“Love” ~ an intense feeling of deep affection, to care for very much, to hold close, to adore, to be devoted, to dote on, to idolize, to worship.

Synonyms: Fondness, tenderness, warmth, intimacy, attachment, endearment, passion, yearning, infatuation.

From reading the definition and synonyms for the word love, we can safely say love is a fully loaded word, rich in terms and meaning.  A very emotional word, just thinking of love in terms of the definition alone brings a sense of giddiness and warmth to the heart and mind.  But where do we find the intense feeling of deep affection? Being honest, it is easy to initially have a feeling of deep affection for people, and for people to have deep feelings of affection for you is also usually relatively easy.  The hard part is maintaining the intensity in any relationship is work, because after the newness wears off and being comfortable sets in we no longer feel intense, nor do we consistently work on creating opportunities to enhance or rebuild deep affection.  Where do we go from here? Do we truly love anyone? Once lost, how do we regain the intense feelings of affection we are should constantly have?

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.”

Isaiah 55: 8-9 (NKJV)

 

It is so easy to say “I TRUST God” and depending on our relationship with him many of us truly believe that we really do TRUST God. If you are one of those rare individuals who absolutely TRUST God for everything in your life, and I do mean everything without wavering or getting a second opinion from a friend or relative then “Kudos” to you! May we all learn to master an increased level of TRUST in God as you have managed to do. However, I have come to find that often times our TRUST in God depends on the circumstance or situation we are in.
  We will TRUST him in circumstances we deem worthy enough to allow God to handle, but then there are those times when we TRUST wholeheartedly in our own understanding of the situation or circumstance. Usually because we have a self-desired outcome in mind. Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us that we are to: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (NKJV, emphasis added). At the end of the verse it says paths which God himself has delighted so much in the plans for you that he has already established that no matter how many directions you may need him to go in, he is ready and willing to lead you down those path(s). So you can rest assured knowing he is always there, he is establishing your trust in Him.
 

How many of us have ever done something simple like losing your keys, or maybe misplacing your glasses? A simple task such as finding a lost item after we have searched and searched and tore apart the house, office, or car do we simply remember to say a quick prayer like “Lord I need you please to direct me to where my keys are!” Generally, most people don’t. Assuming that finding lost keys is such a senseless and easy task, why ask God? But on the other hand why suffer going around and around looking for something that you may have really lost or might just be overlooking. I can remember on several occasions pondering this scripture in my early walk with Christ, not believing or trusting in him for anything let alone trying to trust him for everything. Time and time again I would lose my keys, and other small items and work myself into mental exhaustion looking for them. It wasn’t until I seriously started pausing in the midst of the hunt and saying a quick Prayer asking God for help that I would get the direction I needed. This worked every single time. So I learned to become dependent and more trusting of God in all situations because I thought; “Well if he can lead me to the path where my keys are when I acknowledged him, then I am sure he can lead me down other paths”, and choosing to trust in the Lord became easier.

“.. we know we need to consult God for the direction and guidance down a path for a problem or a situation, but we choose to consult a friend or family member who most certainly does not have the wisdom, knowledge, or understanding of God.”

Many times in our Christian walk we know we need to consult God for the direction and guidance down a path for a problem or a situation, but we choose to consult a friend or family member who most certainly does not have the wisdom, knowledge, or understanding of God. Only God knows the innermost parts of our hearts, and desires so why not turn every situation, circumstance, and problem into an opportunity to increase our TRUST in God which will most assuredly increase our Faith. If you are having differences with co-workers, or family, or anyone for that matter acknowledge God and let Him direct you on what to say, how to say it and when to say it to bring peace and understanding to the situation.

He will also instruct you to be silent if the time isn’t right. We aren’t always accustom to that level of blind TRUST  because our human nature believes if we see it and we are a part of it; then we must know the best solution for that situation at that time.  Especially since most people generally don’t like to feel out of control even if it means making things worse before they get better by leaning to their own understanding which I think we often forget is finite. As Christians, we will suffer or continue going around and around the same situation, and never going through it until we go back to what should have been done originally which is Pray to God. Once we do this we will open up our connection with Him, so He can lead us down whatever path we need to get an outcome that suits our needs and brings peace to our mind for that situation.

Learning to TRUST in God for everything will be easier for some than others because those who try God and see His plans work far better than our own learn sooner to establish TRUST in Him. But I encourage anyone who does not fully have blind TRUST in God to begin to build your level of TRUST by acknowledging him regarding everything! Even those tasks that may seem a little simple, or small because what we are doing is learning to TRUST Him, and establishing an increase in our Faith as well as strengthening our relationship with Him, that always will lead you down the right paths with the direction best for you.  “For My Thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55: 8-9 (NKJV).

 

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Key Thought: TRUST in the Lord, and learn to lean not on your own understanding, so your ways and your thoughts will line up with God’s divine plan down whatever paths are needed for your life.

Prayer: “Dear Lord, I am struggling with learning to trust you, I lean more to my own ways and my own understanding and I really want to lean on you. Help me to turn everything in my life over to you because just as you say in your word your thoughts are not my thoughts and I know whatever plans you have are far better than any I could have, so please Lord teach me and guide me to a level of increased trust in you. In Jesus name, Amen.”

“And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night?  Will he keep putting them off?”

