Author: ObtainingMercy

Are you in "survival mode" today?

It seems we can often find ourselves there.

However, it is not a very good place for us to be – spiritually, emotionally or physically.

The physical reason for "survival mode" is times of great stress, famine or starvation. The body shuts down processes that are not essential for life: skin, hormones, hair, digestion, etc.

We find the same thing emotionally and spiritually.

When we are only surviving:

• we begin to cut ties to those to whom we are emotionally attached – usually family and close friends.
• Spiritually, we break off the most important habits of Bible reading and praying.

Our reasoning is this:

• those who really love us are "safe" to ignore. They will still be here when this crisis is over.
• Spiritually, we think we can get back to our Bible reading and prayer time when the stress has passed.

The truth is that we can survive a short while in this mode. Your body can shut down certain processes, you can ignore your loved ones and not pick up your Bible or spend time in prayer – for a little while.

If you spend too long in this place, however, you will begin to become unhealthy.

• Your body will break down,
• your family will begin to fall apart and
• you will grow cold, bitter and indifferent in your relationship to the Heavenly Father.

We are not meant to live perpetually in "survival mode".

I would recommend the first change to make in order to emerge from this state is to

You will find yourself seeking the emotional connection with others who love the Lord, and with those who are important to you. You will probably find that you begin to feel better physically as well.

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
John 10:10

The enemy of our soul strives to steal our life here; Christ gave His life to us that we might truly live a life of great joy and fulfillment.

There is great hope in escaping "survival mode" and entering into "thriving mode" through the power of the God of our salvation.

Awesome truths to hold onto every day…

Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
Hebrews 7:25

He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber not sleep.
Psalm 121:3-4

Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.
Jude 1:24

Then as if those truths aren't enough, the above verses are also full of other truths about the Lord:

• He saves us to the uttermost when we come to God through Jesus.
• He interceded for us constantly.
• He will not let our foot be moved.
• He keeps us.
• He keeps Israel.
• He presents us faultless before God.
• He has great joy in bringing us to God the Father.

Our God is so incredibly able to save us, keep us, and one day to catch us away to Heaven forever.

What do you have need of today?

He is more than able to meet your need!

Take the time to go to Him today with your burdens.

He's awake…

And listening for your cry!

If peace be in the heart,
The wildest winter storm is full of solemn beauty,
The midnight flash but shows the path of duty,
Each living creature tells some new and joyous story,
The very trees and stones all catch a ray of glory,
If peace be in the heart.
~Charles Francis Richardson

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Colossians 3:15-16

The ways to peace:

1. Allow yourself to be peaceful
2. Practice a "gratitude attitude"
3. Live your life with wisdom that you glean from the Word of God
4. Use spiritual music to lift your spirits

When peace rules our hearts, the enemy can't shake our hope!

Today, I'd like to focus on one more reason for you to have hope:

Your children will learn to have hope if you have hope.

They will also learn to be hopeless if you model that in front of them.

I know that there were many times as an adult that I prayed out of mere habit. Often, I lacked the faith that God was going to answer my prayer. The practice had already been put into place, though, and so I prayed anyway.

Many times, God was merciful, and answered those prayers that I asked halfheartedly; and every time He did, my faith grew. I learned a little more about the character of my Heavenly Father. I realized that He liked to give good things to His children. I determined to continue asking.

Through the years, my faith has grown. I have seen miracles. I have seen Christians and non-Christians alike wag their heads in amazement at what God has done for me and for my family.

• Not because I am a great Christian.
• Not because I'm anything special.
• Not because I am so spiritual.

It's because I keep asking. I keep going to God with childlike faith, simply believing that He will meet my needs.

And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
I tell you that he will avenge them speedily.
Luke 18:7-8a

He's been meeting my needs all my life, because my mom taught me how important it was to go to God with my needs.

I learned to pray, because prayer was important to my mom. She lived out that belief, and I learned by her example.

Observe your children.

• Are they hopeless?
• Are they troubled and anxious?
• Do they have little faith in God's provision?

If so, they are mirroring what they see in you.

Our only Hope for a life of hope is in Jesus Christ. The only way we can learn about that Hope is from the pages of the Word of God, the Bible.

We need to read it for ourselves, study it, hear it preached by Godly men, sing about it, talk about it, live it out.

A life centered on Jesus is a life filled with Hope.

Your children will learn to be hopeful or hopeless by watching your example.

What is your life teaching them?

"Be assured, if you walk with Him and look to Him and expect help from Him, He will never fail you.

An older brother who has known the Lord for forty-four years, who writes this, says to you for your encouragement that He has never failed him.

In the greatest difficulties, in the heaviest trials, in the deepest poverty and necessities, He has never failed me; but because I was enabled by His grace to trust Him, He has always appeared for my help.

I delight in speaking well of His name."

~George Mueller

Like a River Glorious
Frances R. Havergal

Like a river glorious is God’s perfect peace,
Over all victorious, in its bright increase;
Perfect, yet it floweth fuller every day,
Perfect, yet it groweth deeper all the way.

Refrain:
Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts are fully blest
Finding, as He promised, perfect peace and rest.

Hidden in the hollow of His blessed hand,
Never foe can follow, never traitor stand;
Not a surge of worry, not a shade of care,
Not a blast of hurry touch the spirit there.

Refrain:
Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts are fully blest
Finding, as He promised, perfect peace and rest.

Every joy or trial falleth from above,
Traced upon our dial by the Sun of Love;
We may trust Him fully all for us to do;
They who trust Him wholly find Him wholly true.

Refrain:
Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts are fully blest
Finding, as He promised, perfect peace and rest.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28

There are days when our minds want to completely reject the above verse.

It's a hard verse to believe.

All things? For our good?

But Paul doesn't just state this incredible fact. He follows up it with an explanation.

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
Romans 8:29-31

Did you notice the progression of God's work in us?

1. He foreknew us
2. He predestinated us to be conformed to the image of Jesus.
3. He called us.
4. He justified us.
5. He glorified us.

It's astonishing, really, to think about all that God has been doing in our lives before we even existed!

With this in mind, Paul then asks us a question.

After all that God has done, who can thwart His plan for our lives?

Who or what is greater than God?

Then to take it a step further, Paul asks,

He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
Romans 8:32

How can we doubt God? He sacrificed His only Son for us.

Why do we have to be convinced of His great love for us?

Just in case we need that, though, Paul includes the following list of things that cannot separate us from the Father:

• tribulation
• distress
• persecution
• famine
• nakedness
• peril
• sword
• death
• life
• angels
• principalities
• powers
• things present
• things to come
• height
• depth
• an other creature

That just about covers everything, I think!

You are precious to God! He gave the very best He had for you.

He will not allow anything to come into your life that is not for your good.

• I cannot explain that.
• I cannot understand that.
• I cannot logically contemplate how that will work with every circumstance that I experience.

All I can do, by faith, is simply believe it.

That belief then gives me peace, no matter what circumstance may occur.

So then, with Paul I can say

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28

There is great hope in believing the truth of the Scriptures.