Tag: god

A Reliable Witness

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

In a world searching for answers in all the wrong places, there is a hope that doesn’t just survive the storm—it breaks the chains. His name is Jesus, and He is the reliable witness to the life you were meant to live.

Come to me all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest (Matt. 11:28).

Embrace this truth, and He will set you free—free from the slavery to sin that binds us all. I remember a time after leaving the abusive relationship when I believed I was in a good place. Still, I hadn’t told anyone what I had gone through or how I coped with it. I would say I suppressed it and told myself I was okay.

One of my church leaders confronted me about not having seen a counselor and even arranged to pay for my first six visits. This happened after he shared a dream with our group about a child walking with him and a chair with chains in the back of the room. He knew that once he stopped talking to the child, it would go back to the chair. I started crying, realizing the dream was about me.

At one time, I would have returned to the chair or chains. Even though I didn’t tell him the details, I didn’t have to – God worked through him to help me realize that, although I was free from the chains, I needed to peel back some layers and start my healing journey from what I had endured at the hands of an abuser.

Just as the Bible testifies to Christ, this leader witnessed my lingering pain, and you can now witness God’s healing in your own life.

It wasn’t until I had my abuse validated that I felt anger, an emotion necessary to start my journey. God uses this as a warning that something’s wrong.

Are you still chained to something from your past? Christ offers complete freedom and healing. Don’t let it eat away at your insides. That is a miserable existence. You are meant for so much more. Your heart can be transformed from death to life.

My healing journey involved peeling back layers of a painful past. Interestingly, when we examine Jesus’s lineage, we see that He didn’t shy away from ‘layers’ or ‘labels’ either; He directly embraced a family history as complex as ours to show us He truly understands.

Christmastime is approaching, and it’s a good opportunity to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Some may still question His lineage, but the Bible makes it clear that Jesus was both divine and fully human. His human side experienced the same pain and temptations as we do (Matt 4:1). In other words, you can bring whatever you are going through to Jesus, and He understands (Heb. 4:15). In return, He offers comfort, peace, healing, and shelter from the storms of life. He doesn’t say there won’t be storms but provides hope and peace through them (John 16:33).

In his book, The Case for Christmas, Lee Strobel states, “Jesus lived physically and emotionally on our planet, so when we bring him our problems, worries, and challenges, he can relate to us personally.” He also mentions, “Thanks to Jesus’ divinity, he can provide us with supernatural wisdom and the power of God to assist us.”

You can see Jesus’s lineage in both Matthew and Luke, whose genealogy includes men, women, adulterers, heroes, and Gentiles – showing that Jesus came to be the Savior for all and that His family tree is full of broken people, just like us.  (Matt. 1:1-16; Heb. 11:31; Josh. 2:1; James 2:25; Prov. 31).

Matthew traces Jesus’ lineage from Abraham to emphasize His Jewish heritage, whereas Luke traces it back to Adam to show that Jesus fulfills the hope of all humanity (Luke 3:23-38; Acts 17:26).

But don’t just take my word for it. John the Baptist, Moses, and the Scriptures were all witnesses that pointed to Jesus (Biblica Study Bible). Still, the most reliable witness was God Himself. The description of Jesus as God’s Son is supported by His genealogy—in other words, God’s declaration at His baptism, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased” (Luke 3:22, Emphasized), provides clear testimony, with God Himself serving as a trustworthy witness.

The Biblica Study Bible notes that studying and learning all the Scriptures is beneficial, but it’s Jesus who gives meaning to everything Scripture teaches.

Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to Me except through me (John 14:6, Emphasis added).

The truth will set you free.

Paul explains how we are all in darkness and are brought to the light when we accept Christ. He encourages us to “walk as children of the light” (Eph. 5:8, Emphasis added) and bear fruit of the light only found in “all that is good and right and true: (v9, Emphasis added). We should not take part in unfruitful works of darkness any longer – instead, there is a different way and another option on the table that we need to consider.

“Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you” (Eph. 5:14, Emphasis added).

Maybe you, like me, feel like you’re in a self-made trance- something that kept me stuck in an abusive relationship for too long, thinking I didn’t have a choice. Once I woke up, I saw that being a Christ follower, or having a relationship with God, is possible. God provides the foundation and strength to break free from the chains and start a new life with Christ at the center.

He brought me from darkness to life. Hope is alive – His name is Jesus Christ. Freedom is real (Rom. 15: 13; Gal. 5:13; John 8:36).

