You have all you need

“You have all you need” is something I hear a lot when I am praying. I hear it especially when I have a lot on my mind. When I start to think about what I don’t have and what I need, the Holy Spirit gently whispers to me that I have all that I need. He comforts me and reassures me and then it is up to me to trust Him and to walk in faith knowing that I don’t have to worry about anything. Why? Because it is true. With the Lord as my Savior, I have all I need. Jesus died on the cross for me so I could have all I need. The Holy Spirit dwells in me so I have all I need. Love covers me and protects me so I have all I need. God is with me 24/7 so I have all I need. Jesus supplies my needs according to His riches in glory so I have all I need. The peace that surpasses all understanding is in me so I have all I need. I walk by faith and not by sight and my faith tells me and shows me that I have all I need. I could easily find something to worry about every day but the Lord won’t let me. He is there to open my eyes to the reality of His Gospel. He takes care of me and that is the end of the story. I don’t have to add negative endings. I don’t have to rewrite His beautiful story by overthinking and creating wrong scenarios in my head.

God is our provider, friend, so we have all we need. Now, take some time to meditate on that truth. Hold on to it all day long. Apply it to every circumstance and to every situation you find yourself in. Think about what it means for you all the time. Think about the power of that truth in your life. You have all you need from the moment you wake up until the moment you go to bed and during the night. It is not the way you might be thinking so you might need to renew your mind regarding this great declaration. Do the work. Work on your thinking and let your mind see the light. Jesus made it clear that you have nothing to worry about. Your mind likes to worry and it makes everything dark. Walk into the light of Jesus’ words. Trust His words more than you trust the dark picture of your life. That picture is not a real picture. It is a sad distortion of God’s amazing picture of your life. In His picture you are all set. In His picture you lack nothing. In His picture you have the best of the best all day long.

“You have all you need” says the Lord and that includes provision in all matters. Let’s say you have an interview and you are getting ready for it. Remember that in Jesus’ name you have all you need which implies that you have what it takes to pass the interview. The Lord will be with you in that room while you are being asked about your skills and what you can bring to the table. You have all it takes to do well and to be a blessing in that job. That is what you bring to the table. You have the Holy Spirit in you and you believe in Jesus. That is what you bring to the table. You don’t have to talk about the Lord. Your actions and your words will speak for you and demonstrate that you are a child of the Lord and as a child of the Most High, you have all you need. You are a success. You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. You are blessed. You are favored. You are a blessing who doesn’t favor some people more than others. You are a  light in this world and you have the light of the Lord in your heart. You have all you need.

My prayer today is that you always remember that Jesus has done it all. He did it on the cross for once and for all and you are reaping the benefits of His precious sacrifice. All day long you have all you need. You lack nothing. Start thinking that way. Start speaking that way. Start believing that way. It is the truth and nothing can change the truth. May God bless you and protect you and remember that He will always love you!

Suggested reading: Philippians 4:19; 2 Corinthians 9:8; 2 Peter 3:13

A song for Jesus

Last night I thanked the Lord for the great evening I was having. There was nothing special going on other than I was with Jesus. It was all that mattered. I smiled a lot. I was very content. I was so glad I was spending time with the Lord with no distractions. I listened to a song about Jesus. One of the lyrics was about magnifying the name of Jesus and the singer said that this song was forever His. It was a great song for Jesus. When the Lord hears us, our voices are like music to His ears. He listens to what we have to say. What does your song to Jesus sound like? Is your song about how great He is? Is it  a song of thanksgiving? Is it a song of doubt and fear? Is it a song of complaints? Today I want you to think about what you tell the Lord and what you don’t tell Him for that matter. What does your song to Him sound like? What messages does your song send Him?

