With a restful and prayerful mind, "Trust God"

God wants us to rely on him and he is very pleased when we focus on his presence in everything that we do and "Trust Him".

"Let me hear of your unfailing love to me in the morning for I am trusting you.  Show me where to walk, for I have come to you in prayer" - Psalm 143:8

David was struggling with depression at this time and losing hope fast. He then turned to God and put all of his faith and trust that God would lead him out of this position he was in.

From the beginning God has promised us his protection and guidance.  He has always said he would be with us no matter what circumstances we are in and he will "Bring us Home".

"What more, I will be with you, and I will protect you wherever you go.  I will someday bring you back to this land. I will be with you constantly until I have finished giving you everything I have promised" - Genesis 28:15

Keep Seeking and Searching for God

Psalm 105:4-5
Search for the Lord and for his strength, and keep on searching. Think of the wonderful works he has done, the miracles and the judgments he has handed down.

• There are times in our lives God seems so far away and at times we ignore and do not seek him.  These are those times that we MUST seek him.  "God rewards those who sincerely look for him" (Hebrews 11:6)
• Believing in God is only the beginning.  God wants more from us than just to believe in him.  He wants a personal and intimate relationship with us. Being an acquaintance is not enough for him.  Seeking a relationship with God daily will get you an intimate presence of him in your life forever!

Psalm 19:1-2

The heavens tell of the glory of God.  The skies display his marvelous craftsmanship.  Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make it known.  

• There is more than enough evidence on this earth to tell us how great our creator really is.  If we just look at our earth, skies, animals, oceans, people, etc. There is just no way this all just happened by chance.  
• Seeking a relationship and getting to know this God will give us that love that we all pursue.  It also gives us a look into the type of power this God, my God, has. 

As we seek God we learn the following:

1. We learn about his power and our limitations as humans. 
2. We learn about how great our God is and how sinful as humans we are.
3. We learn about his forgiveness that takes away our sin and frees us from guilt.  

Isaiah 60:2

Darkness as black as night will cover all the nations of the earth, but the glory of the Lord will shine over you.

• Our hearts before God are dark and evil places.  When we allow God to take the controls of our life, he fills our hearts with light and love. 
• It is now our job to seek that light for our dark hearts and reflect it to others so that they may see the joy of submitting to and building a relationship with such an awesome and loving God.
• In all we do, GLORIFY HIM!!

Joy and Trusting God

Trust in the Lord and do good.  Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord and he will give you your hearts desires.  (Psalms 37:3-4)

• What does it mean to take delight in God?  
• To take delight in the Lord means we must enjoy or take pleasure in God.  We can only do this if we get to know him well.  The more we get to know God and our knowledge of how much he loves us grows, the more joy and delight we will experience.  

Trust in the Lord with all of your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your path.  (Proverbs 3:5-6)

• Letting go of our own desire to do things our way is very hard.  However, until we can release the controls of our life to God, we block our chances to grow, get to know, trust and have 100% joy in God.  
• God know what is best for us. We might think we know, but our selfish desires keep us from knowing what is best for us.  However, God is unwavering in his understanding of us and what is good in our lives. However, we must be willing to trust God.  How can we do this?
• We must be willing to take the choices we have in our lives to God.  There is nothing wrong with putting thought into choices this life brings us.  However, running those choices past God will solidify what directions we take in our life.  

1. Take your choices to him in prayer
2. Use the words of the bible (Gods instruction manual for our life) to guide you
3. Be willing to open your eyes and hearts to God leadership and trusting that he will direct your paths by both guiding and protecting you.  

Extra Reading:  John 10:1-18  Jesus is the Good Shepherd.  (Remember, Jesus is the Shepherd and we are his sheep) so when you read this... put yourself in the place of the sheep.  

  “I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! ² But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. ³ The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴ After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. ⁵ They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.”

 ⁶ Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn’t understand what he meant, ⁷ so he explained it to them: “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. ⁸ All who came before me^[a] were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. ⁹ Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved.^[b] They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. ¹⁰ The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

 ¹¹ “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. ¹² A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. ¹³ The hired hand runs away because he’s working only for the money and doesn’t really care about the sheep.

 ¹⁴ “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, ¹⁵ just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. ¹⁶ I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd.

 ¹⁷ “The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. ¹⁸ No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.”

