God’s Promises: Standing Firm

2 Corinthians 1:20 (ESV) ~~ For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.

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by Carley Cooper

As Christians we are well acquainted with the story of Jesus.  He is our Saviour.  Some of us have heard this story our whole lives.  We know it.  We believe it.  We live it. 

Even with this, there are times when suddenly it can hit us like it’s all brand new; like we’ve never heard it before.  Someone died to save ME!  How can this be? 

Overwhelmed with His Love

A few Sunday’s ago, I got very overwhelmed during a church service while we were singing the song, Standing on the Promises of God.  It’s a very well known song.  It made me think ‘What are the promises of God?’  There are so very many.  But, the one that popped into my head first was ‘I am forgiven’.  Of all that I have said and done in this lifetime to hurt God, myself, the world, and others; God has completely forgiven me.  The more I thought about it the more my emotions built up.  I was close to tears with all that I was feeling.  I am forgiven.

God Promises are Solid

He doesn’t change His mind.  He’s God, and He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.  I’m not sure, as human beings, we can truly wrap our minds around just what that means.  No matter how well we trust another person, the truth of the matter is they can hurt us.  Promises are very often broken, even in the best intentions.  No one is perfect, and people can and do let us down at some point or another.  No matter how well we ‘know’ a certain person ‘could never’ or ‘would never’ hurt us, the fact remains that they are just human and the possibility is always there. There’s no guarantee button to click to make sure we don’t get hurt.

We are Forgiven  

Because I am forgiven, despite all the stuff I've done, I am completely free.  So many things would make other people hate me; but God loves me anyway.  God is so good it’s really incomprehensible.  It’s like the song says, we are standing on promises that cannot fail.  And, as such, we cannot fall.

Standing on the Promises of God

Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
through eternal ages let his praises ring;
glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
standing on the promises of God.

Refrain:
Standing, standing,
standing on the promises of Christ my Saviour;
standing, standing,
I'm standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
when the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
by the living Word of God I shall prevail,
standing on the promises of God.
(Refrain)

Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,
bound to him eternally by love's strong cord,
overcoming daily with the Spirit's sword,
standing on the promises of God.
(Refrain)

Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
listening every moment to the Spirit's call,
resting in my Saviour as my all in all,
standing on the promises of God.
(Refrain)

Let’s Pray

Dear God ~~ Wonderful, loving, ever-faithful Father; You have blessed us with so many promises.  We can’t even truly comprehend the magnitude of the promises You’ve given us.  Sometimes I forget to say thank You for the sacrifice of Jesus.  Some days I just take it for granted.  Thank You for this sacrifice.  Please help me to stand firm on Your promises every day, and help me not to hurt others.  I pray in Jesus name, AMEN

Now It’s Your Turn

Thoughts?  Questions?  Want to share your story?  Ask for prayer? Please share in the comments section.

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What if You Had 30 Days Left to Live?

James 4:14 (NIV)~~Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

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by Carley Cooper

 

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If you had 30 days left to live, how would you spend your time?  On the thirty-first day you know you will die, what legacy would you want to leave this world? 

How Would You Live Your Last 30 Days?

This question was proposed recently in two different forums that I take part in online.  I’ve been thinking a lot about this whole idea since then.  How would I really live my last days?  Honestly, my very first thought was “I don’t want to die as a single person.  I would ask my ex-bf (and BFF) if he would marry me, so I wouldn’t have to die alone.”  Not that my friends and family wouldn’t be there, I know they would; but it’s not the same as having your spouse hold your hand.  My other thoughts went to “I want to see Italy”, “I need to find good homes for my pets”, and “I’d stop thinking and worrying about a falling out that happened years ago causing someone I love to hate me.”

Then, I read the responses that so many other people wrote.  I think it shows just where people’s hearts are to read some of the answers.  Some said they would write letters or make DVD’s to leave their family, or travel.  Others said they would spend more time with their loved ones, at church, or reading the Word. 

Since it was a Christian forum most said they would want to spread the gospel to more people.  Of course, as a Christian that’s the right answer.  But if this idea was a reality in our life, would we really do that?  Or, would we be focused on something else like getting married and seeing Italy? 

There are No Promises Made

The truth is, we are not told how long we have on this earth.  We are not promised a certain amount of time.  We should be living each and every day like it’s our last one.  So many of us think we are already living a life where we share the Good News of Jesus as much as we can.  But do we really?  If these were the last days of your life would you / could you find more opportunities to share? 

