Rivers of Water

All Things are Possible

2012-02-07T14:31:00.000-08:00

Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” (Mark 9:23)

When two blind men came to Jesus, crying out for mercy, Jesus asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” (Matthew 9:28) Jesus wanted them to examine their faith and ask themselves “Do I believe Jesus can restore my sight? Do I believe Jesus can do this?

Whenever we face trials of any kind, we are faced with this same question from Jesus, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”

What is it that is weighing on your mind? What is it that has you concerned? What is it that needs to be resolved or restored? Do you believe Jesus is able to restore what was lost? Do you believe can make a way when no way seems possible? (Exodus 14:29-31)

In the case of the two blind men who Jesus asked, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”, they answered “Yes, Lord.” They believed Jesus was able to restore what was lost. As a result they received their sight, not because Jesus was able, but because they believed Jesus was able. (Philippians 4:29-30) Their faith in Jesus to restore what they had lost made all the difference in their situation. (Mark 9:23; Matthew 13:58)

What have you lost that needs to be restored? A job? Do you believe God can provide a new source of income that will supply for all your needs? Are you searching for a new place to live? Do you believe God can direct you to the perfect place to live that will meet all your needs? Whatever you need restored, be it your marriage, health, or anything else, as you step out in faith trusting God to provide, somehow, someway, you can be sure God will provide. “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19) All we are called to do is trust Him. He will be faithful to take care of the rest.

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Copyright © 2012 Brooke Espinoza.

What the Gingerbread Man Teaches Us About God's Love

2012-02-02T00:09:00.000-08:00

Today I while listening to Pastor Chuck Smith teach on Hosea, he told the story of the Gingerbread Man. Not sure, at first, where he was going with it, and how it related to his study of Hosea, as he finished the story I though, "This is perfect! I love it!" Though Pastor Chuck was teaching from Hosea, I think Isaiah 43:1 especially relates to the story of the Gingerbread man. In this verse God encourages us, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.” (Isaiah 43:1)

Now sit back and enjoy as Pastor Chuck brilliantly illustrates this verse through his telling of the Gingerbread man.

“A little girl baked this gingerbread man and as she was taking it out of the oven, admiring how handsome he was, and she began to put on the raisins and all for his face and buttons and these things. And finally when she was all through, he jumped out of the pan and began to run away. She began to chase him, and he cried, "Run, run, as fast as you can. You can't catch me. I'm the gingerbread man." And he was right, she couldn't catch him and she went home sad and crying for her gingerbread man had run away.

But the next day, as she was walking down the street looking in the store windows as she passed the bakery shop, there looking and smiling at her through the window was her gingerbread man lying on a tray. So she went in to the proprietor and said, "I want my gingerbread man. He's there in the window." And he said, "He will cost you ten cents." She said, "Oh no, no, you don't understand. He's mine. That's my gingerbread man. I made him." The proprietor said, "He costs ten cents."

So the little girl went home and she got her bank and she shook the coins until she got her ten pennies and she ran back to the bakery shop and put her pennies on the counter and she said, "Now I want my gingerbread man." And the man took the gingerbread man out of the window and handed it to the little girl and she began to clasp him close to her as she walked home and she said, "Now, you are really mine. First of all I made you and now I bought you."

What a picture of God with [us] "Now you're really Mine. I made you, now I purchased you." Story of redemption. As the Lord clasps you close to Himself and Jesus says, "Now you're really Mine. I made you. You're Mine by the divine right of creation, but now I've purchased you. I have redeemed you.”1

David Guzik reiterates this truth saying,

“God twice owns His people. He has right of ownership both as Creator and Redeemer. His ownership is personal, because He says I have called you by your name. His ownership is certain, because He seals it by saying You are mine.”2

He goes on to say,

“Knowing we belong to the LORD is a wonderful answer to fear. We can know that He holds us, protects us, guards us, and cares for us. We can know that He would not have created, redeemed, and called us unless He intended to finish His work in us. How can we be afraid when we know this God is for us, is looking out for our interests?”3

Though I’m not in the habit of ending my posts with videos, lately the Lord has really been reminding me of so many great songs that are relevant and worth sharing . So again, here is a wonderful song that will bless you. One of my favorite Third Day songs, Love Song, beautifully tells God’s story of redemption. This is a well done video. Enjoy!

Question for you:: What ministers to you most when you consider the beautiful words of Isaiah 43:1? Let me know in the comments below.

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Quieted by God's Love

2012-01-30T14:07:00.000-08:00

I watched in horror as my little girl leaned over the chair she was sitting in, and hit her head hard as she fell out of the chair. Screaming crying, my little girl had a robin-egg sized lump on her forehead. I immediately scooped her up, held her in my lap, and rocked her while speaking words of comfort to her. Before I knew it, she was quiet and content in my lap, quieted by my love. All of a sudden the words of Zephaniah 3:17 “…He will quiet you with His love...” illuminated in my heart. This is what Zephaniah was talking about!

When we experience horrible circumstances, just as my love calmed the storm within my little girl, God immediately scoops us onto His lap, holds us, and calms the storm within us, quieting us with His love.Are you facing anything today that you could use some quieting with His love? Run to the arms of God. In no time, He will quiet you with His love. When storms blow in, there is no other place I want to be.

If you've never heard it, Rebecca St. James sings a beautiful song abased on Zephaniah 3:17 called "Quiet You With His Love." Enjoy!

Question for you: What biblical truths has God made real to you though being a parent or grandparent?

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Copyright © 2012 Brooke Espinoza.

Why is God Allowing This?

2012-01-27T07:04:00.000-08:00

Why is God allowing this? Why hasn’t He delivered us from this yet? I’ve prayed and prayed. Whenever these questions fill my mind, I am comforted by the following truths:

God Ways are Higher Than My Ways

At times I think I know what’s best. If only God would do this and that everything would be perfect. But the truth is I don’t see things as God does. (1 Cor. 13:12) As I look at the circumstances before me, I see only one piece of the puzzle, while God see’s the whole. Just as I know what is best for my three year old, I know God know what is best for me. and just as my thoughts and ways are so much higher than my little girl, God's thoughts and ways are so much higher than mine.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD.
9 “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

I love this about God because it means He can work things to good in ways I could never dream of, and can make a way when none even exists!

God Does Not Withhold Good

While trials are not good in an of themselves, God is able to bring out incredible blessings from them, we never would have experienced had not God allowed us to go through the trial in the first place. Psalm 84:11, a verse I go to whenever I fail to see the good in a trial, promises:

For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
the LORD bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
from those whose walk is blameless.