I talk to the Lord more and more outside of my prayer time. I used to have set times for me to talk to Him which didn’t make sense. When you think about it, Jesus is always there and He is always listening. He doesn’t listen to us more just because we are praying. We don’t have to make an announcement and say we are going into prayer for Him to listen. He hears our every thought and our every word and He loves it when we talk to Him. You might think that since He hears what is inside we don’t need to speak. We do or better said we need to express what’s inside. He wants to hear us express our faith, our love, our gratitude, our respect, our enthusiasm out loud if we can. If inner thoughts are all we can give Him, it is fine as well. What we need to do is express something to Him. Silent prayers are prayers too. Words spoken in our hearts are words too. All of them are a song we sing to Jesus and we should pay attention to what that song sounds like.

I don’t want my song to Jesus to sound like a cranky old country song that expresses sadness and remorse all the time. My song to Him has to be joyful. My song to Him has to be a tribute to His goodness and to His love. I am working on my song every single day now. I work on the lyrics and I make sure that the chorus echoes my love for Him. Jesus is the main topic of my song. My song to Him used to be too much about myself until I learned that I was here to adore Him and worship Him. Have you ever heard praise and worship songs that are more about the person singing than they are about the Lord? Songs that describe how wonderful the singer is and how much he or she accomplishes. Our songs to the Lord should be melodies about the King of kings. When I thanked the Lord for the nice evening I was having, I sang part of the nice song I have for Him. I encourage you to thank Jesus all the time about anything and everything. Gratitude is a beautiful song. Thanksgiving is a good thing to sing.

When we talk to the Lord we should magnify Him and glorify Him. Let’s take moments to just adore the Lord with no hidden agenda and with no reason other than to give Him the glory. We ought to do that more and more. We are meant to worship Him. That is our number one priority and that is why we were created. We have taken many steps away from our number one purpose but we can get back there by making sure we talk to Him with love and adoration. Think about what you tell the Lord on a daily basis. Express your love. Express your joy. Express your gratitude. Express your needs as well but don’t let them be all you talk about. Jesus wants to hear you. He is waiting for you. Sing your song to Him every day! May God bless you and protect you and remember that He will always love you!

Suggested reading: Psalm 59:16; Psalm 63:3-4; Colossians 3:16

A powerful promise from God

There are many wonderful and beautiful promises in the Word of God. It is amazing to see how much goodness and love the Lord packed in His Word and all of it is for us. His promise to never leave us nor forsake us is for you and me. His promise to supply our needs is for you and me. His promise to surround us and protect us is for you and me. His promise to open the seas and make us walk on dry land when we are faced with troubled waters is for you and me. His promise to love us unconditionally is for you and me. There is a promise I have been standing on for decades. It is found in Romans 8:38-39. Paul wrote it. It says, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Nothing, absolutely nothing can separate us from the love of God. I want you to meditate on those verses and to develop trust and faith in that message. It is an incredible message of love that will carry you through the worst times of your life. It is a message that will give you hope when all seems lost. It is a promise of the Lord that He can’t break.

We ought to be like Paul and declare that we are convinced that nothing can separate us from God’s love. Conviction comes from the Holy Spirit. Conviction here is a fruit of faith. We gain this blessed assurance when we are in faith. We can’t be swayed in other directions. We stay strong in the direction of that truth. We know beyond a doubt that nothing can separate us from God and His love. In order to have more faith in that truth, we should spend time praying over it and we should keep it in front of us as much as possible. Remember that faith comes from hearing and hearing from the Word of God. You will have more faith in this message if you keep hearing it and you keep seeing it. Think about what it implies for your life, for your current situation, for things to come and for what you can expect. You can expect that nothing in this world is strong enough to remove God’s love from your life. Nothing has the power to make God love you less. His everlasting love is a stronghold. It is a fortress of hope where you can find refuge. Trust that there is a love that is above anything and anyone in this world and it is directed to you!

