His Eye is On the Sparrow

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 NIV

Did you know that Jesus not only commands us to give thanks, but that He also gave thanks Himself? He thanked God for bread, before He fed the five thousand and even more amazingly, when He gave it to the disciples at the Last Supper. Jesus, knowing that everyone would run away, and that Judas would betray Him, still gave thanks. It strikes me that the anxious thoughts, problems and struggles that frustrate and keep me awake at night are nowhere near what Jesus faced. And yet in the middle of it all He was thankful. I am learning that when I let go of circumstances that are way beyond my control and trust them into the hands of God a miracle happens. The peace of God that is way beyond my understanding comes to keep and guard my mind in Christ Jesus. I may not see the answer to my prayers today or in the way I hoped, but God will be honored, I will be guided in the way He wants and in the end His blessing will be more than worth it all!

I Have Decided to Follow Jesus

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. Matthew 16:24 KJV

The words to this hymn were the last words of Sadhu Singh as he and his family were martyred for Christ in India in the 1800’s. Though not all of us will die a martyr’s death, we must all follow Jesus, wherever he leads us to go. When He made this call to his disciples, they didn’t know all the answers, or what the future would hold. If that is where you are, do not give up or turn back. Christ never asked us to understand, to always keep a smile or to succeed at everything we do. He asks us to follow so that we may be with Him when He leads us all the way home!

Surrender All!

When Robert E. Lee surrendered at the Appomattox courthouse in 1865, Ulysses S. Grant didn’t want to hear, “I surrender some.” and neither does Jesus. But just as our country began to heal and become stronger than ever before, so it is when we surrender to Jesus. He hasn’t given HIs life to destroy ours, but to give us an abundant eternal life both in Heaven and for the time we have to serve Him here on earth. Why not surrender you all to Jesus today!