No good thing does God withhold from those whose walk is blameless. The second we trusted in Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior He made us blameless. (Psalm 103:12) Every sin past, present and future has been paid and full by Jesus. So in God’s eyes, we are blameless. (Romans 8:1) Therefore, God will never withhold good from us. Some trials may lead us to believe differently, but as our Heavenly Father who loves to give good gifts to His children (Matthew 7:11; James 1:17), God will not withhold any good from us. If it’s good, God will give it to us. If it’s not, He won’t. Again, God’s thoughts and ways are higher than ours. He knows the outcome of something before it comes to pass. Though we may see being delivered from some trial as a good thing, only God knows when delivering us from a trial will be for our best good. God will not remove a trial until He has exhausted every bit of good out of it. When nothing else good can come out of it, only then would God remove it. To remove a trial before that point, when the greater good has not fully been exhausted would be to withhold good from us, and that is contrary to who God is. As someone once said, “God is good all the time, and all the time God is good.”

God Is Working All Things To Good

Just as the Lord hems us in behind and before (Psalm 139:5) the Lord goes behind us and before us by first not withholding any good from us (Psalm 84:11) and then working all things in our life to good. (Romans 8:28) God is actively working every single circumstance to good in our life. We can be confident that He who started the work will be faithful to complete it in us. (Philippians 1:6) For me, this is why writing down the good things the Lord has done in my life, and is doing in my life is so important. When I am going through something that looks like not good whatsoever could come out of it, God miraculously brings out good. However, when I’m in the storm, it’s easy for me to be like Peter distracted by the wind and the waves surrounding me. (Matthew 14:29-31) This is when re-reading the ways the Lord has worked my circumstances to good comes in handy. If you don’t already keep a journal of the good things the Lord is doing in your life I highly recommend it. Not only will you have a blessed reminder when trials leave you feeling discouraged, your journal will be a beautiful legacy of goodness of God in your life.

God Will Deliver Me

One of my least favorite promises of Jesus is “In this world you will have trouble.” (John 16:33) However, I breathe a sigh of relief and rejoice that God also promises deliverance. And deliverance from what? Deliverance from my sins for sure. And I thank God for that. However, God’s delivering work in our life does not stop there. His deliverance covers us both now and for eternity. One of my favorite passages is Psalm 34:17-19. These three verses are packed with blessings and the promise of God’s deliverance for whatever we might face.

The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.

Not one trial you face, not one problem will you have to endure forever. (Psalm 54:7) Every single trial you face comes with definite end date. God will deliver you from each and every problem you face. You can bank on it.

For these reasons, I can count it all joy when I face trials of various kinds. My suffering isn’t wasted. God is working all of it to my good, and He doesn’t waste one bit of it. Considering all that God is doing in the midst of the trials, and all He promises to do, I may not know the answer to why is God allowing this? But I do know what He doing about it, and that brings me great comfort and joy!

I want to leave you with this song How Can I Keep From Singing by Chris Tomlin. No matter how discouraged I may feel at the time, this song always picks me up, drives away my discouragement, and gets me singing! Enjoy!

Question for you: Which of the verses above minister to you most in your life?

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Copyright © 2012 Brooke Espinoza.

HisChannel.com

2012-01-23T14:41:00.000-08:00

I recently found out about HisChannel through Cheryl Broderson on Facebook. HisChannel is a one-stop resource for excellent Christian television. You can watch videos on demand or watch the current program playing live. Here is the Monday line up, to get a taste of what programs HisChannel streams live. The line up changes from day to day, so make sure you check the schedule to find your favorite programs if you want to watch them live.They even have a few videos for kids.

Something I am very excited about is you can watch these videos on a variety of formats. If you don’t want to be limited to watching solely on your computer and you own a mobile device, you can watch these videos on it simply by clicking on the type of mobile device you want to watch on. Just think next time you are waiting around, you can pull out your smart phone and watch an episode from HisChannel for a quick pick me up. :) Enjoy!

Questions for you: Have you watched anything on HisChannel before? If so, which are your favorite programs? If not, looking at the schedule, what programs are you looking forward to watching?

If you haven’t yet, drop by my Facebook page and click “Like.”

Copyright © 2012 Brooke Espinoza.

The Failure of Joshua

2012-01-21T16:31:00.000-08:00

A.W. Tozer said, “Whatever keeps me from my Bible is my enemy, however harmless it may appear to me.” Tozer knew how powerful and profitable time in God’s Word is and therefore knew what was at stake if he let his time in it get crowded out by the other activities of his day.

Just one way we benefit from being in God’s word is by learning what God has to say regarding any situation we are in, and anything we may face. Being that He knows all past, present, and future, who better then could I turn to for wisdom and counsel? This was the failure of Joshua. (Joshua 9)

You see, Joshua had been faithful to seek God’s counsel, and heed it, at the Jordan River as well as the taking of Jericho and Ai. Because of it, God’s people were victorious, and their fame spread throughout the Promised Land to the other territories they would go into conquer next. So the Gibeonites, who probably were next to be conquered since they lived so close to the camp of Israel, came to Joshua in rags and pretended to be foreigners from far away. They certainly looked the part. On the surface, their story appeared believable. However, when they propositioned Joshua to make a covenant with them, Joshua just took their word for it that they were being honest and didn’t seek God’s insight and counsel about these people. Had Joshua did, God would have told him “These people are your enemy who live nearby. Don’t be deceived by them. Certainly don’t make a covenant with them.” I wonder how much trouble I create for myself, and would be spared, if I just make it a point to first seek God’s counsel on a matter instead of assuming something is a no-brainer and just going ahead with a decision based on the facts in front of me as I know them to be.

After making the covenant with his enemies, the Gibeonites, Joshua learned an important lesson that day. No matter how victorious we may be, we still need God to weigh in with how He sees the situation, and seek His counsel on what we ought to do. Sure seeking Him, may delay us from making snap decisions in our busy lives, but given the choice, I’d rather be delayed and make the right decision than to make a decision based on appearances. Consider the different decision Eve may have made in the Garden of Eden had she checked in with God first about the words the serpent spoke to her, instead of simply taking the word of the serpent as Joshua did of the Gibeonites.

