Day by Day

[Soldier4Christ]

"Sharing is Good Therapy"

Proverbs 14:21 "He who despises his neighbor sins, but blessed is he who is kind to the needy."

Dr. William Menninger, noted psychiatrist and practicing Christian, was asked what he would do if he felt he were going to have a breakdown. The unexpected answer was, "I'd take my hat, go to the other side of the tracks, and find somebody who needs help. I'd help him, come home, and forget about the breakdown."

God urges us to share some of what we have from Him, for the good of others. In doing so we benefit also ourselves. God's laws are all for our good. When we ease another's burden, our own becomes lighter, too.

Giving of ourselves and of our possessions to help others, especially the less fortunate, is effective mental and emotional therapy.

The best advice that can be given to one who has lost his way in this confusing and frightening world, who can find no challenging purpose or meaning in life, is to learn to know, love and believe in Jesus Christ, the Savior, the gift of a loving God, and to serve Him by letting His love shine through loving service to God and man. Then life becomes a triumphant adventure to the glory of God.

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"Never Alone"

Matthew 28:20 "Surely I am with you always."

The irony of a big city is that many people can feel all alone. They can rub elbows with large crowds and see hundreds of faces each day, yet their spirit cries out in pain.

Loneliness is not limited to any age. Young people can feel inadequate or unwanted. Older folks can dread the isolation of their apartment or nursing home. In all the in-between years this empty feeling in the spirit can leave its mark.

There are several sides to aloneness. Solitude expresses the glory of being alone. It is the voluntary isolation of the student, the artist, and the solitary fisherman. To be alone with one's thoughts can be a welcome change of pace. Loneliness, on the other hand, is a painful aloneness. It can be caused by conflicts between people, by separation, by death, or by a change of community.

In one sense, we are always alone. Before God we stand by ourselves. Faith or lack of faith is an individual matter between us and the Lord. On the other hand, we are never alone when we are with God by faith. He is the companion who understands, shares, and supports. Nothing can separate us from Him and His love.

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"Our Sun and Shield"

Psalm 84:11 "The Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless."

Scripture uses a variety of pictures to describe how God in His goodness provides for us. In Psalm 84 God is called a sun and a shield.

Think of how all of life is dependent on the sun. Without its warming rays nothing would grow. No food would be available to us or any other creatures. Plants reach for the sun's light since it is their source of life.

God is like the sun to us since He both gives life and preserves it. Without the warmth of His grace to sustain us during life's hardships, we would eventually wither and die. His light guides our steps, illuminating the path to eternal life.

A shield protects the vital organs from arrows and the sword. With it, a soldier is able to ward of the attacks of the enemy.

God is like a shield in that He protects us from the flaming arrows of the Evil One -- the devil -- who seeks to destroy us. In many ways, God answers the petition of the Lord's Prayer, "Deliver us from evil." We may have no way of knowing how many times God has shielded us from the devil's attacks while we rested secure, unaware of the battle going on around us. Through faith in Christ, we are guarded by God's almighty power.

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"Detour Ahead"

Romans 8:28 "We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him."

Have you ever faced a detour? Recently, on a family vacation, we were forced off an interstate highway to avoid the scene of a terrible accident. In our lack of understanding and patience, we became frustrated. Yet the ensuing beauty of the rich farmlands, the abundant wildlife, and the people we encountered along the way made the detour a joy and blessing.

People face detours as unexpected events occur in their lives. Things don't go according to their plans. People get sick, jobs are lost, picnics are rained on, and friendships dissolve. Even thought we don't always understand why these "detours" occur in our lives, we do know that God promises to be with us. He promises that in all things, in His time and in His way, He will make them turn out for our good.

Just as God turned the evil of the cross of Jesus into Easter victory, so He can take our detours and cause them to become blessings for us. We are assured in His Word that nothing or no one will ever be able to separate us from His love in Jesus. Even as we face detours, He is there to make them turn out for our good.

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"Past, Present, Future"

Isaiah 49:23 (God says,) "Those who hope in Me will not be disappointed."

Hindsight is often 20/20 vision. When we look back, it is easy to recognize our mistakes and see what we should have done differently. Sometimes looking back at what we have done brings regret.

Not so with God's actions! When we look back at what God has done -- in biblical history and in our personal histories -- we see constant kindness and faithfulness. Joshua saw it, as did Abraham, Noah, Nehemiah, the apostle Paul, and countless other Christians throughout the history of the world.

The problem is that most of the time we can see how God has worked for good in our lives only in retrospect. We may be disappointed because we want to see immediate results. But in the light of eternity, this truth will be obvious to all: Those who hope in Jesus Christ will not be disappointed!

God's loving care never fails. Did He not send Jesus to rescue us from the condemnation we deserved? The history of God's faithfulness to His people -- and to us today -- demonstrates that grace and mercy are the core of His being and doing.

What God has done in the past is a pledge, a sign of His present and future work in our lives. His promises stand sure.