Luke 18:8 (NIV)

 

Many times we Pray and ask God to fix a situation or a problem, but because he doesn’t answer how or when we want him to we began to lose faith, and trust in His plan and process for us.  When we are crying out to the Lord, we must believe that He definitely hears our Prayers, but all too often we begin to waiver in our hearts and mind if God takes too long answering, or It’s not the right answer to the problem or situation that we had in mind. In the book of Jeremiah 33:3 the Bible says; “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”  God may not always answer our Prayers when we want Him to, or how we want Him to but He will answer in a mysterious way to let you know that He is God. To tell you the “GREAT” and unsearchable things you do not know.

While we are waiting for God’s response, we should be careful to not get caught up in our own desires, or the response of others that will usually lead to great disappointment.  When our will is lined up with the will of our Father in Heaven, He will then grant you the desires of your heart Psalms 37:4. God is Faithful and just, if only we could be as faithful patient, and just towards Him.  Let’s face it even when we Pray, sometimes we are selfishly seeking fleshly desires. Even Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane when He was about to be sentenced to death, He said to God, “Not my will, but thy will be done!” (Mark 14:36)   Jesus wanted justice from God, but he wanted God’s justice to be God’s will for his life. It is hard to Pray and trust that however the answer comes it will be best for us especially when we are requesting specific things that we have already chosen specific results that we desire, even if it may not be right for us, or good for us.  Who are we to present our Prayers of entitlement to God, as if we deserve what we are even asking for? God is our creator, our lives should always be lined up with His will. We should be grateful for his mercy, grateful for his grace, and grateful he is the God that exemplifies unfailing love, and faithfulness towards a race of people who are often full of their own self-seeking desires.

In John 10:10 Jesus reminds us that God allowed his Son to come and refute the job satan has to steal from us, to kill us, and to destroy us.  Oh, but Jesus reminds us in this scripture that he came that we may have life, and have it abundantly. Since God’s desire is for us to have an abundant (plentiful, prolific, rich, lavish, bountiful, liberal, generous, great, overflowing) life and live it abundantly, then He will command justice into our life over our situations over our family, and at our jobs in His time.  Don’t ever give up seeking God’s justice even when you are at what feels like your lowest point because God will not forget your request nor will he forget to answer. The beautiful thing about God answering our cries is that we may expect it or even desire it to happen in our way, but God’s answer to our Prayers and justice always turns out to be the better way. Thank you God for answering in the right time and in the perfect way.

 

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Key thought: When we Pray to God we want immediate answers and results. Sometimes God is strengthening during the waiting period teaching us how to draw closer to him, or maybe building up patience so we can be more grateful for his faithfulness in our lives. Don’t take your relationship with God for granted, he will give you justice just make sure you remember to give him all the glory and praise due to his name.

Prayer: “Heavenly Father, please forgive me for any self-seeking desires that pollute my mind that are not lined up with your will and what you want for my life. Teach me how to desire those things that are best for me and all those around me. I declare that your justice will rule in my life in every situation, and prepare me to receive the abundant life you have for me. In Jesus name, Amen!”

“Hope” ~ means to embrace both the expectation and the desire for the expected thing.

 

What or whom do we really have hope in? Usually our “hope” rest in what or how we expect people to respond or react to a given situation.  When we put that type of expectation in people 9 times out of 10 we will usually get disappointed.  I’m sure if we are honest we can make a list of things or people we have placed hope in. Is it fair to really place hope in people knowing that if they do not give us the desired expectation we will become disappointed in them? Not necessarily because the person is trying to disappoint us intentionally but generally it’s because we have put so much hope in that person that we set ourselves up for a huge let down when things don’t go the way we planned.   Is our main hope in the assurance of Jesus or is it something/someone else?

“Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

Romans 5:5 (NKJV)  

 

Since we have learned the definition of hope means to embrace both the expectation and the desire for that expected thing.  Instead of placing our “hope” in people or the expectation of the desired thing what if we focus on redirecting what and whom we have hope in so that we can reduce continual feelings of misplaced anger, hurt, shame, and disappointment. 

“…what if we focus on redirecting what and whom we have hope in so that we can reduce continual feelings of misplaced anger, hurt, shame, and disappointment.”

I am not saying to never believe that people will not do what they say they are going to do – No! I’m saying if people or situations disappoint you because you had “hope” for an expected thing, expressing your hurt is a natural reaction, but then after you’ve expressed your hurt or disappointment release the situation or person, forgive and move on.

If only our hope could solely rest in the assurance of Christ Jesus then what we would lose?  Nothing because our expectation and our desire for the expected thing would be filled knowing that with great assurance JESUS is the only safe place to Hope, to Expect or to Desire.

When our “Hope” is in Jesus we can’t go wrong.  This week, as we read the scriptures, let’s try to establish a new Hope in Christ Jesus, and let go of everything else!

Scriptures Related to Hope:

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade – kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.”-1 Peter 1:3-5

“For you have been my hope, O Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth.”-Psalms 71:5

“For in this hope we were saved.  But hope that is seen is no hope at all.  Who hopes for what he already has?”

-Romans 8:24

“Therefore since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.  And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.” -Romans 5:1-2

“There is one body and one Spirit- just as you were called to one hope when you were called- one Lord, one hope, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” -Ephesians 4-6

“This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil,”-Hebrews 6:19