Things That Last Forever

Seeing is Believing – isn’t that how the old expression goes?

But that’s not always true. Have you ever been to a house of mirrors and seen your shape go from normal to tall & skinny or short & fat? And people will misconstrue what they see and what they hear.

I can just see the headlines now: “Boy Dying – Preacher Sends Father Away”

In John, chapter 4 a father comes to Jesus and tells Him his son is dying. The father begs Jesus to come.

“Jesus went to visit Cana in Galilee again. Cana is where he had changed the water into wine. One of the king’s important officials lived in the city of Capernaum. This man’s son was sick. 47 The man heard that Jesus had come from Judea and was now in Galilee. So he went to Jesus and begged him to come to Capernaum and heal his son, who was almost dead. 48 Jesus said to him, “You people must see miraculous signs and wonders before you will believe in me.”49 The king’s official said, “Sir, come before my little son dies.”50 Jesus answered, “Go. Your son will live.” The man believed what Jesus told him and went home. 51 On the way home, the man’s servants came and met him. They said, “Your son is well.”52 The man asked, “What time did my son begin to get well?” They answered, “It was about one o’clock yesterday when the fever left him.”53 The father knew that one o’clock was the same time that Jesus had said, “Your son will live.” So the man and everyone in his house believed in Jesus.” John 4:46-53 ERV

How many times did I want to see a miracle? Wanted to see the “power of God” moving and yet sat with the Bible on the coffee table and not opened it to find God’s miraculous, powerful Word for myself?

“So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” II Corinthians 4:18 NLT

Thank God, He understands our limitations and the frailty of our faith. He is moved with compassion because He loves us so.

Do you remember what Jesus said to the centurion who came to him asking that his servant be healed? To him, Jesus said I will come and the centurion said no, just speak the word and my servant will be healed because you have authority and your word is enough. (paraphrased by me)

“Jesus said to the officer, “I will go and heal him.”8 The officer answered, “Lord, I am not good enough for you to come into my house. You need only to give the order, and my servant will be healed. 9 I know this, because I understand authority. There are people who have authority over me, and I have soldiers under my authority. I tell one soldier, ‘Go,’ and he goes. I tell another soldier, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and my servant obeys me.”10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. He said to those who were with him, “The truth is, this man has more faith than anyone I have found, even in Israel…13 Then Jesus said to the officer, “Go home. Your servant will be healed the way you believed he would.” Right then his servant was healed.” Matthew 8:7-13 ERV

I want centurion faith! If God’s word says it – that’s enough!

Not Sugar But Gold

For years now, a dear friend of mine and I share a saying whenever we are out in the rain. We say “I’m not made of sugar, I won’t melt”.

That saying quickly came to mind last night as I heard a young man talking about the circumstances of 2020. He said that his life, like all of ours, has been greatly impacted by social distancing requirements. He’s an entertainer and all of his concerts were canceled from March forward and into 2021. He said that even though the rains fall he will stand strong; he will sing, praising God in the pouring rain.

To paraphrase, I’m not made of sugar, I won’t melt.

As I sat there thinking about his words the Lord reminded me of His Word.

“Fire is used to make gold and silver pure, but a person’s heart is made pure by the Lord.” Proverbs 17:3 ERV

“A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.” Luke 6:45 NLT

How we handle the tough situations in life says a lot about us. Do we fall apart and wallow in self-pity and despair? Or are we like this young man and sing praises to God in the downpour? We voice our fears and disappointments to the Father in prayer. Jesus did that in the Garden of Gethsemane but then He stood up and went forward knowing that God was by His side. We have His promise that He will never leave us – in fact, He takes us through.

Dave and I had a dear friend who was an amateur metallurgist. He studied the process of refining gold. I remember him telling me about it. Let me give you a brief overview. Once gold ore is brought from the ground it is crushed and the non essential elements are washed away. The gold then goes through several refining steps. It is acid washed, heated, the impurities are skimmed off and then heated again until the gold is in its purest form. What is removed is the impurity. The refined gold increases in value.