Trials and tribulations will come your way and they will try to derail you and to harm your faith. Now, all of those trials and tribulations can seem very bad and they can make you think that nothing can save you from their wrath. Note that “they make you think.” They tell you lies that start in your mind and the number one lie is that nothing can save you or help you. Don’t fall for that lie no matter how bad your circumstances are. Push the lies away from your mind with the truth that nothing can separate you from God’s love. God’s love will save the day. God’s love will heal your situation, terminate the trials and tribulations and give you freedom. Nothing is impossible to God’s love. His love is why salvation exists. His love is what conquered death. If His love can defeat death, it can definitely defeat the things that are trying to destroy you today. Keep your hopes up. Keep your hope in Jesus. Remind yourself every single day that nothing can separate you from God’s love. God’s got you and He will always take care of you. Stay encouraged! May God bless you and protect you and remember that He will always love you!

Suggested reading: Romans 8:1-39; Galatians 2:20; 1 John 3:1

Take a morning walk with God

Start your day with God. Start your day on the right foot. Start your day with a walk. Start your day going on a walk with God. Let it be just you and God. Close your eyes. Think about the Lord and start your walk. Give in to God. Give Him the first minutes of your day and He will give you hours of peace and joy. That morning walk has been a tradition for me. It is part of my life and it is something that I never skip. I have skipped breakfast on very few occasions but I have not skipped my walk with God. Those amazing morning walks are very special to me and to God. You see, God wants you and me to know that we matter to Him and He loves spending time with us. He loves our company and He loves hearing our voices. We are all very special to Him. He walks with us all day but we should make time to walk with Him every day. First thing in the morning is a great idea because it sets the tone for the day. The morning walk paves the way for a day of blessings and a day of awareness of God.

I wake up very early because I want to have enough time to go on my spiritual walk with the Lord. The walk starts when I thank Him for being God and for being with me. I also thank Him for the Holy Spirit in my life and for His love that is poured into my day all day long. I start the walk with a few words and He leads me down the path of fellowship with Him. I initiate it and He does the rest. The morning is one of my favorite times of the day because it is my Jesus time with no distractions and no interruptions. I talk to God as I walk by His side. It sounds unreal but it is a very powerful and authentic experience. I walk with God and I listen to Him. Oftentimes I go into praise mode before I listen. This walk is for the Lord. This walk is meant to celebrate the Lord. He is my guide and He is my host. He knows where I am going and He helps me get there. I walk every morning without leaving my bed. I walk with God through prayer, praise, worship, active listening, gratitude and thanksgiving.

As you can see, my morning walk is not a physical walk but it is a walk in the realm of the spirit. I give my spirit a chance to express itself by communicating with God and by expressing what the Lord wants me to say. Walking with God is going at a peaceful pace and respecting the One who is in charge. It is slowing down so we can catch up with God. It is walking in love, with love and for love. It is walking to a place where the Spirit of the Lord is in full control and our minds are focused on Jesus. I can’t walk out of my house before I have walked with God. He knows what steps I should take at that moment and throughout the day. He gives me a roadmap for the day. A map that my spirit understands. A map that has all the stops I will need to visit that day. Some stops are hope, faith, peace, self-control, joy, kindness, gratitude, goodness, truth, long-suffering and others. I don’t have to go into the day scared because God holds the day in the palm of His hand and He shows me on our walks that everything is going to be alright. There are times when I wake up to the Spirit whispering, “Do not worry and do not be afraid.”

Every word that the Lord says is to edify us, encourage us and help us. His morning words are beautiful petals from flowers of hope that never wilt. When you walk with God in the morning, you are made aware of His beauty displayed in His words and in His presence. He is very present on that walk so let Him talk. Listen. Enjoy His love. Enjoy His voice. Walk in peace. Walk in faith. Embrace His caring voice and carry His peace and His joy with you during the day. I pray that you enjoy spiritual walks with God every morning and that you keep finding yourself in places of hope all day long. The Lord is with you and He will never leave you. Walk with God every day! May God bless you and protect you and remember that He will always love you!