As A.W. Tozer said, “Whatever keeps me from my Bible is my enemy, however harmless it may appear to me.” Being that the Bible is God’s Word, Joshua and Eve’s enemy were leaning on their own understanding rather than first going to God and asking Him to reveal the situation to them as He sees it, not as they saw it. May we not repeat these mistakes, esteeming anyone’s words over those from God, and fail to check in with God first, even when the outcome of a decision appears harmless. As we are faithful to go to God with the things we are faced with, He will certainly be faithful to reveal that which we need to know, that we otherwise would have missed without His counsel. So what are you facing today that you could use some counsel on? What does God say, though His Word, to do or avoid regarding your situation? (James 1:5) Whatever we are facing, whatever decisions we must make, whatever we may need, the Bible has the exact answer we need.

Question for you: What’s the best counsel you ever received from God as a result of turning to the Bible for answers? Leave your comment by clicking here.

If you haven’t yet, drop by my Facebook page and click “Like.”

Copyright © 2012 Brooke Espinoza.

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Blessed are the Obedient

2012-01-13T17:13:00.000-08:00

Had Donald Trump lived when God called Noah to build the ark, I imagine Trump’s unsolicited advice to Noah would go something like this. “While I admire your determination to accept a monumental challenge, you really should not put all your eggs in one basket. Think multiple investments. If one fails, the others will keep you afloat. If you invest solely in this project, the only thing you’ll have to show for it is an embarrassing testimony to your faith that will invite the ridicule of passersbys. The daily mockery you are sure to receive from your neighbors, as you build the ark, is going to make recruiting helpers next to impossible. Anyone willing to put up with those discouraging working conditions is going to expect extra pay, and that means an even greater expense to you. Take it from someone who knows about investments. Quit while you are ahead.”

Despite the difficulties that Noah faced during the one-hundred twenty years it took him to build the ark, “Noah did everything just as God commanded him.” (Gen. 6:22) Here Noah reveals the importance of living in obedience to the Lord in a corrupt and depraved world.

FOOLISHNESS TO THE WORLD

Because God’s thoughts are higher than our thoughts and His ways higher than our ways (Isa. 55:8-9), at times God will instruct us to do what appears foolish to the world (1 Cor. 1:18).

Throughout God’s Word, we find people exhibiting peculiar behavior in obedience to God. Witnessing Noah pouring himself into building the ark, when mankind had never seen rain, and the concept of a flood was foreign, must have been an amazing sight to behold. To the world, this peculiar behavior is viewed as foolishness. I’m sure a few Egyptian head’s turned when they first noticed the blood-stained doorposts of the

Israelite households celebrating Passover. (Ex. 12) Furthermore, Imagine the puzzled look on the armed men and priests as Joshua relayed God’s plan to bring down the walls of Jericho by marching around the city, sounding the trumpets, and shouting loudly. (Joshua 6:3-4) While these particular requests from God may sound odd, every one of these people who trusted and obeyed God reaped a harvest of blessings in the end. The Israelites firstborn were spared, and Joshua and his men were victorious.

GOD GIVES US HIS BLUEPRINTS

God will never give us general instructions. Rather, He gives precise instructions. (Gen. 6:14-16) When He commissioned Noah to build the ark, God faithfully gave Noah specifics Noah was to go about it in a way that would please Him. While we are called to learn what pleases the Lord (Eph. 5:10), we needn’t look for the answer, any further than God’s Word. Noah didn’t have to figure out the specifics in building the ark. God lovingly removed the guesswork for Noah. Now he simply needed to obey.

Noah would not be the last time God would give someone specifics in accomplishing His will. Exodus 12 lays out the particulars God gave the Israelites regarding preparations for the first Passover. Likewise, when Joshua and his men wondered how they could successfully penetrate the fortified city of Jericho, the Lord faithfully provided a strategy which would deliver Jericho in their hands. (Josh. 6:3-4) Whatever questions weigh on our minds, God’s Word is sure to have the answers. Whether our concerns deal with marriage, finances, priorities, etc. God’s Word takes out the guesswork. We simply are called to obey.

Likewise, when the newness of my marriage began fading causing submission to my husband to become increasingly frustrating for me, I turned to God’s Word for instruction on how God expected me to rise up in obedience to this newly challenging area of my life. During our engagement and the first several months of marriage, submission was not an issue. It was a delight. Just as Jacob’s seven years of work for Laban, to marry his beloved Rachel, seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her, (Gen. 29:20) any inconvenience I may have experienced in submitting to my husband, paled in comparison to the intense love I felt for him. So when I looked to Scripture for reason why submission had become burdensome for me the Lord revealed to me the fact that my love, for my husband, had grown lukewarm. Consequently, the Lord provided me the blueprint to loving my husband through the verses in I Corinthians 13:4-8.

Ever since then, knowing how to rise up to the challenge of submitting to my husband has no longer puzzled me. Now that God’s given me the blueprints, I’ve been given all I need to be obedient. Like Noah, now I’m simply called to obey. While, at times, this can feel easier said than done, God has assured me whatever He calls me to do, He will equip me to obey.

NO SHORTCUTS OR SUBSITIUTIONS

Noah’s obedience to do everything just as God commanded him proves Noah did not take any shortcuts or make any substitutions in preparation for the world-wide flood. Noah believed whatever God called him to, despite what it might cost him, he would be far better off for giving God his full trust and obedience. Boy was he right!

In my own life, I share Noah’s conviction to avoid compromise in my obedience to God. I remember one place I worked at, my co-workers would regularly stroll in after the start of their shift, or past their break-time. This was frustrating to witness when I place such a priority on being on time to work, and from my breaks. Though there appeared to be an unspoken indifference by management regarding my co-workers lackadaisical attitude concerning punctuality, as long as work got done, I could never justify this compromise of obedience to God. While no one, at my work, would have probably cared if I took a few extra minutes getting back from lunch, I know God would care. That’s enough for me.

While Noah’s neighbors probably cared little how he built the ark, Noah knew God cared. That was enough for him. He understood that taking shortcuts and making substitutions, while building the ark, would mean a compromise in his obedience. To Noah, the time and money such shortcuts and substitutions would have saved him, paled in comparison to grieving the heart of his God.

While obedience may always cost us something, compromise will always cost us more. I recall hearing about a foreman who wanted to reward his best construction worker the opportunity to manage the construction of a house all on his very own. The construction worker was given a generous budget and was set free to design the house, hire a crew, buy needed materials, and oversee the building of the house. Though thrilled to be in charge of the construction of this house, the construction manger decided if he were to use cheap plumbing, wiring, roofing and otherwise cut corners on the quality of materials used to build the house, he could pocket any money he saved and his foreman would never be the wiser.

Though the house was constructed with inferior materials, once it was finished, it appeared to be of very good quality. Secretly excited about all the money he saved (and pocketed) by cutting corners on the construction of the house, the construction manager proudly presented the house to his foreman. “Wow!” the foreman exclaimed. “This house looks incredible! I knew you’d do a great job if you were just given the opportunity. To show you how much I’ve appreciated your exemplary work over the years, I’m giving you this house. It’s all yours. Enjoy!” At that moment, I imagine the devastating consequences of his compromise, overshadowed any feelings of joy he may have felt from the money he saved.

Had Noah compromised in his obedience to prepare for the flood, his ark may not have been truly watertight, when the flood waters came, which would have posed a serious problem. Likewise, had the Israelites used a blemished lamb for the Passover, or failed to apply the lamb’s blood to the doorposts with hyssop I’m confident their firstborn would have perished when God passed through Egypt. Clearly when we do everything just as God commands us, we will be spared from the hardships that would otherwise befall us had we compromised our obedience to God.

BLESSED ARE THE OBEDIENT

While living in obedience to the Lord, in our depraved world, may have its challenges, Noah’s example proves that doing so is both doable and rewarding. Though people in our life may see our faith in Jesus as foolishness, and view our faithful obedience to God as a waste of our time, we can be sure our obedience to God will always be worth it.

Question for you: When were you faced with an opportunity to compromise, but didn't, and as a result were blessed by God?

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Copyright © 2012 Brooke Espinoza.

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If I Tithed My Time...

2012-01-07T07:54:00.000-08:00

When I read the following statistic I was amazed.

“According to the Barna Research Group [1997 data], those who read the Bible regularly spend about 52 minutes a week in the Scriptures.” 1 If a person spends 52 minutes a week in the Bible, how much time is that each day? About seven and a half minutes, less time than a person spends watching commercials in an average 30-minute television show.”Sweeter Than Chocolate: An Inductive Study of Psalm 119 pg. 6.

I wondered what if I tithed my time? After thinking about it, I realized, ff I tithed my time, like I do my money, cheerfully giving back to God 10% of the time He's given me--devoting that time to be in His Word, I'd be in God's Word:
2 1/2 hours each day
17 1/2 hours each week
75 hours each month = 3 days of the month solely spent in God's Word
900 hours each year = 37 1/2 days of the year solely spent in God's Word

Spending two and a half hours in God's Word each day is much easier than it looks. It can easily be done by devoting one hour first thing in the morning, a half hour at mid day and an hour before bedtime.

If I'm going to follow through with this plan, it's important I schedule each appointment with God's Word, and keep it as I would any other appointment.

Once I’ve plugged that time into my schedule, the next thing I have to ask myself is what do I do for 2 1/2 hours in God's Word each day? Here’s what works for me:

    Devote the morning hour to reading, meditating, and journaling from the Old Testament. Maybe make my way through the Old Testament in a year or pick an OT book I’m least familiar with and make my way through that book reading, mediating, and journaling. When I finish that book, I can pick another Old Testament book and make your way through it. I can also use this time to memorize verses, passages, or even chapters and books from the OT that mean the most to me in my life right now. Alternatively, this is a great time for me to also memorize meaningful lists from the OT like the names of the Old Testament books of the Bible, the days of creation, the ten commandments (Ex. 20:2-17), the twelve tribes of Israel, etc.

    Then I allot a half hour at mid day in a wisdom book-- like Proverbs or the book of James. I read and note any particular bits of wisdom that grab your attention, and are just what I need to help me throughout the rest of my day. This is a great wisdom boost that equips me to deal with whatever problems might come up in the hours ahead.

    Finally, I like to spend the evening hour reading, meditating, and journaling from the New Testament. Again, I may make my way through the New Testament in a year or pick an NT book I’m least familiar with and make my way through that book reading, mediating, and journaling. When I finish that book, I can pick another New Testament book and make my way through it. Again, as I do in my morning hour, I can use the last twenty minutes to memorize verses, passages, or even chapters and books from the NT that mean the most to me in my life right now. Alternatively, this is a great time for me to memorize meaningful lists from the New Testament like the names of New Testament books of the Bible, the characteristics of love (1 Cor. 13:4-8), the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23), What we are to think on (Phil. 4:8), the seven churches of Revelation, etc.

If this is something you’d like to do, ask the Lord how He'd like you to spend that time in His Word. As you let His Spirit lead, you will find those 2 1/2 hours fly by because you will glean so much from God's Word. God bless you!

         But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
                     And in His law he meditates day and night.

         He shall be like a tree
                     Planted by the rivers of water,
                     That brings forth its fruit in its season,
                     Whose leaf also shall not wither;
                     And whatever he does shall prosper.

                            Psalm 1:2-3

Question for you: What do you think about the idea of giving back 10% of our day back to God?

If you haven’t yet, drop by my Facebook page and click “Like.”

Copyright © 2012 Brooke Espinoza.

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We Are Never Forgotten

2012-01-04T08:17:00.000-08:00

But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and He sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded. Genesis 8:1

It had been 150 days since Noah and his family had entered the ark. Perhaps Noah and his family wondered if God had forgotten them, since the last encounter with God recorded in the Bible was when God shut the door of the ark. Certainly Noah and his family were wondering, “How long do we have to be in this ark? How is all this water going to go away?” Though the Bible says in Genesis 8:1, “God remembered Noah,” Pastor Chuck Smith explains:

“God never forgot him.
It is important that we realize that in the Bible, there are terms that are used for God that are anthropomorphic type terms; in other words, describing God in human language. Really it's impossible to do but we don't have anything else. And so we just have to do the best we can using terms that are familiar with us to describe the activities or the actions of God because we really don't have any other terms. And so "God remembered Noah." Not that He ever forgot Noah, but now the activity of God with Noah picked up again so that God was really watching over that ark for all of those days that it was floating there upon the water. God remembered Noah, began His activity with Noah once more.”1

Just as God was watching over Noah and his family in the ark, God’s eyes are on us continually. God has engraved us on the palms of His hands. (Isaiah 49:14-16) God’s thinks of us so much that if you could number his thoughts toward us they would outnumber the grains of sand. (Psalm 139:17-18) Think about that next time you go to the beach, and are walking down to the ocean. Pick up as much sand as you can in your hand and guess how many grains of sand you are probably holding. That is just a fraction of how much God thinks of you. And what are those thoughts He thinks toward us? “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

Though our circumstances may leave us feeling at times that God has forgotten us. Let this be a reminder that God never forgets us, His eyes are continually upon us, He is always thinking of us, and if that were not enough, He has even engraved us on the palms of His hands. God sees you right where you are and knows exactly what you’re dealing with today. His thoughts for you are those of love—and nothing short of love. Be blessed! Nothing you face today will go unnoticed by God. And whatever you face, God will graciously supply for all your needs out of His glorious riches in Christ. (Philippians 4:19)

Question for you: What does it mean to you, to know that God's thoughts toward you are more than the grains of sand?

1 Smith, Chuck. "Genesis 8-9." The Word for Today. Blue Letter Bible.1 Jun 2005. 2012. 4 Jan 2012.

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Copyright © 2012 Brooke Espinoza.

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3 Simple Ways to Grow in the Knowledge of God

2011-12-30T02:00:00.000-08:00

Of all the things I've done to be obedient to God's call to grow in the knowledge of God, three specific things have proven to yield the most fruit in my life--S.O.A.P Journaling, reading a book of the Bible repeatedly, and memorizing scripture.

1. S.O.A.P. Journal

SOAP stands for Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer. To SOAP journal, all you need is your Bible, a notebook, and a pen. Start by reading a chapter in the Bible. Here are the steps to journaling:

1. S: Write out an S on your paper and then jot the verse that stood out to you during your reading.

2. O: Next write out an O on your paper and note what you observe about the verse. What is God showing you about that verse?

3. A: Write out an A on your paper and write how the verse applies to your life and practical ways you can put this verse into action in your day to day life.

4. P: Finally, Write out an P on your paper and a prayer in relation to the Bible verse you are journaling on.

Here’s an example of one of my SOAP Journal entries to give you a better idea of this. Feel free to read through it quickly and scroll down to read about the other two ways to grow in the knowledge of God if your short on time. However, if you've got the time, enjoy!

S.O.A.P. Journal

Recognizing the Call of God on Your Life—Numbers 17:1-11 February 8, 2010

S (vs.5) The staff belonging to the man I choose will sprout, and I will rid myself of this constant grumbling against you by the Israelites." (vs. 8) Aaron's staff, which represented the house of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds. (Numbers 17:5, 8b)

O In the previous chapter, Korah and his followers rose up against Moses and Aaron claiming they should be placed in an esteemed ministry position as Moses and Aaron were. They argued that Moses and Aaron shouldn’t be the only ones in leadership over the people—they were holy too. (16:3) In the end the Lord showed these spotlight hungry men that Moses was indeed chosen by Him when the earth opened up and swallowed the men and their households alive. Despite this, the Israelite community still grumbled. So in chapter 17 the Lord has had it with their grumbling over leadership and seeks to put an end to their complaints once and for all. The Lord instructed Moses to collect a staff from each leader from twelve tribes and write the name of each leader on their staff. The staffs were put in the Tent of Meeting in front of the Testimony, where God met with them on a regular basis. The next day “Aaron's staff, which represented the house of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds.” It would have been clear enough if Aaron’s staff had simply sprouted. It would have stood out among the eleven staffs that hadn’t. But God wanted to drive the message home that Aaron was the man he had chosen. God knew the people would still find a reason to complain—explaining away why Aaron's staff sprouted. “You call that a sprout? That doesn’t mean anything. That could have happened because…”

Instead God not only made Aaron’s staff sprout, but in case someone would explain it away, refusing to believe God chose Aaron to co-lead with Moses, God had the staff also bud, blossom, and produce Almonds. It was a miracle. There was no way the people could deny God’s choosing. No more could they wonder who should be in leadership over the people. It couldn’t have been clearer.

A When God calls us to a ministry, He will not only communicate that choosing to us, but He will make it know, confirming it to others. To best recognize God’s call on our life we out to be looking for fruit in our life. What areas of our life are we witnessing the most fruit? If we are not sure, we can reflect on what is it we do that people give us the most compliments or call us “a natural.” Maybe it is when we exercise our gift of helps, hospitality, or encouragement. What ever God has called us to will be evidenced by fruit. The area to which God has gifted us in and called us to will not simply be evidenced by a single sprout, but it will be further evidenced by budding, blooming, and even fruit.

When God reveals your calling to you, and further confirms it to the people around you, “…Do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.” (Col. 3:23-24) There is no higher calling, and more fulfilling work, than that which the Lord has called us to do.

P Lord thank you that when You communicate to us that ministry which you’ve called us to do, you make it abundantly clear, giving us “many infallible proofs, so that there is no question in our minds what You have called us to do. Help us not to miss those proofs, but like the people who witnessed Aaron's staff sprout, bud, blossom, and produce fruit, we’d know beyond a shadow of a doubt that special work that you’ve called us to do. In Jesus name, Amen.

SOAP Journal Ideas

* If you are reading through the Bible in a year, pick a verse that especially ministers during your reading that day and journal on that verse.

* Journal on verses related to an area you’d like to grow in or an area of weakness you’d like to overcome. This is a great way to grow in your knowledge about what God says on a specific area you’d like to grow in or overcome. For instance, if you’d like to grow in patience, you could journal on verses about patience. If you’d like to be more joyful, journal on joy verses. If you’d like to be more self-controlled, journal on self-control. So what area in your life would you like to grow in or overcome?

* Journal on the names of God to grow in your knowledge of Him. You could even journal on the names specific to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. If you journaled a new name each day, imagine how much you could learn about God in a month! A couple of years ago, my Ladies Bible Study group at church, we did Kay Arthur's Lord, I Want to Know You: A Devotional Study on the Names of God It was a wonderful study on the names of God.

* Journal on the promises of God.

* Pick a list from the Bible to journal on. You could journal on the days of creation (Genesis 1), the ten commandments (Exodus 20), the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), the characteristics of love (1 Corinthians 13), the seven churches in Revelation (Revelation 2-3)

* Journal on who you are in Christ

* Journal on what the Bible says about your high calling as woman after His own heart—or even more specifically, as a daughter, a wife, a mother, or a grandmother—whatever role God has put you in.

* Journal on verses you are working towards memorizing. Journaling on each verse will help cement the verses in your mind as you meditate on the verse to journal about it. For instance, if the Lord led you to memorize Psalm 23 you could journal on one verse a day. Your journaling would help reinforce the verses you are hiding in your heart. By the end of the week, you’d know Psalm 23 much better than you did before.

2. Read a book of the Bible every day for a month.

I first read about this in Tim LaHaye's, How to Study the Bible for Yourself. Reading a book of the Bible every day for a month is a very simple way to grow in your knowledge of God. It only takes minutes a day, but the knowledge you’ll gain is priceless. When I read Galatians each day for a month, each day I read it, I became increasingly familiar with the book. At first I read it I came across random familiar verses and said “Oh, I know this verse! I didn’t know it was in Galatians!” As I continued to read each day, I started to recognize the theme of each chapter, and began remembering what was coming next as I read through the book. By the end of the month, I could remember where a particular verse was within the book and I even had chunks of Galatians memorized simply because I had read it every day for a month. Is there a book of the Bible you’d like to know better? Here are some smaller books of the Bible that could easily be read all the way through in a sitting:

Old Testament:                                                          New Testament:
Ruth                                                                             Galatians
Esther                                                                          Ephesians
Song of Solomon                                                         Philippians
Lamentations                                                               Colossians
Joel                                                                              1 & 2 Thessalonians
Amos                                                                           1 & 2Timothy
Obadiah                                                                       Titus
Jonah                                                                           Philemon
Micah                                                                           James
Nahum                                                                         1 & 2 Peter
Habakkuk                                                                     1, 2, & 3 John
Zephaniah                                                                     Jude
Haggai
Malachi

3. Memorize Scripture

Memorizing scripture is much easier than you think. It doesn’t take a gifted memory, it just takes repetition. Read or hear anything enough times and you’ll be able to recall it from memory. It just takes repetition. I got my start memorizing whole Psalms after reading Janet Pope's fabulous book, His Word in My Heart: Memorizing Scripture for a Closer Walk with God. I highly recommend this book if you are interested in memorizing verses in their context.

Well known Bible teacher Dr. Chuck Swindoll sums up the value of memorizing Scripture saying: "I know of no other single practice in the Christian life more rewarding, practically speaking, than memorizing Scripture...No other single exercise pays greater spiritual dividends! Your prayer life will be strengthened. Your witnessing will be sharper and much more effective. Your attitudes and outlook will begin to change. Your mind will become alert and observant. Your confidence and assurance will be enhanced. Your faith will be solidified." (From Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life)

What better way to grow in the knowledge of God than by filling your mind and heart with the very words of God! I pray this has been a blessing to you and that you will use these three ways now and in 2012 to grow in the knowledge of God. As we increase in knowledge of Him, and His Word, we will find trusting God comes much more natural, especially when the discouragements and disappointments in life come. We will be transformed just like that tree in Jeremiah 17:7-8! I can't wait! :)

Questions for you: Which of these three ways can you incorporate in your life today? How might you incorporate all three in your life throughout 2012?

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Copyright © 2011 Brooke Espinoza.

Growing in Faith

2011-12-28T23:02:00.000-08:00

When trials come my way, how I respond to them reveals how much I know God—or how much more I need to know Him. This tells me that when I feel overwhelmed, it is a red flag that I need to know God even more. I need to be daily growing in the knowledge of God so when trials come I will be like Moses, and the tree in Jeremiah 17, at peace in the midst of discouraging circumstances because I know my God is an ever present help in times of trouble. (Psalm 46:1)

The way we grow in our faith is by being in the Word. This is the best thing we can do to grow in our knowledge of God and face trials with confidence.

“According to the Barna Research Group [1997 data], those who read the Bible regularly spend about 52 minutes a week in the Scriptures.” 1 If a person spends 52 minutes a week in the Bible, how much time is that each day? About seven and a half minutes, less time than a person spends watching commercials in an average 30-minute television show.”Sweeter Than Chocolate: An Inductive Study of Psalm 119 pg. 6.

If the average Christian spends only 7 minutes a day in the Word, it’s no wonder why so many Christians don’t experience the same peace and security in the face of trials as they do their eternal salvation. It’s hard to know anyone in just 7 minutes a day, and it's even harder to trust someone if you don't know them well enough. God wants us to trust in Him with all our heart, leaning not on our own understanding Him, but acknowledgeing Him in all our ways. (Proverbs 3:5-6) That’s the standard. That’s how much God wants us to trust Him.

If I want to grow in my trust in the Lord, I can't expect that spending the bare minimum of time with God is going to be enough for me to know Him so intimately, as Paul did that I, too, could say regarding my trials, "None of these things move me." (Acts 20:24) This is my heart's desire. To face trials with such peace and confidence, that none of my circumstances would move me from trusting God and resting in His promises to provide and deliver.

So when we trust in the Lord, despite how our circumstances look, one of the rewards for our faith, is that we will be like the amazing tree in Jeremiah 17:8:

Planted by streams of water
Never fearing when heat comes
It’s leaves always remaining green
Not anxious in the year of drought
Never ceasing from yielding fruit

Though we don't see God, through His Word we can see countless examples of His loving kindness, His faithfulness to provide, and His deliverance for those in need. With each instance we read, our faith is strengthened. When trials come, we can look at those examples we’ve seen through the scriptures and be encouraged that since God helped them, He will surely help us too. Though we typically don't audibly hear God, through His Word we can hear His heart and His plans for us. No where else, but reading and studying the Bible can we know God so intimately, and be so strengthened in our faith and knowledge of God. If we desire to have a unshakeable faith, regularly being in God’s Word is a must.

So how do we do it? Where do we start? I'll explore these questions in Friday's post.

Question for you: How do you spend your time with God?

P.S. I've added a recommended resources page chocked full of great biblical resources that have enriched my spiritual growth, strengthened my faith, and helped me in my life and roles as a wife and mother. Enjoy!

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Copyright © 2011 Brooke Espinoza.

Wonderful Christmas Flash Mob

2011-12-20T10:51:00.000-08:00

Here's a short You Tube Christmas video that will bless your socks off! Grab a cup of coffee, put your feet up, and spend the next six minutes being refreshed. :)

Merry Christmas!

Copyright © 2011 Brooke Espinoza.

The Key to Trusting God

2011-12-19T16:31:00.000-08:00

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

2 Peter 3:18

Trusting God does not come natural to us. If it did, God would not tell us 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. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

The truth is when the Bible tells us to do something like “lean not on your own understanding”; it is because our tendencies are to do the opposite—to lean on our own understanding. Likewise, when the Bible tells us to not do something like “Do not worry” it is because God knows we are inclined to worry.

Though trusting God does not come natural to us, the Bible promises when we trust in the Lord we will be blessed. Consider the words of Jeremiah 17:7-8

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
            and whose hope is the LORD.
            For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters,
            Which spreads out its roots by the river,
            And will not fear when heat comes;
            But its leaf will be green,
            And will not be anxious in the year of drought,
            Nor will cease from yielding fruit.”

