Day 175 – Why do they persecute me?

Today’s Reading: Psalm 144 – 146

Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners, whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. Psalm 144:11

Confession time: Hi, my name is Kristen, and I’m a people pleaser.

I desire to be a recovering people pleaser, but when people speak horribly to me or of me, it completely kills me on the inside. You know what else? I have enemies. Yep. I hate to call them this, I so badly want them to like me, but they don’t and I’m not sure they ever will. The problem with these 2 scenarios is that it affects me mentally, spiritually, emotionally, and physically. My ability to do the things God is most pleased with and not do the things of the flesh to be able to get through the constant pain is a continual battle. So, I pray.

I pray for healing, peace, my enemies to see their ways and repent, and that God removes them from me.

Even 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. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Psalm 23:4-5

It’s annoying; it’s frustrating. It’s a constant thorn in my side, but for the sake of the Kingdom and the Glory of God, I fight on.

Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:8-10

We’ll all be persecuted, and it will manifest pain in each of us in different ways. But God will Provide. Sometimes He will completely remove the persecution, sometimes He will teach us how to handle it, and sometimes He will allow it so that His Glory may be revealed as we Persevere.

Never give up! Never surrender to your enemy. God is with you and will HELP you get through.

Day 174 – Why do I say what I will later regret?

Today’s Reading: Psalm 141 – 143

“Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips.” Psalm 141:3

The words spoke from our mouth have the ability to hurt and to heal; they can be like a bubbling brooke, bringing laughter and encouragement, or they can a waterfall, beautiful but powerful, able to crush you if you fall under them.

But who can take their own tongue?

For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.
James 3:7-10

Through Jesus’ work on the cross and the gift of the Holy Spirit, God has the ability to teach us over time to refrain our words by taking our thoughts captive, guarding our mouths from destruction. Its not easy! It doesn’t happen overnight because I wish it did! I still get caught saying things I later regret, things I didn’t think through before they passed my lips. But the Holy Spirit is doing a work in us by nudging our hearts to seek forgiveness and repentance, striving to guard my mouth more. We won’t always get it right, but we have the help we need if we listen to it, to lead us on the right path.

As I tell my children, I also tell myself, “Before the words come out of your mouth, think them through, checking for anything unkind, unworthy, or hurtful.”

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. Psalm 19:14

Day 173 – You can’t hide from God.

Today’s Reading: Psalm 138 – 140

Psalm 139:7-8 “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.”

Sometimes when we sin in secret we look around and see if anyone noticed. In the back of our mind we are hoping we got away unseen. But really, are we unseen?

The one person we can never hide from is God. He sees everything we do and everywhere we go. We can’t run far enough or go high enough, He will be there.

When David sinned by having an affair with Bathsheba, he did everything he could to make sure no one would know, but somehow he had a lapse in judgement because God knew. And God told Nathan and Nathan brought it to King David’s attention and immediately David prayed to God for forgiveness. The king realized it was against the Lord that he had sinned.

When God told Jonah to go to Nineveh and have the people repent of their sins, Jonah turned in the opposite direction and tried to run away. But God knew where Jonah was and went there.

When we are called to uncomfortable, or when we try and hide or runaway, we can’t ever be hidden from the Lord. He was there to form us in our Mother’s womb.

Psalm 139:13-16 “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”

Nothing about us shocks Him. No matter where we go or what we do He will never lose track of us or give up hope of our return to Him. What’s stopping you from getting right with God? He knows everything about you and has seen you at your lowest moments, and He still loves you. You can’t hide from Him.

Day 172 – Be Ready to face a Mocker with Truth and Love!

Today’s Reading: Psalm 135 – 137

Psalm 137:3 “for there our captors asked us for songs, our tormentors demanded songs of joy; they said, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

At some point in the lifetime of a Christian, someone will ridicule and mock you for your faith. The Mocker will test and taunt the believer until they feel like a fool. But if the believer is strong in their faith, standing firm on their beliefs, they will be Immoveable, growing constantly deeper, and eventually testing the beliefs of the non-believer.

Many people hope that there is some easy way to defend their faith, special words to say, yet there is no exact words or real science to it. When Satan tested Jesus, Jesus stated the Truth found in His Word because Truth is God’s Word.

All of our answers can be found in scripture. It may not be as easy for me to search for a certain scripture to answer a Mocker, but I will search until I find it and store that word in my heart for the future.

Truth is in scripture, but Faith is found in what we do not see and still choose to believe. The more sure we become in our Faith, the easier it will be for us to answer a Mocker. We must know that we know that we know that what we believe and who we believe is true.

