MEDITATE ON THE SCRIPTURES

'I will meditate on Your precepts, and contemplate Your ways.' Psalm 119:15

If you want to grow spiritually. In fact, you will never outgrow your diet of Scripture. There is no substitute. There is no supplement. 

The poet T.S Eliot said, 'Everything we eat has some...effect upon us. It affects us during the process of assimilation and digestion; and I believe that exactly the same is true of anything we read.' We are what we read. But let's take that a step further. Reading without meditation is like eating without digesting. If you want to absorb the nutrients, you can't just read it; you have to chew on it. Meditation is the way we metabolise Scripture. That's how it gets into our spirit and our soul. The French writer Jacques Reda had a particular habit. He would walk the streets of Paris with the purpose of seeing one new thing every day. It was how he renewed his love for the city. We renew our love for God in a similar way. Our love grows as we see new dimensions of His personality, and His personality is predominantly revealed in the pages of the Bible. What if we approach God's Word the way Jacques Reda walked the streets of Paris? Here is the secret of spiritual growth: you can't merely read the Bible; you have to meditate on it. 

Reading provides breadth to our understanding, but meditation provides depth. If all we do is read Scripture, our understanding of God and our experience with Him is one-dimensional. The Bible is a kaleidoscope. Each time you turn it, another beautiful pattern of truth is revealed.

SET HEALTHY BOUNDARIES

'Our word to you does not waver between "Yes" and "No".' 2 Corinthians 1:18 NLT

Paul writes, 'Do you think I make my plans carelessly? Do you think I am like people of the world who say "Yes" when they really mean "No"? As surely as God is faithful, our word to you does not waver' (vv.17-18 NLT). 

Paul had learned to set boundaries on his relationships, and you must do the same. A wise man said, 'Never complain about what you permit. 'Unless you set boundaries, you have no right to complain about people who take advantage of you and waste your time. 'Jesus...does not waver between "Yes" and "No"...he always does what they say' (v 19 NLT). And as His follower, you must learn when it's appropriate to say yes and when it's appropriate to say no. When people back you into a corner, confront them promptly, privately, and personally. And if they won't listen, take someone with you. And if they won't listen to both of you, take it to the church leadership (see Mathew 18:15-17). Be clear about what you will and won't tolerate. In the words of the country song. 'You've got to stand for something or you'll for anything.' 

Get comfortable voicing your wishes and preferences without fear of rejection and alienation. Make this your prayer today: 'Lord, let me serve and give to others from a pure heart rather than a need for love and acceptance. On the authority of Your word, I command the spirit of fear that has prevented me from setting healthy boundaries to leave now. I place my trust in You. I will not fear what people can do to me (see Psalm 56:11), in Jesus' name, amen.'

CONTRARY WINDS

'The winds were contrary.' Acts 27:4 KJV

When you set out to do anything for God, the Enemy will make sure you encounter 'contrary winds'. In fact, if you're not sailing against the wind, chances are you're headed in the wrong direction! 

The Bible says Jesus was 'tempted of the devil'  (Mathew 4:1 KJV). Satan never let up, including the night before Jesus was crucified, when 'Satan entered into Judas...one of the twelve' (Luke 22:3 NLT). Reimar Schultze says, 'Wherever you go today, Satan will...try to get you at some street corner, at the office, or in the field. He will make you fall if you leave home without your spiritual armour on; if you leave your belt of truth...in the closet, your breastplate of righteousness...by the door, your gospel shoes under your bed, or if you leave your shield of faith, the sword of the spirit and the helmet of salvation behind you...If you say at daybreak, "I will pray whenever I get a chance today," you just gave away your victory. Before long, the wrong words will come out of your mouth; you will look at forbidden fruits and display an improper attitude. The most foolish thing (you) can do is to leave home unarmed and spiritually naked.

A fool says, "I have no time to attempt to repair the damage prayerlessness...produced...following Jesus is not a walk in the park...Every good thing in the kingdom...from Adam on has come to us through men and women who stuck it out when the going got tough. The biblical history of the church ends with (these victorious words)... and so we came to Rome" (Acts 28:14 NLT)

HUMBLE YOURSELF

'Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.' Luke 18:14 NLT

Jesus said: 'Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: "I thank you, God, that I am not like other people - cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I'm certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income." But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, "O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner." 