The Key to Trusting God

Terror filled the eyes of the Israelites as Pharaoh’s army charged them with white hot rage. They were trapped. With Pharaoh’s army before them and the Red Sea behind them, the Israelites panicked—blaming Moses for leading them to their doom. Yet despite the horrific scene before him, Moses assured his people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” (Exodus 14:13-14 NIV) How could Moses be so calm and collected, and the Israelites so terrified when faced with the same terrifying circumstances? The difference: Moses knew his God.

So how can we be like this tree, like Moses, unmoved by the heat of trials and times of drought in our life? Like Moses, we too can have an unshakeable faith when we know our God, and commit to grow in the knowledge of God. (2 Peter 3:18)

Now I know God as my Savior and have no doubt of His saving work in my life. I’ve been bought with a price. I am His. When it comes to my eternal salvation I feel complete peace. This is because I know my God, I believe in what He has done for me, and I know no one can snatch me out of His hand.

Despite my blessed assurance about my salvation, I have to admit when trials arise, my faith pales in comparison. I do not feel a glorious peace when I’m faced with a trial, as I do about my salvation. I certainly believe that God works all things in my life to good (Romans 8:28), no good thing does He withhold, and His plans for me are to prosper me, not to harm me—plans to give me a future and a hope (Jeremiah 28:11). Yet, when trials come up, I can get so easily distracted by my discouraging circumstances, like the Israelites cornered by Pharaoh’s army at the Red Sea, and feel overwhelmed as I rack my brain “Now what am I going to do?” Notice the emphasis on “I.”

Pastor Romaine illustrates this irony:

“God can get you saved, give you everlasting life, and prepare a place for you. So we’re willing to believe, “Yeah, okay I’ve got everlasting life. I go to be with the Lord. I don’t have to worry about it—that’s all been taken care of. What I’ve got to worry about now is how am I going to get the rent?”1

It boggles my mind how I can wholeheartedly trust God for something as huge as securing my eternal salvation, yet fail to face the trials of life with that same confidence in God. Chuck Smith explains this paradox:

“It is hard to trust somebody you don't know. When a person comes up to me and says, "Oh, I have the hardest time trusting God," what they are really saying is, "I really don't know God very well." Because if you know God well you will have no problem trusting in Him at all. How can you know God? Through His Word. Because He has revealed Himself to us. So faith comes by hearing, hearing by the Word of God. If you want your faith increased, study the Word of God.” (Romans 10:17)

1 Legacy of a Servant, Romaine, L.E., Word For Today (January 1, 2004)

Question for you: What is your plan to grow in the knowledge of God in 2012? Leave your comment by clicking here.

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18 Blessings Reserved for Those who put Their Trust in God

2011-12-17T12:52:00.000-08:00

Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD. Jeremiah 17:7

If you have put your trust in Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, below are 18 gifts you can celebrate this Christmas. If you hope and trust are not in Jesus, don't miss out. God is just a prayer away. As long as you are still alive on this side of Heaven, it is never too late.

So what exactly did Jeremiah mean when he said "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD"? Below is my attempt to answer that question. Enjoy!

1. Be surrounded by mercy
Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; But he who trusts in the LORD, mercy shall surround him. Psalm 32:10

2. Be kept in perfect peace
You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Isaiah 26:3

3. Be happy
He who heeds the word wisely will find good, and whoever trusts in the LORD, happy is he. Proverbs 16:20

4. Rejoice
For our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His holy name. Psalm 33:21

5. Be taken care of
Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. Psalm 37:5

6. Be delivered from our enemies
And the LORD shall help them and deliver them; He shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in Him. Psalm 37:40

7. Be kept safe
The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe. Proverbs 29:25

8. Be radiant
They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed. (Psalm 34:5)

9. Not be put to shame
For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” Romans 10:11

10. Be victorious
Thus the children of Israel were subdued at that time; and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied on the LORD God of their fathers. 2 Chronicles 13:18

11. Not be moved
Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever. Psalm 125:1

12. Be prospered
He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife, but he who trusts in the LORD will be prospered. Proverbs 28:25

13. Be delivered
For I will surely deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword; but your life shall be as a prize to you, because you have put your trust in Me,” says the LORD.’” Jeremiah 39:18

14. Be protected by God
As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. Psalm 18:30

15. Have our prayers answered
And they were helped against them, and the Hagrites were delivered into their hand, and all who were with them, for they cried out to God in the battle. He heeded their prayer, because they put their trust in Him. 1 Chronicles 5:20

16. Be established
So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the LORD your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.” 2 Chronicles 20:20

17. Never thirst
And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. John 6:35

18. Not be afraid
He will not be afraid of evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. Psalm 112:7

O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer! –Scriven

Questions for you: Which of these blessings means the most to you? Why? Leave a comment by clicking here.

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Blessed Assurance

2011-12-05T12:45:00.001-08:00

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.—Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

When the Jewish captives in Babylon read from Jeremiah that their captivity would last seventy years, I imagine their hearts sank and their minds panicked, “What are we going to do now?”

Though their future looked bleak, their discouragement turned to relief whenthey learned God’s plans for them were for good and not for harm--to give them a future and a hope. (See Jeremiah 29:10-14) When we find ourselves in overwhelming circumstances, like those captives, we too can breath a sigh of relief and rest in the promise that despite how life looks at the moment God’s plans for us are always good—to give us a future and a hope. We can count on it!

Do not fret; only believe
—Jesus (Mark 5:36)

Question for you: What other promises of God do you find to be a welcome relief when you are in discouraging circumstances? Leave a comment by clicking here.

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Copyright © 2011 Brooke Espinoza.

Book Review: Billy Graham in Quotes

2011-11-09T23:29:00.001-08:00

Over the years, God has used Billy Graham mightily to reach the hearts of millions with the good news of the Bible though his world famous crusades, and bestselling books. Billy Graham in Quotes, compiled by Franklin Graham and Donna Lee Toney, is a collection of quotes taken from Billy Graham’s literary works through the years.

Divided into dozens of topics, such as: abortion, anxiety, children, temptation, suffering, parenting, sin, etc. Each topic features a couple of pages of quotes from Billy Graham on the topic at hand. For instance:

On the Bible: The Bible is the only Book in the world that predicts the future.
The Bible is more modern than tomorrow morning’s newspaper.

On Heaven: Only one answer will give a person the certain privilege,
the joy, of entering heaven.
“Because I have believed in Jesus Christ and
accepted Him as my Savior.

