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9 Things to Do When You Feel Hopeless–Psalm 143

May 15, 2013 in 2013 Journey, Believing God in the Hard Times, Choices, Depression, Failure, Fear, Health, Prayer, Tough Times, Trials, Trust with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading: Psalms 131, 133; Psalms 138-141, 143

Come quickly, Lord, and answer me, for my depression deepens. Don’t turn away from me, or I will die. –Psalms 143:7

Have you ever been in this place?

King David, “The man after God’s own heart,” who wrote these words knew about depression.  He probably didn’t call it depression. Depression is a term that has become a household word only in the last 40-50 years, but he certainly mentioned one of the common characteristics of depression–hopelessness:

What do you do when you’ve lost all hope?

God allowed David to go through times of depression and hopelessness. He also  had David journal these times in the Psalms so that you and I can make it through our times of hopelessness.

If you are severely depressed by all means seek medical help, but for many of us following David’s example could be the missing piece in our pursuit of hope.

Here’s what David did:

1. Go to God–Hear my prayer, O Lord; listen to my plea (Psalm 143:1).

2. Tell Him exactly how you feel-My enemy has chased me.  He has knocked me to the ground and forces me to lie in darkness like those in the grave.  I’m losing all hope; I’m paralyzed with fear (Psalms 143:3-4).

3. Remember–I remember the days of old, I ponder all Your great works and think about what You have done (Psalms 143:5).

4. Spend time worshiping God–I lift my hands to You in prayer.  I thirst for You as parched land thirsts for rain (Psalms 143:9).

5. Update God on your Progress–Come quickly, Lord, and answer me, for my depressions deepens.  Don’t turn away from me, or I will die (Psalms 143:7).

6. Trust God for the outcome–Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting You (Psalms 143:8).

7. Ask for direction–Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you (Psalms 143:8b).  May Your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing (Psalm 143:10b).

8. Be teachable–Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God (Psalm 143:10).

9. Have the right motive–For the glory of Your name, O Lord, preserve my life.  Because of Your faithfulness, bring me out of this distress (Psalms 143:11).

Heavenly Father, I pray for my friends who feel hopeless tonight. Pursue them. Come close.  Lord, help them to know that Your Word is their lifeline. Holy Spirit, speak to them. Give them hope.  Heal their sadness.  Replace it with Your joy.  Lord, do it for the Glory of Your Name.

In Jesus’ Name.  Amen and Amen!



©2013, Dianne Guthmuller
 
Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Psalms 144-145; Psalm 88-89

What If–Psalm 124

May 14, 2013 in 2013 Journey, Believing God in the Hard Times, Choices, Depression, Fear, Psalms, The Hurting World, Tough Times, Trust with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading:  Psalm 103; Psalms 108 through 110; Psalms 122, 124

Do you ever play the “what-if” game?

What if I would have…

  • been born at a different time
  • lived in a different country
  • had a different set of parents
  • married a different person
  • been smarter, thinner, darker, lighter, etc…

King David played the what-if game too:

1 What if the Lord had not been on our side?
Let all Israel repeat:
2 What if the Lord had not been on our side
when people attacked us?
3 They would have swallowed us alive
in their burning anger.
4 The waters would have engulfed us;
a torrent would have overwhelmed us.
5 Yes, the raging waters of their fury
would have overwhelmed our very lives.

6 Praise the Lord,
who did not let their teeth tear us apart!
7 We escaped like a bird from a hunter’s trap.
The trap is broken, and we are free!
8 Our help is from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.

          Psalm 124

I can just see King David looking out over Jerusalem at sunset, rubbing his chin and saying these words and then pausing for a long time to think about what it would be like and then saying the words again.

What if the Lord had not been on your side?

Where would you be?

I’m serious when I say this, if the Lord had not been on my side I believe I would be in a psych hospital or dead.  I’m not trying to be a drama queen, but I cannot put into words the peace that Jesus Christ has brought into my life…peace in the midst of life’s storms.

I often wonder how people who don’t believe in Jesus cope with the day-to-day challenges of life.  Who do they turn to in the middle of the night when they’re scared to death?  Where do they go when life just doesn’t make sense?

