God Provides

God provides for the birds of the air, He provides for you too!

"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" (Matthew 6:26, NIV)

Each morning I wake up in Sweden and I hear birds. I go to the balcony and see them clustered in the trees, on a rooftop, or in a field. Someone recently mentioned to me that a bird must consume it’s weight each day. I cannot imagine having to eat as much as I weigh every day, but then again, I don’t go around flapping my arms through the air. As I watch these birds, I realize that God provides for them every day. They don’t have any thoughts about tomorrow, or what someone said about them. They aren’t concerned with politics, religion, hatred, animosity or envy. They exist. We humans, far superior to the birds of the air, are constantly faced with a multitude of questions demanding to be answered each day. What will I wear? What will I do? What will I eat? What happened to my Internet access? How will I pay my rent? When will I get a job? When will I find someone to love? Don’t get me wrong. These are all legitimate questions we humans ask ourselves, but they often obscure the fact that God provides for us. He is Jehovah Jireh, the God who provides. Worry? Yes, we all have concerns regarding our life and of those whom we love and care for, but we must not lose sight of the fact that God cares even more. He loves us! If a bird can eat its daily weight in food, then I am certain that God will meet my needs. No matter what they are, he will provide because He cares. No matter what you face in this life. No matter that there are times when you may feel all alone, God cares. You can trust Him. Abraham trusted Him with the life of his son Isaac. David trusted Him with his life even though Saul sought to slay him. Elijah trusted him with the life of the widow’s son. The centurion trusted Jesus with the life of his servant. A father trusted Jesus with the life of his daughter. The woman with an issue of blood trusted Jesus by touching the hem of his garment. You can trust Him too! I am certain that God provides because He has demonstrated His provisioning grace in my life. I am certain that God provides because I am a witness to His healing power. I am certain God provides because I have experienced how He makes a way out of no way. These words may sound cliché, but they ring true in my spirit. They affirm my belief that God is a Provider. What are you faced with that concerns you? Trust in the God who loves and cares about you. Be a witness to the grace He extends your way enabling you to ascend mountains, overcome obstacles, and achieve what you know you could never do on your own. God provides. MTJ

Prayer:
No matter what you are faced with today, I want you to know that I'm praying in agreement that God will provide your need. Heavenly Father, I'm praying for this one whom You love and care about. I faithfully believe that You will meet their need no matter what it requires. You are the God who saves, heals, and protects. You provide! I speak Your word right now that we can come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. This is that time of need Father. We trust, depend upon and need You to be our light and shield. Our faith is strong and steadfast. We refuse to doubt who You are. We declare that You are Jehovah Jireh, the God who provides, and You will provide. Thank You for Your infinite love, mercy and grace, in Jesus name. Amen.

A Note of Thanks: I would just like to say that I appreciate each of you who visit My Thought-filled Journey. Taking time out of your schedule to read a post on this blog is encouraging to me. Many of those who visit, will from time to time leave a comment. Whether a comment is left is not important. What is important, is that you came. I do hope you find encouragement and inspiration in these words. Please know I will pray with you regarding any circumstance you may be facing. Feel free to write me to say "Hello", request prayer, or share what God is doing in your life. I have not said it enough, but thank you for the light of Christ in your life which illuminates the way for us all.

Note: This post is linked to Spiritual Sundays (hosted by Charlotte).

Change Gonna Come

Change Gonna Come -- Al Green

This is a re-print of a post written in January 11, 2013. I hope you are blessed to read it again.

It's been too hard living but I'm afraid to die 'Cause I don't know what's up there beyond the sky It's been a long, a long time coming But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will Songwriters: Tom White, and Alex White

Very often in life, we are faced with the possibility of change, but at times, we are ill prepared for it. Some changes are good, some necessary, and some unwanted. No matter the reason, change will come in our life. It’s not only predicated upon how I handle change, but more importantly, my attitude before, during and after the change occurs. The seasons are a vivid reminder of coming change. Fall turns into winter, winter changes to spring and spring becomes summer. I have often reminded myself that being human, allows me to adapt to changes in weather. But how often have I remembered this when my change doesn’t involve the weather. Sometimes, I need to change, but I simply refuse. Why do I need to change? My attitude, my words, and my behavior all affect how I respond to change. I think there are instances when an intervention is a wakeup call for change. You decide to meet friends for Happy Hour, have a few drinks and on the way home, a policeman stops you because you’re driving erratically. That is an intervention of sorts that perhaps you need a behavioral change. You pride yourself on saying exactly what needs to be said, no matter what. “I just tell it like it is! I’m just being real!” This time, you went a little too far and now, someone is crushed because you decided being real was more important than relationships. Unlike most people, you’re gifted to see every dark cloud behind the silver lining. You know whenever something good happens, Murphy’s Law is initiated. You know that bad things happen to people because they did something to deserve it. So when your wife loses her job due to layoffs, you struggle with thoughts that it was something she did to deserve it; instead of being encouraging, supportive and loving. No matter how many times I read the book of Job, I am always blown away by his attitude. He lost everything that most would say: mattered. Yet, I have to believe that Job was not indifferent to what happened in his life. He lost his wealth, his children and his health but he accepted these changes as adversities which he had no control over. To him, it was important to honor the Lord in the midst of these changes. He even said, “If a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my struggle I will wait until my change comes.” When I struggle, am I willing to wait until my change comes? Job speaks of the resurrection when he asks, “If a man dies, will he live again?” It’s as if he is saying, whether the change comes in this life or not, I know the change will happen in the resurrection! Paul once wrote: “…but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees?” So when I am struggling with changing circumstances, I will hope. I may be knocked to the ground but I will hope. Some may tell me to give up but I will hope. Why? “…I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth.” Christ lives! No matter what happens in my life, that truth gives me hope for change. MTJ

A Note of Thanks: I would just like to say that I appreciate each of you who visit My Thought-filled Journey. Taking time out of your schedule to read a post on this blog is encouraging to me. Many of those who visit, will from time to time leave a comment. Whether a comment is left is not important. What is important, is that you came. I do hope you find encouragement and inspiration in these words. Please know I will pray with you regarding any circumstance you may be facing. Feel free to write me to say "Hello", request prayer, or share what God is doing in your life. I have not said it enough, but thank you for the light of Chist in your life which illuminates the way for us all.

Note: This post is linked to Spiritual Sundays (hosted by Charlotte).