Using our difficulties to embrace and "Trust God".

God 100% understands that all of us are flawed.  We make mistakes, we go through trials and obstacles in our lives, and we have a desire to rely on ourselves first.  However, we must use our mistakes to open the door for us to "Trust God" and believe with confidence he will take care of us.

2 Corinthians 1:8-9
I think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and completely overwhelmed, and we thought we would never live through it.  In fact, we expected to die.  But as a result, we learned not to rely on ourselves, but on God who can raise the dead. 

Here Paul writes and expresses his belief that he and his group were going to die.  He follows this thought with the statement that he had to relay on God. It becomes very easy as mere humans to rely on ourselves.  It also becomes very easy to only turn and call on God when times are bad and we are in a helpless state.  As we mature as Christ followers we begin to realize how depending on God is much easier that depending on ourselves.  As we depend on God more often in our lives, we become closer with him.

When we meet new people, we become closer friends by learning more about them and spending more time with them.  The same can be said for our father in heaven.  The more we seek out God (whether it be in study or prayer) the closer we become with him and in turn "Trust Him".  When we can let go and "Trust God" we can then begin to turn to him, to both glorify him in good times as well as seek him in times of difficulty. We must all learn how to rely on God daily in all situations that we perceive as positive or negative.


Trusting God in both good and bad times is also expressed in:
 Ephesians 5:20
And you will always give thanks for everything to God the father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Glorifying God must be done in "Everything" we do.  Whether it is the times where we struggle or the times when we are on top of the mountain, we must take time to thank God for the gifts he has given us.  Because when we are having problems, he is then carrying us and giving us strength to grow as Christ believers.  In good and difficult experiences God is showing his love for us and for that, in paths of our lives we must be willing to not only "Trust God" but thank him for building us up during those times.

Prayer:  God allow us as a world and your creation to trust you.  You were willing to sacrifice your own flesh and blood for us therefore earning what should be our unfailing love and trust forever.  However, at times we are flawed and we want to do things ourselves.  Lord be with us and help us grow to let go of that desire to "be on our own".  While we are undeserving of your gifts, allow us to glorify you in all gifts you give us whether they were sought out gifts or a lesson we needed to learn in order to glorify you! Thank you Lord in the name of your sacrificial and loving son Jesus Christ.... Amen!

We are to Love others and not judge them... (Luke 6:37-38)

As I was reading my FCA Bible today, I came across a daily devotional called, "It starts early".  It really hit me at home as it is something I see daily as a coach, teacher, and human walking this earth.

37) Jesus says, "Stop judging others, and you will not be judged. Stop criticizing others, or it will all come back on you. If you forgive others, you will be forgiven.

• Why is Jesus, who was in human form allowed to says this to us?  The only answer is, he practiced 100% what he preached.  Jesus did not judge or criticize others.  He loved all people as God intended us to love each other.  Therefore, he was allowed to give us God's message that we should not judge nor criticize each other.  He was the only human to walk the earth and not sin.  Therefore, the rest of us are sinners and will not be allowed by God to judge or criticize without it coming back on us.  
• God intends for us to have a forgiving spirit.  However, when be become critical or condemning, we will soon receive criticism and become condemned.  

38) If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use in giving - large or small - it will be used to measure what is given back to you. 

• Jesus, in his own words, speaks of the reward of being generous, thankful, and compassionate.  The more we add these qualities to our daily lives, the more we will receive this in full return from God himself.  

So as a Christian man, what can I do? 

1.  Keep my eyes on the cross:  The moment I begin to take my eyes off the cross and its meaning, are  the moments I struggle the most.  Keeping my eyes on the cross will allow me to think before I speak and act. 
2. Model what Christ would want of me: As stated above, Christ lived this perfect non-judgmental life.  He modeled it to his disciples and preached about it.  If I want others in this world to follow along in living a more non-judgmental, non-critical life, then I must be a leader in this and model my actions and tongue based upon how Christ would do this.  
3. Witness to others:  Without spreading the word of God, this message can't be passed along to others. Be willing to talk to others whom you see being judgmental and through Christ words, help them choose a better path.  Of course, this takes me following through with #1 and #2 to be able to do #3.  

