shadow

Daily Dose

I WILL TRUST IN YOU

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“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.”
Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV

2017 was a year of milestone blessings in some ways. Tom and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary and went on the vacation of a lifetime to Greece and Rome. They were the good times. But, 2017 was also a tough year for the Lancaster household. We both faced a few health challenges, Tom had knee replacement surgery, and like you, we experienced a hoard of everyday challenges.

During it all the Lord reminded us that when life gets tough, He just wants us to trust in Him. As humans, we often forget that the Lord is sovereign. He knows our beginning from the end. He gives us promises that will lessen the stress of our load if we will just remember to trust in Him. He challenges us in Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV:

“6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus”

I love it when the Lord gives me an answer in the form of a list! These verses do just that! He pointed out exactly what I needed to hear. Listen in on our conversation as I broke down those verses in prayer.

  1. God: “Be anxious for nothing”

Brenda: OK Lord. Now that’s just impossible for us humans. How do I do that? God: “Keep reading Brenda”.

  1. God: “but in everything by prayer and supplication” or as it says in the NLT, “Instead of being anxious or worried pray about everything.”

Brenda: “Pray. Just pray? That’s what people say when there is no other hope, isn’t it Lord? And what does that big word supplication mean? So, I proceed to look it up and see that it means “urgently requesting”. Oh, ok Lord. I can do that. I’m urgently requesting…

  1. God: “Tell God what you need”.

Brenda: Oh. But, You already know! But because you asked, I urgently need…

  1. God: “Thank Him for what He has already done.”

Brenda: Oh yeah…I remember all those times before when You heard and answered my prayers. You will again, won’t you Lord? You will because you are faithful even when I am not. You can be trusted to do the best thing even though I may not recognize it at the moment. It will be the best thing in the long run.

  1. God: “Then you will experience peace which will exceed anything you can understand”

Brenda: Then when?  Oh Ok. I get it. After I’ve done as you asked above. I desperately need that peace, so, I’ll pray and urgently request until you answer. And I’ll trust in You until that time. Don’t let me forget Ephesians 3:20 Lord. You really can, and will, do exceedingly, abundantly; above all, I can even think to ask of you!

  1. God: “then I will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus”.

Brenda: Ok then. You – Jesus – who is in my heart – You will guard my heart and my mind. You’ll guard it against the constant thoughts of what might happen. You’ll guard it against stress as I – as we as a couple – keep urgently requesting and praying about. You will guard our hearts from fear and stress as we communicate our feelings, fears and problems to you Lord. As we trust in you to bring the answers and solutions we need, in your timing, believing that you want the best for us.

Brenda: “Ok. Now Lord, please give me the memory and strength to keep on doing what you ask. The problem may not go away but I’ll be able to handle the stress that goes with it. And I’ll be able to wait on Your answer, Your wisdom and Your solution.”

Then He brought the powerful song back to my memory (pictured above).

That song is now my life’s theme verse. Thank you Lord!

Until Next Time,

Your Traveling Companion,

Brenda

 

Color My World

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“Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.”
John 12:35-36, NIV 

Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color premiered on television in 1961. Founder and creative genius, Walt Disney opened the color broadcast each week saying, “The world we live in would look pretty dull if Mother Nature used a black and white palette and painted only in shades of gray.” Some viewers watched the show in Technicolor, but our home along with the majority of the nation continued to watch in black and white. Color was available, yet many of us remained locked in worlds of gray.

I’ve read that some blind individuals wouldn’t trade their worlds of darkness for ones of sight. One man stated, “I’ve been blind since birth, and I can honestly say that the thought of suddenly getting the vision I’ve never had would scare me to death. I don’t know if I could adjust. I’m secure in my blindness.” Another relayed, “If I could have surgery that would give me sight, I wouldn’t do it. I’m happy with me and who I am. As a blind person, I function well. I just wouldn’t want to start over.” For these individuals, their fear of change is greater than their fear of the darkness.

It’s hard for me to comprehend how people can acclimate themselves to a world of darkness, but in reality in the spiritual realm—we have. We’ve conditioned our minds, hardened our hearts, and closed our eyes to the moral decay of our society. Many people embrace a cultural relativism that denies the existence of absolute truth, and they live behind a smokescreen of tolerance and inclusion.

Two days before his death on the cross, Jesus warned of the peril that would befall those who choose to walk in darkness. Rejecting him and the truth of his Word would result in spiritual blindness and death. It was a harsh reality then and remains a harsh reality today.

However, Christ in his loving mercy followed his solemn warning with liberating words of hope. By believing in him, we can all become children of light. The Light of the World is still with us and is available for all of humanity. No one is destined to remain locked in a world of gray.

Do not allow your fear of change to become greater than your fear of darkness. Ask God to color your world with the light of Christ and experience his wonderful world of color.

Happy fall!

Starr Ayers

This Way or That Way?

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“Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before.”
Joshua 3:4, NIV

Are you constantly on the move yet at the end of the day wonder what you’ve accomplished? Do you spin your wheels only to find, you’re stuck? Like me, there may be days when you question if you’re even moving in the right direction?

In Alice’s pursuit of the White Rabbit in Lewis Carroll’s, Alice in Wonderland, Alice said to the Cheshire Cat:

“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?”
“That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cat.
“I don’t much care where—” said Alice.
“Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,” said the Cat.

At times, I’m directionally challenged, but unlike Alice―I do care where I’m going. It’s frustrating when my GPS takes me miles out of my way, or the directions someone has given me are wrong. Sometimes, we need a good old-fashioned road map, or better yet, someone to follow.

Years ago, I was driving my car down a narrow two-lane road. Fog and rain made it difficult for me to see, but I spotted a tractor-trailer pulling out from the intersection ahead. Typically, I don’t want a truck in front of me, blocking my vision and slowing me down, but that night, I was thankful the truck was there. It was easier for me follow its taillights along the dark and winding road than to navigate the route alone.

In Joshua 3, the Israelites camped along the east bank of the Jordan River at the edge of the Promised Land. They were waiting for God to instruct Joshua on when to move out and claim the territory for themselves. As they faced the raging Jordan River and an area occupied by the enemy, God told Joshua to be strong and courageous. He reminded him that he would go with them and would never leave or forsake them.

The same applies to us. As believers, God calls us to do his will. Although it’s not always easy to discern, he doesn’t intend for us to chart our own course. He’s given us a roadmap, his Word and has sent the Holy Spirit as our guide. We have everything we need to navigate the sometimes perilous roads ahead.

God cares where you’re going. Wait for him. Place his Word before you and thank him for his guidance. He’ll lead you safely to your destination.

“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying,

‘This is the way; walk in it'” (Isaiah 30:21, NIV).

Starr Ayers