Every day of our lives should be spent telling God how much we love Him, and telling others how my He loves them.  That’s not to say we shouldn’t focus on our family and friends, because indeed we should.  Telling them how much we love them and, even more importantly, showing them; and praying for them are also important things. 

We Need to Make Our Days Count

We need to act, every day, like it’s our last day because we do not know when our last day will be.  We need to focus more on making each day count as much as it can be.  So stop to think each morning when you wake up and plan what you can do today to make it matter.  What would be the most important thing you could do?  Would it be about Jesus and your family?  Would you continue to care about some of the things you believe today are important?  What can you do to make a difference today?  What would you change?  What would you do to impress Jesus and depress the enemy?  The countdown starts now… make it count!

Let’s Pray

Dear God ~~ Wonderful, loving, ever-faithful Father; You have blessed us with life here on earth.  We so often forget to thank You for that.  Thank You for the Good News about Jesus.  Please help me to live each and every day focused on Jesus, like I will get to meet Him face to face tomorrow.  I pray in Jesus name, AMEN

Now It’s Your Turn

Thoughts?  Questions?  Want to share your story?  Ask for prayer? Please share in the comments section.

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Who Really Suffers the Most?

James 1:2-4 (NIV) ~~ Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

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by Carley Cooper

I read a status message online the other day that said:

“God only puts us through as much as we can handle, so the people who struggle the most have been chosen to be the strongest ones.” 

My first thought when I saw this message was “There it is again; someone else who thinks that they’ve suffered more.”  Which, in my mind, means they believe my trials weren’t as hard for me to go through as theirs were for them.  People seem to want to make it clear to others that they, themselves, have suffered so much that no one else could possibly understand.  Personally, I find that to be an insult. 

My Burdens Make Me Strong

It really started me thinking about all the burdens I’ve had to carry in my lifetime.  Am I one of the strong ones?  Or maybe, despite all that I’ve been through in my lifetime with abuse, physical and mental health issues (just to name a few) it’s not actually a big enough load to consider me as being one of the tough people.  

How does my load compare, really, to others?  Who gets to measure what is “a lot” compared to “not as much” or “a little”?  And, why does it matter anyway?  Do I have the right to say “I’ve suffered more than you”, or “I can see that Jim has suffered more than Bob”?  Where in the bible does it say that God only puts us through as much as we can handle?  Does God’s Word say that the ones who struggle the “most” are the strongest ones?   

God Loves You Too

Who are we to compare one person’s burdens to another?  God created us for HIS purpose.  That purpose in one life may be a short and difficult life.  Does it mean lives that were ended prematurely didn’t struggle as hard just because they were short; that they never got a chance to be one of the strong ones?   

We can't compare ourselves to someone else like that.  We need to try to understand the magnitude of God's love for us.  He loves us so much that He sent Jesus to die for us in order that we could be forgiven.

It’s not a competition peeps.  Even when it may appear that someone has suffered more / less than you, doesn’t make it true.  Your load may have been bigger, but that doesn’t mean you’ve suffered more.  One person’s load, if it could be given to someone else, may not feel the same weight on someone else’s shoulders.  What’s hard for me to handle may not be hard for you; and visa versa.  To say that one person has suffered more is like comparing apples and oranges, chalk and cheese, or dogs and cats!  You just can’t make them equal, because they are completely different. 

Only God Knows For Sure

The bible doesn’t tell us that God only gives us the burdens we can carry, and no more.  Where’s the suffering in that?  It says that He only gives us temptations that we are able to resist, if we really wanted to.  1 Corinthians 10:13 says:

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.

I urge you, friends, to think about others before making a judgement on how much they’ve suffered.  We don’t know what their journey is all about, or all that’s involved.  Only God knows that.  The important thing to remember is that we all have to suffer in this world.  No one escapes without going through some trials.  They are necessary to build our faith so we become mature and complete, get blessings, and get close to God.

Let’s Pray

Dear God ~~ Thank You merciful and loving Father for all Your blessings.  We try to compete with each other in such ridiculous ways sometimes.  Thank You for helping us to become more like Jesus every day through our trials and traumas.  Please help us to remember that we do not have to compete for Your love.  You love each and every one of us in our own special way.  Thank You for that.   In Jesus name, I pray.  AMEN.

