ear was listening to hear what he would say. Here’s how he replied: “We all know Mr. Nixon’s negative qualities. He has been dissected in the press like no one in history. I could tell you his good points, but I don’t believe I could persuade you to accept them. But when it comes down to it, no, I don’t go along with Henry Kissinger’s comments. Mr. Nixon is my friend, and I don’t turn my back on my friends.” Colson said for a moment he thought the roof would fall in—and in a way, it did; but not as he expected. There was a moment of silence, followed by a thunderous standing ovation. The reason? Even hostile students could appreciate loyalty to a friend. If you want to find out who your true friends are, just make a mistake! Many of those you thought were your friends will desert you like rats from a sinking ship. That’s why the Bible says, “Do not forsake your own friend.”
“Honor and majesty are [found] in His presence; strength and joy are [found] in His sanctuary.”
(1 Chronicles 16:27, AMP)
Where Strength and Joy Are Found
Do you need more strength and joy in your life? The Bible tells us that in God’s presence, there is fullness of joy—the most abundant and complete! And when you have His joy, you have His supernatural strength. There’s nothing that can come against you when you are filled with the strength and joy of the Lord.
Notice this verse says that strength and joy are found in His sanctuary. One translation says they are found “where He is.” Do you know “where He is?” His Spirit is alive in every believer, and in His Word, He promises that He inhabits, or manifests, in the praises of His people. That means when you begin to praise and worship God, either corporately in a church setting or privately in your personal time, God is there. You are His sanctuary.
Anytime you feel depleted or overwhelmed by life, just begin to sing a song of praise to Him. Declare His goodness and faithfulness. Draw near to Him, and He will draw near to you. He’ll fill you with His joy and strength to live in victory all the days of your life!
Proverbs 28:13 (AMP)
¹³
He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper,
But whoever confesses and turns away from his sins will find compassion and mercy.
By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.
-Hebrews 11:24-25
“Ask…seek…knock.”
Mt 7:7
The famous evangelist R. A. Torrey said two of the greatest secrets to effective prayer lay in: (1) Studying the Word of God and finding His will as revealed in the promises. (2) Taking these promises and spreading them out before God in prayer, with the unwavering expectation that He will do what He said. Don’t tolerate prayerlessness in your life. Don’t allow the stress of so-called progress to dictate how much time you will sit at the feet of your Savior. Crave those times. Schedule those times. Protect those times. Grace L. Naessens puts it like this in her poem, The Difference. “I woke early one morning, and rushed right into the day; I had so much to accomplish, that I didn’t have time to pray. Problems just tumbled about me, and heavier came each task. ‘Why doesn’t God help me,’ I wondered; He answered, ‘You didn’t ask.’ I wanted to see joy and beauty, but the day toiled on, gray and bleak. I wondered why God didn’t show me; He said, ‘But you didn’t seek.’ I tried to come into God’s presence; I used all my keys at the lock. God gently and lovingly chided, ‘My child, you didn’t knock.’ I woke up early this morning, and paused before entering the day. I had so much to accomplish, that I had to take time to pray.” If you are wise you will stay “prayed up” and prepared for the inevitable crises of life. It’s foolish to wait until trouble shows up at your doorstep to begin this essential spiritual discipline.
“Love is patient and kind…It does not demand its own way.”
1Co 13:4-5 NLT
Here are some pointers to help you solve your relationship difficulties: (1) When it’s about money. How you manage money within a marriage depends on the set of skills you’ve developed and the amount of discipline you’ve exercised. One of you may be a saver and the other a spender. So you have to work together to make decisions that will affect both of you, and work within those boundaries. Consider how much debt you have, how much income, and how much you need to save. Find a way to achieve financial freedom. The Bible says, “The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender” (Pr 22:7 NKJV). (2) When it’s about time. If you’re not spending time together—one of you is missing the other. Ideally, you both want to spend more time together. But if your partner keeps making this complaint, take it as a compliment that he or she still enjoys your company. Schedule designated times together on both your calendars—with no intrusions. There’s no substitute for spending time with your mate. (3) When it’s about jealousy. We’re not talking about a possessive spouse who won’t allow you to glance at the waiter without accusing you of cheating. But generally when there’s jealousy in a relationship it’s an indication of insecurity. You may need to have a frank discussion about your commitment to each other. Talk about the little habits and mannerisms your spouse interprets as flirtatious. Communicate, and don’t allow the jealousy to grow into bitterness, distrust, or disgust.
Mark 15:34 (AMP)
³⁴And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”—which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
Deuteronomy 31:8 (AMP)
⁸It is the Lord who goes before you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or abandon you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”
“The heart of the wise teaches his mouth, and adds learning to his lips.”
(Proverbs 16:23, NKJV)
Listen to Your Heart
Choosing your words is very important. The scripture tells us that life and death are in the power of the tongue. God Himself spoke the worlds into existence by the creative power of words. You can bless your future with your words, or you can curse it.
There are many influences over our words. In the heat of the moment, we can let our emotions tell us what to say. We can listen to what others say and allow them to influence our words. We can even be influenced by what we watch on TV, the internet or read in the news. But notice what today’s verse tells us that a wise person does—a wise person listens to their heart and lets their heart teach them what to say. As a believer, when you listen to your heart, you are tuning in to what the Spirit of God is saying to you. You are coming into agreement with Him.
Today, listen to your heart. Take time to be still and quiet before the Lord. Allow Him to teach you what to say. As you submit your words and ways to Him, He will direct your path.
“The Lord is my Shepherd…I shall not lack.”
Ps 23:1 AMP
Why does the Bible compare us to sheep? Because they’re one of the most dependent creatures in the world; they must trust in the shepherd for everything they need. And that’s how God wants you to live: in dependence on Him. When you constantly live with the fear of lack, you’re not trusting God enough. This core fear drives many of our other fears, including the fear of becoming disabled, or the fear of aging, or the fear of investing, or the fear of retiring poor. In its extreme form, fear of lack can lead to anxiety that requires you to live on tranquilizers and medication. It’s also one of the root causes of greed. You can become so obsessed with insuring yourself against the possibility of not having enough, that you hoard more than you’ll ever need. It can drive you to become a workaholic so that neither you nor your children will ever experience discomfort, inconvenience, and helplessness. And like all fears, it’s based on an erroneous belief about God—in particular, His ability and willingness to take care of you. “The Lord is my Shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me], I shall not lack.” Stop living as though you don’t believe what God has promised you! A good strategy is to learn the promises,understand the ones that are conditional, meet the conditions, and rest in His love and faithfulness. This doesn’t mean you sit idly by and wait for God to do what He has given you the ability to do. You must do the natural things, and trust Him for thesupernatural ones.
1Pet 1:3-5: "{Our Hope and Joy are in the Messiah} d Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah! {Or Christ} Because of his great mercy he has granted us a new birth, resulting in an immortal hope through the resurrection of Jesus, the Messiah, {Or Christ} from the dead and to an inheritance kept in heaven for you that can't be destroyed, corrupted, or changed. Through faith you are being protected by God's power for a salvation that is ready to be revealed at the end of this era."
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