Good thoughts, Bad thoughts!

“He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. Psalm 112:7.

When I am going through trials of various kinds I have a very hard time having good thoughts in and towards the Lord! Indulged worries become idols and anxieties gain a life of it’s own, like a parasite infesting the mind. The only way to break free from this bondage is by affirming our trust in God and refreshing ourselves in His presence. What goes on in our minds is invisible, undetectable to other people. But God reads our thoughts continually, searching for evidence of trust in Him. The Lord rejoices when our minds turn towards Him! Guard your thoughts diligently; good thought-choices will keep us close to Him. 1 Corinthians 13:11.

Thanksgiving unto Him

To enjoy the presence of the Lord in the midst of trouble we will need the faith that only God can give us! There are times when we have a mountain of circumstances before us and we feel that our faith is to small and inadequate to handle that mountain! In Matthew 17:14-20 the disciples had this very problem when a father brought his demon possessed son to them to have that demon cased out! Jesus would soon rebuke and cast out that demon and the boy was immediately healed! The disciples asked, “ why couldn’t we cast out that demon”? Jesus told them, “because you have so little faith”. It was not so much the quantity of their faith as to the quality of their faith! A faith bathed in prayer. When the disciples felt the sting of failure over their inability to heal the boy, Jesus directed them to place their faith-no matter how small-in Him rather than in their own abilities. It is the same with us! God has given to each of us a measure of faith so we can walk hand in hand with our all powerful God to the base of whatever mountains we face and watch God remove them, thus increasing our faith in Him! A great way to start this process is to thank the Lord for the victory won even before and in the midst of the time the mountain is being moved!

FAITH IS TO PRAYER WHAT THE FEATHER IS TO THE ARROW; WITHOUT FAITH IT WILL NOT HIT THE MARK. J. C. Ryle (1816-1900)

God’s Care For You and Me!

As God cares for the smallest living things He has created, so it is with us! The same God Who created the mountains and the seas cares deeply for you and me and the myriad problems that surrounds us individually. “Not even a sparrow, worth only half a penny, can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to Him than a whole flock of sparrows” Matthew 10:29-31. In this passage of scripture, Jesus is saying that nothing happens to us apart from our heavenly Father’s knowledge. He knows our pains, struggles, and fears yet promises to give us peace in the midst of them while He is working out our situations for His good and to bring about a great blessing into our lives! Our part is to stay connected to Him by Trusting in Him! Even in this, He will help us do!


WE HAVE BEEN PLANTED ACCORDING TO A DIVINE PATTERN, EVEN IF WE DO NOT ALWAYS UNDERSTAND THAT PATTERN. GOD IS INTERESTED IN EACH OF US “MICROSCOPIALLY” AS WELL AS “TELESCOPICALLY.” THE HAIRS OF OUR HEADS HAVE BEEN COUNTED, BUT THE UNIVERSE IS ALSO IN HIS HAND.

Corrie ten Boom (1892-1983)

Little by Little

There are times when I just feel overwhelmed! Economic issues, relationship issues, ministry issues, and just things of everyday life! As these things began to press in on me, God reminds me in prayer that He will go before me and conquer and “drive out those nations before me little by little; I will be unable to destroy them all at once, lest the beast of the field become too numerous for me. God told this very thing to the children of Israel concerning the new land He would conquer for them. See Deuteronomy 7:22. The point is that we want to conquer all of the issues of our lives all at one time! To wait on the Lord and be patient while He is working things out behind the scenes to move us into the promised land we are believing Him for can be very difficult at times! But take heart! Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6. The longer I live, the more I realize that all of our responsibilities, all that God has called us to do, are beyond our own human ability. That is why it is so important to pray, wait, seek, knock, and trust. The Lord promises to bring deliverance to His people.

BECAUSE OUR UNDERSTANDING IS EARTHBOUND….HUMAN TO THE CORE….LIMITED….FINITE….WE OPERATE IN A DIMENTION TOTALLY UNLIKE OUR LORD….WHO KNOWS NO SUCH LIMITATIONS. WE SEE NOW. HE SEES FOREVER.

Charles Swindoll

Cold weather Cold heart!

Today it is 17 degrees below zero here in NW Montana. Yet, the sun is out shining brightly over the mountains and landscapes. I find that the focus of my heart tends to go to the cold rather than, the bright sunshine of a new day! Especially, when skies are gray these past five days. Gray skies are depressing to me when I focus in on them and it is the same with circumstances. My focus was there when a dear friend and her husband called me to pray for me and remind me of the sunshine of God’s love for me and my family. In that time of prayer, God reminded me; although I didn’t want to hear it! That the more extreme my circumstances, the more likely I will see His Power and Glory at work in the situation. Instead of letting difficulties draw me into worrying, view them as setting the scene for His glorious intervention. Keep your eyes and heart wide open to what God will do! Pray about everything! Ephesians 3:20; Romans 8:6; Isaiah 40:30-31; and Revelation 5:13.

God is our shield and protector!

Have you ever felt alone in the midst of trial or persecution? King David did! As He ran from his palace being pursued by enemies loyal to his son Absalom who formed a hostel takeover of his kingdom, David prayed a God-centered prayer that would declare that God is his shield and protector!….”O Lord, I have so many enemies; so many are against me. So many are saying, “ God will never rescue him!” But You, O Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, and the one who lifts my head high. I cried out to the Lord, and He answered me from His holy mountain. Psalm 3:1-4. (NLT). In the midst of David hearing, “there is no hope in this painful situation”! He put his hope in the character of God. David knew when he cried out to the Lord his God, God would hear him and come to his rescue no matter the foes that surround him about. It is the same with us today. No matter the foe, cry out a God-centered prayer! Then stand back! And watch the salvation of the Lord in your life.



THE ARMOUR IS FOR THE BATTLE OF PRAYER. THE ARMOUR IS NOT TO FIGHT IN, BUT TO SHIELD US WHILE WE PRAY. PRAYER IS THE BATTLE.



Oswald Chambers (1874-1917)