When we go through trials and difficulties we are also being refined. Our faith is being purified. The dross or non essential elements are being removed. God doesn’t leave us during the these times, in fact, He is there to bring us through victoriously.

Both James and Peter taught the Christians in the first century to stand strong in spite of troubles. Their writings have much to say about daily living, interpersonal relationships and hardships. Their words of instruction came from the Lord and we can learn so much from what they taught.

“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” James 1:2-4 NLT

“These troubles test your faith and prove that it is pure. And such faith is worth more than gold. Gold can be proved to be pure by fire, but gold will ruin. When your faith is proven to be pure, the result will be praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ comes.

You have not seen Christ, but still you love him. You can’t see him now, but you believe in him. You are filled with a wonderful and heavenly joy that cannot be explained.” I Peter 3:7-8 ERV

We need to remain joyful in tough situations. How? By knowing that God hasn’t abandon us, but He stands with us to give us strength and we come out better, perfect and complete by placing our trust in Him.

So, when the rains come remember we aren’t made of sugar, we won’t melt. It’s a time for joy. We are more valuable than gold that has been refined in the fire!

Battle Fatigue

Some of the first images that come to mind when I think about battle fatigue are of wildland fire fighters on the front lines of a blaze, medical personnel battling COVID, law enforcement officers in perilous conditions and individuals who are fighting each day for physical and mental strength in the continuing battle for their health.

Battle Fatigue.

It’s also something that ordinary people like you and I face. There are those days of weariness and we wonder where we are going to find the strength to go on. There’s a story in II Chronicles 20 that reminds me where my true strength comes from. The Lord brings me back to it when the battles I’m facing seem almost insurmountable.

King Jehoshaphat was being invaded by three large armies and he was afraid. He stopped everything and sought God. He had his people seek God as well. He reminded the Lord how He had come to the aid of those in the past and then the King waited for a word from the Lord. The word came – the king followed it – the people praised – the enemy was ambushed – the people took the spoils – other enemies withdrew because of fear of the Lord and the Israelites lived in peace for a long time. A worthy example for each of us to follow.

The battle belongs to the Lord!

“And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, 4 And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the LORD: …13 And all Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children…Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s…20 And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper…22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.…none escaped…28 And they came to Jerusalem with psalteries and harps and trumpets unto the house of the LORD.29 And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries, when they had heard that the LORD fought against the enemies of Israel.” II Chronicles 20:1-29 KJV

The army of the Israelites was outnumbered. Their defeat was certain. They were weak in their own strength and number BUT the battle belongs to the Lord!

We face daily battles, some just seem to be small skirmishes and others can be overwhelming. As Christians we don’t have to fight in our own strength. The Apostle Paul tells us to daily put on God’s armor and then to stand. Stand, stand strong. Each piece of our armor is fashioned from God’s Word. We have God’s promise that “no weapon formed against us will prosper”. Does this sound to good to be true? I used to think so.

“A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 For we[a] are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.” Ephesians 6:10-13 NLT

But as I read through the Bible I found that the Lord promised victory to those who trust in Him. Over and over again I read of those who were more than conquerors and overcomers. I read the stories of those who faced battles and emerged victoriously because they knew what Jehoshaphat knew – the battle belongs to the Lord.

If you are feeling weary, experiencing battle fatigue, go to God in prayer and I know you will hear Him say “This is My battle, let Me fight for you”. The battle belongs to the Lord!

(I devote an entire chapter to being overcomers and conquerors in my book, Like A Diamond.)

Always Faithful – Always True

Today I stand and declare – Let God be true and every man a liar!

If God’s word says it, it’s truth and truth triumphs over facts! No, I don’t live with my head in the sand and I’m not delusional. I AM convinced,beyond any shadow of doubt, that God’s word is true whether I see it working or not.

Abraham believed God rather than looking at his own body or the barrenness of his wife and they had a child in their old age. Mary believed God and she conceived a son when she was a virgin. The disciples believed God and they cast our demons, healed the sick and raised the dead. The lame man believed God and took up his bed and walked.

