Safe in His Arms

Recently, I held a 15-month-old boy in my arms as I was rocking him to sleep for his nap time. As I was holding him and rocking him, I thought to myself that this very young little boy was safe in my arms. In the same way, as God's children, we are safe in His arms. 

We may not feel very safe in this world at times.  There may be times when this world with all of the chaos, confusion, drama, and turbulence kind of rocks our very beings or our lives.  

For instance, many people in this world did not feel safe after the recent bombings in Boston especially those who lived or worked in that local area.  They were shaken up.  They felt unsafe.  They were in fear for lives.  They were told to stay inside their homes for an entire day, because one of the bombers was still on the loose.

However, none of us has to stay in that uncertain or unsafe place in our minds or in our lives.  We do not have to allow natural circumstances to dictate our thoughts, feelings, our very beings, or our lives.

"Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe."  (Proverbs 29:25, NIV)

We can go to the One who sees and knows the end at the beginning.  (Revelation 22:13)  He is the Great I Am!  He meets us where we are emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and even physically.  He meets all of our needs.  He fills in the gaps in us, in our hearts, in our minds, or in our lives.

With Him, we can know that no matter what...we will be alright.  It may not happen overnight.  It will happen though.  When we keep our eyes on Him, everything else fades away.  (Hebrews 12:2)

We can truly know the One to go to in the midst of this world's chaos, confusion, drama, or turbulence.  We can find His peace, comfort, and rest by going to Him...depending on Him...and trusting Him. 

Then, we can really know that we are safe in His arms.

Copyright 2013 by Dawn Freeman. All rights reserved.

Finding Purpose

What is your purpose?  Do you know? 

God has a purpose for you.  God's general purpose for all of His children is to conform us or change us into the image of His Son, Jesus.  (Romans 8:29)  When God created you though, He had a specific purpose in mind for you.

Many people within the body of Christ either do not know their own purpose or do not pursue their personal purpose.  Thus, they do not fulfill their God-given purpose.  They are just content existing or living with the status quo which is really below God's high standards for them.

However, we can know our individual purposes.  With God's help, we can not only pursue our purposes but also fulfill our purposes.

How can you know your purpose?

For one, read God's word on a daily basis.  The more you read of His word, the more you will know about Him...His true nature/character.  In order to find your purpose, you have to get to know Him.  He will reveal His purpose for you through spending time with Him.

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you."  (James 4:8a, NKJV) 

You can also get to know Him more through spending time in prayer.  (1 Thessalonians 5:17)  Prayer is simply communicating with Him.  It is usually an exchange between you and God.  It is a time of speaking and listening to God as well as Him speaking and listening to you.

Another way to get to know God is through personal experience with Him.  The more that you go through with Him in life, the more you get to know Him as well as His heart for you and others.
 
Finally, pursuing the things of God will help you to know and find your purpose.  Sometimes, it is through trial and error that we find part of our purpose.  Get involved in a local church.  Take a PLACE assessment.  Do community service.  Join a Bible Study.

As long as you are seeking Him and His kingdom, He will help you along the way to finding your specific purpose.  (Matthew 6:33)

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."  (Romans 8:28, NIV)


Copyright 2013 by Dawn Freeman. All rights reserved.

He's Got Your Back

What kind of trial, hardship, difficulty, or temporary circumstance are you enduring in this season of your life?

(Please preview video beginning at :34.)

 

 

You just previewed the accident scene from the 2009 movie, The Blind Side. Michael stopped the air bag from crushing little SJ in the front seat of his new truck. He protected young SJ. He took care of the little boy.

The same is true of our Father God. Whatever you may be enduring at this time, you can be assured that God has got you. He's got your back!

(Please preview video beginning at 1:50.)

In this scene, Coach Cotton stood up for his football player, Michael Oher, who had just been kicked by a player on the other team.  In turn, Michael told the Coach that he had his back.  Michael was determined to take a stand against "the bad guy" or the abusive player from the other team.  He took care of the so-called bad guy for the Coach.  He protected his teammates.  He had their backs.  