I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be exalted' (vv.10-14 NLT). You can appear to be the most devout person in church yet have a heart filled with pride. And the worst part is that you don't know it. For example, when you take all the credit for things God enabled you to accomplish and acquire, that's pride. When you compare yourself with others, that's pride. When you think you can do the will of God without the power of God, that's pride. When you exclude people who don't fit into your peer group or social circle, that's pride. And it will cost you, because 'God opposes the proud but shows favour to the humble.' (James 4:6 NIVUK).

So if you want to walk in His favour today, then humble yourself before Him.

DO YOU KNOW WHY YOU'RE HERE?

 'He chose us.' Ephesians 1:4

When it comes to God's will for your life, He decides it, and you discover it. It's not something you can change, a topic for debate, or a plan you get to have a say in. The truth is, you can miss God's will and be miserable, or do things His way and experience 'glorious, inexpressible joy' (1 Peter 1:8 NLT). The choice is yours.

'But I don't know God's will for my life,' you say. Then pray this prayer: 'Father, I'm tired of going through life with no real purpose because it brings no glory to You. You created every living thing, including me, that they may bring You pleasure (see Revelation 4:11). I know that You have a specific job for me to do. Your Word says You formed me in the womb to be Your servant (see Isaiah 49:5). I'm getting lots of input from other people, but I need to know the path You have chosen for me. Help me to stop ignoring and minimising the gifts and talents You have invested in me, acting like they're of no significance. I know we are all called to serve, and I need Your help to discern who, where, when, and how I should serve. I want to do what You have destined me to do and not be sidetracked by wrong priorities, busywork, or other people's desires and demands.

At the end of my life, I want to be able to look back and say, like Jesus, "I brought glory to You here on earth by doing everything You told me to" (see John 17:4). In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

FINDING COMMON GROUNDS

'I try to find common ground with everyone.' 1 Corinthians 9:22 NLT

To influence someone, you must first connect with them. And to do that, you must look for common ground. Paul writes, 'I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some.' 

In The Message, Eugene Peterson paraphrases Paul's words: 'Even though I am free of the demands and expectations of everyone, I have voluntarily become a servant to any and all in order to reach a wide range of people: religious, nonreligious, meticulous moralists, loose-living immoralists, the defeated, the demoralised - whoever. I didn't take on their way of life. I kept my bearings in Christ - but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view. I've become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life. I did all this because of the Message. I didn't just want to talk about it; I wanted to be in on it!' (vv 19-23 MSG). Note the words 'I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view'. When it came to preaching the truth, Paul wouldn't yield an inch. But when it came to reaching and influencing people for Christ, he tried to remove every roadblock between them and Christ. And you must be willing to do the same. 

People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. That's why you must approach them heart-first, not headfirst. Before someone can receive the truth you have to share, they must be convinced that you love and care for them. And that means finding common ground.

MEDITATION FOR BEGINNERS

'We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God.' Psalm 48:9 KJV

Hopefully, by now you are convinced that the power that comes from meditating on God's Word is a power you need working in your life. But maybe you're a beginner, and you need a starting point. You're thinking, 'Yes, I know I need to spend more time meditating on God's Word, but how do I do it? Here are a few ideas to get started;

1) Meditate on God's blessings. 'Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul and forget not all His benefits' (Psalm 103:1-2 NKJV). Meditation leads to a thankful heart.

2) Meditate on your relationship with God. 'You receive the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God' (Romans 8:15-16 NKJV). 

3) Meditate on God's love for you. 'Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips. When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches. Because You have been my help, therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice. My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me' (Psalm 63:3-8) NKJV).

You can meditate on God's promises to protect you, or guide you, or instruct you, or correct you, or bless you. The point is, you need to get started!

DO WHAT GOD SAYS

'The Lord came to Abram in a vision.' Genesis 15:1 NKJV

When God gives you a vision for your life, He doesn't give you all the details up front. He simply says, 'Don't be afraid; just do what I say, and I will guide you and prosper you.' 