These are tough times that we live in.  It’s really easy to ask questions like:

What if…

  • I lose my job
  • I lose my house
  • I get cancer
  • I lose my religious freedom

The list could go on and on—

As Christians we will always have a choice…

We can live in constant fear

Or we can say with David…

Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth!

Amen and Amen!

©2013, Dianne Guthmuller
 

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Psalms 131, 133; Psalms 138 through 141; Psalm 143

 

Which of These Fears are Holding You Back? –2 Samuel 23: 20-21

April 20, 2013 in 1 Chronicles, 2 Samuel, 2013 Journey, Choices, Commitment, Failure, Fear, leadership, Obedience, Rejection, Success with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading:  2 Samuel 2: 1 through 2 Samuel 3: 5, 1 Chronicles 3: 1-4a, 2 Samuel 23: 8-17, 1 Chronicles 11: 10-19, 2 Samuel 23: 18-39, 1 Chronicles 11: 20-47

There was only one King David.

In most of our lifetimes God will not call us to a leadership role as visible as this “man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:13-14).

But

He has called us to something.

Benaiah was one of those people who was determined to give his best to his calling. He was determined to pursue rather than be pursued.

Benaiah son of Jehoiada from Kabzeel was a vigorous man who accomplished a great deal. He once killed two lion cubs in Moab. Another time, on a snowy day, he climbed down into a pit and killed a lion. Another time he killed a formidable Egyptian. The Egyptian was armed with a spear and Benaiah went against him with nothing but a walking stick; he seized the spear from his grip and killed him with his own spear.      

 –2 Samuel 23:20-21 (The Message)

I never noticed Benaiah in my Bible reading until I read a book called, In a Pit With A Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson.

I want to be a lion chaser like Benaiah.  I want to take the things in life that have the capacity to destroy me and use them for God’s Glory.

What are the lions in your life?

As Mark said in his book:

What if the life you really want is hiding behind your biggest problem?  Your greatest regret at the end of your life will be the lions you didn’t chase. You will look back longingly on risks not taken, opportunities not seized, and dreams not pursued. Stop running away from what scares you most and start chasing the God-ordained opportunities that cross your path.

Before Benaiah could face the lion he had to face something bigger—his fears.

What fears are holding you back?

Here are the first three that come to mind:

  • The fear of failure
  • The fear of success
  • The fear of rejection

These fears may be your lions you must chase.  Let’s get out of the defensive mode and move to the offense—go after them, even it you have to chase them into a pit on a snowy day.

What are you waiting for?

Become a lion chaser!

©2013, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading:   2 Samuel 3: 6 through 2 Samuel 4: 12

Sometimes It’s Best to be Under-qualified–Judges 7:2

April 2, 2013 in 2013 Journey, Fear, Finances, Judges, leadership, Pride with 3 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading:  Judges 7:1 through Judges 9:21

“You have too many warriors with you.”  That’s what the Lord said to Gideon. (7:2)

If I were Gideon, a farmer who was trying to lead an army, I probably would have said, “Excuse me, I need all the help I can get! You can never have too many warriors!”

Before Gideon had a chance to object, the Lord explained it perfectly:  If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength. (7:2)

Friends, this principle  didn’t just apply in Gideon’s day.

Has God said to you?

“I want to accomplish my plans for you with…

  • Less money
  • Less education
  • Less equipment
  • Less people
  • Less confidence in your ability
  • Less praise from others

…because I want to receive all the Glory.”

While Your Heavenly Father probably didn’t speak to you audibly, He definitely speaks those words through the ways He answers our prayers.

I remember a time in my life when I was having great success in my career.  In the beginning I knew the Lord was blessing me but as time moved forward and more and more success came my way I began to think it was my personality, talents and hard work that made everything fall into place.

I’m sad to tell you that this was one of those times the Lord said, “If you think you’re so hot then do it by yourself!”

Once the Spirit of the Lord (yesterday’s reading) left me to do it on my own, all that “self-confidence” quickly disappeared.