Suggested reading: Zephaniah 3:17; Matthew 28:20; John 14:27

God’s help

I find it amazing, beautiful and fascinating how God helps us. He is with us not just to hang out and to watch us but also to help us. He wants to participate in our lives and to be involved in everything. When I found that out, I was blown away. God wants to assist us in every single task of life big or small. He is with us when we have to make a presentation in front of an audience. He is with us when we have to accomplish something for work or for school. He is with us when we have to figure out what to do next. He is with us when we don’t know where our help will come from. It will always come from Him and we should also count on Him. God will help you, friend. He will help you today and tomorrow. He will help you if you trust Him. You are not on your own and you are not helpless. Your help comes from the Lord. Repeat that to yourself. Let it sink in and accept it. God can and will help you every day no matter what you have to do.

God’s help is something that we all need. The good news is that it is available to any believer and it is what we can expect. It is important to have faith in God’s help. We are blessed to have the Lord and having Him as our Savior doesn’t mean that He saves us once and then He lets us fend for ourselves. Salvation starts when we make Jesus our Savior and it doesn’t end. It is almost like a package deal that has a lot of components to it and help from God is one of them. When I get up in the morning, I know that God is with me and that He is for me and He will lend me a helping hand all day long. At times I have to remind myself of that reality during the day but I start the day affirming that I am helped. I declare that God’s help doesn’t run out and every day is a new opportunity for Him to show me His love and to bless me and help me. Friend, expect God’s help. Develop your trust in Him. God can do exceedingly more than you can think. Think of His help. Make a habit to expect it and rejoice over Him for His help.

God’s help is ever-present in times of trouble. I love how David defines the help from the Lord. It is always present and everlasting and it is there when we need it. When trouble comes, go to God and be confident that His help is on the way. The moment you start praying, God’s help is on the way. The moment you declare that greater is the One that is in you than the one that is in the world, God’s help is on the way. As a person of faith, you have access to God’s help 24/7. It is glued to you. It is with you. Keep that in mind and enjoy the help you can receive at any time! We don’t have to live in fear because God’s help is on our side. We don’t have to worry about tomorrow because God’s help is already there waiting for us. Jesus said that in this world we will have tribulations but we should be of good cheer because He has conquered the world. His help is more powerful than anything in this world. Stay strong, friend. Help is already on the way. May God bless you and protect you and remember that He will always love you!

Suggested reading: Psalm 46:1; Isaiah 41:13; John 16:33

The nature of God

What is the nature of God? What characteristics does He have? Do you ever ask yourself those questions? What are God’s most important traits? I think those questions are important because the way we see God will underline what we expect from God. We can have faith in what God is and sometimes our faith is based on a wrong approach and wrong perspective. We can also focus on aspects of God while missing the most crucial traits and characteristics of the Lord. I used to see God as a God of provision more than anything else. He does provide for us and He cares about His children but is that the most significant aspect of who He is? God is love. Before anything else God is love. He has love and He is love. If we want to get to know Him better, we have to remember that He is love and that His love is eternal, indestructible and always powerful. The nature of God is found in love. Think about what that implies and let that truth correct and mold your vision of God.

God has always existed. God has always been around. God is everywhere. God is always everywhere at the same time. God is powerful. God has the power to do anything and to change anything. God is love. God is love all the time and He has love for everyone. Love is where it all starts but love has always existed. It might have come into your life at a certain point but it has always been there. I believe it is necessary to see the power and the magnitude of love. It is helpful to understand that love has always been around and that it has stood the test of time. The most powerful force in the universe is with you and in you. God is with you. His nature is with you. His love is with you. The nature of God is living in your life and you should get to learn more about it and to embrace it. We have so many representations of God in the world. There are filtered presentations of God that are not accurate. Get to know God through God. Know love, know God. Know God and you will always know love.

