Organizing the Inside 365 Days
Empowering Christian Women To Get Organized and Discover God's Plan for Their LivesArchive for God’s Faithfulness
Organizing the Inside – Day 322 My Heart Remembers the Goodness of God
1God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 2Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 3though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah
4There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. 5God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. 6Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. 7The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
Now about this life we’ve been granted to live by the Lord of heaven’s army. Everything He made was good. (Genesis 1:31) Indeed this includes you and me. (Psalm 119:73) In this life we sometimes experience pain, great pain and deep sorrow. Through sadness and sorrow, death and destruction, decay and deterioration who can praise Him beyond the cutting-in of the pain? Those of us who are convinced His mercy endures forever, and those who have seen the provision of His hand, who know the protection beneath the tabernacle of His wings. In the midst of all the suffering and trouble we are not consumed. In the darkest hour we are not afraid.
When I consider the works of God’s hands and the excellent greatness of His glorious strength, I fall to my knees and honor the One who created heaven and earth. I tremble in awe of His awesome power. When it seems that evil prevails, and the unexplained brokenness of your heart’s mourning core is discovered, be reminded that it is in Him that we find unending grace that redeems our soul from utter destruction. Life is but a vapor, but this life for sure is a precious gift given by God.
Organizing the Inside – Day 291 Out On A Limb With God
8“Do not forget this! Keep it in mind! Remember this, you guilty ones. 9Remember the things I have done in the past. For I alone am God! I am God, and there is none like me. 10Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish. 11I will call a swift bird of prey from the east— a leader from a distant land to come and do my bidding. I have said what I would do, and I will do it. 12“Listen to me, you stubborn people who are so far from doing right. 13For I am ready to set things right, not in the distant future, but right now! Isaiah 46:8-13 (NLT)
God wants to correct the matter today. He will however need your full cooperation. He wants to bring about the change that you’ve waited for. He is not preparing you for something that will happen in the distant future. If you truly trust in Him alone, He will prove Himself mighty. Stand and believe His Word. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. Psalm 37:5 (KJV)
Resist the urge to continue doing what you’ve been doing. Is it not obvious that your way isn’t working? There is a big difference between stubbornness and perseverance. Faith makes the difference clear. Stubbornness is doing things according to your own plans; unwilling to bend and change according to God’s Word. Perseverance is a determination to follow the will of God; an unwillingness to give in to the fear and doubt. Perseverance causes you respond to things according to God’s Word, according to faith. In our stubbornness we sometimes think our ideas and ways are better than what God has for us. At times we reject doing what He wants, because we’d rather try our own way first. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your way, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:9 (NIV) God wants you to acknowledge and recognize His awesome power. He alone can change your circumstance. Will you go out on a limb and trust Him to do what He said He would do?
Organizing the Inside – Day 283 Embrace the Truth, Even If It Hurts
2Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God. 3He removed the foreign altars and the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. 4He commanded Judah to seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, and to obey his laws and commands. 5He removed the high places and incense altars in every town in Judah, and the kingdom was at peace under him. 6He built up the fortified cities of Judah, since the land was at peace. No one was at war with him during those years, for the Lord gave him rest. 2 Chronicles 13:2-6 (NIV)
When you are trusting God, His Word is encouraging. Asa knew the Lord and had sought Him in the past. He entered into battle against the Ethiopians and because he’d turned to God for help first, God defeated the Ethiopians and gave Asa and his army complete victory. Asa took heart when the man of God brought a word from the Lord. He then became even more determined to rid the land of detestable idols. Asa established a system around the things of God. He was also open to receive the counsel of godly men; for a time he chose to honor God. When we surround ourselves with a support system of godly people who know how to pray and hear from God, we will be more productive and at peace. As a result of his willingness to obey God, Asa and the people of Judah experienced many years of peace. God looks for committed people who will do things His way. For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. 2 Chronicles 16:9a (KJV)
When you aren’t trusting God, His Word (the truth) makes you angry. Asa made a huge error after trusting God for many years. He reasoned within himself and decided to form an alliance with an ungodly king. He took the riches from the temple to use as bargaining power to get what he wanted. He no longer went to God as his source. It is never a good idea to seek alliances with the ungodly. Sure there are ungodly people who may seem successful and by the world’s standards perhaps they are. Look at Asa, he knew the Lord and had experienced great success when he followed God’s ways and trusted Him. Once he began to reason within himself and go outside of God’s plan, the word from the Lord which exposed his sin made him very angry. (2 Chronicles 15:8 and 16:7) Many Christians make the same mistake by not putting God first; then they get angry when God sends the uncompromising message of truth and exposes their sin.
God uses His Word to discipline us.
God uses His Word and His people to send us the truth. When He disciplines us we must yield and not get angry. Joyful are those you discipline, LORD, those you teach with your instructions. Psalm 94:12 (NLT) His Word not only guides us (staff) it also disciplines us (rod), which brings comfort because we find confidence in knowing God is there with His Word. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4 (NIV) All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 2 Timothy 3:16 (NIV)
Always embrace the truth it’s there to help us grow. When God tells us the truth and exposes our mistakes we should be grateful instead of getting angry or rebelling. Think about it: Just as a parent disciplines a child, the LORD your God disciplines you for your own good. Deuteronomy 8:5 (NLT) Surely God sees the “big picture” and knows us better than we know ourselves. He also has our best interest at heart. We must develop a greater sensitivity to the things of God. Be quick to seek Him before making decisions and be humble enough to admit when we’ve messed up. Remember what it says: “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled.” Hebrews 3:15 (NLT)
Organizing the Inside – Day 253 God Will Finish What He Began
The LORD will fulfill [his purpose] for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever–do not abandon the works of your hands. Psalm 138:8 (NIV)
God always finishes what He starts. He had a complete plan designed for each of our lives before we were born; He knew we would need a Savior. God made provisions and sent His Son Jesus to redeem us from sin and death. When we accepted Him in our hearts He began to do His work in us and through us. What a comfort to know that God will see His work through to completion. Meanwhile we are a work in progress until Jesus returns and His work in us is complete.
Your growth and success is part of God’s plan.
Would you plant a garden if you didn’t intend to water and nurture it? Of course not, you would see to it that you took care of your garden and helped it to grow. At times you may feel as though you are not making the progress you’d like in your spiritual life. Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6 (NIV) God won’t leave things unfinished. When going through challenging times just know that God is faithful to fulfill His promises. Live life with confidence in Him, believing all His promises are true. Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault.
Jude 1:24 (NLT)
Organizing the Inside – Day 175 Look… I Can See Dawn!
2But as for me, I almost lost my footing. My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone. 3For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness. 4They seem to live such painless lives; their bodies are so healthy and strong. 5They don’t have troubles like other people; they’re not plagued with problems like everyone else. 6They wear pride like a jeweled necklace and clothe themselves with cruelty. 7These fat cats have everything their hearts could ever wish for! 8They scoff and speak only evil; in their pride they seek to crush others. 9They boast against the very heavens, and their words strut throughout the earth. 10And so the people are dismayed and confused, drinking in all their words. 11“What does God know?” they ask. “Does the Most High even know what’s happening?” 12Look at these wicked people enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply. Psalm 72:2-12
You may be going through a hard time right now. You may have looked at the wicked and wondered how they laughed; yet even in your faithfulness, tears fill your pillow late into the night. You may be thinking at times it seems that God has abandoned you. Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. Psalm 37:7
Know that God loves you and even in the midst of your hard times, He is there to help you. His hand of mercy and compassion is there to strengthen you in your weakness. ‘Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ Isaiah 41:10 You won’t always know this pain and discomfort. You may be deeply acquainted with grief, but the time is soon coming that God is going to restore you. …but I will have compassion on you with everlasting kindness,” says the LORD your defender. Isaiah 54:8 As sure as the rain falls to the earth and waters the dry ground which brings forth grass and flowers; we know that God has heard your cry and shall answer your prayers. In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears. 2 Samuel 22:7
…in his favor is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. Psalm 30:5b, c