It’s not about what we do for God, but rather an intimate relationship with your heavenly Father who loves you immensely.

“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you” (James 4:8).

“Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth” (Ps. 46:10, Emphasis added)!

Why Godly Fruit Isn’t Earned, But Grown by the Spirit

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

Bearing fruit in season and out of season, like an evergreen planted by a flowing stream, producing vibrant green branches year-round, comes from a heart guided by the Holy Spirit (Ps. 1:3; Jer. 17:7-8).

When Paul talks about staying in sync with the Spirit, he means letting God lead (Gal. 5:25, ESV). When our hearts are transformed by accepting Christ and the Spirit enters, we can start to produce the fruits of the Spirit that mirror God’s character (Gal. 5:22-24). There is an urge to actively cooperate with the new life we’ve received.

The fruit isn’t just something we produce on our own. Spiritual fruit comes from being made in the likeness of God’s image. Day by day, we as Christians can strive to become more like Jesus, who exemplified all aspects of God’s character as a model for us to follow. We are made in God’s image (Gen. 1:26).

Jesus is described as the perfect “image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15) and the “exact imprint of his nature” (Hebrews 1:3). He perfectly demonstrated the character qualities we call the Fruit of the Spirit.

On the path to becoming like Christ, we often fall short because of our human nature. The flesh cannot please God without the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives and hearts (Rom. 8:8). Paul describes a struggle between flesh and spirit, a division caused by human sin that prevents us from doing what is right in God’s eyes until we accept Christ. Then, the Holy Spirit equips us with the spiritual armor needed to fight battles and push back the devil. The Spirit fights against sin, not just defensively but offensively, developing in Christians the positive qualities of a godly character, all of which are seen in Jesus in the Gospels (Gal. 5:22-23).

The Spirit’s essential role in equipping the believer is to strengthen us.

  • Defensive and Offensive: The Holy Spirit doesn’t just passively wait; He actively fights against sin. This is the power that overcomes the “works of the flesh” (Galatians 5:19-21) and enables the believer to “walk by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16).
  • Spiritual Armor: The armor described in Ephesians 6:10-18 is often seen as the tools given by God, with the Holy Spirit acting as the active force that helps us use them effectively (e.g., the “sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God”).
  • Positive Development (Fruit): The ultimate offensive move of the Spirit is the positive development of godly character—the Fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, etc.). This fruit embodies the very character of Christ being formed within us, making the Christian progressively more resilient against sin and temptation.

Isaiah prophesied about a child from David’s line, “There shall come forth a shoot and a branch from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him” (Is. 11:1-2, Emphasis added). He was speaking of Jesus the Messiah. He ruled with the help of the Spirit (Is. 4:2). He is described as the root and descendant of David, the bright and morning star (Rev. 22:16).

Jesus set an example for living and invited everyone to wash their robes—no longer living in their old ways (Rev. 22:14). While we wait for His return, we can trust in His promise that we will be together again (John 14:2). Essentially, the Holy Spirit is the way Jesus remains present with us until His physical return, empowering us to live a holy life and grounding us in the certainty of His promise. It guides us throughout our lifelong journey of becoming more like Christ and producing The Fruit of the Spirit in our lives (Galatians 5:22-23).

“He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither” (Ps. 1:3, Emphasis added).

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit” (Jer. 17:7-8, Emphasis added).

Labels Stick

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

There are a few vehicles in our neighborhood with stickers that say ‘hoonagan’ – I wasn’t familiar with the term, so I looked it up and found that it means reckless driver. Now, I can’t understand why anyone would want to label themselves as a reckless driver.

The labels we and others put on ourselves matter. What we believe about ourselves matters. Labels stick – pun intended – and can be harmful. False identity leads to insecurity.

Our identity is only found in who God says we are, not people or even ourselves.

When a lawyer asked Jesus which is the greatest commandment, He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it; You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22:37-38, ESV, emphasis added).

Before we can love others healthily, we must love God and ourselves. Yes, I said to love ourselves. Still, that doesn’t mean we should be vain, but since we are made in the image of God, we should respect ourselves and our bodies in a way that honors Him. Speaking poorly about ourselves isn’t helpful. When we catch ourselves, we can pray that God help us take every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Cor. 10:5).

