Am I Still Breathing?

Once in a while we have to stop and ask ourselves this question;  Am I still breathing?  Obviously, physically I am still breathing or I wouldn't have any need to ask such a question...What I am talking about is my spiritual life's breath.  Am I still breathing God's new life for me?

Sometimes it is quite a fight to keep breathing, sometimes we have moments where we feel as if we are drowning, or feel out of breath, exhausted by life's challenges.  There are times when we are bombarded by the arrows of darkness and forget to breathe nearly passing out in disbelief of the circumstances surrounding us.  No matter how much breath we have left, God is always there to revive us.  He never will leave us.  No matter what we are going through.  Keep our hearts pure.  Set our mind on His ways, which we cannot comprehend.  Keep our eyes on Jesus.  He is able to deliver us from all we find ourselves in.  Am I still breathing?  Yes!  I will continue to breathe as long as He is with me.  I would be lost without Him...

 

When it looks like all hope is lost. God comes and reveals Himself.  Since March 11th, there has been a myriad of bad news from Japan...the earthquake and ensuing Tsunami, all the deaths, the radiation poisoning...but God is there, I see that He is there in the following ways:  The 60 year old man rescued 10 miles off the coast 2 days after, floating on his roof...the 4 month old baby swept away from the parents (who both survived) found alive on the 14th with no injuries...the 70 year old lady found alive in her home that was swept away...the man found 8 days later...the 80 year old grandma and her 16 year old grandson who was given enough energy to pull himself out to get them saved, who 9 days after were found alive!  These are great examples of hope in a most horrible situation, God is truly there!  They are being called miraculous...and rightly so, they are miracles!  How could one go on without hope in all this devastation?  There will always be hope, a reason to keep breathing...God NEVER leaves us without hope!  Therefore, we can still breathe...He always gives us a reason to keep breathing, sometimes we have to search for it, sometimes it is small and seemingly insignificant, but there is always hope.

We don't know what each day will bring us, the world is in turmoil, on the brink of all out war.  The earth is rumbling and shaking, the storms are harsh and devastating, even the waves of the ocean are said to be larger now.  Our food is being destroyed by torrential rain, freezing temperatures, extreme droughts and now radiation leaks.  Inflation of necessities coupled with lost jobs and decreased pay are crippling many nations creating a huge foreclosure and bankruptcy problem.  The world as we know it could change today, we just don't know.   We live in a world of unknowns.  Are we prepared for the unknown calamities?  Are we still breathing the Word of Life?  Or have we become distracted by all this turmoil?   Do we have faith in God?  Do we trust Him to be our protection, our provider, our hope when it all falls apart?  Are we to a place where we can say, no matter what, I will trust God?  Probably not entirely...if we are totally honest with ourselves.  I sure would like to be at all times fully trusting Him, but I waver still.  I still have fears....but I will fear Him above all.  I must, my very life depends on trusting Him!  He is my breath.  Without Him there is no breath of life...no hope...

In all things I will praise His name.  He is my Rock, my Fortress, the righteous run to Him and are safe, He is my Refuge!  God is in control, the whole earth belongs to Him!  He knows what we need and when we need it.  He will NEVER leave us nor forsake us, if our minds and hearts are set on Him.  These are promises I hold close to my heart.  Please keep breathing, don't give up, keep moving forward, fight the good fight until the end.  Just breathe!        

~Courage

Be Anxious For Nothing...

It is easy to get wrapped up in the headlines and become anxious or worried about how we are going to 'make it' in the coming weeks ahead.  This is when our eyes become distracted and every little thing that might be a picture of what is to come catches our attention.  We must be careful here, anxious thoughts lead to delusion and fear of everything.  In Luke 12, Jesus talks about anxious thoughts which mirror the things we are facing here in America as the economy crumbles around us.  Possible food shortages, soaring gas and energy prices, wars, natural disasters, epidemics real or not, terror threats, the list goes on and on to what we are exposed to on a daily basis.  It can be a stressful time for all of us, but more so if our attention is given to these things and not to following God.  Please take these promises to heart and keep your eyes on Him who is able to keep you through any storm of life.

LUKE 12:22-34

Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on.  Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.  Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds?  And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?  If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest?  Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?

 “And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.  For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.

“Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.  Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

PHILIPPIANS 4:4-7

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

JEREMIAH 17:7-9

“ Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
      And whose hope is the LORD.
      For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters,
      Which spreads out its roots by the river,
      And will not fear when heat comes;
      But its leaf will be green,
      And will not be anxious in the year of drought,
      Nor will cease from yielding fruit.
 
Remembering always that God is with you, in whatever difficulty life brings, keeping your heart and mind on His ways being higher than ours, having faith in Him when all looks hopeless, trusting in Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, because He is God, the Creator of the universe, worship Him in Spirit and in Truth, rejoicing always and in all things in Him who will sustain you and hold you up with His righteous right hand giving you perfect peace that passes all understanding.  I encourage you today to keep moving forward, don't give up, press forward with all you have in Him.  In weakness you will be made strong!  In sickness you will be made whole!  In hunger you will be filled!  Stay close by His side.  He will NEVER leave you nor forsake you!  Praise the Lord!!!

~Blessings!


Passages from NKJV BibleGateway.com (I took out the verse numbers)