I believe the Word when it says ‘with God, all things are possible”. I believe the word when it says “by his stripes we are healed”. And I believe the word of God when it says “nothing is impossible to him who believes”.

We can be confident when we pray the Word of God over a situation. As we pray the word of God, we are praying God’s will; His word is His will.

I know some may feel like giving up. There are situations that have been overwhelming and strength seems to be gone but don’t quit! Don’t give up! Stand on God’s word. Make it the final authority. God has not and will not abandon us! We are His children and He cares for His own!

“And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” I John 5:14-15 KJV

“With all my heart I praise the Lord, and with all that I am I praise his holy name! 2 With all my heart I praise the Lord! I will never forget how kind he has been. 3 The Lord forgives our sins, heals us when we are sick, 4 and protects us from death. His kindness and love are a crown on our heads. 5 Each day that we live, he provides for our needs and gives us the strength of a young eagle.” Psalm 103:1-3 CEV

“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 KJV

Let God be true and every man a liar –

“It is true that some Jews were not faithful to God. But will that stop God from doing what he promised? 4 No, even if everyone else is a liar, God will always do what he says. As the Scriptures say about him, “You will be proved right in what you say, and you will win when people accuse you.” Romans 3:3-4 ERV

“The Lord’s word is true, and he is faithful in everything he does.” Psalm 33:4 ERV

“Let us hold on to the hope we say we have and not be changed. We can trust God that He will do what He promised.” Hebrews 10:23 NLV

Faithful and True. AMEN!

Tempted to Complain?

I have to admit that there are times when I am tempted to complain but that hasn’t been the case for quite a while now. My life isn’t perfect; it has it’s up’s and down’s however, my God is perfect!

And He loves me!

As I was making the morning coffee my head filled with song by singer/songwriter Dottie Rambo:

He left the Splendor of Heaven
Knowing His destiny
Was the lonely hill of Golgotha
there to lay down His life for me.

if that isn’t love
the ocean is dry
there’s no stars in the sky
and the sparrow can’t fly
if that isn’t love
then Heavens a myth
there’s no feeling like this
if that isn’t love

Gratitude spills over into everything we do when we focus on the truth of God’s love. There is one reason and one reason only that Jesus left heaven and came to earth. That reason is His love for us!

Complaining causes us to lose focus of what is good. It can be a downward spiral. How many of you have heard these words?

“The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” I Corinthians 10:13 NLT

Paul was giving instruction to Christians about the example they had received from their fore fathers who had murmured and complained in the wilderness. They had seen all of God’s power when He delivered them from Egypt; crossing the Red Sea; living under the pillar of cloud by day; eating manna from heaven; drinking water from a rock and still they complained and rebelled.

So, now Paul is giving strong admonition to the Christians in Corinth. Don’t let the temptation to complain and murmur about your circumstances cause you to stray from the Lord. God is faithful and He will provide a way of escape. Don’t be confident in your own abilities because when you do, you will fall but be confident in Christ and what He has done for you.

This is a good word for today. How many times a day do we find ourselves complaining about something? How many times are we trusting in our own strength and not His?

We should remind ourselves of how the Lord has been faithful in the past. Remind ourselves that we are the reason He left heaven. This should keep us from complaining about the present or worrying over the future!

We have His promise that He will never leave us or abandon us. Now that’s love!

Good News!

Sitting here this morning, there are so many things on my mind and in my heart. Praying for my children and grandchildren, friends who need direction, healing for the friends of friends and for our nation and our government and those who rule our land. So many things around us are going contrary to what Jesus said was the kingdom of heaven and what God has designed for us.

Jesus also lived in a troubled world. The governmental rule was anti-God. The Romans, who ruled over the nation of Israel, preached Caesar as god and his word as infallible. They were living in political slavery when Jesus was born. I find it interesting that God, the Father, didn’t use Jesus to rescue the Jews from the Romans in a similar way that he used Moses to rescue the Jews from the Egyptians.

