Trust me.

-- Words of Jesus Christ, John 14:1

Two simple words that Jesus spoke can make all the different in the world (and in eternity). Sometimes, it's easier to say, "I love you" than it is to say, "I trust you." Can you say that to God? Can you say with all of your heart, "Lord, I trust you"? It takes faith to say something like that and really mean it.

"In this world you will have trouble" (John 16:33a). This is not an encouraging statement; yet it is right out of the Bible. Even more incredible is that fact that these are words in red--the words of Christ. Yet, he doesn't stop there. He goes on, "But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33b). Ahh, what a wonderful promise! What a wonderful summary of the first statement. We will have trouble in this world. That is a fact. That is a truth. But, Jesus has overcome the world. That is also a fact and a truth. When we live our lives "in the Vine" (John 15:5), then we are overcomers. The trials and stuggles and troubles will come, but when we abide in Jesus, we abide in Peace.

He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.

1 Corinthians 1:8-9

Do you feel like you are weak, like you are going to fail him, let him down, not make it to the end? Listen carefully to these words: "He will keep you strong to the end." There are many times that I felt like I would not make it, that I would fail to endure. But this promise from God ensures me that he will keep me strong. It's not my strength, my efforts or my doing. It's all God!

Mark this well: The Lord has set apart the redeemed for himself. Therefore He will listen to me and answer when I call to Him.

Psalm 4:3

Are you set apart? If you are "in Christ", then you are redeemed of God for himself. That's a promise from him. And, it's wonderful to know that God will listen to us and answer us when we call to him.

I wanna get carried away.    I wanna be tossed by Your waves    I don't care where or how deep    I'm gonna jump in with both feet I wanna get carried away    I wanna get lost in Your ways    I wanna be held by Your truth    I wanna behold all of You    I'm gonna be all Yours today I wanna be carried away

Carried Away by SonicFlood

I've been so consumed with this song for the past couple of weeks. I keep singing it over and over focusing on the following lines, "I'm gonna jump in with both feet...I'm gonna be all yours today." Are you all of God's today? Are you all his? Do you want to jump into his presence, his peace, his purposes today? Let me encourage you to jump in with both feet!

"God utters me like a word containing a partial thought of himself. A word will never be able to comprehend the voice that utters it. But, if I am true to the concept God utters in me, if I am true to the thought in him I was meant to embody, I shall be full of his actuality and find him everywhere in myself, and find myself nowhere. I shall be lost in him."

-- Seeds of Contemplation , Thomas Merton

"I bear my witness that the worst days I have ever had have turned out to be my best days. And when God has seemed most cruel to me, he has then been most kind. If there is anything in this world for which I would bless him more than for anything else, it is for pain and affliction. I am sure that in these things the richest, tenderest love has been manifested to me. Our Father's wagons rumble most heavily when they are bringing us the richest freight of the bullion of his grace. Love letters from heaven are often sent in black-edged envelopes. The cloud that is black with horror is big with mercy. Fear not the storm. It brings healing in its wings, and when Jesus is with you in the vessel, the tempest only hastens the ship to its desired haven."

-- Charles Haddon Spurgeon

"Often trust begins of the far side of despair. When all human resources are exhausted, when the craving for reassurances is stifled, when we forgo control, when we cease trying to manipulate God and demystify Mystery, then--at our wit's end--trust happens within us, and the untainted cry, 'Abba, into your hands I commend my spirit,' surges from the heart."

-- Ruthless Trust , Brennan Manning

Take care to live in Me, and let Me live in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit when severed from the vine. Nor can you be fruitful apart from Me. Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him shall produce a large crop of fruit. For apart from Me, you can't do a thing.

John 15:4, 5

Did you catch that last sentence? Apart from Jesus, you can do nothing." Zilch. Nada. Null. Void. Zero! Apart from Christ, there is nothing you can do. All of your efforts are in vain. All attempts for peace are superficial apart from Jesus. He is the vine, and we are the branches. Cut the root. Kill the fruit. How do we abide in Christ? To live in Jesus means to put all your hope, all your trust, all your faith, all your dreams, all your fears, all of your doubts and you confusing thoughts into the heart of Christ. Give it all to him and rest in his promises. Let me give you an example: I like to lie down at times and take a break. Yet, my mind races with those intrusive thoughts, and my hopes for a peaceful nap are shattered. So, here's what I've started doing. When I lie down, I pray, "Lord, I rest in your promises." And then I quote John 14:1 where Jesus said simply, "Trust me." So, I lie down putting all my trust in Jesus. Peace follows as I abide in Christ.