This is also useful in other situations, such as when we find ourselves getting offended easily or letting our emotions take control of and spoil our day. Yes, our feelings are important, but we shouldn’t let them control our lives and keep us from the peace that Jesus offers every day. We can’t control what others say or do, but we can control how we react.

Complete transparency: I am learning to ask God for help in controlling my emotions. I find that I sometimes wear my feelings on my sleeve, especially when I am offended, which is another area of contention I am working on. When this happens, I am only focused on myself – instead of Jesus and others.

We need to be intentional about developing our character and behavior with God’s help. I often ask God to reveal any areas I need to work on, so I can make more room for the Holy Spirit in my heart and be more like Jesus – the path for loving others well. A simple prayer each morning, before my day starts, asking God to help me be kind, humble, and not easily offended, has been invaluable. The only person we are responsible for fixing is ourselves, and that can only be accomplished through daily prayer and discipline, with God’s help.

“True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less”. C.S. Lewis

The verse Paul wrote in Romans 7:15 comes to mind when I find myself in the same offensive mindset. “For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.”

Can anyone else relate?

I pray consistently, humbly asking God to help me become who He created me to be – more like Jesus and less like me. But what matters is that I know who I am in Christ, and most importantly, whose I am. This is what drives my persistence in pursuing the path of righteousness.  

“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made, Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well” (Ps. 139:13-14, emphasis added).

“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger” (James 1:19, emphasis added).

Perseverance to Make it Home

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

I could excel on the hills when I ran races, picking up my pace. This burst of energy allowed me to catch up with others who slowed or stopped, which may have helped me place somewhere near the top in a few of them. I dug in my heels and pushed on when the race was more difficult.  That was my strength. A message was forming in my head as I reflected on this while running the other morning. When the path before us gets tough, we need to persevere and press on. That may be a theme, as I have overcome many obstacles.

This verse came to mind, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Heb. 12:1, ESV, Emphasis added).

It was a good day. I felt it in my bones that I would run the whole route without stopping. Over halfway there – just as I felt confident – I stepped on a rock, turned my ankle, and hit the pavement; my knee and hand getting the brunt of the road rash. Thankfully, not breaking any bones.

Was this part of the message? I believe so. Just as we begin to be confident in our walk with God, the enemy throws a stumbling block in our path to trip us up. With that in mind, I got up, kicked the rock off the road, did a brief mental scan of my injuries, and kept running all the way home.

When we know God is with us and hold to the straight and narrow path, “Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2, emphasis added), we can kick Satan out of the way and keep running, all the way home, to one day see Jesus where He is seated at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2).

Some messages are more painful than others, but God can use all of them for His good and glory. My life is full of painful messages, sharing them can help others, making it worth it.

To God be the Glory, forever and ever. Amen.

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28, emphasis added).

“For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Matt. 7:14, emphasis added).

Run with Abandon

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

How do we get to the point that we can run with abandon – because we are always in step and never off track? This is the definition of sure-footedness, but how do we achieve it?

Habakkuk writes about having confidence in God and living at heights even in extreme circumstances (Hab. 3:19, ESV).  The same sentiment is written in 2 Samuel: “He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights” (2 Sam. 22:34, Emphasis added).

Amid life’s challenging mountains, we can still find a secure footing because of our confidence and trust in God. It starts with the fruit in our lives. If we are not bearing spiritual fruit, we will not be secure and are in danger.

Jesus demonstrated to the disciples with a fig tree what happens when we are not bearing fruit. From a distance, the tree looked fruitful; it had green leaves, indicating it should bear figs. Upon closer inspection, however, there was no fruit. Jesus cursed the tree, and it withered. This was indicative of the Jewish people of Jesus’ time who appeared to be bearing fruit but were not (Mark 11:12-14; 20). We can trust God to remove whatever is hindering us from bearing fruit. It begins in our hearts. Still, we must be willing to make the changes and allow God to work in our lives.

I remember years ago when I was miserable, mostly with myself, that I changed jobs to get a fresh start and escape some temptations. I did try to start over, but I was still the same inside, so the same problems presented themselves.

Wherever you go, there you are.

Real change can only happen inside our hearts, with God’s help. Only Jesus can truly change our character. We must want the change and ask for His help. Again, we are meant to eliminate what does not produce fruit. Only then can we run with abandon.

We can ask God to expand our hearts and help us perceive His truth (Psalm 119:32). The Psalmist speaks the language of one ravished with moral beauty – to which there is only one fitting response – to reproduce this beauty or attempt to – in one’s daily life. Not for perfection, but only a yearning, trust, and dependence on God (Ps. 119, ESV Study Bible notes).

I often ask God to reveal anything that needs to change or be removed in my heart to make more room for the Holy Spirit. This can be summed up as being God-inside-minded. It is about shifting our primary focus from the external world to the divine reality residing in believers, with a conscious connection with the Holy Spirit as a source of wisdom, love, and power.

It took me several years to figure out the root of my misery, but once the Holy Spirit transformed my heart, my life changed forever.

I don’t just want the outside to appear fruitful; I want the inside to match so that my life reflects my gratefulness for what Christ rescued me from. I finally removed my mask. That life is gone, and I want nothing to do with anything that resembles it. It was not bearing fruit and withered away at the mighty hand of Jesus upon my confession of faith (Rom. 1:16-17; Heb. 10:22-23).

Is there anything hindering you from bearing fruit? Ask God to reveal it to you and be willing to accept the change that will follow so you can run with abandon to the life God created for you. Take it from me: Wearing masks is a miserable existence. But running – that is where it’s at. Even though I don’t always get it right, I trust God to correct me and cut off anything in my life that is not bearing fruit for His Kingdom—everything for the Glory of God.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Ps. 119:105, emphasis added).

The Importance of Repentance

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

Repentance is a crucial aspect of prayer, clearing the way for God’s will to be fulfilled in our lives. It makes more room in our hearts for His Spirit, which guides and comforts us. If we don’t know what we need to repent of, we can ask God to reveal anything that is hindering His presence in our lives.

In Psalm 51:10, David asks God to create in him a clean heart and renew the right spirit within him. This came after Nathan confronted him with his sin in his life. David’s sin was significant enough that others noticed and held him accountable for it.

Still, there are times when our sin is not as prominent, and we may not realize the need to take it to God and ask for forgiveness and help in changing. Spiritual maturity comes when we openly seek God to help us work on those character traits, emotional responses, and offenses that hold us hostage.

Nehemiah demonstrated a meaningful prayer life modeled after those of Ezra, which included confessing sin as he prayed for others (Neh. 1:4-11; Ezra 9:6-15, ESV). Nehemiah spent four months in intensive intercessory prayer, which provided the power to accomplish God’s will (Neh. 1:1; 2:1, NLT).

Jesus taught his disciples how to pray – not the verbatim words – but the structure that emphasizes how to pray, not what to say (Matt. 6:9, ESV). In verse 12, Matthew notes Jesus’ instruction to ask God to “Forgive us our debts” (Matt. 6:12, emphasis added). The ESV Study Bible notes that this does not mean believers need to ask daily for justification since they are justified forever from the moment of initial saving faith (Rom. 5:19; 8:1; 10:10, ESV).

The repentance I am talking about echoes this sentiment, in that we are not asking to be saved repeatedly; instead, we acknowledge our shortcomings and sinful nature, bringing them to God to restore fellowship with Him when it has been hindered, because we are cautioned not to grieve the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4:30).

Other aspects of the prayers modeled by these historical figures include our praise, thankfulness, and our unworthiness of Christ’s sacrifice. Intercessory prayer can involve asking for forgiveness on behalf of others (Ezra 9:5-6), depending on God to change people’s hearts.

God nailed our note of debt to the cross (John 19:19-22), and those who are recipients of such forgiveness are so moved with gratitude toward Christ that they are more apt to forgive others who have wronged them (Matt. 6:12), clearing their hearts of resentment and clutter that only harms us.

Taking the time to ask God to reveal our offenses and help us correct them will significantly improve our relationship with Him and with others, and, on top of that, it makes our day run more smoothly and with more joy.

“And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8, emphasis added).

Take Heart

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

Jesus often tells His disciples (and us), “Take heart.” This is not a simple phrase to skip over. In the passages I read recently, the meaning is clear: He is telling us to feel encouraged, have courage, hope, and be determined (John 16:33; Matt. 14:27; Matt. 9:22; 9:2; Mark 10:49, ESV, HCSB). Messages in the Old Testament reflect the same sentiment—Psalms 27:14 and 31:24, to name a couple.

Not because of what we can do but because of what God has already done. The key is to look to Jesus Christ and focus on Him.

