Thorns of Grace

When you're at your weakest and least, He's at His strongest and best and can use you most. God doesn't always remove the thorn, but then again, Christ our King, wore a crown of thorns just for you.

August's Message, Day 29:

Blessed are those who have regard for the weak; the Lord delivers them in times of trouble. The Lord protects and preserves them— they are counted among the blessed in the land— he does not give them over to the desire of their foes. The Lord sustains them on their sickbed and restores them from their bed of illness. Psalm 41:1-3 NIV

We all struggle with times of weakness, stress, fatigue, and illnesses and infirmities of all sorts. It should be comforting to know that the Lord is gracious and merciful to the downcast and those in need. He truly is there to help you overcome and enable you to be at your very best in every way, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Our God is the One who sustains us and continually restores us. Though He may not fully "fix" us, we should trust that He truly knows what is best and how we, through our own experience of ailments, can use those same afflictions to help others in their distress. We can only perceive what we think is best for us, while He knows what is best for us and everyone we've yet to come in contact with. Use everything you've been given for His glory, even if what you're experiencing right now only seems to superficially be the thorn that never gets removed. God can work wonders and miracles with thorns.

Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from 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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:7b-10 NIV

Call Upon His Name

For Sunday:  When you’re troubled, tempted, wrought with worry, or just down and in despair, call upon His name and He will be there to see you through, exchange His comfort for your turmoil, and exchange His peace for your anguish. He is your God. Turn to Him.

August's Message, Day 28: For Sunday

Turn to Him in troubled times, and even better, turn to Him daily. Thank Him often for being there for you and getting you through the day. He is a most gracious, merciful, and loving God, so make sure you let Him know it. It's not for Him, it's to help you increase your faith and trust.

Day 22:

Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame. It is the Sovereign Lord who helps me. Who will condemn me? Isaiah 50:7,9a NIV

Day 23:

For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians 6:2 NIV

Day 24:

Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. Hebrews 2:18 NIV

And:

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV

Day 25:

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:25-34 NIV

Day 26:

In you, Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness. Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me. Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me. Keep me free from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge. Into your hands I commit my spirit; deliver me, Lord, my faithful God. I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul. Psalm 31:1-5,7 NIV

Day 27:

Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and body with grief. My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my strength fails because of my affliction, and my bones grow weak. But I trust in you, Lord; I say, “You are my God.” Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love. How abundant are the good things that you have stored up for those who fear you, that you bestow in the sight of all, on those who take refuge in you. In the shelter of your presence you hide them from all human intrigues; you keep them safe in your dwelling from accusing tongues. Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord. Psalm 31:9,10,14,16,19,20,24 NIV

The Divine Whisper is just waiting inside you for you to call upon His name for help. Speak to Him often, better still, listen intently.

You Are My God

In your deepest, darkest moments, cry out to Him and say, "You are my God," and He will answer your trust and hope in Him with everything good, surround you with His unfailing love, and give you all His strength to carry on.

August's Message, Day 27:

Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and body with grief. My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my strength fails because of my affliction, and my bones grow weak. But I trust in you, Lord; I say, “You are my God.” Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love. How abundant are the good things that you have stored up for those who fear you, that you bestow in the sight of all, on those who take refuge in you. In the shelter of your presence you hide them from all human intrigues; you keep them safe in your dwelling from accusing tongues. Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord. Psalm 31:9,10,14,16,19,20,24 NIV

We continue to read in Psalm 31 all the hope, help, protection and preservation, and abundance of all things good, when we turn our troubled hearts to the Lord. Just like David, in our deepest, darkest moments we can call upon His name and say, "You are my God," and He withholds no good and wonderful thing for those whose hope and trust is in Him. Turn to Him, and His face will shine upon you with His unfailing love.

He Is Your Refuge

When the troubles of this world are weighing you down, and your soul is in the deepest of despair, call upon His name and He will bring you to His fortress of refuge and peace. Psalm 31 is where you'll find His solace and assurance of His presence.

