Bill Strain Realtor

January 12
My Morning Meditation

Are you ready for a workout? Are you dressed for battle, if not get dressed and stay dressed!

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”
‭‭James‬ ‭1:2-3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Trials. What do you think of when you think of trials? We say I don’t understand, I gave my life to Jesus, why am I being tested like this?
The Bible says consider or count it all joy when you face many trials.

Joy, you say, it doesn’t feel like it. God is trying to work something out in our lives. Being a Christian isn’t easy street. It seems like the world is against you, you may struggle at times with different things, but mostly God is wanting us trust Him and look on the inside. God is pointing something out to you and me. He is trying to help us to see who we are.

God is paying attention to how we handle things. What I see for myself, it comes down to attitude. The Bible says count the trials as pure joy. He has given us tools to make our lives better. He wants us to learn how to use them.

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.” Ephesians‬ ‭6:10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Know who you are, be strong in Lord. That means get to know Him and trust what He says. If God said it, it’s good enough for me.

“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6:11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

According to Webster: wiles
: a trick or stratagem intended to ensnare or deceivealso : a beguiling or playful trick.

He is saying to you and me, to put the armor on. We have to be determined, we have to change our own minds, the Word is our weapon. In the name of Jesus, the Word, “I come against you devil, you are a liar and thief, take your hands off my mind. I have the victory in Jesus, I put on the mind of Christ the helmet of salvation. I take the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. I speak that word. I take authority over every situation in Jesus name because God has given it to me.” This is how I speak to myself and to things and situations that continues to try and trick you.

The devil is a liar, he comes to steal, kill and destroy. What are you going to do about it? Would you let someone come into your house and take what they want? Would you let someone in that wants to harm you or your family? Absolutely not, then why let them in your house? Why let them in your mind, your body, to take your peace, your joy?

You are a child of God, and greater is He that is in you then he (the devil) that’s in the world. Change your tune, change what you speak, change what you feed your soul, which is your mind, your emotions and your will.

Read Ephesians chapter six, start at verse 10 and read it over and over until it becomes part of you. It is Jesus in you. It is the Holy Spirit in you. You are the temple of the living God.

“Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.” Ephesians‬ ‭6‬:‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

May 8
My Morning Meditation

“Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭42:11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Let’s take this verse and break it down. God is speaking to us through His word.

“Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Why oh why are you putting up with the lies of the devil? Change that tune to what God is saying.

“Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.” Psalms‬ ‭42:11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Talking to yourself again? Turns out this is not really a bad idea, especially when you shut down all the other noise in your head. The Bible teaches us how we should handle thoughts that tear you apart. In this verse we see the psalmist talking to his own soul. Yes, SELFTALK, the question he asks himself is why soul or mind or emotions are you in such despair?
He is actually leading us by doing this himself.

God tells us in Rom 12:2 to be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Don’t think like you did before Jesus, but replace those thoughts with the promises of God.

The psalmist says in 42:11, to Hope in God. He is saying to himself, “For I shall yet praise Him”

Have you taken your despair to God yet? Or are you still mauling it over with yourself or taking to yourself instead of taking it to Jesus? Most of our battles are in our minds, in spiritual warfare.

“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”
Ephesians‬ ‭6:11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Once we allow the devil or one he uses to plant a seed of despair we will need to uproot that seed or now a big plant with real deep roots. DIG IT UP, replace it with what you know God did for you in the past with praise and thoughts of victory.

Know who you are my friend, you are victorious in Jesus name. Spend some quiet time with God through prayer, reading your Bible and speaking His word to yourself.

“Why are you in despair, O my soul? Why have you become restless and disquieted within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭42:11‬ ‭AMP‬‬

Why are you in despair, O my soul? Is what the amplified version says. What are you doing? Why are you putting up with these lies, this condemnation and tearing yourself down?

Why have you become restless and disquieted within me. He is talking to his soul, his mind, his self.

Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him. That is what God is waiting for from you and me, we need to come running to Him. And say, for I shall yet praise you Jesus, The help of my countenance and my God.

I am praying for you.