In reading the Jesus Calling Devotional this week, Sarah Young writes, “Wear my peace with regal dignity.” This reminded me of the Isaiah verse where God’s arm brought salvation – putting on the armor as Paul listed in Eph. 6, but catch this visual – “He wrapped Himself in zeal as a cloak” (Isa. 59:17, HCSB, emphasis added).

I frequently pray for each piece of armor and end my prayers with this verse to wrap myself in zeal as a cloak. “To put on the armor is to put on the Messiah Himself” (Isa. 11:5, ESV). Talk about the ultimate protection from the enemy!

Peter’s faith helped him take the first step to walk on water toward Jesus. But as soon as his eyes shifted to the storms around him, he began to sink and cried out to Jesus for help (Matt. 14:29-30, ESV). The disciples had been in the boat battling the storms for over nine hours. Sometimes, we wait until we are desperate and afraid before we call on Him to save us. Fear has a way of taking over at times. We forget to focus on Christ and feel like we are sinking into despair.

But don’t miss this next verse: As soon as Peter cried out, “Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him” (Matt. 14:31, ESV, emphasis added). Doubt and fear can work like an anvil – weighing us down. When we cry out, Jesus immediately answers our plea.

Recognizing God’s presence is the anecdote to fear.

Jesus’ invitation to “come” (v. 29) is a never-ending offer. He is our shelter from every storm (Psalm 46:1, ESV), but our faith wavers when we focus on the storms instead of God. How quickly do we forget that Jesus is the Son of God and His saving power?

If we go back to the passages just before Peter’s encounter with Jesus on the water, the disciples had just witnessed Jesus feeding over 5,000 people with two fish and five loaves.  They had just seen a miracle (Matt. 14:13-21), but they waited nine hours in the middle of the next storm and began to panic before calling on God to help. Then, when Jesus was there, they still had doubts, and as we see, Peter takes his eyes off Jesus for a moment, and that is all it took to bring the overwhelming fear back.

“The safest place to be is in God’s will” (Young, Jesus Calling).

The NLT Chronological Life Application Study Bible notes the best way to maintain faith in difficult situations is to focus on the power of Jesus rather than our inadequacies. We can reach out to the only One who can help in times of faltering faith.

Going back to Jesus feeding 5,000. It mentions they had leftovers: “They ate and were filled. Then they picked up 12 baskets of leftover pieces” (Matt. 14:20, HCSB, emphasis added)! Did you catch that? Not only did they feed a multitude with a small amount of food, and they were filled, but they also had leftovers – TWELVE BASKETS.

There is another lesson in the leftovers: God not only gives good gifts but also gives in abundance. He multiplies whatever small amount we can offer, whether our time, resources, or abilities, above our wildest expectations. If we take the first step in faith and make ourselves available to God, He will demonstrate how greatly He can use you to advance the work of the Kingdom (The NLT Chronological Life Application Study Bible).

I recently watched a sermon by Steven Furtick, who said Peter looked too far ahead instead of what was right in front of him. He demonstrated how we must take one step at a time with what we know today and not look too far into the future or at our past. Instead, we need to focus on each step we take with God at this moment and let Him lead us to His purpose and plan.

If we can manage this, God will show up abundantly and do immeasurably more than we can fathom. In our weakness, He is strong (2 Cor. 12:9, ESV).

Take heart. Jesus Christ is all-powerful and is for us (Rom. 8:31-32, ESV).

“Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us – to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Eph. 3:20-23, HCSB, emphasis added).

“But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me” (2 Cor. 12:9, HCSB, emphasis added).

Answered Prayers

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

Early yesterday morning, I had a painful catch on my side.  I couldn’t take a deep breath or move without a sharp pain. My husband, Daniel, laid his hand on my head and prayed for me.
In a matter of seconds, I felt the pain leave my body. Answers to prayers only sometimes happen instantly or noticeably. Still, we can rest assured that God hears every prayer and is always working. At times, our answered prayers don’t look like what we expect, but God knows best. If you’re like me, you probably get impatient and want to act without waiting, but that doesn’t usually end well and mostly distracts us from listening to and depending on God. 

Having someone to pray with and for me is another answered prayer, but it did not happen overnight. Trust is a big part of our faith in God, and it keeps us from forging ahead on our own. Waiting for His perfect timing is challenging, but it’s worth the wait and always has better outcomes. His way is immeasurably more vibrant and stunning than my tiny brain imagines. God always knows best. He knows exactly what we need and when we need it. We can only see partly because seeing the whole picture simultaneously would be overwhelming.