It was over fifteen years ago but the memory is still vivid.  Talking in front of groups of people had been so easy, but without “the Spirit of the Lord taking possession” (6:34) I began to dread the thought of any type of interaction with people.

I’ve always heard that success is a bigger test than failure; I think it was true in my life.

The best place to be is under-qualified AND full of God’s anointing.

Gideon found this to be true in today’s reading. It’s interesting that the Lord weeded out the majority of the extras with one word:  fear

That’s what our enemy, Satan is hoping for—our fears to overtake us so we won’t do what God has planned for us to do.

I pray that we will be like Gideon; once we hear the Lord call us out, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you,” we will step out with less and give all the Glory to the Lord.

©2013, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Judges 9:22 through Judges 11:28

If the Lord is With Us, Why has This Happened? –Judges 6:12

April 1, 2013 in 2013 Journey, Faith, Fear, Holy Spirit, leadership with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading:  Judges 3:31 through Judges 6:40

Angel of the Lord to Gideon: Mighty Hero, the Lord is with you!  (6:12)

Gideon to Angel of the Lord:  If the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? (6:13)

Have you ever been in a situation where you just weren’t sure you could make it and some well-meaning person said, “The Lord is with you.”   I can remember times when I was thanking them on the outside and inside I wanted to smack ‘em.

When we’re in a rough place we usually react like Gideon, “if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us?”

For most of us, having God with us in our hard times just isn’t enough…

we want Him to fix it. 

If we really understood the power of God, His being with us would be enough. We would realize that if God is with us, we always win!

But just like Gideon in our humanness we cry out, WHY is this happening to ME?

And God gently says, “Go in the strength you have, I am sending you.” (6:14)  In other words, do what you can do, but just remember that “I Am” is sending you and that makes all the difference!

Gideon was a farmer and felt inadequate to lead an army.  God encouraged him, “I will be with you and you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man.”

In verse 34 of Judges 6 there is the most amazing statement:  Then the Spirit of the Lord took possession of Gideon.

How would I handle my challenges if I were possessed by the Spirit of the Lord?

Confidently and peacefully…

This goes back to something we said a few days ago, “God qualifies those He calls.”  No,  we may not have an angelic glow, but when we are moving in the calling and plans God has for us, we are possessed by His Spirit and we can expect supernatural results!

Lord, you know the jobs You have for us to do, Spirit of the Lord take possession of us and supernaturally use us for Your glory!

Lord, be with us!

In Jesus Name, Amen and Amen!

 

 
 ©2013, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading:  Judges 7:1 through Judges 9:21

How Long Are You Going to Wait? –Joshua 18:3

March 28, 2013 in 2013 Journey, Choices, Faith, Fear, Giving Our Best to God, The Promises of God with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading: Joshua 18:1-19:48

Then Joshua asked them, “How long are you going to wait before taking possession of the remaining land the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has given to you? –Joshua 18:3

What are you waiting for?

Has God’s Word spoken promises you’ve not claimed?

What about this one?

Jesus told this simple story, but they had no idea what he was talking about. So he tried again. “I’ll be explicit, then. I am the Gate for the sheep. All those others are up to no good—sheep stealers, every one of them. But the sheep didn’t listen to them. I am the Gate. Anyone who goes through me will be cared for—will freely go in and out, and find pasture. A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of. –John 10:10 The Message

Don’t settle for the plastic life the world offers.

What are you waiting for?

Reach out and grab the real life, an “Ephesians 3:20″ life:

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. (NIV)

Don’t wait!

Start today!

Heavenly Father, forgive us for settling for the life the world offers.  It must be so hard to watch us live below Your plans. Help us to have a “can do” attitude that says, “God planned this for me and I will have it!”  Help us to begin today!

In Jesus’ Name.  Amen and Amen!

©2013, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Joshua 19:49-21:45; 1 Chronicles 6:54-81

Are Past Failures Keeping You From Future Goals? –Psalm 90:17

March 21, 2013 in 2013 Journey, Deuteronomy, Fear, Giving Our Best to God, Goals, leadership, Obedience, Psalms, Workplace with 2 Comments


Today’s Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 31:30-32:52; Psalm 90

From my earliest remembrances biographies were my favorite books to read. I’m inspired by the underdog; people who shouldn’t have made it; people who had every excuse to quit, yet for some reason they didn’t.