Extra Reading: 

And be sure to pay attention to what you hear. The more you do this, the more you will understand - even more besides.  Those who are open to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But those who are not listening, even what they have will be taken from away from them. (Mark 4:24)

• Jesus has been revealed to us.  He is not hiding, but waiting on us. As we live our daily lives, we most likely will not understand immediately what we have in front of us.  However, as we begin to model the actions that God wants of us, more and more truth will be revealed to us! While we struggle to comprehend what we have in the gift of Jesus Christ, the more we practice living a Christ like life, the more we will grow in our knowledge and understanding of our Savior Jesus Christ and what he wants of us!

Turbulent Time! 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

3. All praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  he is the source of every mercy and the God who comforts us. (4) He comforts us in all of our troubles so that we can comfort others.  When others are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

• Having trouble, obstacles or trials in life is part of its experience.  However, it is a must to grow a dependence on God. 
• Just because we turn to God however, does not make our problems go away. That can't happen as people would then only turn to God when they were struggling and desperate and not have a true unconditional love as they should.  

Examples of God conforming to us:

1. Strength to deal with trials and obstacles
2. Encouragement
3. Hope

Loving God unconditionally and trusting God during all moments (Good or Bad) is showing true Love of God.

Additional Scripture: 

"You can be sure that the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ" (2 Corinthians 1:5). 

• Keep in mind the more we suffer or struggle, the more God will comfort us. 
• When you are feeling overwhelmed, allow God to have control of your life, the situation and let him comfort you. 

When you have a life obstacle, take note on how God comforts you.  Then, be willing to comfort others the same when you see others with similiar struggles.  

Paul, in his ministry, suffered in many different ways.  However, he kept grinding because he knew he was fulfilling Gods plan for him. 

• These type of trials are a check and balance to us.  This helps us to keep our pride down and allows us to instead, "RELY ON GOD".  

Remember to Keep a Game Plan:  Gods Plan

"For I know the plans I have for you", says the Lord "Plans for good, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11).  

• We all come up with this great plan for our lives. However, at times it seems we have forgotten God in the plan.  Life will give us its own twist.  It is at these times, we have to be willing to trust God and give him the controls of our lives.  

To love Christ and follow Christ we can achieve victory that no personal game plan can achieve.  

1. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to know (Psalm 139:6)
2. Remember that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the price.  You also must run in such a way that you will win.  All athletes practice strict self-control.  They do it to win a price that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.  So I run straight to the goal with purpose in every step.  I am not like a boxer who misses  his punches.  I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should.  Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others, I myself might be disqualified (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).  

Listening to God: Hebrews 12:14-17

Studied and Written in April 2010:
Hebrews 12:14: Try to live in peace with everyone, ans seek to live a clean and holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.

• We should work very hard to not let sin block our vision of God. 
• Obey God and live in peace with others
• We might no always like other believers.  However, we must pursue being more Christ like. 

15:  Look after each other so that none of you will miss out on the special favor of God.  Watch out that no bitter root of unbelief rises up among you, for whenever it springs up, many are corrupted by it poison.

• Bitterness - has the ability to show its evil face and cast a dark cloud over the deepest Christian relationship.  
• Allowing grudges to fester can severely damage our Christian foundation and cause a multitude of immorality to be exhibited. 
• BRING CHRIST INTO OUR LIVES TO HEAL THIS BITTERNESS.  

16-17:  Make sure that nobody is immoral or Godless like Esau (Genesis 25:29-34 & 27:36).  He traded is birth right as the oldest son for a meal. And afterward, when he wanted his fathers blessing he was rejected.  It was too late for repentance, even though he wept better tears.  

• Mistakes (Sins) even when repented, can still cause harm to us.  
• We should make choices based on what our vision for life (long run vision) and not what we desire now.   
• As Christians, make sure to evaluate long range effects of decisions to assure that our morals as Christians are not put in jeopardy.  

Lord, as I make this daily walk with you, I pray that I make choices that would reflect my faith in you and my beliefs as a Christian.  While I know my walk with not be perfect, I pray that as I attempt to walk a Christian path, I also model for believers and non believers, how you expect me to be.  And as I make mistakes, I ask that you give me the vision to see that mistake, learn from it, and grow as a Christ follower.  Thank you for the  sacrifice of your son Jesus Christ, who made this all possible!  In his name I pray this prayer for all of us...AMEN!