FAZE-FREE

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

“There is something you can't fix, can't heal, or can't escape, and all you can do it trust God. Finding ultimate refuge in God means you become so immersed in his presence, so convinced of his goodness, so devoted to his lordship that you find even the cave is a perfectly safe place to be because He(GOD) is there with you.” ― John Ortberg

Yesterday I met with a dear couple.  They suffered a tragic loss a year ago or so.  And since that loss they have been trying to “sort it out”.

Bereavement is hard.  Lucado says its root word is “reave”, which means to rob, plunder or steal.  Unexpected loss leaves us reeling in a wash of “wish I would have's” and "what if that didn’t happen’s”.

We are “robbed” of what “could have been’s” as well.

But as we shared, GOD began to REMIND us all that His goodness, His presence, and His lordship could be trusted with our unanswerable questions.  That GOD is always REFUGE.  God is always the safe haven.  GOD is always trustworthy. God is ALWAYS good. 

Therefore...

Psalm 62:8

Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.

“Trust is not a passive state of mind. It is a vigorous act of the soul by which we choose to lay hold on the promises of God and cling to them despite the adversity that at times seeks to overwhelm us.” ― Jerry Bridges

When things are especially hard we need to lean on and trust passages like Romans 8:28. And while it can be a struggle we want to believe that GOD does make things good.  Remember GOD is always GOOD!

But something caught my attention about the TRUSTWORTHINESS of GOD as I was encouraging them from GOD's Word yesterday.

Take a look at this. Right after Paul lists all the things that could “upend us” all the things that could have us “running for cover and “caves” as it were, we can still TRUST!

Why?

Romans 8:39(MSG)

None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us.

WOW!

Nothing can faze us BECAUSE JESUS loves us.  

Because JESUS loves us…that is enough. 

Period.  

If everything else craters around us, Jesus’ love for us will NOT.

GRAB THAT THIS MORNING and HOLD IT WITH BOTH HANDS. NOTHING CAN FAZE YOU!

Betrayal? Nope!

Confusion Nope!

Uncertainty? Nope!

Angst? NOPE!

Friends in times of strife and hurt we should JUST TRUST.  GOD isn’t fazed. Nor should we be!

 

His grace is sufficient. His power unending. His steadiness unshaken. 

Paul then goes on via Petersen’s paraphrase to put the exclamation point on this simple but POWERFUL POINT today!

…absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.

That messed me up yesterday.

Nothing can get between us and GOD’s love not because of ANYTHING I will do or not do but solely because JESUS, our Master has embraced us and LOVES US.

Period. End of story.

WOW.

That should lead to a "FAZE-FREE" day don't you think?

 

 

I love you all

FREEDOM CHURCH