Stand Firm by Ann Broughton

“Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58 NIV).

    Whatever you do for the Lord is not in vain. God has a specific plan for your life and you must do it and stand firm. Jesus walked this earth during his last year with a purpose, to do His Father’s will no matter what. Jesus expects the same of us. No matter what. Your purpose is to also do the work of the Lord even when it appears hopeless. But all things are possible with God and you can be sure that if God has placed you in a certain position, He will help you and give you wisdom to handle any problem that is before you. One of my favorite verses is:

“He who began a good work in you will carry it to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6 NIV). God has placed upon you a commission that only you can fill. It is imperative that you do it and finish the work He has for you to do.

   I am reminded of Gideon, who was appointed by God to lead a very small army, 300, to defeat a very large one. God did this to prove to Gideon and all the others, that God had it all under control. Gideon did what He was told to do by God. He told his men to encircle the camp, blow their trumpets, break their jars, and shout, “For the Lord and for Gideon’. The enemy ended up killing each other and running away. Gideon did what the Lord asked him to do and succeeded.

   God is with you always, especially if you are doing His will in your life. He can work miracles into situations that seem impossible. But you must trust Him, be calm, and draw your strength from the Lord. Sometimes in the midst of crisis, it is so very hard to take a deep breath and be calm, but that is the exact time when you should do this. When faced with a crisis, remember who is for you and believe that He will give you the answer. God never fails.

Dear Lord,

We are put on this earth for a purpose that you foreordained for us. Help us to seek your will and do it, even when it looks hopeless. We know that you have given us the strength and courage to face anything that befalls us. Help us to take time every day to seek your will and be calm, knowing you will give us the answers we seek.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen

 

Be Strong and Courageous by Ann Broughton

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV).

   Are you facing something in which you must have courage? The above verse will help you if you memorize it. God is with you always and will give you the strength you need to face anything. The word “them” could be replaced with: cancer, divorce, foreclosure, death of a loved one, just to name a few. It is so comforting to know that the Lord will never leave you or forsake you.

   I have known several women who have fought breast cancer. They are such an example to me of trusting God and having courage. They underwent countless chemo treatments and radiation, but they continued to have a positive outlook. They quoted scripture, and told everyone that their lives were in God’s hands. I admire these ladies for their faith and courage.

   Now what I want to know is, if something like this would happen to you, how would you handle it? Do you have enough faith in God that you could tell everyone that you trust God and know that your life is in His hands? Would you lean on His strength to sustain you through the future, whatever lies before you? The Holy Spirit lives within you and will give you the strength you need to face anything, but you must be in constant communication with the Lord in order to tap into His power. It is so important to keep your relationship with God an ongoing commitment. It is like a marriage: if you stop talking to your spouse, your relationship with him/her will suffer. So it is with God.

Dear Lord,

I know that this life is full of worries and that a crisis could hit at any minute. Help me to be in constant communication with you so that my faith will sustain me through whatever the future holds. Thank you for never leaving me or forsaking me.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen

Walking the Paths of Righteousness By Ann Broughton

“If the Lord delights in a man’s way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand”

(Psalm 37: 23-24 NIV).

    Have you ever stumbled in your Christian walk?  Did you give in to temptation?  Did you repent right away or did you continue to stumble along in the darkness?  None of us are perfect and it is inevitable that we stumble and sin, but if we walk with the Lord, He will convict us of our sins so that we can get back on the right path.

    My husband and I like to hike by the Maumee river. I love to stare up at the trees and watch the clouds float by. Now if I try this on my own I have a tendency to stumble over roots. One time I even fell. But if I put my hand around Rick’s arm, he guides me around obstacles so I won’t fall down. I blissfully stare up at the leaves and clouds, not worried because he is guiding me down the path. If I stumble a little he holds me up so I won’t fall. I know I am safe in his hands because he loves me and would never let me get hurt.

    My Father in heaven is my guide as I walk along the paths of righteousness, especially when I give Him the control of my life. When I wander and do my own will, I find myself falling down and feeling sad because I sinned. But then my Savior reaches out His hand to me as I repent and shows me mercy. One of my favorite verses is: “I lift my eyes to hills. Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip” (Psalm 121: 1-3 NIV). If I trust God, pray, read the Bible, and try to live a life pleasing to Him, he will always be there for me, even when I stumble and sin.

    This week if you find yourself stumbling and sinning, make sure you repent immediately and ask God to help you walk in His way instead of the world’s way.

Dear Lord,

Please always be my guide in this life on earth. Catch me when I stumble and lead me back to the paths of righteousness. Thank you for loving me and showing me your grace and mercy when I fall.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen

Serving God Together by Ann Broughton

“Let us not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another” (Hebrews 10:25 NIV).

    Do you attend church regularly? Is it important to you to worship the Lord one day a week and take that time to lay aside your thoughts about your work or home and just concentrate on God?  When God made the commandment “Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy”, He knew that everyone needs to rest and remember who God is.

    When I go to church I am there to worship my wonderful Savior, who loves me in spite of my weaknesses. I worship Him in song and think about the words as I lift up praises to God. The words of the praise songs are so powerful and meaningful. That part of the worship time is so very important to me. It makes me feel so very close to God.

   The sermon is from the Bible and helps me learn more about God and His love for me. Communion helps me remember the sacrifice Jesus made for me for my sins. I recall my sins from the past week and repent during this time. I pray that God will give me the strength to handle the challenges of life and not give in to temptation.

   I love to talk to my Christian friends and encourage them after the service. That is what is so very important about meeting every week. We all need encouragement and prayer just to get through the tough times in our lives. My Christian friends have never failed me when I needed them to pray with me over concerns. They are glad to pitch in and help out with any worthy cause to help out others in need also. You see people are the “church”, and it is those people who can show others what being a Christian really is about: serving others. It is all about service and loving others as you would want them to love you. I hope that you are a member of a loving congregation and that you attend every Sunday to worship God and encourage one another.

 Dear Lord,

Help me to be committed to you and take time each week to attend services and meet with my Christian family. I know that we all need to serve you together so that others will see our love for one another and want your love in their hearts also.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen