Thoughts for Life: A God You Can Count On

Dr. Charles Stanley gives us five things we can count on:

"On the basis of God's character, what assurances can we depend upon every single day?

1. God will extend His lovingkindness to us.

Sending His Son to die in our place proves the Father's love for us, and His unchanging nature confirms that He will love us forever
Ps. 100:5; 1 John 4:10.

2. The Lord will help us do what He requires of us.

He provides not only the spiritual wisdom to carry out our tasks but also the inner strength to complete them.We will receive from Him everything that we need Heb. 13:21.

3. God will limit the temptations and pressures He allows in our life.

Like a master craftsman, He knows what force can be applied to shape us into Jesus' image without breaking us 2 Cor. 4:8.

4. God will strengthen and protect us so we do not have to compromise or yield.

Though we are weak, He understands how strong we can be when His divine power is working in us. And the Holy Spirit gives us the spiritual strength to say no to temptation 1 Cor. 10:13.

5. Our Father will forgive our sins.

He stands ready to receive our confession, forgive us, and bring us back into fellowship with Him - every time 1 John 1:9.

In addition to these blessings for our days on earth, we also have assurances about the future.

We can trust that life does not e nd when our earthly body dies 2 Cor. 5:8, that we will live in heaven forever, and that Jesus Christ will return someday to set all things right.

Life certainly has trials, John 16:33. But when challenges press in, think about all the reasons we can depend upon God."

Read Ephesians 2:4-10 to see Scripture that backs this all up!

[This is taken from Dr. Stanley's magazine, In Touch, pg. 49, June 2013]

Let’s pray: Father, we come to You, to ask for Your help in remembering how You've provided for us! It is awesome what You've made available in and through Christ! Thank You for enabling Him to walk the path of death and punishment that each of us deserves. May our lives be examples of Your grace in us. In Jesus' name, Amen

Today's Bible verse: Ps. 119:50 (NKJV) "This is my comfort in my affliction, for Your word has given me life."

Today’s quote: Dr. Kathy Koch at Celebrate Kids. “What I most need as a mom is a growing desire to be fully present with my kids – mentally and emotionally – moment by moment. I need my heart to be with them while my mind and body work through the necessary to-do lists. I need to notice the details as their faces change from those of girls into young women…to really hear their ideas and questions…to grasp the intricacies of how each is wired…to put down the work in order to hold and comfort them.”

[Be sure to check out her link above!]

Our thought today: The reason we’re to come to God like a child, is because His ways are so simple! The heart of the child just believes.