If anyone portrays the nature of God with a lack of love, don’t take it at face value. Question anything and anyone who removes love from who God is. Love is what saved you. Love is what saves you. Love is what helps you. Love is what keeps you going. Love is behind the blessings and the miracles in your life. Love gives meaning to your relationship with God. Love is the link that connects you to God. Love is the reason you are here today. Love is spiritual and remember that God is spirit. His nature is to be Spirit. We ought to worship Him in spirit and in truth with love as our backdrop. You can worship the Lord with music and you can worship Him with prayers and with actions motivated by love. When we have a relationship with God, we can’t help but imitate Him. We take after Him and the number one thing we should show the world is the love that is in God. We have His love and we need to give that love to the world. We can’t be a church that thrives on judgment and on criticism. We can’t be a church that puts love on the back burner because when we do, we redefine God and we don’t do Him justice.

The nature of God is in you and me, friend. We are the ones that can give the world a better idea of who God is and what He is all about. God is light and in Him there is no darkness. We carry His light and we carry His love. Let’s take the nature of God in consideration every day and let’s give His incredible nature a chance to shine through us. There is so much pain and so much sadness in this world. People need the nature of God. People need to be touched by love. People need to be introduced to the Lord who saves, loves, helps, protects, cares, provides because He is love. My prayer is that we will all be servants of love that share God’s love and that silence the wrong representations of God. May God bless you and protect you and remember that He will always love you!

Suggested reading: John 4:24; 1 John 1:5; 1 John 4:8

The way, the truth and the life

Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.* The truth will set you free. Jesus will set you free. Wherever you need freedom and deliverance, Jesus can set you free in that particular place. Hold on to Jesus. Turn to Jesus. He is the One who opens doors including the doors of the mental, physical or spiritual jail you might be in now. I can’t thank the Lord enough for setting us free. I remember the first time I experienced a powerful deliverance. It was out of this world. I was in my room praying and I asked Jesus to set me free from emotions that had crippled me for years. I needed to be free from fear and from anxiety in an area of my life. As I was praying on my knees, the Holy Spirit prompted me to thank Jesus for what He had already done. I had a roommate at the time but he wasn’t home. God knew what He was doing and He had made sure I was home alone. As I continued to pray, I felt a powerful force come unto me that shook my entire body. It was so strong that I screamed at the top of my lungs. When it stopped, I felt freedom. I felt the liberty that the Bible talks about. I couldn’t stop thanking the Lord after that. I knew He had done something great in me. The days that followed showed me that indeed the Lord had done a work in me. I didn’t have that fear and that anxiety that had been attached to me for so many years. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and He sets us free.

Ask Jesus to set you free today. If you are struggling with addiction, with fear, with anything negative, know that the answer to your problem is Jesus. The solution is always Jesus so before you turn to anyone else, bring it to the Lord in prayer. Be open and be vulnerable. Put yourself in the hands of the miracle maker. Put yourself at the mercy of grace and freedom. Trust the Lord with all your heart and don’t question what He is going to do. Follow His lead and give in to His directions. He is the truth. This means that you can never go wrong with Him. He always does what is right and He always knows what’s right. His words are filled with the power of truth. Get used to His words so you can confront the enemy’s lies with the beautiful truth of Jesus. Truth is a light that can pierce through any darkness. You might be dealing with confusion and lies now. You can find peace and clarity thanks to Jesus. Say a simple prayer. Ask Him for the truth. He will deliver his truth. He will help you. See Him as the holder of the ultimate truth. Men can lie. Jesus can’t ever lie and His truth heals and restores. You need His truth. You need Him today.

There is always a way when we rely on Jesus. If you are at a crossroads right now and you don’t know which way will lead you to victory, turn to Jesus. He is the way and He will point you in the right direction. If there seems to be no way, Jesus can make a way. He makes a way in the desert. He makes a way in the snow storm. He makes a way in the maze of life. He makes a way out of nowhere. Jesus can do the impossible and the way He is going to make just for you is a miracle and a blessing you will never forget. Have faith in His ability to make a way and to be the way. Go through Jesus and you will go through life with flying colors. When Jesus was on earth, He brought Lazarus back to life. How? He is the Son of God and He is life. He is the life that we all need and He can give life to anything and to anyone. Your miracle might be on a waiting list today but trust that Jesus can give it life and make it come to pass. Expect the life of the Lord to impact your life and to improve it. He has the power to give life to the most incredible things. He can create events and situations that had not been given life before. Trust in the Lord. He is the truth. He will set you free. He is the way. He will make a way for you anywhere and any time. He is the life. He will make things happen that you never thought possible. May God bless you and protect you and remember that He will always love you!