What did Abram's vision involve? 'The Lord said to Abram: Leave your country, your family, and your relatives and go to the land that I will show you. I will bless you and make your descendants into a great nation' (Genesis 12:1-2 CEV). How old was Abram? 'Abram was seventy-five...when the Lord told him to leave the city of Haran' (Genesis 12:4 CEV). What was Abram leaving? 'Abram was very rich...and had a lot of silver and gold' (Genesis 13:1 CEV). How did Abram respond? 'By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going' (Hebrews 11:8 NKJV). Abraham couldn't have told you where his final destiny was or how he would get there. He just knew God told him to leave the safe harbour of where he was. Understand this: what you're willing to walk away from often determines what God can entrust to you. You say, 'But I need to have information.' You will know as you go! 

With each step of faith you take, God will reveal another detail. He will inform you on a 'need-to-know' basis. So, is the God who said to Abram, 'Go to the land that I will show you,' saying something similar to you today? Don't be afraid; just step out in faith and obey Him.

PRAYING GOD'S PROMISES

'Let my teachings become part of you.' John 15:7 CEV

According to one count, there are 3,573 promises in the Bible. That's almost ten promises for each day of the year. When you know which of these promises apply to you, and you fulfil the conditions that go with them, you can literally begin to pray God's promises into existence in your life (see John 15:7). Will your prayers be answered overnight? Some will, others won't. 'Be ...followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises' (Hebrews 6:12 KJA). 

The most powerful prayer you can pray is, 'Lord, you promised in your Word that you would...and today I am praying and believing you for it.' Here is how to pray:

1) When you need guidance and direction. 'I will instruct you in the way you should go; I will guide you with my eye' (Psalm 32:8 NKJV).

2) When you need deliverance from a situation, or to be set free from a habit. 'Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me' (Psalm 50:15 NKJV).

3) When you need the strength to stand. 'Fear not; for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand' (Isaiah 41:10 NKJV). 

4) When you don't have enough to meet your needs. 'My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus' (Philippians 4:19 KJV).

If you meditate in God's word every day, each time a need arises, you will know which of His promises to claim in prayer (see 2 Peter 1:4).

MEDITATE ON GOD'S WORD

'In His law he meditates day and night...and whatever he does shall prosper.' Psalm 1:2-3 NKJV

Thomas A Kempis wrote, 'If you wish to grow in yourself to be caught up in the workings of the world, you must find time alone, away from the noise and confusion, from the allure of power and wealth.' You say, 'Does that mean God doesn't want me setting goals and achieving things in life?' No, quite the opposite! 

The Bible says, 'In His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he does shall prosper' (vv.2-3 NKJV). What's the secret of a tree's fruitfulness? Having deep roots that are connected to life-giving streams of water. And as the demands on your time and energy become greater, you must discipline yourself to spend even more time in Scripture, not less. When your inner life is not in order, your outer life becomes dysfunctional and begins to fall apart. And working harder will only make it happen faster. You will be like the pilot who announced to his passengers, 'Folks, there is bad news and good news. The bad news is, our instrument failed, and we don't know where we're going. The good news is, we're making great time!' 

What's the answer? David says: 'I have rejoiced in the way of your testimonies, as much as in all riches. I will meditate on your precepts, and contemplate your ways. I will delight myself in your statutes; I will not forget your word' (Psalm 119:14-16 NKJV).

GOD WILL RESCUE YOU

 'We stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God,' 2 Corinthians 1:9 NLT

Are you feeling hopeless about the situation you're in and don't know which way to turn? Maybe you're struggling to find a reason to keep going, but you're so tired and overwhelmed that you just want to give up. 

If that's the case, you're in a vulnerable place. Look out - Satan will try to convince you there must be sin in your life, or that you're out of God's will, or that He is unhappy with you because you have disobeyed Him in some area you're unaware of. Don't buy it! You can be in the centre of God's will doing everything the right way, and still experience adversity. The apostle Paul writes: 'You ought to know...about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely on God, who raises the dead. And He did rescue us from mortal danger, and He will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in Him, and He will continue to rescue us. And you are helping us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks because God has graciously answered so many prayers for our safety' (2 Corinthians 1:8-11 NLT).

