Category Archives: Hope in God

New Day, New Year

Here we are at a new day and a new year. We fall into a situation so many times where we regret the past or worry about tomorrow. I personally forget to live in the present and enjoy what God has given me today. Concerning the past, we can learn from our mistakes, concerning the future, we can prepare and learn to trust God. It’s sometimes really hard to accept where God has put us. He is God and knows all things. We don’t always know why certain things happen as they do. But God is in them right now, even if we don’t understand.

Sunrise near the Columbia River

Sunrise near the Columbia River

Here is the attitude we need for the future from 1 Peter 5:7. “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”  So our attitude needs to be one of trusting God for the future.

Our attitude should be thanking God for what we have today and not wishing for things to be different:   This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it  Psalm 118:24.   We should have a thankful heart as Paul talks about in 1 Thessalonians 5:8 In every thing give thanks:for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Live in the now, thanking God for what we have, what He has given us in people, friends, family, relationships, spiritual blessings and material stuff. (Yes, even thank God for our stuff)

Thank Him for negative and hard things that teach us to thank and trust Him.

Sunset on the Columbia River

Sunset on the Columbia River

Thank God for the grace given to us through His Son Jesus Christ who took all our sins away and made a way for us to come to God just as we are. John 1:17 Grace came by Jesus Christ.

A 16th century monk in writing to comfort his wife said “Pray, and let God worry”. That was Martin Luther who did much to bring people back to the Bible and back to Jesus Christ.

Paul shares his attitude towards the past in Phil 3:13. but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Deer in the trees

Deer in the trees

We can learn to accept moving or not moving.  We can accept who we are in God. We can accept what God has given us in talents, friends, relationships, spiritual and material stuff.  We can accept our social and financial level in society, and not wish to be somewhere else. We can accept our marriage as from God, there is not a better mate for us. God did that just right. He has given us exactly what we need.

When we don’t accept we can easily fall into regret for the past and then carry a root of bitterness going forward. Eventually this makes us get old really fast and makes our life (not the other person) miserable. Do not get bitter, it will destroy you.

So our attitude towards the past and future is important.  When it comes to the past we should forgive and forget. Thanking God for all He has given us.  When it comes to the future we trust God and refuse to worry or carry a grudge.  This leaves us living right now in the present thanking God for who He is and all that He has done for us.    For the past, we always learn from our mistakes, for the future, we prepare as best we can and trust God.

Here is a simple way to pray:  “Father God, thank You for what we have, what You have given us and what You will yet provide in the years to come. I give this day to You, I trust You and rely on You for all that we need”.

California Beach

California Beach

The best devotional videos are at www.AnimatedFaith.com

Help Me Worship God

Jesus says “God is Spirit and to worship God, we must do so in spirit and in reality”   This is a statement recorded by John in chapter 4.  So to worship God we must do so in spirit and in reality. Jesus was so clear about how the Father wants us to worship Him.  Enjoy a short devotional video on “Help Me Worship God”

Here is John 4:21-24
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what:we know what we worship:for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth:for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit:and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.HelpMeWorshipGod_3056

Does God Still Love Us When We are Depressed?

Many times we get low, and God really cares. God does not condemn us when we are low or even depressed. He loves us and cares for us. We need to bring our troubles to God. God is gracious to us when we fail.

Here is a short devotional video on “Does God Still Love us When We are Depressed?”

In the Bible, God, the author does not hide the fact that many people get low or depressed. Consider Elijah, who had a great victory and wonderful miracle at Mount Carmel. Then soon after he was harassed by someone and hid because he was low and depressed. God did not make him feel bad, but instead God found a way to get Elijah some bread to lift him up. I am really not sure why Elijah got so low and almost panicked.

Then there is King David in the Old Testament who many times got low and depressed. When we read the Psalms, the writers many times, especially David, how they were depressed, despondent and just low. David in the Psalms does not hide his feelings, but confesses them to God and brings them to God. David learned how to bring his troubles to God.

Sometimes we are so low we almost (or do) panic.  God is very gracious to us when we fail. So just bring your troubles and depression to God. God still loves us when we are low or depressed.

God and Depression

God and Depression

Psalm 18:6  In my distress I called upon the Lord,
and cried unto my God:
he heard my voice out of his temple,
and my cry came before him, even into his ears

God and Depression

God and Depression

God still loves us.

We need to bring our troubles and depression to God.

We need to bring our troubles and depression to God.