Suggested reading: John 10:9; John 14:6*; Acts 4:12

10 nuggets of wisdom for your Saturday (Part 223)

God is going to help you through this season. He is going to turn up the temperature of your blessings and make it rain in your desert. You are going to come out of this cold spell and enjoy the beautiful sun of the Son of Man. Stay encouraged!

Jesus will make your life a living Heaven when the enemy tries to make it a living hell. Trust Jesus. Side with Jesus. Stay in faith and enjoy the life that Jesus gives you now.

Rise above the trials, the bad breaks and the suffering. God will give you the strength to rise above anything so trust Him in everything!

Keep your bucket of hope full. Keep it overflowing with the power of faith. See what you have in Christ and don’t focus on what the world says you don’t have. You have Jesus! Your bucket runs over. You have more than enough! Praise God for that!

The Word of God is more than a manual about life. It is life. It gives life. It can fill your life with God’s life. It is the living Word of God almighty. Embrace the life that is in the Word. Embrace the Lord and you will have an amazing life!

Put down fear, worry and anxiety. Don’t put them on. Put them away by giving them to God. He will give you the garment of praise and the armor of faith. Put those on and you will be dressed for success!

Be mindful of where your head is living. Don’t let it dwell on the street of fear and overthinking. Keep your head on the path of hope and life. Be sure that your mind dwells in the house of the Lord and you will live in the best place there is!

When you walk with God you walk with love, peace, joy, hope, patience, triumph, victory and blessings. The enemy will do his best to sabotage your walk so remind him that you are walking with the cross that defeated him. Keep walking with God no matter what!

Good habits are hard to develop but when you meditate on the Word of God good habits become a mindset. Keep meditating on the Word and your mindset will become a lifestyle!

With God you have all you need. Your faith will show you that God always provides, nothing is lacking and you can always make it. God has it all. Let your faith give you access to it all!

Suggested reading: Mark 11:24; Ephesians 3:16-17; 2 Corinthians 5:7

The child of God that you are

I had a very amazing time in prayer yesterday morning. It was one of those prayers when I listened more than I talked. I started like I always do by praising the Lord and by showing gratitude. I quickly got very overwhelmed by His love. I was so excited and so happy like a little kid at a candy store. I opened my heart and let out my gratitude and thanksgiving. There was so much joy because I was just content to be with the Lord. That one-on-one time was more than enough. It was the highlight of my day very early in the day. It felt like nothing could beat that beautiful moment but with the Lord we can always expect more. I prayed for some time and then I got quiet and I knew I needed to listen and to pay attention to what the Holy Spirit had to say. I was under the impression that the Lord was smiling at me. He was smiling back at my gratitude. I paused and I marveled at His presence and at His love that seemed thick and tangible. What He said next touched me to the core.

The Lord reminded me that I was a child, that I was His child. He took me down the path of great reminders and encouragement. We are His children and we have to remember that we are heirs of the King of Kings. We have inherited the Kingdom of God and we have access to Him and to His blessings all the time. His love is available 24/7 and He is a Father who adores His children and who has done everything for us. He sent His Son for us. His Son came to earth, walked the earth, died on the cross, resurrected from the dead and ascended to the Father. He is now seated at the right hand of God interceding for us. Jesus’ intercession is a powerful truth I had not been focused on. Friend, Jesus is interceding for you with the Father and God rejoices over you, His dear child.