Two elements are at work in your life today. First, God is teaching you to lean on Him instead of on yourself. Second, people around you are being strengthened and encouraged as they see the grace of God at work in your life.

THE ART OF BEING A SHEEP

'The Lord is my Shepherd; I lack nothing.' Psalm 23:1 NIV

Perhaps you memorised Psalm 23 as a child. The vivid visual images remain with us lifelong. Author Hannah Whitall Smith said, 'What we all need is just to get back into the nursery again, and take up our childish verses once more, and, while reading them with the intelligence of our grown-up years, to believe them with all our old childish faith.' 

As adults we become jaded, losing the simple joy that stress-filled lives require. We need to remember these three things:

1) Who our shepherd is - 'The Lord'. He is the source of everything we will ever need, beginning with salvation. Jesus said: 'I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep' (John 10:11 NKJV).

2) What the shepherd's job is - protector and provider for the sheep. And He knows how to handle wayward, headstrong, vulnerable sheep and care for them. Long before Jesus came as our shepherd, the Father said, 'I will rescue [my flock] and no longer will they be mistreated...I will give you a shepherd from the family of my servant King David...All of you, both strong and weak, will have the same shepherd, and he will take good care of you' (Ezekiel 34:22-23 CEV).

3) What the sheep's job is  - to trust the shepherd completely. Attempting to do His job will exhaust and defeat us. We must believe 'with all our old childish faith' that Jesus is a dependable, committed, and capable shepherd - and then act like we believe it. 

Knowing that His goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our lives lifts our present worries and dispels all our future concerns.

YOU ARE A WONDER

'I praise you because I am...wonderfully made.' Psalm 139:14 NIV

Despite your aches and pains, you are a living, breathing, walking, talking wonder. The Psalmist said, 'You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made' (vv. 13-14 NIV). 

One author explains: 'Most of us take our eyesight for granted, but even the simplest of processes is divinely complex. The retina, for example, conducts close to ten billion calculations every second, and that is before an image even travels through the optic nerve to the visual cortex. The human nose can detect one-millionth of one milligram of garlic floating in the air and distinguish among ten thousand distinct odours. The hairs blanketing your body magnify the sensation of touch so that you can discern a thousandth of an ounce of pressure on the tip of a half-inch hair.' Amazing, isn't it? Trillions of chemical reactions are taking place in every cell of your body every second. You are inhaling oxygen, metabolising energy, digesting food, maintaining equilibrium, purifying toxins, producing hormones, exhaling carbon dioxide, repairing tissues, and circulating blood. As you read this, millions of electrical impulses are firing across billions of synaptic pathways, and you don't even think about it. 

But you should praise God for the gift of life and the multitude of His blessings you enjoy. And you should do one more all-important thing: discover your life's purpose and dedicate yourself to fulfilling it. It has been said that the two most important days in a person's life are the day they're born, and the day they discover why they were born. Think about it.

BEING FRIENDS WITH GOD

'I know you by name, and you have found favour with me.' Exodus 33:12 NIV

Moses talked with God like a friend, sharing what he felt and thought. And God wanted it that way. Here is how the conversation went: 'Moses said to the Lord, "You have been telling me, 'Lead these people,'...You have said, 'I know you by name, and you have found favour with me.''' Moses is mirroring back to God what God had previously said to him. Remember saying to your spouse or your best friend, 'You were the one who said...'? That's what Moses is doing here: reminding God of His own words. And God wants you to remember His Word and to speak it back to Him (see Isaiah 43:26). 

Not because He needs to be reminded but because you do! And because His Word is the only Word that He is committed to fulfill (see Mathew 24:35). When you pray using God's Word, you are praying in His will, and you're guaranteed to get a hearing. So, learn and memorise Scriptures that touch on your needs and desires, and when you talk to God, recall them and pray them back to Him. For example, when you pray, 'Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours' (Mark 11:24 NIV), God will acknowledge it!

