Blessing

Winning Over Anxiety

/ pastorpete51 / 2 Comments

I confess that in spite of my faith and many decades of experience that my biggest battle has been against anxiety. But I give thanks – though not at all for the stress – that during my lowest points I have put down my roots the deepest into my relationship with Jesus. I readily identify with Peter stepping out of the boat onto the waves. It seems that getting closer to Jesus always involves facing the storm. He is close by but to walk by His side requires trusting in practical terms His care in what appears to be impossible circumstance.

I have found that the secret is not just knowing about trusting Him at those moments but to truly and totally trust in His care. That is when His hand takes hold of mine and together we walk over the wave tops and back into the boat! Maybe that is why it was Peter who gives us the promise that in the very middle of our battle we can know the most that God really cares for us.

More Please!

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He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?  Romans 8:32 ESV

Most of us remember the scene from Oliver Twist as Oliver stands in line with a tin bowl in his hand waiting for someone to give him food. A small spoonful of soup is given him and when he sees it he looks up then and hesitantly asks, “Please sir, I want some more,”

How many of us in our prayer life feel a bit like Oliver?  We have asked God for help, comfort or strength and it seems as if the almighty has been a bit stingy with us. In fact if we were being entirely honest we might complain that while the plates of others are full, our portion seems very small indeed.

But God isn’t running an orphanage. He doesn’t ladle out thin soup so He can feast in private with the angels and some of the most holy of the saints. In fact God has broken down the orphanage door, snatched us up and carried us to His own home! By the miraculous and amazing love of Jesus Christ He has paid off our debts and gladly adopted us into His family as sons and daughters. We belong to Him and the portion He has given on each of our plates is more than enough. Our difficulty is not in the size of our portion but in the size of our cup. Jesus himself drank down our bitter cup so that He could not only give us a little more but that He could freely give us all things!

Safely Through the Storm

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I loved the sounds of rain

Small drops sliding down the glass

With the branches flying wild

And the splash as people passed

Dreary days meant mugs of soup

And my mother’s sheltering arms

Tiny glimpses from my childhood

At a table safe and warm

Now the memory reminds me

Of another suppertime

When our Master gave the bread

And blessed a cup filled with new wine

How they sang a song together

About God’s mercy flowing free

Then He safely brought us home

Through the storms of Calvary