When we finally turn to leave the Mocker we will have them wanting to know more and know why.

Day 171 – Let forgiveness be the bond that builds Unity.

Today’s Reading: Psalm 130 – 134

Psalm 133:1 “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!”

The soul aches when we harbor angst in our hearts against another soul. But when we constantly seek forgiveness, forgiveness acts as a salve to heal the wound.

We were created for communion “relationship” with one another, but sin became a wound that would continually have to be healed. However, we don’t see forgiveness come into relationships until Jacob and Esau, the brothers that had the sins of greed and lies break their family unit. Eventually, Jacob would have to come face to face with Esau to take on the land that was to be his, but first Jacob asked for forgiveness from his brother and it was shown in a grand way. Esau opened his arms and everything he had to Jacob and Jacob did likewise, so they decided to split that land but still live in unity with one another.

I wish I could say that once forgiven, sin was never committed between a group in unity, but sin lives in this world. The only forgiveness that lasts forever is that given to us through Christ and nothing can take that away. We will all struggle with one another. We all have different opinions, hurtful words, and sinful gestures that can bring wounds into any relationship. And when we let our wounds remain open the hurt will flow through our soul until it turns into anger and eventually into bitterness. These wounds whether big or small if not squelched with forgiveness can burn bridges between families, friends, co-workers, congregations, or really anywhere where 2 or more people are together. But forgiveness can heal the deepest wounds, rebuild the strongest of bridges, and restore churches, friendships, and families.

This is Unity – choosing to stand up for one another even though we are different, fallen, and sometimes hurtful. Unity is where Love and Forgiveness Dwell. Unity is available through Christ, and honestly, it takes Christ in You to build Unity.

Day 170 – Make sure all your decisions were His decision first.

Today’s Reading: Psalm 125 – 129

Psalm 127:1 “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.”

There’s just a little bit of me that envy’s a child. As a child your parents made all the decisions for you. If it was a wrong decision, for the most part you never knew about it. But when you become an adult there are so many decisions to make and so many different directions to take. And unless we make the “right” choice, everything we do is essentially worthless.

The Right decision isn’t always the easiest, clearest, or fastest decision out there. The world gives us so many options that they all start to look great.

For years after we were first married, Brett and I never felt settled. I felt called to ministry and Brett wasn’t sure where God wanted him. And when you aren’t in God’s Will, the plan you’ve been working on will never work. After a hard path yet the right path, we’ve landed where God wants us. It took both of us in a place of surrendered faith. We didn’t want to jump into the next job that was out there, we were tired of just making money for the purpose of having money, we wanted to do exactly what God wanted us to do.

We spent hours, days, and months in constant prayer, seeking counsel and wisdom, doing odd end jobs to keep food on the table, fasting to keep our minds fresh for God’s Word, and trusting that God would reveal to us the right decision. And now 11 years later our labor is no longer in vain. We are building His kingdom, one day at a time, one life at a time. We make every decision according to what He has for us, it make take a long time for us to see His plan revealed, but it’s better than our plan being torn away.

Day 169 – If it hadn’t been for God, where would I be?

Today’s Reading: Psalm 122 – 124

Psalm 124:1, 5 “If the Lord had not been on our side— let Israel say— the raging waters would have swept us away.”

Telling your testimony never gets old. Essentially, it is His Story told through your life. A Testimony is His Word brought to LIFE.

Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

Over the years, I’ve told my testimony in different places to different people and focused on different areas. But the most difficult and yet most rewarding was telling my children. I know a lot of people like to shelter their children from the troubles of their past, but it’s through our trials that lessons can be learned and God can be magnified the most to them.

A few years back my son yelled from another room, “Mom, when were you abused?” I walked around the corner and climbed up beside him and began explaining everything from my past but more specifically how God worked through each time. It was absolutely beautiful. He was so inquisitive and I pointed it all back to God’s Word and how without The Lord I don’t know what I would’ve done.

I showed him how God literally brought me through each trial. And how each one was brought on by Satan’s schemes, the fallen world, and some bad decisions on my part. My son was able to see how I became the woman I am today, how I got to where I am today, and how I am as Hope-filled as I am today.

If it weren’t for the Lord….the waves would have drowned me and the fires burn me alive. Instead, I’m better than just fine, I’m full of Joy, and so much stronger. I will NEVER EVER understand how anyone can make it through the trials of life without the Lord.