The more you learn of His will, the more your prayer time will conform to His will and the more you will feel aligned with Him. Keep your Bible handy when you talk to God so that He can direct your thoughts to the words He wants you to pray. 

YOU CAN'T HAVE A TESTIMONY WITHOUT A TEST

'I will...test them as gold is tested.' Zechariah 13:9 NASB

If you're being tested today, you're in good company! Job, the most righteous man on earth, was tested beyond what most of us will ever have to endure. And when he emerged, he told God, 'I heard about you from others; now I have seen you' (Job 42:5 CEV). In the heat of the furnace, you experience God up close and personal. 

Shelia Schuller Coleman says, 'Some tests are intended to teach. We learn our most profound lessons when we're tested...Like what we're capable of...where we need to grow...and that there's still more to learn! When your faith is being tested, the last thing you're thinking about is learning a lesson...you just want to survive. But the lesson we learn from Job is that when we keep our faith in the most testing of times, we'll "come out as gold" (Job 23:10 NASB). Think about it: did you ever hear a testimony that wasn't about someone surviving a test? James says, "Consider it pure joy...whenever you face trials" (James 1:2 NIV). When we suffer, when people say hateful things, when we lose our homes, when we encounter rifts in our family, when the doctor calls with a dire diagnosis - the last thing we feel is joy...if anyone could speak with authority on praising God in trials, it was Paul. He was beaten, thrown into jail, and run out of town. How does your week compare to his? 

When you get through this test, you will have a testimony to God's strength and faithfulness, and be able to say, 'The Lord is my God.'

KEEP IT SIMPLE

 'I will give you shepherds...who will lead you with knowledge and understanding.' Jeremiah 3:15 NIV

Seeking to impress the congregation, a young seminary graduate incorporated the biggest words he could find into his Sunday-morning sermon. It was a disaster! Stepping down from the pulpit, he met an old preacher who said, Son, you spoke over their heads.' Irritated and defensive, the young seminarian said, 'Then why don't they stretch their necks?' To which the old preacher replied, 'Jesus said, "Feed my sheep," not my giraffes!' 

Whether you're in a pulpit, a classroom, a board meeting, or talking to someone one-to-one over coffee, you must decide whether your goal is to impress people - or help them. God said, 'I will lead you with knowledge and understanding.' Your aim shouldn't be merely to communicate knowledge - but understanding. The measure of a good teacher isn't what he or she knows - it's what the student learns. Making things simple is a necessary skill if you want to connect with people. To put it in the words of Albert Einstein: 'If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it enough.' 

If you're serious about trying to reach people, keep these four words firmly in mind:

1) Heart. To move someone, you must touch them on an emotional level.

2) Hope. By spelling out their potential and their possibilities, you will inspire them to try.

3) Help. Show them how to apply what you're saying tangibly.

4) Humour. By laughing at your mistakes, you let people know their problem isn't unique - and to someone who is struggling, that can be the best feeling in the world.

PICK THE RIGHT PEOPLE

'These were...the mighty men whom David had,' 1 Chronicles 11:10 NKJV

Success in any endeavour calls for surrounding yourself with the right people. That's why you should always seek God's input in your relationships. Rehobam should have listened to the advice of his father Solomon's wise and experienced inner circle. Instead, he heeded the advice of those who agreed with his own opinion - and it proved fatal. 

David, on the other hand, chose people who helped make him great. 'These were...the mighty men whom David had, who strengthened themselves with him in this kingdom, with all Israel' (v. 10 NKJV). Notice four important things here:

1) David built a strong inner circle before he needed it. He started building his team long before he needed it. He started building his team long before he was crowned.

2) He attracted people with varied gifts. He reached for them, rewarded them, and wasn't intimidated by those who had skills that differed from his. With the help of these 'mighty men', David felt ready for anything.

3) He cultivated loyalty. He drew people close to him, shared his life with them, and, in the end, they were willing to lay their lives on the line for him. 

4) He delegated responsibility based on ability. Because he was secure in his own identity and calling, David wasn't afraid to delegate authority and responsibility to those around him. In the beginning, some of his mighty men were misfits, but he transformed this ragtag group into a winning team. (see 1 Samuel 22:1-2).

