It took me many years of following Jesus to understand that it isn't about how tightly I hold on to HIM... but how tightly HE HOLDS ON TO ME!

It isn't about MY strength......it's about HIS.

It isn't about MY power......it's about HIS.

It isn't about MY love for HIM...it's about HIS LOVE FOR ME.

It isn't about MY holiness.....it's about HIS HOLINESS.

It isn't about my sacrifices....it's about HIS SACRIFICE.

It isn't about MY PROMISES TO HIM... it's about HIS PROMISES TO ME!

It isn't about me AT ALL.

IT'S all about JESUS.

It's about HOW MAGNIFICENT JESUS IS....

And He will NEVER LET GO OF ME. HE promised HE would "NEVER" leave me or forsake me.

HE PROMISED that even when I am too weak to have any strength to HOLD ON TO HIM...HE will never, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER 

LET GO OF ME.

IT ISN'T ABOUT ME HOLDING ON TO JESUS. If it was.....I'd be in trouble.

The good news is that it's about HIM HOLDING ON TO ME...

And He has strong everlasting arms.

Who's holding who? 

JESUS IS HOLDING ME.... and that's why I can sleep like a baby... and walk without fear.

It's all about JESUS.

When I was younger, I had answers for things all the time.  That's because when I was younger, I didn't have that many questions.  But... as a person.. any person... continues to live through life.....situations arise which... seemingly... do not have answers.  Well, at least they do not have easy and/or simple ones.

As I am watching the years go by, and getting ready to flip another year off the calendar, I know now that Jesus was telling the truth when He told His disciples, "In the world YOU WILL HAVE TROUBLE."    Who knew that we would be living in a time in history which could also accurately say, "The world itself is in trouble"?

Everything - governments, the economies of nations, the earth itself - is shaking.  And you can just "feel" it.  This is enough to make people shake... Truly a time IS coming when "men's hearts will fail because of FEAR."  (another Scripture)  So Jesus was being the Truth when He told the truth that we would have trouble in the world.  So why did He tell us something we already know?

Jesus says,  "I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]"  John 16:33 (Amplified Bible)

AND SO..WHEN THE WORLD SHAKES AND MY HEART QUAKES.

.. AND.. WHEN TROUBLES COME...

JESUS' WORDS COMFORT ME TO REMEMBER  THAT ALTHOUGH I AM IN THE STORM.. ALTHOUGH MY HEART BECOMES ANXIOUS..

WHATEVER I AM GOING THROUGH HAS ALREADY BEEN DEFEATED BY MY LORD, BY MY SAVIOR JESUS... AND THAT... THE TROUBLE DOES NOT HAVE THE POWER TO HARM OR CONQUER ME.   

AND IF HE IS YOUR LORD.. THE SAME THING IS TRUE FOR YOU.

So, I guess today's blog is just a reminder to rest in Him.. for me.. and you... HE IS VICTORIOUS OVER ALL THINGS... AND WHATEVER HE IS.. HIS CHILDREN ARE!

It isn't easy to forget some stuff, you know? Some things you are ashamed of can keep popping up in your mind. 

It isn't to forget when people you have loved betray you.  

It isn't easy to forget your failures. BUT IT IS NECESSARY.  People say you learn from your mistakes...but in God's kingdom... mistakes aren't what we learn from... we learn from His LOVE.

But forgetting the past is as important to following God as trying to find a new vision, His path for your life.

Only God can help us to forget the former things... and to believe He is doing a NEW thing.

Forgive yourself for your past mistakes.  Ask God to forgive you.  He will.

He often does a better job of forgetting my past than I do. Thank God.

Has anyone ever misunderstood something you've said?  Or something you've done? And what they THINK you meant when you said what you said isn't what you meant at all?

It happens to almost everyone at least a few times in life. I don't think there's anyone alive who hasn't lost a friend... or had a family disagreement.  And most times we feel misunderstood.

The ironic thing about people is that in most cases the person you feel is misunderstanding you and your motives is positive they are NOT. ... and that.. furthermore.. YOU are misunderstanding them.

If you are going through a season now of being misunderstood.. if you truly KNOW that you are innocent.... you can take comfort in knowing that Jesus understands exactly how you feel.  You can speak to Him - whoever you are, where ever you are - and pour your heart out to Him..... HE IS REAL.  HE IS ALIVE.  AND HE CARES.

HE WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU.  HE WILL NEVER FORSAKE.  He is, the Bible says, a friend who sticks closer than even a brother. 