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"Worry"

Isaiah 26:3 "You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast because he trusts in You."

She tossed and turned. She could not get to sleep. That day her son had gone off to college, and she couldn't stop thinking about him so far away from home. "What's the matter?" her husband finally asked. "I'm worried about our son," she replied. "Did you talk to the Lord about it?" he asked. "Yes," the mother said. "Well, then go to sleep," advised the father. "There's no sense in you worrying about him when the Lord is watching over him."

Worry is a perfectly natural trait for sinful human beings. Unfortunately, it is most often a waste of precious time and energy. "Worry," it is said, "never robs tomorrow of its sorrow; it only saps today of its strength."

Fortunately, worry is not one of the characteristics of our God. Worry does not come from Him -- "perfect peace" does! So the best way to overcome worry is to seek the divine rather than the human. Turn your worries completely over to the Lord Jesus Christ. He will exchange them for peace because through His death and resurrection, He also conquered worry. As Isaiah said, He will give perfect peace to those who trust in Him.

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"Why Worry?"

Philippians 4:6 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything ... present your requests to God."

The Holy Scriptures repeatedly warn us against the grievous sin of worry. It is an act of unbelief and distrust in God. When we worry, we accuse God of falsehood. God's Word says, "Fear not," but worry says, "You are lying, O God." As someone has said, "No matter what people may profess as to their faith, worry makes them practical atheists, because worry fears the future more than it fears God." This is quite a startling accusation, is it not?

And so in desperation we ask, "What is the answer to the problem of worry?" The most definitive answer is found in Romans 8:31-32, where we read: "If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all -- how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?" Here we are clearly informed that if God provided for our greatest need, eternal life and everlasting salvation through the doing and dying of Christ, then surely He is able to provide for needs that are infinitely small in comparison. If we trust Him for the greater, should we not also trust Him for the lesser?

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"God's Therapy is Good"

2 Corinthians 4:17 "Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all."

When Luther visited a sick friend, he quoted the verse, "The Lord disciplines those He loves" (Proverbs 3:12). If that's the case," the friend replied, "I wish He wouldn't love me so much."

Sometimes life hurls us into a frenzy. We feel like saying, "Stop, world, I want to get off." At such times we should consider that God loves us too much to leave us as we are. He is intent on polishing us toward perfection. God, the master goldsmith, allows fiery trials to come in order that such impurities as obstinacy, a vengeful spirit, lack of faith, and self-love might be burned out and Christ's image burned in.

As both black and white keys of a piano are necessary for beautiful music, so bright and dark days, joys and sorrows, are needed to keep us in repentance and improvement.

Where there's trouble, God is needed; where God is needed, He is entreated; where He's entreated, His help is experienced; where His help is experienced, love and gratitude are excited; where love and gratitude prevail, there praise, goodwill, and joy reign. All this is ours because by faith "we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1).

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"Power from God"

Ephesians 6:10-11 "Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God."

How much we rely on electric power in our homes! It can operate dozens of appliances to make life more comfortable and convenient. The light company makes a tremendous amount of power available. Yet we can choose not to use it. Then bulbs stay dark and appliances sit useless and silent.

Our Lord makes His mighty power available to us. He is anxious to pour it into our lives, but He doesn't force it on us. He waits until we are ready to receive and use it.

When we face drudgery, disappointment, or dismay, let us remember that God is with us. His almighty Spirit lives in us to strengthen us. We can be filled with the fullness of God! God has the power to do far more in us and with us than we ask or dream. Sometimes He lets us get weaker so that we turn to Him and rely on His strength.

Most of us have times when life seems more than we can handle. We may feel: I can't take it anymore; I can't stand it. We need to remind ourselves that God's strength is only a prayer away. We have constant access to this unfailing reservoir. Let us be strong and of good courage, aware that Jesus, the Lamb of God, has borne all our burdens.

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"Faith Moves Mountains"

Matthew 17:20 (Jesus said to them,) "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there and it will move.'"

Someone has said that doubt creates mountains. In this promise of Jesus we are assured that faith can move the mountains of doubt.

If it were possible for us to turn back the calendar just six months and then look forward once again, how many mountains would we see along the road that were put there by our doubts?

The anxious mother worries about getting the bills paid. The worried father is concerned about problems and new responsibilities at work. Tired students have lost sleep worrying about tests for which they have studied their best. Each one is afraid of a mountain that has been created by doubt. Yes, it is true that doubt creates mountains.

But faith removes them. Not just any kind of faith, certainly not faith in ourselves or in some kind of providence! The faith that moves mountains is trusting the heavenly Father, who has revealed His love for us by sending His Son into the world for our salvation. He has assured us that He will give us strength sufficient for each day. It is in His strength that we shall be prepared to move whatever mountains are set in our paths.