The same is also true of our Father. Just like the Coach in this scene saw the harmful situation that Michael was in at the time with the other side's player, God sees when someone is kicking us....when someone is not treating us right. He sees and knows every situation in our lives. Just like when Michael took care of that boy who was picking on him, our Father will take care of any person who tries to come up against us, His children. He will take a stand against the injustice. He will vindicate us! He will fight for us! He will protect us! He will have our backs!

(Please preview video beginning at 1:30 and watch until 2:40.)

Leigh Anne, the character played by Sandra Bullock, had a talk with Michael.  She reminded him that he had her back when the two of them had previously been in a bad neighborhood another time.  Leigh Anne also reminded him how he had previously stopped the airbag from hitting her young son, SJ.  Michael asked her about the rest of the family, her daughter Collins, and her husband Sean.  In this scene, she told Michael that they could also be a part of this demonstration of hers.  She knew that Michael would stop anyone who tried to hurt the family.  He would protect them.  He would have their backs.  Leigh Anne told Michael to think of his teammates in the same way as he does her family. 

Do you need to be reminded of God's protection? His goodness? His faithfulness? Think about all of your previous experiences when God came through for you. Remember all the times when God showed Himself true, good, and faithful to you.  Most importantly, know right now that He's got your back!


Copyright 2013 by Dawn Freeman. All rights reserved.

Waiting on God's Promises

Are you waiting on God’s promises to come true in your life?

Many believers hope and pray for God's promises to come to pass in their lives. Are you one who is actively pursuing the promises of God? Are you one who is waiting for the promises of God?  I am currently waiting for some of the promises of God to come true in my own life.

Hebrews 11 which is known as the faith chapter tells about many people in the Bible who faithfully obeyed God and saw the promises of God come to pass in their lives. Of course, it also tells about many others who did not see the promises of God come to fulfillment in their lives.

I, for one, want to be one of God's children who see and experience all of the promises of God come to fruition in my life. I hope you also desire to be one of the believers who see and experience the promises of God in your own life. What sets us apart from the ones who do not receive the promises of God?

For one, we have to believe God. We have to believe Him and His word. We must stand firm in our faith in God.

"But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not ‘Yes’ and ‘No’. For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me and Silas and Timothy—was not ‘Yes’ and ‘No’, but in Him it has always been ‘Yes’. For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through Him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God. Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set His seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come." (2 Corinthians 1:18-22, NIV)

We must know that God is faithful to His word. He does not change His mind. He does not make a promise and not fulfill it. (Numbers 23:19)

Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. As it is written: "I have made you a father of many nations." (Romans 4:16-17, NIV)

God's promises to us, His children, come to us by grace. Grace is fully manifested in the person of Jesus Christ. Therefore, we must be believers in Jesus Christ as well as Children of the living God in order to receive the promises of God.

Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be." Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness." (Romans 4:18-22, NIV)

Abraham who is considered the father of all nations believed God. He had great faith in Him. He did not doubt God or His promise to him. Sarah also believed God.  As a result, she received God's promise of a son in her old age.

"Now the LORD was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what he had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore him. When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God commanded him. Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him." (Genesis 21:1-5, NIV)

Both Abraham and Sarah received the promises of God in their lives. They trusted God with the unknown. They did not worry about any of the details. They had faith in God.

Sarah said, "God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me." And she added, "Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age." (Genesis 21:6-7, NIV)

Whatever God has promised you, keep persevering like Abraham. No matter how long it may take for the promises of God to come to pass in your life, do not give up. Continue running your race of faith...the one that God has prepared and planned for you. In the meantime, keep your eyes on Jesus who is the author and finisher of your faith. (Hebrews 12:1-2)


Copyright 2013 by Dawn Freeman. All rights reserved.

The Enemy's Lies vs. God's Truth

Do you know the difference between a lie and the truth?

First of all, a lie is an untruth or a falsehood. It is also a partial truth. On the other hand, the truth is not at all a lie. The truth is full of light. Whereas, a lie is usually full of darkness, or at least, partial darkness.

God's word tells us that the devil lies, because it is part of his character. He is a liar and the father of lies. (John 8:44) However, God speaks the truth...His word...His truth. He is full of light. It is not His character to ever lie. He only tells the truth. Therefore, the devil or the enemy lies but God speaks the truth.