He understands your side of the story.  He understands the other person's side of the story. And only He can bring the both sides together.  If both sides want it.  He brings restoration and resurrection to things that have died. 

HE IS THE PRINCE OF PEACE.... and there's no real peace without Him.

And the amazing thing about having a real, deep friendship with Jesus is that He sees your heart... and you never have to say to Him, "That's not what I meant".

JESUS.......always understands.

GOD LOOKS AT THE HEART.  Period. End of story.

PEOPLE LOOK AT THE OUTSIDE OF A PERSON.  WHY?  It's the only side we can see.  God sees INSIDE a person.. we cannot.  So we cannot truly judge someone else.  WE don't know what's in that person's heart... but God does. 

Therefore, if in your heart.. you WANT to be forgiven... God sees that.  Even if to the world around you.. you LOOK LIKE A LOSER.. that isn't where God is looking.  He is looking at YOUR HEART.

If your heart is repentant.. God sees that.

If your heart is proud... God sees that.

If your heart is unforgiving toward others.. God sees that (and isn't happy with people who TAKE His forgivenss and won't extend forgiveness to others.)

God sees in to the HEART of every person.

For some people reading this.. that is GOOD NEWS.. because even though you may appear to be a sinful, disgusting failure to the world ................to God.............if your heart is soft toward Him.........He sees that and He will come to your side........and LOVE YOU... and RECEIVE you... and FORGIVE you... and RESTORE you..

For some people reading this.. the fact that God is able to see your HEART is BAD NEWS.. because you think you've got everyone fooled... and you think your envy, and resentment, and sin, and jealousy and anger are hidden by your false smile and your PRIDE convinces you that you can even fool God.  You cannot.  The only thing that matters to God is a soft and honest heart.

Your heart.  Is where God looks.  And you cannot hide your heart from Him no matter what you do.

.........and if children could choose that's all they would eat.   Until they are old enough and mature enough to understand that candy has no vitamins and that God created them to eat real food with real vitamins and nutrients.  God created them to eat things that will feed their brain cells and their bones.  We understand this as parents...and if we are good parents we are not convinced by a child to let them eat what they WANT - because we know what's best for them.

We don't let them play outside too long in the snow... we don't let them play outside too long in the heat.  We don't let them see certain things on TV.. we make them do their homework, and go to bed at a decent time... even though they WANT to stay up.. even though they don't realize that frostbite is the reason Mom won't let them continue sledding outside...

So, we ignore the pleadings, and the proddings and the temper trantrums and pouting becaues we are BEING GOOD PARENTS to not let a child have everthing a child wants every time a child wants it. Our child will not understand for many years the love behind every time you said "NO" to something.

We know better, don't we?

And so does God.  He is being a good heavenly FATHER when He doesn't allow you to TELL HIM what He should allow and not allow in your life. He loves you.  Even when He says, "No"

is part of being alive. 

It's the way life IS.  You want something, you don't get it and disappointment sets in. You expect something, it doesn't happen and disappointment sets in.  And if you have never been disappointed in another person - or in YOURSELF - I wonder if you are actually still alive!   

IF YOU CAN BE SURE ABOUT ANYTHING IN LIFE IT'S THAT YOU WILL FEEL DISAPPOINTMENT.

Therefore... it seems to me that since disappointment in life is PART of being ALIVE the real key is DEALING with DISAPPOINTMENT.  

Admitting how disappointed you are is the first step. 

OF COURSE THIS IS OBVIOUS... BUT NOT TO MANY MANY PEOPLE I KNOW AND HAVE SPENT TIME COUNSELING.  You'd be surprised how many people don't want to ADMIT they are dealing with disappointment.  They say things to convince themselves and others that they really AREN'T... they lie and say they really don't care, really didn't care, really wasn't wanting what they didn't get, ETC.

The problem with this technique is that it isn't the truth... and truth has a way of setting us free.   

I could write fifty blogs about how to deal with disappointment, but for today,

I'll just say bring your disappointment to the Lord.  Even your disappointment with Him.

And just speak an honest couple of sentences from your heart to Him.  He can handle your dissapointment with Him.. He already KNOWS that it's there.  He sees your heart. 

Tell Him what's in your heart.  Let your heart OPEN up and SPILL on to HIS SHOULDERS. 

Then ask Him for help.  Just say, "Help me, God." And mean it. 

If you want another person to pray with you... you can email me.  There's a tab to email me in the column to your right.

NO ONE WHO PUTS THEIR HOPE IN THE LORD IS EVER DISAPPOINTED.