We all have anxiety from time to time. Sudden death, job loss, sickness, unexpected expenses, or trouble involving our children can turn our thoughts in a negative direction. However, if we are not careful, we can create an idol from our anxiety.

In order to prevent strongholds and idols from forming, be sure to answer anxiety with trust in God. Go to the Word and remind yourself:

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.  The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. Psalm 112:7  

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

God loves nothing more than when we tell Him we trust Him in the middle of whatever storm we are going through. He understands that it is not easy, but He honors our sacrifice of praise and draws us closer to Him. If you have created an idol of anxiety and worry, you can break free by repenting and placing your trust in God.

Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. Galatians 5:1

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:2

God desires to be first in your life and mine. Before your family, before your job, before your hopes, dreams, and desires. The best way to demonstrate your love for God is to put Him in the forefront of all that you do, especially in how you invest your time.

Time is a precious commodity that we either use or lose. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. No amount of money in the world can buy you more of it, and everyone, regardless of station in life, gets the exact same amount. Sometimes we invest it, sometimes we waste it and sometimes we sacrifice it.  

The Bible tells us, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” Romans 12:1

When we offer the sacrifice of time to the Lord, His abundant blessings fill us to overflowing, and He is glorified. We get the benefit of being closer to Him, becoming more like Him, and receiving His peace. The smallest sacrifice of time on our part is multiplied by God to result in a large return on our investment.

Every time we choose to sacrifice time to Him, He rewards us with peace, knowledge, understanding, guidance, and abundance. Trust Him to go before you and bless you with a significant return for your sacrifice.

“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

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:11

Photo by David Bartus on Pexels.com

Can we put a price on peace?

We try to. We think that if we have enough money, we’ll have financial peace. We think that if we attend enough services and read our Bible enough, we’ll have spiritual peace. If we eat right and exercise, we’ll have physical peace. Then, if we can find that special someone, we’ll have emotional peace.

But, trying to find peace in anyone or anything other than Jesus is a false peace. It will not provide the peace we seek, because ONLY Jesus can fill that hole in our hearts. He paid the price for us to have His peace. This is a heavenly treasure that we can experience on Earth.

We are human and we live in a fallen world. Trials and tribulations are normal and should be expected. In fact, the Bible tells us to rejoice that we have to endure trials and tribulations because they produce a perfection in us that could not be achieved another way.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you face trials of many kinds. James 1:2

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,  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.  Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. Romans 5:1-5

Thankfully, we can have God’s peace because Christ overcame what we could not.

“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.” John 16:33

“You can go to all of the church services you want, read all the spiritual books you want, even do all the Bible studies that you want, but experiencing all God has planned for you comes only through aligning yourself under and abiding in the one who reigns over all, the exalted Lord Jesus Christ.” –Tony Evans

What does aligning yourself under and abiding in The Lord Jesus look like practically? If it’s not church attendance, Bible studies, and reading spiritual books, what is it? How is it accomplished? How do you know that  you are doing it right?

I like and want to read my Bible. I love to read about the stories of the old testament and try to learn from them. I love to read the promises of the new testament and I long to believe and trust in them fully. In my mind I think I do but in my actual movements, conversations, thoughts, decisions, reactions, and choices, it doesn’t appear that I do.

It appears that I don’t really trust God with my everyday details.   How do I change that?

I’ve recently been struggling with my circumstances. Problems have arisen that need solutions. I want to trust God and align myself with Him. I want to make sure that I am walking according to His plan. However, because I did not see any resolution, I’ve been worrying. I reached out to a trusted organization with a few questions and I feel like I have received God’s answer.

In response to a devotional I receive, I had some questions, so I contacted the ministry. A wonderful pastor, Rev. Leighton Smith, replied and God used him to tell me just what I was longing to hear. My questions were:

What does aligning yourself under and abiding in The Lord Jesus look like practically? If it’s not church attendance, Bible studies, and reading spiritual books, what is it? How is it accomplished? How do you know that  you are doing it right?

I have searched for these answers for quite some time. I had asked teachers and pastors I know but until now, none have been able to answer in a manner that I understood and made sense. I am not maligning them, perhaps God was waiting until I was ready to understand. Whatever the reason, I am thankful to finally have an answer.

So, what does aligning yourself under and abiding in The Lord Jesus look like practically?

Aligning yourself under and abiding in The Lord Jesus is the why behind what you do.