Consequently, it’s vital to our well-being to allow the One who sees the bigger picture to lead us. If we allow others to lead, it’s like the blind leading the blind. A few years ago, I heard a story about a blind man who wanted to ski. He entrusted a guide to take him down the slopes. Likewise, God is our guide, and our adventures await.  Can we trust God enough to enjoy the journey, even if we can’t see where we’re going?

Ultimately, our hope is secure and anchored in Christ’s promise that we will have a more abundant, splendid paradise at the end of our journey. The troubles in this life are only temporary. But our lives – good and bad alike – will fade away.  That’s not bad news. It’s good news that we have something and Someone to look forward to and that this isn’t all there is. But it’s also important to slow down while we’re here, enjoy the sunrise, pursue a magnificent sunset, and take the time to appreciate all the things that fall in between. We’ll be closer to our Creator in these natural wonders.

The peak season of your life is now.  No matter what age you are. God has a purpose and a plan for your life. I speak from experience when I say a relationship with Christ is a lifesaver. As a late bloomer, I can attest that, with God’s help, we’re never too old to change old life-sucking habits and adopt new life-sustaining ones that make this life more enduring, meaningful, and peaceful. But we cannot do it without God’s help.

May the God of peace fill your hearts and minds with life-sustaining truths and help you believe in the power of prayer, even when we can’t see the immediate answers.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6, HCSB, Emphasis added).

Lost and Broken Protection

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

Last weekend, I saw a sunglass commercial. It proclaimed to have “lost and broken” protection. I immediately thought that is what Jesus is to us: lost and broken protection.

Are the struggles and challenges of this life getting you down? Don’t let the devil have his way and rob you of your joy. We can change our perspective and experience joy in our hearts – no matter our circumstances. For believers, joy comes from the Holy Spirit through praise and thankfulness, as a fruit of the spirit, when we are in proper relations with God (The Holman Bible Dictionary).

We can find joy and peace with God’s help and a little intentional gratitude—a daily choice. Some days, it’s not easy when challenges come our way. But God designed us to depend on Him. He will provide everything we need, even during stressful, anxiety-filled days. We just need to focus on Him, be thankful in all circumstances, and not allow our perspective to get clouded by fleshly emotions.

I am speaking to myself here as much as anyone. I am a planner and organizer. The business I am in challenges me. After I have worked the puzzle with the schedule, sometimes the weather, cancellations, or other unforeseen circumstances tip over the proverbial table, and all those pieces I worked so hard to put together are now on the floor, requiring me to put them back together in a much shorter timeframe.

This naturally causes me anxiety. So, I have been taking it to God every morning before I start work and praying for help. I am also going through a three-part Bible plan by Roxanne Parks, The Voices and the Choices. Roxanne observes Paul’s instructions to the Thessalonians and concludes that he says to “give thanks in all circumstances”—not “for all circumstances” (I Thess. 5:18, ESV). We have much to be thankful for in all circumstances. Parks says gratitude opens our eyes to see blessings (The Voices and the Choices). It’s all about perspective and what we focus our attention on.

Eleven years ago, I was in a car accident, which changed my perspective on everything. I was grateful God spared my life. Still, it was more than that. It opened my eyes to a new life that I never knew existed. It was beyond me or anything I had ever known. I was spared, rescued, and given another chance at life – the life of God’s plan and purpose – with goals and dreams I never saw for myself.

When I was flying home from the accident in a wheelchair, cast, and back brace on a red-eye flight, I realized I wasn’t worried about anything. As I watched the anxiety of others at the airport build, my new perspective allowed me to experience peace beyond understanding. God provided every step of the way, placing kind and caring people in my path on both flights who helped me with off-boarding and grabbing my overhead bag to get me to my next wheelchair waiting at the gate.

I had to rely on strangers, thousands of miles away from home, in a situation that would cause anyone to panic and be anxious – yet my eyes were opened for the first time, allowing God to provide – something that eluded me previously. My new perspective led to gratitude and peace – even in my brokenness. At that time, I was broken in every sense of the word.

The NLT Study Bible notes explain that our relationship with God defines Christian joy. God is sovereign and can redeem any situation (Rom. 8:28). Jesus’ mission was to “seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10, emphasis added). God uses my painful past to help others. I hit a wall, literally and figuratively, when the car slammed into that rock wall. It was a wake-up call of epic proportions. God redeems all my broken pieces and covers my scars with Christ’s.