Day 168 – The Word is my Life Blood – Sweeter than honey

Today’s Reading: Psalm 119 – 121

Psalm 119:103 “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”

I’ve always been a Sugar Fanatic! Something about a pound of sugar on every bite of Krispies was the best EVER. However, a couple of years ago, another sweetener stole my heart away – Honey! It makes my absolutely favorite meal even better… yummy Mellow Mushroom pretzels with a side of honey please. Both sugar and honey taste good to my lips, but too much of either make me sick. Yet, there is still one thing I crave even more than either of them, it turns a sour stomach well and truly gives me LIFE…The Word of God.

Psalm 119:93 “I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life.”

There are 4 reasons why I’m constantly in His Word, craving His Word, trusting His Word, and storing His Word in my heart.

First, the Word of God will comfort you in every storm.

Psalm 119:50 “My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.”

Ever since a little girl, when I hurt, I would go to my room and read a bit of my Bible until the pain was gone. With no formal Bible Study education, I can’t tell you how many times I read Genesis and Exodus.

Second, the Word of God gives you Hope.

Psalm 119:114 “You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.”

After abuse, a miscarriage, losing everything, and having my youngest child beat me to Heaven, each time I’ve put my hope in God’s Word.

Third, the Word of God will fill you with an abundance of Joy.

Psalm 119:24 “Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors.”

The Joy of the Lord is my strength. It has gotten me through my darkest days, lightened my load, filled me with a new song, and brought me to dancing.

Lastly, the Word of God will be your Light in the darkness.

Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”

This light has lead me closer to God, deeper in my walk, and along every path. Thankfully His Word is here forever.

Isaiah 40:8 “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.”

Day 167 – Man makes mistakes but God is Always Faithful.

Today’s Reading: Psalm 116 – 118

Psalm 118:8 “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans.”

When you get that dreaded phone call or the boss hands you a pink slip, when your A/C breaks in the middle of a Florida Summer and you’ve maxed out your credit cards, when you find an extra cell phone in your spouse’s drawer, or when your teenage daughter gets a text that makes you question what she’s been doing, who do you go to?

Do you trust in your credit cards, your boss, or the moms in carline to help your problems? Do you rely on the government, the President, or your income tax return to make your life better?

Or do you go straight to GOD with every worry, irrational thought, every issue from your deepest hurts or your just plain messy life?

People change. We’re like chameleons. With the passing of every wind and the change of every trend, our minds dive into the next best thing, our style floats back and forth through generations, our attitudes depends on the time of month and the weather, and our decisions depend on what side of the bed we woke up on. But the Lord never changes!

Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

Man will one day turn to dust and their Spirit will move to Heaven or Hell, so all their decisions, all of their plans and ideas will change to the next mans. But God is here forever. We can take refuge in Him and He will protect us, help us, lead us, and guide us. He will be there through every trial and every circumstance.

Psalm 146:3-5 “Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God.”

So where does your help, hope, and refuge come from?

Psalm 121:2 “My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”

Day 166 – Make a plan to Praise Him when your heart no longer feels able to Praise.

Today’s Reading: Psalm 113 – 115

Psalm 113:3 “From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets,the name of the Lord is to be praised.”

I will praise Him in the morning and in the afternoon. I will praise Him in the evening and underneath the moon. I will praise Him all the day; I will praise Him, I will pray. I will praise Him for He is Lord and worthy to be praised.

We aren’t always going to feel like praising God, but God is always worthy to be praised.

How do you praise the Lord? Do you seek Him out? Do you look for His goodness among the chaos? Do you sing to Him, do you exclaim His Goodness from the rooftops? Do you claim His promises in the tragedies? Do you declare His Majesty to a fallen and broken world?

I will praise Him when all is good and when all is bad. I will praise Him when the day is happy and the day is sad. I will praise Him, I will sing; I will let His Glorious praises Ring.

If the praises are no longer coming naturally, if you’ve hit a rough bout, if the world seems to be falling apart, if tragedy has struck again, plan to praise Him until you feel the praise flowing from your soul.

Start by praying as soon as you wake and right before you go to bed. Pray as He has taught you: Praise Him for His goodness and for all He has done, Ask Him to cleanse you of your sins, Tell Him your needs and desires and those of the people around you.

I will praise Him in my prayers; I will praise Him in my song; I will praise Him every day, and all the day long.

Add songs of praise and worship to your daily routine. No matter whether you stay home or go to work, as you load up in the car or load your first basket of laundry, turn on some Praise Songs that get your heart beating and your feet thumping. Songs that fill you with the Holy Spirit, that raise your hands in worship and your heart in natural praise.

Choose to praise Him in every situation and in every circumstance. When you plan to praise Him no matter what, light will break through the darkness and pierce the evil. Praise will overwhelm you, and when you enter your darkest hour, you will only have the Desire to Praise His Name!