Jesus went through all the towns and villages preaching the good news of the kingdom of heaven and with that message he demonstrated the power of God by doing miracles.

“Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages. He taught in their synagogues and told people the Good News about God’s kingdom. He healed all kinds of diseases and sicknesses. 36 Jesus saw the many people and felt sorry for them because they were worried and helpless—like sheep without a shepherd to lead them. 37 Jesus said to his followers, “There is such a big harvest of people to bring in. But there are only a few workers to help harvest them. 38 God owns the harvest. Ask him to send more workers to help gather his harvest.” Matthew 9:35 – 38 ERV

He also sent out his disciples, preaching the same message and they too, did the same miracles.

“As you go, announce that the kingdom of heaven will soon be here. [d] 8Heal the sick, raise the dead to life, heal people who have leprosy, [e] and force out demons. You received without paying, now give without being paid.” Matthew 10:7-8 ERV

In Peter’s preaching he gave this testimony of Jesus and his ministry.

“You surely know what happened everywhere in Judea. It all began in Galilee after John had told everyone to be baptized. 38 God gave the Holy Spirit and power to Jesus from Nazareth. He was with Jesus, as he went around doing good and healing everyone who was under the power of the devil. 39 We all saw what Jesus did both in Israel and in the city of Jerusalem. Jesus was put to death on a cross. 40 But three days later, God raised him to life and let him be seen. 41 Not everyone saw him. He was seen only by us, who ate and drank with him after he was raised from death. We were the ones God chose to tell others about him.” Acts 10: 37-41. ERV

But the corruption of the government was always on Jesus disciples’ minds and they wondered when Jesus would take control and change things. Here are Jesus last words to his disciples.
“While the apostles were still with Jesus, they asked him, “Lord, are you now going to give Israel its own king again?” 7Jesus said to them, “You don’t need to know the time of those events that only the Father controls. 8But the Holy Spirit will come upon you and give you power. Then you will tell everyone about me in Jerusalem, in all Judea, in Samaria, and everywhere in the world.” 9After Jesus had said this and while they were watching, he was taken up into a cloud. They could not see him, 10but as he went up, they kept looking up into the sky.” Acts 1:6-9 ERV

Today, many are asking the same thing. When, Lord, are you going to do something about our government and those in power? Things are not good that is for certain! But we are hopeful and can trust that God knows the day and the hour. Until then, Jesus final command to the disciples is for us as well. We receive power from the Holy Spirit and are to be witnesses in our home town (Jerusalem), in our country (Judea), to our neighboring countries (Samaria) and then into the whole world. And what are we to preach – the same thing the disciples did. The kingdom of heaven is at hand and we can minister with the same power and authority that they had.

Let’s go and share the good news!

Shake Down Cruise

Dave and I just returned from three weeks in the White Mountains of Arizona. It was wonderful!

Did you miss me? No? Most of you didn’t even know we were gone. The two weeks before we left I spent time writing and rewriting my morning blogs. Our oldest daughter, Kim, helped with posting them to Facebook and the daily emails were auto-posted through WordPress. Technology is my friend. Thank you Kim.

But now let’s get back to the camping trip. We had very limited cell and internet service while we were there so it really was a vacation. I had one dear friend ask me how I was handling not writing my blog each morning. She said she knows how much I love sitting down each morning and talking with each of you from my heart. I admit it was difficult. I did get up each morning and pray for you all. I realized, once again, I don’t get up early because I have too; I get up early because it’s my time with the Father and my time to pray for those I love.

This was the first time we had our fifth-wheel on an extended trip. It was a time of learning, a shake-down cruise, as it were. We were camping without hook ups in two very nice National Forest Campgrounds. We learned a lot.

We knew the capacity, in gallons, of our fresh, gray and black water tanks. We knew the size of our two propane bottles; we knew the size of our generator and the power of our battery but we didn’t know how long any of that would last under daily use. It was a pleasant learning experience. This is what a shake-down cruise is all about – learning how all systems work and if there are any problems.