Now It’s Your Turn

Thoughts?  Questions?  Want to share your story?  Ask for prayer? Please share in the comments section.

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New Website Launch

Photo Credit:  Paul Duarte Photography

I've just launched a new website called 
Breaking the Window - It's about helping to break stigma against mental illness and abuse; one window at a time.  Stigma hurts!  Every Time! 

The mission statement is:   

It is the mission of Breaking the Window to reach out to people in all areas of life to help, empower, inspire, and educate them in an effort to help break the stigma in the world surrounding Domestic Violence and Mental Health issues; and to help those suffering to build healthier, happier lives.  

I am welcoming guest authors to publish posts on this site that fall within the topics of our mission statement.  Check out the Guest Post Guidelines, and submit a post.  I'd love to hear from you!

The story behind the name 'Breaking the Window' is on the About Us page.  The website also has lots of resources listed for both Abuse and Mental Health issues.

Come and check it out!  Thank you.  

The website address is:

www.BreakingTheWindow.com

How Do You Pay Others Back?

1 Peter 3:9 (NIV) - Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.

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by Carley Cooper

It’s a regular day in your life.  No, on second thought it’s better than regular.  You’re having a great day.  Everything is falling into place.  Your teenagers got up and got off to school without any squabbling about who gets the bathroom first.  Your spouse got off to work with a promise to be home for a nice family dinner together.  Your boss, called you in to give you praise, and a bonus, for a job well done on your last big project.  Even the weather is cooperating with a beautiful blue sky filled with sunshine all day. 

Life is Wonderful Today!

That is, until you’re on your way home from work.  You’re driving along minding your own business when some guy pulls out in front of you without looking.  He cuts you off and you miss hitting him by mere inches.  This kind of thing makes you angry.  What was he thinking?  Doesn’t he know the rules of the road?  Someone should teach him to drive so he doesn’t put others in danger!  You yell at him and shake your fist, even though he can’t hear you from inside the car.  Then again, some people might even open their window or get out and yell at the guy.  Road rage has kicked in.  You almost had the perfect day; until one person had to ruin it for you. But you told him!  You’re proud of yourself.  He won’t mess with you anymore.

Evil + Evil Does Not = Blessings

Maybe you don’t get road rage.  Maybe you react in other situations though.  How would you react in some of these situations?:

• You see a Facebook status that you don't like, is embarrassing or hurtful to you or someone you love?
• You get overcharged in a store?
• You get a telemarketing sales call?
• Someone does / says something to hurt you, or betray you or someone you love?
• Your boss asks you to work overtime when you have other plans?
• Your neighbours are playing their music too loud?
• Someone embarrasses or humiliates you in public?

I bet there’s at least one of those situations that would get your back arched up.  You would want to get back at the other person by telling yourself that you’re just defending yourself or your loved ones.  Or, maybe you wouldn’t react in public.  Maybe you would feel enraged and just imagine what you would like to do or say to that other person.

Well, guess What?!  You may be proud of yourself, but God is not proud of you in situations when you don’t respond how He wants you to.

God Wants to Give You Blessings

God can’t give us blessings if we repay evil with evil.  That’s not at all how we are to react to upsetting situations with other people.  1 Peter 3:9 says “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.” 

I know what you’re thinking.  “What?  You mean God wants me to be nice to a guy who just nearly killed me?”

In a word… YES!  The correct response would have been to be nice to the man.  In situations like that we are to bless the other person.  I know you can’t imagine wishing someone blessings in a situation like that, but try it.  Even if the other driver can’t hear you, say “God please richly bless that person.” (and mean it!)  I think you will find that you feel much better afterward.  Not only that but you’ll start seeing more blessings happening in your own life. 

So next time you’re in a sticky situation with someone else, how are you going to pay them back?

Let’s Pray

Dear God ~~ Thank You merciful and loving Father for all Your blessings.  So often I react before thinking.  Thank You that Your Word teaches how I should react.  Please help me respond in a way that pleases You in every situation.  Please help me to bless others every time I interact with other people so that they will see Jesus shining through.  In Jesus name, I pray.  AMEN.

Now It’s Your Turn

Thoughts?  Questions?  Want to share your story?  Ask for prayer? Please share in the comments section.

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