There are many people within the body of Christ that are believing the enemy's lies over God's truth. They are considered to be deceived Christians for a few different reasons. For one, they do not know God's truth. The Prophet Hosea writes, "...my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge." (4:6) Next, they know God's truth but they do not believe it. Lastly, they know God's truth but they still choose to disobey it.

Are you a deceived Christian? If so, what is the reason?

It may be something subtle. You may not even recognize it at the moment. Or...it may be something much more noticeable to you and/or to others. Whatever it is, there is a way out of the deception. You can choose to stop believing the enemy's lies. You can begin to believe God's truth. One of the first steps is to renew your mind in God's word on a daily basis. (Romans 12:2) In addition, meditating on God's word will help you to be successful and prosperous. (Joshua 1:8)

John says, "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (8:32) You will be free from the strongholds. You will be free from bondage. Most importantly, you will be free from the enemy's lies.

You will be full of light, because you will be full of God's truth. (Matthew 5:14)


Copyright 2013 by Dawn Freeman. All rights reserved.

News Report

"The sky is falling! The sky is falling!"

Sound familiar? It should. It is a quote from a nursery rhyme entitled Henny Penny. [See http://www.childrenstory.info/childrenstories/hennypenny.html for more info on the nursery rhyme.]

How many times do we hear or read quotes like that one? Except usually it is in the news whether televised, heard over the radio airwaves, or printed in newspapers, magazines, or even on billboards.

In the last year, a television reporter spoke about an expert who predicted the world coming to an end. Yet, it did not happen. We are still here. According to God's word, no one can predict the day or the hour that the Lord Jesus Christ is coming back. (Matthew 25:13; Luke 12:40)

If you listen to or read the news often enough, you will hear plenty.

World topics around the globe...

Crime. Violence. Drugs. Suicide. Disease. Death. Addiction. Destruction. Shooting. Accident. Flood. Killing. Explosion. Sickness. Earthquake. Illness. Volcano. Tremor. Prostitution. Trafficking.

Many people wonder the reason that they are so anxious, worried, afraid, or fearful. Nobody can consume that much negativity, crime, death, destruction, and the list goes on...and not have those types of thoughts or feelings.

However, Christians are supposed to live in the world but not be of the world. (John 9:5) Therefore, stop watching and believing the news of this world. "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17, NKJV) Please begin reading and believing God's word instead of the world's news report.

　

Copyright 2013 by Dawn Freeman. All rights reserved.

Health Report

There are so many people in the body of Christ who experience sickness, disease, illness, and other ailments. Why is that? After all, if we as believers in Jesus Christ, truly believe God's word...then what is the reason that there is more disease, illness, sickness, and other ailments within the body of Christ? Shouldn't we have less of all of those things from this world?

David writes that the 'Great Physician', namely God our Father, "...heals all [of our] diseases..." (Psalm 103:3b, NIV) Therefore, shouldn't we experience more divine health and healing within the body of Christ?

The Doctor says, "She only has about 6 months to live."

God says, "[She] will not die but live, and will proclaim what the LORD has done." (Psalm 118:17, NIV)

The Doctor says, "She will not recuperate from this illness."

God says, "...by [Jesus'] wounds [she has] been healed." (1 Peter 2:24b, NIV)

Much of what the body of Christ experiences is a direct result of our beliefs. Do we believe the so-called Doctor's health report? Or...do we believe the ultimate Doctor, the 'Great Physician', when He tells us that we are already healed?

When we get caught up in the world's belief system, we negate our faith. Then, we get the world's results. It is only by continually 'renewing our minds' in God's word will we truly believe that 'by Jesus' stripes, we are healed'. (Romans 12:2; 1 Peter 2:24b)

So...the next time, you may be sick...whose health report will you choose to believe? Will you believe the Doctor who prescribes lots of medicine that treats only the symptoms of the illness, disease, or sickness? Or...will you stand on God's word? Will you believe the 'Great Physician'? Will you receive your divine health and healing from the ultimate Doctor?

Copyright 2013 by Dawn Freeman. All rights reserved.