God Does Not Give Up on Us

Everything in the garden was wonderful between God and man. But once sin same in there was a problem, but God does not give up on us. God made a way through His Son Jesus Christ for us to come back to God.

So watch this short video on “God Does Not Give Up on Us”

God never gives up on us.  God loves us, He cares for us.  God is thinking about us every day.  We were created for a purpose, and God does not loose sight of that purpose. He cares so much that He sent His Son Jesus Christ.

God Does Not Give Up on Us

God Does Not Give Up on Us

Hard Events Help us Grow in God

Hard events of life help us grow in God. Faith is tested by the events of life. Everything is under the hand of God, both the easy and the hard.

Hard events help us grow in God

Hard events help us grow in God

Almost every person mentioned in the Bible had difficult times. God used every event to bring this person more in the faith and belief of God. God became more real through every situation. At one point the Bible seems just a good book about God, but events in life will make the Bible become part of our life and living.

Insecurities help us grow in Faith

Insecurities help us grow in Faith

Even material insecurities help us grow in Faith.

Consider Elijah in the Old Testament who went through various situations to prove to him that God is real and present, and that God actually cares for what is going on in life. At one point a brook that Elijah was near dried up.  What was he to do. Well, God provided for him. He just needed to keep his eyes on God.  The dried up brook helped Elijah to trust in God for His provision.  God eventually provided, but not in the way Elijah expected.

The providence of God in our lives is sometimes the best education we can get in the ways of God. Even Peter in the New Testament got distracted with something he thought would be great, but God needed to teach him a lesson in looking at Jesus and not being distracted. Consider the points in this video about “Listen to Jesus”.

Peter was the top, number one disciple of Jesus, but he had a lot to learn. It seems he was always being corrected by Jesus. Hard things and hard words helped him grow in faith.

It’s so easy to get distracted with great religious things. Jesus is the main subject and focus of the New Testament. Even the chosen disciples like Peter could get distracted with doing something “great” for God and miss the Son of God, Jesus, who was standing right there.

So watch this short video on “Listen to Jesus”

In Matthew 17,  Jesus takes His top three disciples up to a mountain, and there Jesus was transfigured or glorified. He probably looked like He might appear in heaven. His top three disciples were Peter, James and John. Peter had a great idea, but God did not agree with the idea and so God spoke from the heavens. God said “This is my beloved Son, Hear Him“. Too many times we have a “great idea” for God. But many times God does not agree and may speak to us and tell us to just “Listen to Jesus”. So how do we “listen to Jesus”, the easiest and best way is to just read the Bible.

God Never Gives Up on Us

God Never Gives Up on Us. Don’t worry, we may fail, but God finds a way to restore us. God never forgets the purpose He created us for. We were make for a purpose and God knows that. So don’t worry about failure, God will make a way.

So watch this short devotional video on “God Never Gives Up on Us “

God make a way through His son Jesus Christ to take care of the sin issue between us and God. Sin and failure cannot stop God’s purpose with us.  We may give up, but God does not give up on us.

Consider some failures in the Bible:  Adam, Abraham, Peter, (and us).  We all are sinners, so God has made a way through His son Jesus Christ to bring us back to God and back to His purpose.

We may give up, but God does not give up on us.  

Priest Lake, Idaho

Priest Lake, Idaho

Consider Philippians 1:6  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

Isa 42:3  A bruised reed shall he not break,
and the smoking flax shall he not quench:
he shall bring forth judgment unto truth

God Never Gives Up on Us

God Never Gives Up on Us

Isa 54:10  For the mountains shall depart,
and the hills be removed;
but my kindness shall not depart from thee,
neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed,
saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee

God Never Gives Up on Us

God Never Gives Up on Us

Listen To Jesus

It’s so easy to get distracted with good religious things and miss Jesus. Jesus is the focus of the New Testament. Jesus is the main subject. Even the good disciples like Peter could get distracted with doing something “great” for God and miss the Son of God, Jesus, who was standing right there.

So watch this short video on “Listen to Jesus”

In Matthew 17,  Jesus takes His top three disciples up to a mountain, and there Jesus was transfigured or glorified. He probably looked like He might appear in heaven. His top three disciples were Peter, James and John. Peter had a great idea, but God did not agree with the idea and so God spoke from the heavens. God said “This is my beloved Son, Hear Him“. Too many times we have a “great idea” for God. But many times God does not agree and may speak to us and tell us to just “Listen to Jesus”. So how do we “listen to Jesus”, the easiest and best way is to just read the Bible.