David made his inner circle great, and in turn his inner circle made him great. So the word is  - pick the right people!

DON'T BURN OUT

 'Many claim to have unfailing love, but a faithful person who can find?' Proverbs 20:6 NIV

Pastor Rowland Croucher writes: 'The children had gone to school, my wife was off to work, and I did something I'd never done before. I turned the phone down, put a note on the door, and went back to bed. I was burned out. Within two months, I had resigned my ministry...Three out of four pastors report anger, depression, fear, and alienation. The reasons include...a disparity between idealistic expectations and hard reality...lack of boundaries...workaholism...feelings of incompetence...conflict between being a leader and being a servant at the same time..."playing it safe" to avoid upsetting powerful parishioners...and loneliness (pastors are less likely to have a close friend than almost anybody).'

Ministering in your own strength virtually guarantees you will end up as another statistic. Paul was able to go the distance and finish strong because he depended on God to give him the needed strength. One Bible teacher says avoiding burnout means

a) having a definite call on your life and a strong relationship with Jesus,

b) seeking His vision and being willing to do whatever He asks, 

c) never losing sight of the people behind the work, 

d) never taking your position for granted, 

e) respecting the guy above you, and submitting willingly to authority, 

f) knowing that you're fulfilling God's will and your reward is laid up in heaven, 

g)having a servant's heart, 

h) putting loyalty above personal feelings, and 

i) never being too big to do small things, or too small to do big things. 

Practice these principles, and you won't burn out.

KEEP YOUR HOPE ALIVE

'Grab ...hope with both hands and never let go.' Hebrews 6:18 MSG

Does your situation look impossible? Are you getting ready to give up? Don't! Emilie Batisse was seventy-nine when she was injured in a hit-and-run accident and wasn't expected to live. When Norman Vincent Peale went to visit her, he noticed a row of brand-new poetry books that hadn't been opened. When he asked her about them, she said, 'I love poetry, but I haven't read those... I'm saving them for my old age.' 

Mrs Batisse lived to read those books many times, and when she eventually died at ninety-one, she was planning a trip to Europe. Hope is wishing for something to come true; faith is believing it will happen. Hope is wanting something so desperately that, despite all evidence to the contrary, you keep believing God for it. And the remarkable thing is that the act of hoping produces a strength ot its own. When Cornell University conducted a study on the effects of hope, Dr Harold G. Wolff reported that people with hope can endure incredible burdens. One group comprised twenty-five thousand soldiers imprisoned during World War II. Subjected to forced labour, bad food, and filth, many died while others showed only slight damage. Interviews with survivors revealed a far-above-average ability to hope! 

How were they able to keep their hope alive? By drawing pictures of the girls they planned to marry, designing their future homes, and organising business management seminars. Hope not only kept them well, it kept them alive! It's easy to see why Paul describes hope as 'an unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past... appearances... to the very presence of God' (v.19). 

GOOD IS GOOD - ALL THE TIME!

 'O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him'. Psalm 34:8

What you believe about God is crucial to the quality of your life, especially in difficult times. So, starting today, tell yourself, 'God is good- all the time,' and keep saying it until it gets down into your spirit. What does it mean to be 'good'? It means living up to the best and highest; His goodness is beyond question. If God is good - genuinely, practically, consistently good - then your cup of well-being, security, peace, confidence and joy should be overflowing!

 A good God can't break His promise, abandon His children, or fail to love and provide for them. In every trial and circumstance, you can be sure He will treat you in the best possible way. When things seem to be falling apart, when you stumble confused in the dark, it's hard to see God's goodness or feel that things will get better. That's when you must draw on the faith God has deposited in you (see Romans 12:3), and by an act of your will, trust Him. A troubled parishoner once asked his pastor, 'Does the world look like a wreck to you too? He replied, 'Yes, like the wreck of a bursting seed! Without the "wreck" stage when its world appears to be falling apart, the acorn could never give birth to an oak tree.' 

So, embrace God's will in your time of testing because it's 'good, and acceptable, and perfect' (Romans 12:2). Ultimately, you will 'see how good the Lord is' and that 'happy is the person who trusts him.'