I think the story of Moses’ life is my all-time favorite biography.  Every time I read Exodus through Deuteronomy I look for Moses’ finest hour.  There are so many great moments, but I think his prayer is Psalm 90 may be the most amazing moment for me.

Think about it.  God reminds Moses “one-more-time” of his failure to demonstrate the holiness of God at the waters of Meribah and tells him it’s time to die. (Deuteronomy 32:48-52) That’s not exactly the last words you want to hear from your boss!

How did Moses overcome those feelings of failure?

I think it was all about his focus.

If Moses would have continued to focus on his mistake at Meribah, he would have missed hundreds of opportunities to succeed.

Moses kept his eye on the goal: Getting his people to the Promised Land.

It wasn’t about him.

It wasn’t about having a perfect life.

Seventy years are given to us! Some even live to eighty. But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble; soon they disappear, and we fly away. Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom. –Psalm 90:10, 12

It was about finishing the job.

It was about pleasing God.

It was about being a part of a supernatural kind of success that makes our personal failures a faint memory.

Let us, your servants, see you work again; let our children see your glory.
And may the Lord our God show us his approval and make our efforts successful.
Yes, make our efforts successful! –Psalm 90:17

Heavenly Father, show us our focus today. Make our efforts successful.  Let us see You work today.  Let us see Your glory today.

In Jesus’ Name.  Amen and Amen!

 

 

©2013, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 33:1-34:12; Joshua 1:1-2:24

2 Things to Do When You Are Afraid–Deuteronomy 7:17-19

March 14, 2013 in 2013 Journey, Fear, Numbers, Obedience, The Promises of God, Tough Times, Trials, Trust with 1 Comment


Today’s Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 6:1-9:29

In today’s reading the Israelites were facing challenges and fears that were humanly impossible to overcome.  Moses knew the Israelites so well. He knew their fears could keep them from entering the Promised Land. In his final instructions he encouraged them to remember…

Perhaps you will think to yourselves, ‘How can we ever conquer these nations that are so much more powerful than we are?’  But don’t be afraid of them! Just remember what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all the land of Egypt. Remember the great terrors the Lord your God sent against them. You saw it all with your own eyes! And remember the miraculous signs and wonders, and the strong hand and powerful arm with which he brought you out of Egypt. The Lord your God will use this same power against all the people you fear. –Deuteronomy 7:17-19

In the last few days we’ve talked a lot about remembering, journaling, and reading God’s Word.

Today’s message is just one more reminder of why we need to…

  • Know God
  • His Word
  • His promises
  • His prophesies

Fear is paralyzing.  Fear is life-altering. Fear confuses the evidence. Fear shortens our lives.

Fear is…

False

Evidence

Appearing

Real

Our Heavenly Father knew fear would be one of our greatest enemies, especially the closer we get to Christ return; that’s why He gave us these words:

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. –Isaiah 41:10

Moses told the Israelites to do two things:

1. Remember (8:2-5)

2, Obey (8:1, 6-10)

We live in a troubled world.  My heart breaks for the suffering of so many.  We do not know what tomorrow holds, but we know who holds tomorrow.

Put Your faith, trust and hope in God and…

Remember the Lord your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful, in order to fulfill the covenant he confirmed to your ancestors with an oath.

“But I assure you of this: If you ever forget the Lord your God and follow other gods, worshiping and bowing down to them, you will certainly be destroyed.  Just as the Lord has destroyed other nations in your path, you also will be destroyed if you refuse to obey the Lord your God. –Deuteronomy 8:18-20

Heavenly Father, we need You.  We’ve never been in the place we’re in today.  We don’t want to live in fear.  Help us to remember Your sovereignty.  Help us to obey Your Word.  Use our lives for Your Glory.

In Jesus’ Name.  Amen and Amen!

