Overcoming Fear

Fear is a place of no peace, no hope, and no future. Fear is a binding force that captures and afflicts many a weary soul. It’s a place no one wants to be but it’s a place many end up because of their bondage to the past, fear of the unknown, fear of the future, fear of what people think and the list goes on.

Studies show that fear can be debilitating and in my opinion can be a cause of depression and anxiety. 

Now if we know that God loves us and put Himself in our place, taking on our infirmity and our sin when He was nailed to the cross, we can truly live victoriously. Not only because He died for us, but because He rose again after 3 days to give us His eternal life which now is inside of us.

Letting go of fear does require a change of mindset – one that many have cultivated for years. 

In 2 Timothy 1:7 we read that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and of a sound mind. 

Also, we read in 1 John 4:18 that “there is no fear in love; perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment” (NKJV) if you believe with all your heart in the perfect love of Jesus then you will not have fear of anyone or anything!

Then in the Old Testament in Isaiah 41:10 it says “Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” (NKJV)

We are each here for a purpose and if we are crippled by fear we cannot fulfill our purpose yet and realize our true destiny – which is a glorious one as one of God’s sons or daughters.

Here are some practical ways to overcome fear:

1.    Read the Bible and proclaim verses out loud to yourself for your specific needs, believing that you have healing already!

2.    Speak positive words over yourself out loud.

3.    Write down positive phrases and re-read them as often as possible, for best results read them every day.

4.    Don’t let what others think get into your heart. Sometime others can be very judgmental, controlling, or jealous of you but that’s really not your problem. If you make it your problem it will only steal your peace and joy and instill fear in your heart. If you have Jesus, none of that should matter! You have the King of Kings on your side and that’s what truly counts.

I pray that each reader of this post has a new hope that there is life beyond fear, anxiety and worry and if you want to speak to me directly about my journey please feel free to contact me.

Be blessed and be encouraged today my friends and readers!

Surrendering to God

Surrendering to God

Surrender isn't easy as I'm learning from personal experience, but it's something God needs us to do in order to fully work out His plan in our lives. Hannah is a wonderful example of someone who surrendered and reaped the blessing of God. Her story can be found in 1 Samuel. She was a woman who feared and revered God, who prayed and sought God's face regularly. This intensified when she found out she was barren so she asked God to give her a child of her own.
In the mean time her husband's other wife ( in the Old Testament it was legal to have two wives) had a baby. Not only that she flaunted in front of Hannah and wasn't compassionate at all. Needless to say Hannah was having a hard time. She didn't give up there though, instead of becoming bitter Hannah prayed to God in her time of distress. Also she told God that she would give her son to Him if He granted her the privilege of having a baby. (1 Samuel 1:11) What faith and devotion she had! Her son Samuel became a very influential man of God and even anointed David as king. In essence her faithfulness changed the nation of Israel's history. In 1 Samuel 1:27-28 we see that she kept her vow to the Lord and brought her child Samuel to the priest Eli, where he would learn how to serve the Lord for the rest of his life.
The story of Hannah can be found in the book of 1 Samuel chapters 1-2.
This demonstrates that if you trust God He will grant you the desires of your heart, all you have to do is surrender. Then once you surrender He will give you true joy, not just fleeting happiness but true joy! You may not see His answer immediately but it will come, just be patient and wait for His answer.
In conclusion I'd like to share this verse with you. Psalm 16:11 “You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. ”
There's also a book written about Hannah and her life-changing prayer. It's called Hannah's Prayer and if you would like a copy please contact me and I'll be happy to get you one!

Come to the Garden

Come to the Garden

Jesus is calling us to come to His garden, where the scents are sweet and the flowers abounding with life and color. His care for each tender plant is impeccable. As we walk on through what joy we find in seeing all his beautiful handiwork. I'm referring here to times when we pray. Our prayer time is like spending time in God's garden. He calls us early in the morning while the “dew is still on the roses” and everything seems so fresh and new. That's what our prayer life should be like, rising early to see what new and beautiful things the Lord wants to reveal to us. He has a way of bringing things to our attention in the mornings like we really can't get any other time of day. I know when I pray in the afternoon the cares of this life have already filled my thinking which makes it hard to concentrate on the Lord's divine presence and fullness. He wants to speak to us but we just have to be calm and sensitive enough to listen. Sometimes our electronics, media, or work get in the way but God wants to invite each of us to His Garden today. Will you spend time in His Garden this week?


Here's a lovely song written by Charles Austin Miles (1912)
called “In the Garden”.


I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on the roses
And the voice I hear falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses.
Refrain

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.

He speaks, and the sound of His voice,
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing

I’d stay in the garden with Him
Though the night around me be falling,
But He bids me go; through the voice of woe
His voice to me is calling.


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Thanks for the read!