Some things we rationed thinking we might run out. We didn’t know how long it took to heat the water heater and how much shower time we had with seven gallons of hot water and so the first showers were very short. Experience told us we could shower a bit longer.

We loved learning! We loved being in God’s beautiful creation! We loved being together – talking, planning, praying and thanking God for who He is and how He has directed our lives.

Life here on earth is basically a shake-down cruise. It is a time we learn about our heavenly Father. We learn about His grace, mercy, goodness, kindness, correction and love. We learn that we don’t have to cut our showers of cleansing short because we will never exhaust the warm refreshing of His love and forgiveness.

His love endures forever. His mercy is new every morning. Great is God’s faithfulness. His grace abounds.

Living a life dependent upon the Lord, upon all that He is, here on earth is just a fore-taste of how great heaven will be!

“Let us thank the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It was through His loving-kindness that we were born again to a new life and have a hope that never dies. This hope is ours because Jesus was raised from the dead. We will receive the great things that we have been promised. They are being kept safe in heaven for us. They are pure and will not pass away. They will never be lost. You are being kept by the power of God because you put your trust in Him and you will be saved from the punishment of sin at the end of the world.” I Peter 1:3-5 NLV

Take time to enjoy the journey. Our loving Father has supplied abundantly for every need!

Excellent Advice!

When Dave and I purchased our home in Montana the current owner gave me some excellent advice – words I still remember. You see, we moved to the Beaverhead Valley from north Idaho where the climate was more temperate.

She took me to the big picture window and said, “There will be days this winter when you look out these windows and you won’t see a thing except for blowing white. You’ll hear the wind howl and you’ll think that you’re going to be snowed in for the rest of the winter. Don’t panic! Just wait…wait about thirty minutes. The wind will die down and then you will be able to go outside once again.”

I put those words to good use that winter. “Don’t panic. Just wait.” Sure enough it was just as she said. The longest I ever had to wait was forty-five minutes and the wind would subside and the blizzard was over. We lived in a big log home with a great wood-burning stove and we were safe and warm. No need to panic.

I’ve applied those words to many of life’s circumstances, the current one we are going through is no exception.

Jesus said the same thing to his disciples:

“Amazing things will happen to the sun, moon, and stars. And people all over the earth will be upset and confused by the noise of the sea and its crashing waves. 26 They will be afraid and worried about what will happen to the world. Everything in the sky will be changed. 27 Then people will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 When these things begin to happen, stand up tall and don’t be afraid. Know that it is almost time for God to free you!” Luke 21:25-28 ERV

His disciples had asked Jesus about the end of times. A lot had been written in the Old Testament about this. Jesus told them to watch for the signs but He also told them they didn’t need to be afraid. I can hear the words of Jesus more clearly than I heard the words of Mrs. McGinley. “Don’t panic…just wait!”

There will be a time when life on this earth will end. I believe that because God said it will. But that’s no reason to fear. It is a reason to be prepared. The Lord will return for those of us who have accepted Him as our Savior and He will take us to heaven. Those that remain here on the earth will face terrible and devastating events.

God is loving and gracious. He is giving everyone the opportunity to come into relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ.

“The Lord is not being slow in doing what he promised—the way some people understand slowness. But God is being patient with you. He doesn’t want anyone to be lost. He wants everyone to change their ways and stop sinning.

10 But the day when the Lord comes again will surprise everyone like the coming of a thief…” II Peter 3:9-10a ERV

How wonderful is that? God is patient and He doesn’t want anyone to be lost! The good news – everyone has been invited to have a new life in Christ, a life that brings forgiveness and reconciliation with God, the Father.

Don’t panic! Just wait and it will all be over soon.

Say It Again!

Did you ever watch the movie Ever After with Drew Barrymore. It was a cinderella-type story. In one of the final scenes, the man she loves finds her in her nemesis castle. All through the movie she has disguised her identity and has been going by an assumed name. But now as he approaches her, the music swells and he says, I love you, Danielle. She says “Say it again” and he repeats “I love you”. “No, not that. Say my name again.”

Now listen to this story of how being called by name changed a woman’s life.

