Can God Be Trusted?

Why is it so hard sometimes to trust a Sovereign God?
Sovereign means: above or superior to all others; chief; greatest; supreme - supreme in power, rank, or authority - of or holding the position of ruler; royal; reigning

I know that He is Sovereign:

"O Sovereign LORD, You have begun to show to Your servant Your greatness and Your strong hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do the deeds and mighty works You do?” (Deuteronomy 3:24)
"How great You are, O Sovereign LORD! There is no one like You, and there is no God but You, as we have heard with our own ears.” (2 Samuel 7:22)
"Ah, Sovereign LORD, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for You. (Jeremiah 32:17)

I know that He is my Creator:

“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” (Isaiah 40:28-29)

I know that He is unchanging:

“Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:16-17)
"Remember this, fix it in mind, take it to heart,… Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please. From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill My purpose. What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do.” (Isaiah 46:8-11)

I know that He knows me:

“O LORD, You have searched me and You know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; You perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; You are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue You know it completely, O LORD. You hem me in—behind and before; You have laid Your hand upon me.” (Psalm 139:1-5)
“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” (Luke 12:6-7)
"Listen to me, …you whom I have upheld since you were conceived, and have carried since your birth. Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. To whom will you compare Me or count Me equal? To whom will you liken Me that we may be compared?” (Isaiah 46:3-5)

I know that He loves me:

“The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.” (Jeremiah 31:3)
"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
“As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Now remain in My love.”(John 15:9)
“This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”(1 John 4:9-10)

I know that nothing can separate me from His love:

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”(Romans 8:37-39)

I know that He cares for me:

“The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him,” (Nahum 1:7)
“Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”( 1 Peter 5:7)

I know that He has a plan for me:

“For I know the plans I have for you,“ declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”(Jeremiah 29:11)

I know that I am precious to Him:

“Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings” (Psalm 17:8)
"…I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands; your walls are ever before Me.”(Isaiah 49:15-16)
“My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of My Father's hand.” (John 10:27-29)

I know that He is with me:

“I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, 'You are My servant'; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”(Isaiah 41:9-10)
“But now, this is what the LORD says— He who created you,… He who formed you, …"Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are Mine.”(Isaiah 43:1)
“Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:8-9)

Dear Lord there is absolutely no reason I should not trust You, help me in my unbelief!

“Those who know Your name will trust in You, for You, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek You.” (Psalm 9:10) “But I trust in Your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in Your salvation.” (Psalm 13:5) “In You our fathers put their trust; they trusted and You delivered them. They cried to You and were saved; in You they trusted and were not disappointed.” (Psalm 22:4-5) “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to Him in song.” (Psalm 28:7) “But I trust in You, O LORD; I say, "You are my God." My times are in Your hands;”(Psalm 31:14-15) “Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you. Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD's unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in Him. Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!”(Psalm 32:9-11) “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him and He will do this:” (Psalm 37:5) “When I am afraid, I will trust in You.” (Psalm 56:3) “Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge.” (Psalm 62:8)“O LORD Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you.” (Psalm 84:12) “I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." (Psalm 91:2) “He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.” (Psalm 112:7) “Let the morning bring me word of Your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in You. Show me the way I should go, for to You I lift up my soul.” (Psalm 143:8) “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;” (Proverbs 3:5) “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation." (Isaiah 12:2) “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal.” (Isaiah 26:3-4) "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him.” (Jeremiah 17:7) "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me.” (John 14:1) “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13)

Lord teach me to trust in You!

Early Morning Urgency

I've been awake since 2:30 this morning. It is Thursday, February 5, 2009. I was restless in my sleep and then I heard my name. No one was awake so I drifted off again. Then I heard a whistle, it was a "hey you" whistle. I jumped out of bed and checked on the kids. Everyone is asleep. I looked out the windows... everything is calm.

Why am I so troubled in spirit?

I began to pray and pray. I pray for the women in my Bible study. I pray for family and friends. I pray for everything I can think of. And yet the uneasiness grows in the pit of my stomach. I feel desperation, I feel sadness, I feel fear. I keep praying.

I check my emails, I check the news, I'm not given clarity on exactly what I'm supposed to be praying for, so I just pray.

It is almost 4:00 AM now. I still have no relief. I want to go to bed so I won't be exhausted in the morning (normal time), but I can't shake this nauseated feeling. Tears flow from my eyes, who am I interceding for?

Is it you? Are you the one who desperately needs to know that God is with you? Do you need to feel the comfort of the Good Shepherd? Who among you is hurting or in trouble with a feeling of no way out? Are you the one who is crying out for peace in your heart?

Well, I'm praying for you with a heavy heart. And even though I don't know who you are, God does and He cares.

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33

"The LORD gives strength to His people; the LORD blesses His people with peace." Psalm 29:11

"For the word of the LORD is right and true; He is faithful in all He does. The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of His unfailing love. By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of His mouth. He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; He puts the deep into storehouses. Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere Him. For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm. But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people He chose for His inheritance. From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind; from His dwelling place He watches all who live on earth- He who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do. But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. We wait in hope for the LORD; He is our help and our shield. In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His holy name.
May Your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in You."
Psalm 33:4-9, 11-15, 18-22

Fearing a Storm That Hasn't Come - Yet

Some of us today are in the midst of a storm in our lives. Some have just recently survived one, and some may feel as though they have not experienced a large scale storm or any storm for that matter. And there are those who have not had a storm for some time and think we are due. Sometimes when we hear of other people and the pain they are in we can let fear creep in and distract us. The enemy loves to take anything and make it a distraction. This is where I found myself last week. My thoughts were consumed with when and how the next storm would hit my life. I was asking myself if it would be me or maybe one of the members of my family that would be hurt. I started playing different tragic scenarios in my mind and dwelling on the “what if’s” of life. Then I realized I was gripped by fear, and I was very distracted. I got on my face before the Lord, confessed and asked for a word from Him. He answered me in my heart and I wrote it down. I want to share it in hopes that it will be an encouragement to your heart as it was to mine. Also I want to remind you that in the battle of your mind to take your thoughts captive.