• Do you attend church? Why?
• Do you read your Bible? Why?
• Do you follow God’s commandments and precepts? Why?
• Do you seek to live a life that glorifies God? Why?

It is truly a question of motivations. What motivates you to do these things? Are you seeking God’s face or His favors? Do you want to know Him or use Him? What changes do you need to make in response to your truthful answers to these questions?

Now, how is aligning yourself under and abiding in The Lord Jesus accomplished?

Practically speaking it is:

• Choosing to obey His guidelines even when it doesn’t make sense or you don’t understand
• Learning the Word of God – not just memorizing scripture – but what it means. What principle is it teaching?
• Applying the principles learned in decision making (scriptural decision-making, not emotional decision-making)

You cannot obey guidelines that you don’t know. You cannot know the guidelines if you are not learning the Word of God. You cannot apply the principles when making decisions if you haven’t invested the time necessary to learning the principles and the reasoning behind them.

Finally, how do you know that you are doing it right?

• When you begin to solve problems and they do not return. (We all will experience problems. Applying God’s wisdom instead of man’s wisdom allows the problem to be permanently solved and spiritual growth to occur.  Applying man’s wisdom will only result in a temporary solution.)
• When you start seeing victory in your life problems. (Some things will be resolved quickly. Some things will take longer. However, there is steady evidence of progress.)
• When it causes you to change in your thinking. (When your mindset is changed, your life changes.)

This was my favorite part because I desperately needed to know that I was going in the right direction. I needed some confirmation and encouragement that I was on the right track. When you are doing things God’s way, you are changed. There is peace, hope, and a joy in your heart that lifts you above your circumstances.

I hope that this has helped you as much as it helped me. I pray that this will bring you into a closer relationship with Jesus.

What is God doing in your life? Are you focused on what He’s doing or what He’s NOT doing?

It’s a simple question but it doesn’t have a simple answer. If you are like me, then it is incredibly easy to focus on the negative instead of the positive. We get so busy fighting fires that we can quickly get overwhelmed by negativity.

So, am I focused on what He IS doing in my life or what he’s NOT doing. Honestly, more times than not, I am focused on what He’s NOT doing. He’s not answering my prayer the way I want, when I want it. Doesn’t He know? Is He not listening?

I need a shift of focus.

It is not about ME. It’s really about HIM. Am I doing what I am supposed to? Am I being obedient? You mean I am expecting to be blessed without submitting to God and behaving in obedience?

God does that sometimes because He loves us yet we can’t expect that to be the norm.  Who am I to treat God like an on-demand vending machine? God gives us SO many promises in His word, and they are available to us, however, many of those promises are conditional.

“And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. ¹⁴ I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity;” Jeremiah 29:13,14 (emphasis mine)

He doesn’t attach those conditions because He wants to punish us or make our lives legalistic. He attaches those conditions because He wants us to WANT to be like Jesus. In order to be like Jesus, we need certain characteristics that come through struggles when we are living and choosing to be obedient.

So, what is YOUR focus on? Do you need a shift in your focus? Begin by repenting. Move on to praising. Tell God how THANKFUL and GRATEFUL you are for what you have and where you are and MEAN it.  Then finally make a move toward obedience. It won’t be easy. It’s not supposed to be. Anything worth having is worth working hard for.

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28

“Then it shall come to pass, because you listen to these judgments, and keep and do them, that the Lord your God will keep with you the covenant and the mercy which He swore to your fathers.” Deuteronomy 7:12

Continue to remember the family and friends of the victims in Parkland, Florida.

There are no words.

No words can comfort more than God’s Word.

We pray, Father that you would pour out your comfort and healing on all those affected by what has occurred. Thank you Lord that you are trustworthy and faithful to provide peace and comfort to those hurting.

Ryan Stevenson has a song called “In The Eye of The Storm”. The opening lyrics are below along with a scripture reference and a reminder that God is sovereign.

In the eye of the storm

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life. You stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes; with your right hand you save me. Psalm 138:7

You remain in control

I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’ Isaiah 46:10

And in the middle of the war

Yea, 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. Psalm 23:4

You guard my soul

O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee. Psalm 25:20

You alone are the anchor

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and steadfast. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, Hebrews 6:19

When my sails are torn

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1

Your love surrounds me

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 33:22

In the eye of the storm

(Songwriter(s) Ryan Stevenson and Bryan Christopher Fowler)