As a child of God, I am blessed and I am favored and so are you, friend. The message of the Lord was a message about seeing myself as the child of God that I am. I strongly encourage you to meditate on that truth and to pray over what it really means. You are a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ. It means that you are loved, you are filled with the Spirit of God, you have the fruit of the Spirit in you, you are blessed with heavenly blessings, the Lord supplies your needs with His riches and you are fearfully and wonderfully made. As a child of the King, you have access to Heaven. Not just when you go to be with the Lord but you have access today. What does that entail? It entails access to miracles, signs and wonders. If you don’t believe in them, spend time asking the Lord to show you what they are and to help you develop your faith in them because they are here and they can impact your life in a beautiful way.

Child of God, praise the Father! Praise Him every day. Rejoice over Him because He rejoices over you. Go into your day with the confidence that God is with you and that He cares about you. You are not an orphan. God never leaves you and He never abandons you. You are a loved child. You are very special to God. His love is your strength. His joy is a superpower and His peace is sublime. Remember every day that you are a precious child of God. Remember every day that your heavenly Father makes your life better and there is a collision between Heaven and earth when your faith is active and solid. You are in this world but you are not of this world. You belong with God and you belong with His blessings. Don’t let the problems of this world make you think that you are not blessed because you are. Claim your blessings in Jesus’ name and claim your identity in the Lord. May God bless you and protect you and remember that He will always love you!

Suggested reading: Romans 8:14; Galatians 3:26; 2 Corinthians 6:18

Refuge and fortress

Don’t panic if you feel like you are not going to make it. Don’t panic if you think that you are going to fail because you made a mistake. Don’t panic if you think that you have no shelter and nothing to protect you right now. God is your refuge and your fortress. He is the reason why you are going to make it today and tomorrow. You might have heard that many times before and I am here to remind you that the truth contained in those words still holds true today and it will never be erased or deleted. It is easy to delete things on the computer of life. We make one mistake and we delete something that was right and that was good. One action can delete the great efforts that we had made. God’s blessings can’t be deleted. Your sins and your mistakes don’t have the power to delete God’s goodness from your life. Don’t give in to the temptation and feel like you are not going to make it because of what you have done. God is faithful and He stands by His promises. He promised to protect you, to cover you and to shield you. Don’t panic. God is the refuge that keeps you safe and that keeps you sane even when the world around you is chaotic.

I remember making a mistake that was going to impact my future. I had thought I had made the right decision and it turned out to be a disaster. I panicked and I felt like nothing could make up for my mistake. I had not been following the Lord’s guidance and I fell flat on my face. I didn’t know where to go for comfort and for protection. We all need to be protected from the negative thoughts that can pop up when we make mistakes. We all need a place where we can be dusted off, lifted up and encouraged. After some stubborn time, I turned to God for help. I read in the Bible that He was my refuge and my fortress. A refuge is a place where you can always be safe. A fortress is a stronghold that can’t be torn down and that can’t be entered unless you have the key. Repentance and prayer were my key. I turned the key as I was on my knees talking to the Lord. The first thing He told me was to not worry and to not fear. Then He explained that He would restore me and help me back on my feet. He did just that. He kept me in His loving arms and He whispered peace and encouragement throughout the whole process of restoration.

God is the refuge we need every day. He is not quick to judge and not quick to punish. He is the opposite of that. He is quick to love and quick to build us up. He has only great intentions for us. Panic is an agent of the enemy that paralyzes us and that makes us forget that we have a refuge. When we panic, we run out of the fortress of the Lord and we look for help and for answers in all the wrong places. Your answers and your help are in the Lord, friend. Don’t look any further. Don’t look for help where you can get into more trouble. Your refuge is not going anywhere. Your fortress is strong and it can’t be destroyed. Stay in the Lord. Even when it hurts and even when you don’t see a way out. Sometimes we don’t see a way out because we are supposed to stay inside. We are supposed to stay in the fortress of the Lord so we can be protected. The answer is often inside so we should meditate on the Lord and pray. We will get exactly what we need. The Lord will restore us and He will stretch our faith during that process. Stay in the refuge and find peace in the fortress. May God bless you and protect you and remember that He will always love you!

Suggested reading: Psalm 16:1; Psalm 46:1; Proverbs 30:5