pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: trust


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Martha, Martha… Martha!!

When we first meet Martha in Luke’s gospel she is too busy with the work to come sit at Jesus’ feet.  She is upset with her sister Mary who is ‘just’ sitting at Jesus’ feet listening to him teach.  Are we sometimes like this version of Martha?  Too busy to see wh or what God places before us?  Of worse yet, do we see it yet think we are too busy and rush right past to get to what we think is a more important meeting, event, project, task..?

But sometimes we are the Martha we find in John 11, the story of Lazarus’ resurrection.  Martha comes to Jesus in her grief and acknowledges Him as the Messiah, the Son of God.  She professes that Jesus and God are connected, that God will do whatever Jesus asks.  But I don’t think that Martha is thinking Jesus will resurrect Lazarus at this point.  I think she is making this profession because she knows her faith is what will get her through this difficult loss.  Most of us have been there.  After questioning why God has allowed something to happen, we turn to Him and acknowledge His Lordship in our lives.  Our faith carries us through.  Yet it is a faith that is always there.

At times we display this rock-solid faith displayed by Martha.  We truly know Jesus as Lord of our life.  We acknowledge that all we have and all we are is His.  As we draw near to Easter, when we celebrate Jesus’ victory over death, may we have faith like Martha – fully walking with God, living in that faith that is always there.


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It’s All God’s Plan

Mary and Martha had to wait for God’s answer to their request to heal their sick brother Lazarus.  In their waiting, he died.  Sadness arrived.  But as Jesus appears and the story unfolds, God’s true answer is revealed.  Lazarus is raised up from the dead – God’s glory is revealed in and through Jesus.

I wonder how often we think the answer we get from God is our answer, when it is really not.  The answer to our prayer or the reason we went through a particular experience is only later realized or revealed.  Sometimes we maybe even wait for an answer and eventually give up instead of trusting fully and being patient in our waiting.

And then BAM!  God’s plan is revealed and it all becomes plain to see.  (Sometimes it is not a bam but it is a quiet ah-ha moment.)  We come to see that God had it handled all along.  It is then that we realize that God is the one in control, not us.  We are simply part of His creation and part of His plan.  We are a deeply loved and important part, but it is still God’s plan.


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Now and Forevermore

The Psalmist asks, “Where does my help com from?”  How would you answer that question?  In Psalm 121 the writer is reminding the people, and us, that help does not come from the false gods up on the hilltop or from the many sources that we can turn to for help.  For the Israelites and for us, help comes from the maker of heaven and earth and of all things that dwell upon the earth.  In this ‘song of trust’ that the Israelites would sing, they were reminded of God’s constant watch over them.  We too have this grace – God is our all-in-all every second of each moment of each day.

Like the people who wold sing this song to remind themselves, we too sometimes need reminders.  Today we can come to put our trust in ‘things’ other than God.  We can turn to modern medicine, the latest technology, all sorts of ‘professionals’ and other ‘experts’, and even friends and family.  While each of these  things may be helpful to a degree, we must always keep in mind that God is the one in whom we put our ultimate trust.  God is the only one really in control.

Whether gathered together in corporate worship or in a study, alone with our Bibles, or gathered with a few fellow believes, at all times we have the same purpose – to more fully develop our faith and trust in God.  We must remember that He never slumbers or sleeps.  We must remember that He is always watching over us.  Both now and forevermore.


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May It Be

Psalm 112 opens with these lines: “Praise the Lord. Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands.” When we find a healthy amount of respect for God and live into His commands, we find our lives blessed.

Often the world looks at blessings as beauty, power or position, a big house or fancy car, and so on. Often the world looks at good health and minimal worries as being blessed. Often the world looks at a successful person as having many of the things listed in the previous two sentences. And God may chose to bless the righteous person in these ways as well.

But sometimes we as Christians expect these material or worldly blessings. We may even question God and doubt our relationship with Him when or if some of these things are missing! But the blessing God brings is not about us. The blessing God promises does not guarantee happiness all the time in this life, just in the eternal.

The wealth and riches that a righteous person receives from God come out of that relationship we have with Him and that gets lived out into our world. In verse 5 we are told that good will come to him who is generous and conducts his affairs with justice. In verse 7 we are told that the righteous man will not be shaken for his heart is steadfast and trusts in the Lord. And in verse 9 we are told that because he scatters his gifts to the poor, the righteousness will endure forever.

Many people around the world are very poor by our standards and they live with little yet they enjoy a deep and lively relationship with God. They have come to fully trust in Him and His provisions for them, no matter how meager their physical world may be. On a basic level they are very content with their lives and deeply know that all they have comes from God. They share freely out of the little they have. They thank God for the littlest of things and for all things.

Sometimes I am almost jealous of their pure faith. Sometimes I wish that I could be as content in all things as they are. So today I seek humility in my contentment. Today I seek to give freely and abundantly to all whom I encounter. Today I seek a pure and simple faith. May it also be with you as it pleases the Lord!!


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Finding the Courage to Step Out

As we are called into the world to bring Christ to the world, sometimes we are faced with difficult situations. In these cases it may require courage to step out in faith. The Bible is full of encouraging words that remind us that when we follow the call God places upon our heart, He will be there as well. In Psalm 27 we are reminded that “The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid?” (verse 1)

This Psalm goes on to remind us that God will keep us safe, that He will set us upon the high rock. In turn we sing our praises to Him and seek His face. Psalm 27 ends with these words: “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

What in your life right now requires courage and bravery? Is it talking with that person you would rather not? Is it standing up for something that is not right – something that may be unpopular? Is it praying for that person who is a thorn in your side? Is it engaging the person that everyone else shuns? Often God calls us to step out in courage, to be the light and love where others are afraid to go.

But take courage for He has overcome the world! Jesus did not find defeat but victory. If we keep our eyes and hearts focused on doing God’s will and working in this world to bring peace, justice, and love, then He will be with us. We serve a mighty God!! He will go with you wherever He leads you today! May we go forth with a heart and mind bent on God, seeking opportunities to step out into the places where His courage is required, knowing that His hand will guide!


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Self-Sufficient or God-sufficient?

As a kid growing up I learned that if I worked hard and followed the rules, there would be rewards. If I did really well at work, on the team, or in school there would even be praises and maybe even recognition. Sound familiar?

When things got tough the message was just to work harder. The underlying implication was that I wasn’t trying hard enough. Just do more and it’ll get better.

As we grew older we learn that our job is important. We learn that others notice our position and our possessions. We come to think the who and what we are is pretty important. Being self-sufficient and independent tend to become valued commodities in our lives.

Somewhere along the line some of us hear this small voice saying, “Hey, I’m still right here.” And we realize that we have lost sight of God for it is Him calling. For others it is life crashing in around them at the sudden onset of cancer, or the company’s downsizing, or …Then they wonder where God is. As they seek to make sense, God is there.

In Isaiah 1, God’s strength and grace are promises to those who live in fellowship with Jesus. His presence in our lives allows us to release the need to be in control because we can rest in His wisdom and grace.

I admit it is a struggle. I like to be in control. I like to hear praises and be recognized for my efforts. It is important to come before our Lord each day and to ask Him to be that – the Lord of our life. It is important to remind ourselves that He is in control when we start to drive the car. May the giver of grace give us the weakness today to rest in Him who loves us far more than we could ever imagine!!