A grateful heart knows many blessings.

So, how do we adopt this philosophy of having an attitude of gratitude every day, “even if” our puzzle is flipped over? This is my sincere prayer each day. A grateful journal may help. We can also be mindful of praise and thankfulness each morning and throughout our day. We can intentionally claim God’s promises to provide everything we need, including rest and peace. Take deep breaths. Pray a lot.

All these things are good, but deepening our relationship with God is crucial to a new perspective and finding gratitude in all circumstances. Don’t give up. If you haven’t yet, take out a “lost and broken” protection plan in the name of Jesus Christ. Your perspective is sure to change. For those of us who have – we still need a reminder, at times, that God is still in control and promises to always be with us (Matt. 28:20).  

The enemy wants us to think otherwise and hopes our fleshly emotions, stress, and anxiety will take over our spiritual truths. This is where intentionality comes in – to keep Christ in our focus – and the devil in our rearview. A battle is only won by placing God first over everything.

Nobody is perfect. Don’t let your mishaps keep you down. Do the best you can with what you have today. As my wonderful husband reminds me almost daily, I should go at the pace of grace and stop being so hard on myself. I am still learning this. Thanks be to God, I am happy to report fewer stressful workdays, even when they present challenges. Being battle-ready doesn’t hurt.

“And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:29, emphasis added).

Fear and Awe

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

Have you ever considered what it means to fear God as a believer? This is easy to misunderstand. After coming to Christ, I often wondered about fearing God. Considering His grace and love, I finally knew God as a loving Father. I am in awe of God. How can I also fear him? It turns out that the Hebrew word for fear is often translated as awesome. The believers’ attitude toward God is frequently referred to as respect, reverence, or awe rather than fear (The Holman Bible Dictionary).

However, limiting our attitude toward God to awe and reverence may cause us to lose sight of His divine character, which compels obedience. This obedience is not a fear of punishment but a reverence for His love and power, which we are to revere (The Holman Bible Dictionary). My dad didn’t like it when men gave themselves the title of reverend. I tend to agree. Only God is deserving of that recognition and prestigious honor.

Paul’s letter to the Romans comforts the believer by stating that wrath has been satisfied in Christ, relieving the believer from the fear of condemnation (Rom. 8:1, English Standard Version). This assurance is a testament to God’s love for us. However, it does not release us from accountability to a Holy God whose character demands justice (2 Cor. 5:10). (He also provided the antidote through His Son).

Paul’s letter to the Ephesians speaks to this when he writes that we should “put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph. 4:22-23, Emphasis added).

When we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, our convictions are stirred, and we are filled with a desire to please God out of love and reverence. The Holy Spirit becomes our constant companion, guiding us in our faith journey. When I first came to Christ, I was a broken mess. I had no boundaries or the ability to say no, which led me to dark places most of my life. But God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, helped me find my voice and strength in Christ. I finally heard that still, small voice telling me I did not have to allow abusive treatment from others and their disrespectful behavior.

That is when my life began to change for the better. It’s a process. I still made mistakes, but the Holy Spirit’s convictions guided me to God’s intended path. On the other hand, I remember fearing what God would ask of me. That fear was unwarranted, considering what others had demanded of me. God is trustworthy and wants the best for us. God is the best.

The fear I am speaking of is a natural response from the heart of those eager to obey God’s Word, with a humble and contrite spirit (Is. 66:2) and a repentant heart, in awe of a reverent God – which results in true wisdom (Prov. 9:10).

The song “I Surrender” by Hillsong Worship and Matt Crocker recently touched me during a church worship night service. Surrendering to God is an intentional daily choice. As I sat there reading each word on the screen, listening, and singing the lyrics with conviction from my heart and soul, the power of the Holy Spirit moved my spirit and helped me reaffirm my surrender to God.

I challenge you to listen to this song and read the words. Then sing them to God with conviction and let the power of the Holy Spirit have His way out of fear, love, and reverence for a Holy God. It’s life changing.

The best place to be is in the will of the Father, walking in step with the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:25). This is my continual prayer. I don’t always get it right, but God’s grace is sufficient. His power works best in weakness (2 Cor. 12:9).

“…my heart stands in awe of your words” (Ps. 119:161, emphasis added).

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight” (Prov. 9:10, emphasis added).