It was early in the morning, about sunrise. The women who loved and followed Jesus, the ones who had their lives changed by His ministry, went to the tomb. They were taking spices to anoint His body properly for burial. Their hearts were aching and they had to do something to show their love and devotion for their Lord. Only one thing – who would roll away the stone? Surely the soldiers who were guarding his body would only laugh and mock but they had to try. When the women approached and saw the stone rolled away their hearts sank – “Where’s Jesus? Where have they taken Him?” Desperation came rushing in.

“The angel said to the women, “Don’t be afraid. I know you are looking for Jesus, the one who was killed on the cross. 6 But he is not here. He has risen from death, as he said he would. Come and see the place where his body was.” Matthew 28:5-6 ERV

The women went to the disciples and reported that they had seen an angel, the empty tomb and that Jesus was risen!!! From the pit of depression to the height of ecstasy. The Savior, the Messiah, Jesus was alive! However, the men who heard their report didn’t believe them. I’m not sure why but they didn’t.

Mary Magdalene must have followed Peter and John back to the tomb. If they didn’t believe her and the other women who reported what the angels had told them, “He is not here. He is risen”, could they have been wrong? She needed to know what had happened to Jesus. The tomb was empty and His body was gone. Mary had to know – where is my Lord?

“ … she turned around and saw Jesus standing there. But she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who are you looking for?” She thought he was the man in charge of the garden. So she said to him, “Did you take him away, sir? Tell me where you put him. I will go and get him.” John 20:13-16 ERV

I find myself at a loss of words, I can’t adequately convey the heart ache, the despair, the confusion, the anguish that Mary must have been experiencing. Jesus had saved her, He had delivered her from demons. She had never known life, true life, until Jesus set her free and now He was gone and she didn’t even get to say good bye!

And then it all changed with just a word:

“Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’ She turned toward him and said in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni,’ which means “Teacher.” John 20:16 ERV

One word, just one word – Jesus spoke her name and she knew! “Mary.” The flood of emotion was overwhelming; relief, joy, love, and peace. Tears.

Have you ever really been at the bottom? I mean the very bottom where you weren’t sure you even wanted to go on living? Everything in your life has come crashing in and all hope is gone – have you been there? I have. And with one word, one short message I heard Jesus speak my name! “Kristi.” Sweet and softly spoken, I knew that I have not been forgotten. Jesus knows me, He loves me and He called me by name.

The story of the resurrection is this: Jesus died and rose again, defeating death, hell and the grave; He faced it all to call us by name and let us know we are truly loved and forgiven.

“Do not be afraid. For I have bought you and made you free. I have called you by name. You are Mine!” Isaiah 43:2 NLV

I hope you can hear Jesus calling you by name today. There’s no greater joy than hearing Him say, I love you!

Everything I Need

If you started making a list of everything you need how long would it be? Not talking about your wants or your wish list but the things you really need. Did you know there is an “In Christ” verse to cover that?

“And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19 NLT

As I was sitting here and thinking about what my day has in store I found that in Christ He has already supplied all that I need. Just like Noah was kept safe in the Ark, I am kept safe in Christ. 

    He became my sin so that I could become his righteousness

    He took stripes on his back so that I could be healed

    He told me to come boldly to his throne to find help (Him) in time of need

    He became my strength when I am weak

   He became my peace when things around me are in chaos.

    He gave me a cup that runs over when the enemy is trying to steal, kill and destroy

   He gave me wisdom when I asked for it

What more could I ask for? Then these verses came to mind, this is the right kind of thinking.

 You have been raised to life with Christ. Now set your heart on what is in heaven, where Christ rules at God’s right side. Think about what is up there, not about what is here on earth. You died, which means that your life is hidden with Christ, who sits beside God. Christ gives meaning to your life, and when he appears, you will also appear with him in glory.” Colossians 3:1-4 CEV

Not only do we have God’s promise to be all we need here on earth but we have His promise that our life is hidden in Christ and we will be with Him in heaven.

He is ALL I need!