May all of your expectations be frustrated,      May all of your plans be thwarted,           May all of your desires be withered into nothingness, That you may experience the powerlessness and poverty of a child      And can sing and dance in the love of God,           Who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The Benediction by Brennan Manning

The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.

2 Chronicles 16:9

The Lord is searching for hearts "fully committed to him". The Creator of the Universe longs to strengthen your heart. Are you in need of a strengthened heart, strengthened mind, strengthened soul? Start by committing yourself to God through Jesus.

In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, And his children will have a place of refuge.

Proverbs 14:26

I have this scripture posted on my desk at work. It's a constant reminder of where I should run to when things get rough. I run to my Refuge, my Place of safety, my strong Foundation. I run to my Father.

I read something interesting yesterday about the book of Job. It's a difficult book to read through, because so many people read it wanting to know the "whys" of what happened. I think all of us want to know why something bad happens. Why are we going through this painful trial? Why do we have to hurt so bad? We want to know why so that we can take measures to avoid any future pain or difficulty. Or, we want to fix the pain, make it go away, start the healing process in our mind and body. We want to get back to the Garden of Eden. The book of Job was not given to us to teach us why bad things happen to us. Rather, it is our instructional book on how to respond when bad things happen to us. Let me encourage you today to lay aside all efforts and energy to find out "why" this trial is happeing to you. Rather, take that same energy and effort to draw close to God through Jesus. The Bible promises us that if we draw near to God, he will draw near to us (James 4:8).

The Lord is fair in everything He does, and full of kindness. He is close to all who call on Him sincerely.

Psalm 145:17,18

"To live with fear and not be afraid is the final test of maturity."

-- Edward Weeks

Here are some wonderful quotes from a book I started reading called Ruthless Trust by Brennan Manning. This first quote was a doozy. I was stuck on page 6 for three days because I couldn't stop thinking about how profound and truthful this statement was:

"Craving clarity, we attempt to eliminate the risk of trusting God. Fear of the unknown path stretching ahead of us destroys childlike trust in the Father's active goodness and unrestricted love."

This next one just shocked me as I read it for the first time today, because if someone were to ask me what causes these panic attacks or what triggers this deep-rooted fear in me, I could sum it up with this one statement:

"The awareness that the eternal, transcendent God of Jesus Christ is our absolute future gives us the shakes. One day out of the blue comes a thought of our inevitable death, and the thought is so troubling that we want to live the rest of our lives in a shoe."

This one is just so true:

"One of the surest ways to avoid being happy is to insist on being happy at all costs. The religion of cheerfulness, as Father Brown reminds us, is a cruel religion, and maybe the best way not to go mad is not to mind too much if you do go mad."

Website: Exciting things are happening at Season of Peace! The website ministry continues to grow. I constantly receive encouraging emails from people. God is truly working in people's lives. I hear almost everyday in people's messages. Book: I've completed the manuscript for the Season of Peace Devotional. It's 100 short stores (based on the weekly messages). Each message is followed with three discussion questions and a prayer. I've sought out publishers, but because I am not a well-known author, it's been a difficult path. I've decided to pursue the self-publishing route at this moment unless something else comes along. Ministry: I'm in the final stages of incorporating Season of Peace into a non-profit organization. I'm working with a local lawyer from my church, and he's helping me with the legal stuff. If all goes as planned, Season of Peace will be a full non-profit company in a few months. Please pray with me.

Prayer: Lord, you are the only one who can make us strong when we are weak, for you are Strength and Hope. Lord, pour out your peace upon us this week as we place all of our trust in you. Show me how to rest in your love. Show me how to rest in your promises. Help me to offer the sacrifice of righteousness as I trust in you (Psalms 4:5). Lord, I ask all of these things in Jesus' name. Amen.