August's Message, Day 26:

In you, Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness. Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me. Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me. Keep me free from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge. Into your hands I commit my spirit; deliver me, Lord, my faithful God. I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul. Psalm 31:1-5,7 NIV

If you're a bit downcast, then this psalm, Psalm 31, together with Psalm 23, should be your go-to place to regain His comfort, peace, and assurance. He will never forsake you or leave you, nor let you be put to shame. He is your refuge and deliverer in troubled times. His righteousness surrounds you and rescues you from the evil traps of this world. He listens intently to your prayer and answers by leading and guiding you into the fortress of His presence. He is your rock foundation which nothing can shake or tumble. He is always faithful and true, and does all this for His name's sake. Call upon Him in troubled times and His love is there to bring you peace and joy in Him. He is your God. Surely He sees your affliction and the burning anguish in your soul. Most assuredly, He the solace you are hoping for.

Worry for Naught

Our lives are always filled with uncertainly about tomorrow, but worry is not a beneficial answer to that dilemma. Be diligent in all you do, prepare as best you can, and put your faith and trust in the One who will see you through.

August's Message, Day 25:

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:25-34 NIV

A bit lengthy, but isn't that how worry is? We go on and on cycling and recycling those negative thoughts over and over and really accomplishing nothing useful at all. We try to see and know and anticipate the future, although impossible, and usually much of our worry is totally misplaced and unfounded. Still, we all do it. It's part of our uncertain nature, not knowing what tomorrow will bring. That's precisely where faith and trust in Him comes to the rescue. God knows full well everything that we need and everything that will happen. If we focus each day on the business at hand, wisely prepare for tomorrow as best we can, and make sure He has first place in our life, then we have diligently done all that can reasonably be done. We must learn to be content and at peace with that. Tomorrow is a brand new day and He'll be there with you, too. Make the opportunities overpower the potential setbacks. After all, you've made it this far, and I'm sure you've had many a day you thought you'd never get through.

Overcoming Temptation

When facing temptation, turn to the One who resisted and overcame it all, Jesus. Let Christ and the Holy Spirit show you the way out from under the grip of temptation, so that you may flee from it and endure it, without compromise. He's been there and He's there to help you as well.

August's Message, Day 24:

Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. Hebrews 2:18 NIV

It is helpful for us to remember that as a man, Jesus was tempted just like we are. The difference, however, is that Jesus, the man, was fully empowered by the Holy Spirit, and as such was fully able to completely resist all temptation and remain perfectly sinless. He was born holy, of the Holy Spirit, and remained holy. We, however, since the Garden, have lost our holiness and hence all of us are born sinful. The good news is that while we are certainly sinners, we also may be empowered by the Holy Spirit to help us resist temptation, although never fully and perfectly. Jesus is there to help us as He can empathize with our struggles and strife, too. Always remember what we have been told in 1 Corinthians 10:13; "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." You must keep that Scripture in your heart and practice it. Ask God for the way out and He will show you the best method to remove yourself from the presence of the temptation. Most importantly, you must follow His leading and earnestly seek the way out. Struggle still we will, but Jesus, the One who overcame, is there to help us be overcomers, too.

This Is Your Time

We are living in the day of salvation and the day of the Lord's favor. This is our time. What are you doing with your time and your life to spiritually rise above the noise of this earth and soar to the heights of heaven? You were created for such a time as this.

August's Message, Day 23:

For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians 6:2 NIV

Indeed, every day since the Cross is the day of salvation and the day of God's favor. We are a specially blessed conglomerate of generations who are living in this zone of God's special favor. He hears us, He answers us, His Spirit lives within us, and He helps us overcome and persevere and live in His abundance. Only living in Heaven itself, directly in His presence, could be better than such a time as this. This is our time to shine, our time to succeed, our time to flourish, our time to set the stage and be the example. Don't waste one moment of this special time. It's time to spread your spiritual wings and fly to the heights of heaven like the eagle, soaring above all the noise and distractions down on the surface of the earth. Soar, don't hold back, this is your time to fly.