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"He'll Hold Our Hand -- Today and Tomorrow"

Matthew 28:20 "I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

A little girl was walking with her father through the downtown streets of the city to which they had recently moved. They turned corner after corner, taking in one new sight of the unfamiliar city after another.

After some time the little one looked up and asked: "Daddy, are you lost?" Instead of answering her directly, he tightened his grip on her little hand and, smiling warmly, asked: "Why, are you lost?" "Oh, no!" she said brightly, "I'm with you, Daddy! How could I be lost?"

We are dealing here with a parable. How can you and I be "lost" as long as we know that our loving Lord is with us -- and that we are walking hand in hand with Him? One of our Savior's last words to us was: "I am with you always." The timeless Christ was speaking, the great "I AM" of John 8:58, with whom there is no present, past, or future. It is He who assures us: I am with you always -- today, tomorrow, and forever.

With our hand in His, we can walk courageously through each today and all of our tomorrows.

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"Who Cares?"

Luke 10:40 "Martha ... asked, 'Lord, don't You care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?'"

We are so quick to accuse God! Adam did it in the Garden, saying to God, "The woman You put here with me -- she gave me some fruit from the tree" (Genesis 3:12). And the disciples in the storm-tossed boat asked Jesus, "Teacher, don't You care if we drown?" (Mark 4:38).

And now Martha, distracted with her noble intentions, frazzled by the housework, blames Jesus: "Don't You care?" When things don't go our way, sometimes we point the finger at God. "How could You let such a thing happen, God?"

It seems as if we think we deserve a life free from sorrow, and when we have problems, we become angry at such divine "carelessness."

And yet, it is God who cares the most. If we wonder about God's genuine concern for our ultimate good, we have only to look to Christ's cross. There we see our merciful God caring so much for us that He gave the life of His only Son to redeem us from our sins, including our distrust.

When life does not go as we wish, and we are tempted to accuse God of not caring, we remember the cross and know that God will always care for us. And we remember Christ's promise, "I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:20).

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"God, My Stronghold in Every Trouble"

Psalm 62:6 "(God) alone is my rock and salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken."

Where do you go when troubles mount up? Do you head off into the hills to find some tranquillity? Do you pile into bed and attempt to sleep it off? Is a bottle or a pill your hopeful refuge? Do you seek out a friend, or do you make an appointment with a counselor?

The psalmist knew trouble as well as you and I do. He experienced people who sought to destroy him -- people who longed for his ruin. He even experienced the most hurtful of relationships: people who outwardly posed as friends, blessing him with their mouths, while inwardly cursing him.

Where did the psalmist David go with his troubles? He went to his stronghold -- his God. He pictured God as a fortified city. There he would be safe; God would defend him.

You and I are reminded likewise to go to God as our stronghold. That is not to say that we should bypass friends and counselors, but it is to say that true power comes from God. He has already proved Himself the author of our salvation through Jesus Christ. He who gave us eternal life through His Son will surely protect us in the time of trouble, for He is our Rock, our Salvation, and our mighty Fortress.

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"Too Fearful"

Isaiah 12:2 "I will trust and not be afraid."

Trust and fear are opposites. The more we have of the one, the less we have of the other.

It is easy to fear. Cancer, nuclear weapons, recession, inflation, unemployment, tornadoes, marital and family problems -- all these plus many others strike fear into our human hearts.

But we need not be afraid. The secret of overcoming fear is to know God better and trust Him more. In the Old Testament we note how wonderfully God cared for His people. In the New Testament we see how God has taken care of the spiritual needs of all people by sacrificing His Son for the sins of the world. In the entire Scriptures we read God's many promises to be our Keeper and the Lover of our souls.

In our own life we see the evidences of God's care. He has brought us to faith in Jesus, heaped many spiritual blessings upon us, and guided us year after year. He has cared for our earthly and physical needs.

The more clearly we see God's care for His people in the past, the more we will trust Him to take care of our present and future needs. The more we trust Him, the less we fear and the more we can face every situation in life confidently saying, "I will trust, and not be afraid."

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"The Peace of God"

John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. ...Do not let your hearts be troubled."

This was all our Savior had that He could leave to His disciples, but what a precious legacy -- the peace of God! "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you."

Peace does not come easily these days. Pressures from without and pressures from within disturb our peace. Our nerves are taut. We cannot relax. We are restless, worried, irritable. The burden and demands of work, the guilt of sin, the fear of death, and sometimes the fear of life -- these wear us down. We have no peace.

Christ offers us His peace! He offers us the same serenity with which He went to Golgotha. He calms our troubled hearts with the same peace that stilled the Sea of Galilee and the fear-filled hearts of His disciples. He grants the same peace He breathed on His apostles when He commissioned them, "Peace I leave with you."

The peace He grants is the peace of a clean heart and a right spirit, the peace of guilt removed and sins forgiven, the peace of fellowship with God that gives us strength for every burden and sufficient resources for every task. It is the peace of God that passes understanding. Nothing can disturb it.