Do not fear Me child, I love you.
I will only allow what is necessary to make you more like Me.
I love you so much I gave up My own Son.
You are safe with Me, no matter what happens in your life.
I am your strong tower.
I love your husband more than you do.
I love each one of your children more than you are even capable of loving them.
Remember child, I am love, but I also have a plan.
Trust Me and know that My plan is perfect and My grace is sufficient.
I will walk through it with you.
Remember child, I am the Masterpiece Maker.
I am highly skilled in the art of clay.
Be moldable in My loving yet strong hands.
Allow Me to do amazing things with and through you.
I have chosen you dear one.
Put your faith and trust in Me.
I do not make mistakes.
I neither slumber nor sleep.
My eye is on you and you are engraved in the palm of My hand.
Please don’t waste time.
Do what I’ve called you to do.
Never forget My love for you.
It is stamped on every cell of your body.

Great Quotes on Prayer

I read these in the Daily Bread reading for today.

God wants us to come to Him with our complaints. If we march through life pretending to smile while inside we bleed, we dishonor the relationship. -- Philip Yancey


Give Him each perplexing problem,
All your needs to Him make known;
Bring to Him your daily burdens—
Never carry them alone! —Adams


The best thermometer of your spiritual temperature is the intensity of your prayer. —Spurgeon

Mommy Pray For Me

"With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints," Ephesians 6:18

Today the snow hit us hard, but not until after the schools in our area already posted "normal" status. So, driving slowly and carefully I got Little Professor and Lover Boy to school. In my hustle and bustle state of mind, plus not wanting to spend any extra time outside in the elements, I sent my 7 year old into the building. I called out after him, "I will be in your classroom after I drop off your brother," (I volunteer on Mondays).

I dropped off Lover Boy (his first day back since before Christmas) which is only a few feet away, but seemed to take forever as we walked through the not yet plowed walkway. Then I went into Little Professor's class room and started sorting papers. He goes into a different class for the first part of the morning so I was quite surprised when he walked up to me with tears in his eyes. Very concerned, I asked what the matter was. He couldn't even speak and pointed angrily at me. I was the problem and I had no clue why. He had forgot to pick out his lunch so when he finished, before he went back, I asked him what I did. He said, "Mommy, you didn't pray for me!" trying his hardest to not cry out. I was crushed! Not only does he appreciate me praying for him every morning before school, but he desperately needs it. I sent my child to face his day without connecting him to the Heavenly Father and it truly affected him. I gave him a hug and prayed quickly for him. He smiled through his tears and said, "I will be okay now". Before I left he was back in his home room (there were a lot of papers today!). I waved to say goodbye, and he motioned for me to come to his desk. "Pray again for me Mommy", he said. I was glad too. I whispered a prayer in his ear and gave him a squeeze.


Prayer is so incredibly important! It puts us in contact with the Star Breather, our Creator God! With whom nothing is impossible!


"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. " Ephesians 6:10-13

Broken Hearted

Psalm 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

After all the kids were in bed and asleep (or so I thought), I heard crying so I went in their room to see who it was. Little Professor was the one crying. When I asked him what the matter was, he said he was missing Tata. He had been remembering and thinking about the funeral.

How does one comfort a seven year old? Somehow telling him his Great Grandfather is with Jesus just doesn't seem to do it.

I told him, it was okay to be sad. And as I cried with him, I told him about the verses in psalms where God says he heals the brokenhearted. We prayed together, and then we prayed for Grandma and all of her sons and daughters who miss Tata also.

We talked about emotions and how we were created by God to express them. Then we talked about what Tata might be doing right now with Jesus.

Little Professor said he knew he was very lucky to have known his Great Grandfather, especially since he fought in WWII. Then the topic turned to war and we talked about as many wars in the Bible that we could think of. We said goodnight and even though he was sad, I really believe he went to sleep knowing that his God is in control.

I'm still sad, even three hours later.

My tears fall freely because, after all, I miss my Grandpa too!

Psalm 34:18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Fresh Start

Happy New Year!

I just love January 1st. I get to leave behind the year before with all it's unfulfilled goals and dreams and start fresh. It is encouraging to me to be able to start over.

I've already been thinking about how I'm going to better myself this year. I have lists and goals swimming around in my head for 2009. I even have goals for my kids.

One thing I love to do is review my journal to see what God did last year. This always opens my eyes to what a personal God He really is. I think I will get to that right away!

1 But now, thus says the LORD, your Creator,… He who formed you
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine!
3 For I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior
5 Do not fear, for I am with you;
7 Everyone who is called by My name, and whom I have created for My glory, whom I have formed, even whom I have made.”
10 "You are My witnesses," declares the LORD, "and My servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe Me and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, and there will be none after Me. 11 I, even I, am the LORD, and there is no savior besides Me. 18 Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder things of the past. 19 Behold, I will do something new, now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert. 21 The people whom I formed for Myself will declare My praise.
25 I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake, and I will not remember your sins.”
Isaiah 43:1,3,5,7,10,11,18,19,21,25