Storms In This Life

Storms In This Life

The Lord didn't promise life would be easy, he did though promise to always be with us. If we simply call, He comes. I have found this true in my own experience lately. Someone very close to me has become very ill. At first I struggled with God and didn't want to even speak with Him. Then I started to open up and let Him back in. What He made clear to me was that no matter what He loves me. He doesn't judge me for not understanding Him, instead He waits til I tell Him the storms of this life are too much and He needs to come be the captain of my ship, otherwise the storm might overtake me with grief. At one point I couldn't even bring myself to sing, because I was too busy asking why Lord?

Here's a few verses and a song that have helped me through this time:
2 Corinthians 4:8-9 “We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.”
John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
1 Peter 5:7 “Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”
 

 ^{Matthew 8:23-27  "}Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep.  Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”
 
Master the Tempest is Raging – Mary A. Baker

Master, the tempest is raging!
The billows are tossing high!
The sky is o’ershadowed with blackness,
No shelter or help is nigh;
Carest Thou not that we perish?
How canst Thou lie asleep,
When each moment so madly is threat’ning
A grave in the angry deep?

Chorus:
The winds and the waves shall obey Thy will,
Peace, be still!
Whether the wrath of the storm-tossed sea,
Or demons or men, or whatever it be,
No waters can swallow the ship where lies
The Master of ocean, and earth, and skies;
They all shall sweetly obey Thy will,
Peace, be still! Peace, be still!
They all shall sweetly obey Thy will,
Peace, peace, be still!

1. Master, with anguish of spirit
   I bow in my grief today;
   The depths of my sad heart are troubled—
   Oh, waken and save, I pray!
   Torrents of sin and of anguish
   Sweep o’er my sinking soul;
   And I perish! I perish! dear Master—
   Oh, hasten, and take control.
2. Master, the terror is over,
   The elements sweetly rest;
   Earth’s sun in the calm lake is mirrored,
   And heaven’s within my breast;
   Linger, O blessed Redeemer!
   Leave me alone no more;
   And with joy I shall make the blest harbor,
   And rest on the blissful shore.

Galatians

Galatians

The book of Galatians was written for our edification and admonition. The church of Galatia was taught the gospel of Christ by the apostle Paul. He took care of them spiritually and visited them. At one point though some Christian brothers came from the church in Jerusalem and told them that they should start keeping aspects of the law of the Old Testament such as circumcision. The Galatians started to believe that they had to do those things in order to be saved. Then Paul wrote them the letter of Galatians saying that they needed to go back to what he had taught them which was the gospel of grace and not go back to the law of the Old Testament.

We as Christians need to remember the old law is not the way, we need to keep on target and that target is Christ. Going back to the Old Testament law won't save us, it's a matter of grace now. We are saved by grace not of works. Ephesians 2:8-9 says “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

The function of the law is to condemn and show sin, that is why we have the law in the first place to show where we have gone wrong. Now though that we have Christ, he is the fulfillment of the law, meaning He -- the perfect Man -- has died in our place and we no longer have to pay the penalty for our sins. By trusting in His sacrifice on the cross we are saved from sin, death, hell, and the grave!Hallelujah!

Now that we have been saved by Christ we have liberty. Galatians 5:13 states, “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” This is the best use of our liberty in Christ, serving one another with a full heart of thanks to the Lord for his great gift, that of salvation.

Now my dear friends I would highly suggest you reading this series of devotionals called Galatians: The Sonship. If you would like your own copy please contact me directly and I will ship you your very own copy! My email is rachel.valencas@gmail.com.

God bless you and keep you all!

A Crown, A Kingdom, and A Throne

We each have a crown to gain. In Revelation 3:11 it clearly says, “Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.” This means that if we are faithful then we will receive a crown of righteousness which no one can take away from us. “Wow that's great, but I really don't think that will ever happen to me, I'm too sinful and have made too many mistakes,” you might say. Well now is the time to accept God's love and grace and begin to live a life for Him! If you don't start now what will become of you? Where will you end up? Trusting in God's strength to supply you is key. Without Him we have nothing to stand on. The world is like shifting sand and other people may fail us but God never fails. Don't think that you have to try to be perfect and righteous all on your own, I've tried that and it doesn't work. Instead now I rest on the Lord's promise, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” Once you put your trust in Jesus, He will never let you go. There are people in the last days (read Revelation to understand more about this) who will go to God with the works they have done of their own merit and He will say to them, “Depart from me I never knew you.” We want to be those God knows and will reward for doing His Will. The only way to know God's will is to pray and read His Word, the Bible.
He also has a kingdom to give us. “Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: ” (Matthew 25:34) We as children of God are entitled to this kingdom our Father has prepared to us, but before we can rule in this kingdom we need to mature in life with the Lord. It is like a child of a billionaire, the child rightfully owns everything of his father's but the father wants him to become mature and wise before giving him the inheritance otherwise everything would be lost. The child wouldn't know what to do with the father's billions, this is why the father teaches the child and skillfully parents him until he is fully mature and ready to gain the inheritance.
The third element we will inherit is a throne, once we become mature sons and daughters of God he will give us a throne in His kingdom. This means we will have authority over the nations and rule over them in the coming age. Revelation 3:21 “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.”
Now is the time, my friends! We must grow and mature in life so that we can reign with the Lord in Eternity.