©2013, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 10:1-12:32

What I’ve always Feared has Happened to Me–Job 3:25

January 19, 2013 in 2013 Journey, Choices, Fear, Job, Trials with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading:  Job 1: 1 through Job 4:21

Hang on to your hats folks; we’re moving into deep waters as we enter the book of Job.

We were introduced to evil in Genesis 3:1 in the form of a serpent. Now in Job 1:6, we are introduced to the invisible world of evil through Satan.

After observing Satan talking to God about Job, it made me wonder…

  • Did Satan talk to God about Abraham, Isaac and Jacob?
  • What about Joseph?
  • Did Satan ask to test Joseph?

It almost seems like God allowed us to see all the sin, rebellion, greed, and deception in Genesis and then He takes us to the book of Job and draws back the curtain and shows us where the evil really came from through the story of Job.

In Job 1:1, the scripture tells us that Job feared God and stayed away from evil. Job even purified his children (v 5) just in cased they had sinned. Fearing God is healthy, but Job also feared disaster.

In Job 3:25, Job said, what I always feared has happened to me.  What I dreaded has come to pass.

Was this the area in which God wanted to deepen Job’s spiritual insight?

Maybe, as Satan was patrolling the earth, he saw and heard Job worrying and fretting and just put into motion what Job had worried about once God gave Satan the okay to test Job.

Many, many people, even Christian people live in fear, just like Job.

That is not God’s plan.

In Timothy 1:7, the Word of God says, For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

Job did many things right and we are going to learn a lot from him in the next few days.  But today, let’s learn from something  Job did wrong—

Fear and worry, we’re sending you packing!

You aren’t welcome here anymore!

In Jesus’ Name~

Amen and Amen

©2013, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Reading, January 20th:  Job 5:1 through 7:21

Surely God Will Come to Help You–Genesis 50:24

January 18, 2013 in 2013 Journey, Believing God in the Hard Times, Failure, Faith, Fear, Genesis, My story, The Hurting World, The Promises of God, Trust, Uncategorized, Word of God with 1 Comment

Today’s Scriptures:  Genesis 47:28  through  Genesis 50:26

Before I read today’s scriptures, I “thought” I knew what I was going to write about.  You see Genesis 50:10 is one of my top five favorite scriptures…

But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me.  Am I God, that I can punish you?  You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. –Genesis 50:20

The last sentence of this verse has helped me to make sense out of things that haven’t made sense in my life.  It has also helped me to understand some of the crazy stuff we’ve been reading in the book of Genesis.  We’ve seen of so much evil and deceit, but now as we come to our last verses of the book, Joseph ties a bow on it all and shares his God-given wisdom on “why bad things happen to good people”.  Personally, I could not have made it through my life without this verse.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen God use things that were meant to hurt me for my good!  I would not be writing this blog today if it weren’t for the painful times in my life.  Thank you Lord for putting this sentence in you Word!

But, today I found another jewel!  It’s like the sequel to Genesis 50:20…how did I miss this all these years?

Right before Joseph died he was talking with his brothers.  He said to them in Genesis 50: 24:

…soon I will die, but God will surely come to help you and lead you out of this land of Egypt.

Then in verse 25 of that same chapter, Joseph actually made his brothers swear an oath

… and he said, “When God comes to help you and lead you back, you must take my bones with you.”

Joseph knew that he knew that as sure as God had precisely-down-to-the-last-detail arranged to use his thirteen years as a slave to rescue the Israelite nation God would, absolutely, positively rescue them from Egypt and return them to their promised land.  There was not one doubt in Joseph’s mind; it was so real that made his brothers promise to take his bones with them so he didn’t miss the trip!

As I look back on my life (here comes that 20/20 hindsight), I am so thankful that I had some serious trials very early and that through God’s grace, I ran to Him in my pain.  Because now, in my 50’s I can say with Joseph, surely God will come to help you and lead you back.

I know that I know, just like Joseph, that He will make a way to take the evil, sadness, and pain that has been done to you, by you, or through you and use it for your good AND GOD’S GLORY!  If he did it for Joseph and he did it for me; he will do it for you!

Praying for you!

©2012, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scriptures:   Job 1:1 through Job 4:21

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