On Sin: Neither the devil nor the world,
nor even our own evil heart can compel us to sin
It must be by our own consent and will.

On Suffering: The most remarkable thing about suffering is that
God can use it for our good.

Though anyone who has been blessed by Billy Graham’s ministry would enjoy this book, this book would be a great resource to writers, pastors, and ministry leaders to use in their ministry to others. I enjoyed reading Billy Graham’s perspective on so many topics. All in all Billy Graham in Quotes is a good read and recommended resource.

Disclaimer: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their book review program for bloggers. I was not asked to write a positive review, but simply, an honest one.

Copyright © 2011 Brooke Espinoza.

Experiencing Peace and Joy During the Hard Times

2011-10-21T11:34:00.000-07:00

When I get hit by an especially discouraging trial, my two fleshly instincts are to think “Oh, no!” and “What am I going to do now?!” Depending on how long I allow my mind to chew on these thoughts, I can really get worked up and feel totally hopeless and overwhelmed.

Yet as God’s child, I am not to grieve as those who have no hope. (1 Thes. 4:13) Why? Because God has given me exceedingly precious promises in His Word to remind me, when my discouraging situation is all I can see, that:

He is for me (Zeph. 3:17)
He is always with me (Isaiah 41:10)
He has great plans for me (Jeremiah 29:11)
He will provide for me (Philippians 4:19)
He will deliver me. (Psalm 34:17, 19)

On the contrary to my two fleshly responses to a trial, to think, “Oh no!” and “Now what am I going to do?” God tells me in His Word exactly what He’d have me to do:

1. Be anxious for nothing, but pray about everything. (Phil. 4:6-7)

2. Count it all joy when I fall into various trials (James 1:2-3)

Neither of these responses to trials come natural, but both are totally doable when I consider God’s promises to me in His Word, and the mighty ways He has provided for and delivered His people in the Bible. As I trade my thoughts of worry and discouragement for God’s promises and His abundant examples of faithfulness, I find I can no longer find a reason to be anxious for anything.

Likewise, though it can be a challenge to consider my trials pure joy, again God’s Word and His character give me countless reasons to rejoice. When God tells us to count it all joy when we fall into various trials, He is not saying to rejoice because of our trials, but rather to be overjoyed in the midst of trials. So how can I be overjoyed in the midst of a trial? A few reasons are those promises of God listed above, but for me the promise that really fills my heart with joy while I’m going through a trial is: I will be delivered! (Psalm 34:17,19) It’s never a matter of if. It’s only a matter of when! Knowing that this too shall pass is great reason for me to rejoice! This won’t last forever! One day I won’t have to deal with this trouble I’m facing any more. God might solve my problem today, I might have to wait a little while, or maybe even a few years—but whatever my wait, I can count it pure joy, because God is going to deliver me! It’s just a matter of when.

So, what troubles are you facing today that you can be encouraged in by the promises of God and His past faithfulness? In a journal, list why you can be anxious for nothing in your situation. Then go a step further and write how you are counting it all joy.

Finally here are a couple of music videos of songs that pump me up when I am going through a trial. The first song is about being anxious for nothing, while the other song is about rejoicing in good times and in bad. I'm sure you are going to love both! God bless you!

Do Not Be Anxious by Seeds Family Worship

How Can I Keep From Singing by Chris Tomlin

Question for you: How has journaling about God’s promises and faithfulness in your life encouraged you in your faith during hard times? Leave your comments by clicking here.

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Weighed Down by Anxious Thoughts

Putting Fear in Its Place

Let Your Mind Dwell on These Things

Copyright © 2011 Brooke Espinoza.

Book Review: How To Write a book proposal by Michael Larsen

2011-10-07T14:57:00.000-07:00

Have you ever considered that you may have a book inside you? No doubt you know things others would like to learn or have learned lessons throughout life that could help someone else. If God has laid something on your heart to write—whether it be inspirational fiction, devotions, Bible Studies or something else that would point others to Him, you first must begin with a book proposal if your goal is for your book to be traditionally published. While you can always self-publish, if you want to reach a lot of people with your message then getting your book picked up by a publisher is the way to go—and like I said, the road beings with a book proposal.

To show exactly what goes in a book proposal and what publishers are looking for, author Michael Larsen has written How to Write a Book Proposal. Each chapter is chalk full of helpful tips and advice for crafting your best proposal. The book lays out all the essential elements of a proposal that publishers expect when they receive one. Writers who are diligent to write their proposals in the way this book instructs will not only make a good impression with the gatekeepers of the publishing house they query, but such writers will stand out from the armatures who haven’t learned how to write a winning book proposal—thus giving writers, who have done their homework, an advantage over the rest—and that is always a good thing.

To read a sample from this book, click here.

Disclaimer: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their book review program for bloggers. I was not asked to write a positive review, but simply, an honest one.

Copyright © 2011 Brooke Espinoza.

'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus

2011-09-21T16:12:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I wonder what some of my friends and family must think about my decision to put my faith in Jesus, when they themselves see faith in Jesus as a crutch or childish. Before I put my faith in Jesus, when trials arose I placed my trust in:

My own abilities--which would either come through for me or fall short.
My own wisdom--which was only limited to that which I knew.
My own strength--which was only as strong as I was
My own possessions--which could get lost, malfunction, break down, etc.
Other people--who may come through or disappoint because of their own busy lives and circumstances

All these things I trusted in, though they did come through for me at times, the truth was when a need arose in my life trusting in these things was never a guarantee that my problem would be resolved and my need would be met. All these things, though capable to help, were limited in their abilities for one reason or another. I'd much rather put my trust in someone who is not only available to help me 24-7, but will never leave me, never forsake me, and promises to deliver me from all my troubles. Sounds too good to be true, but that is exactly who Jesus is, and why I can't imagine putting my trust anywhere else. But those are just a fraction of the blessings I receive from putting my trust in the Lord. When we place our trust in Jesus, the Bible promises we will be blessed. Consider the incredible blessings God rewards our faith with when we trust in Him.

When we trust in God we will:

Be surrounded by mercy (Psalm 32:10)
Be kept in perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3)
Be happy (Proverbs 16:20)
Rejoice (Psalm 33:21)
Be taken care of (Psalm 37:5)
Be delivered from our enemies (Psalm 37:40)
Be kept safe (Proverbs 29:25)
Be radiant (Psalm 34:5)
Not be put to shame (Romans 10:11)
Be victorious (2 Chronicles 13:18)
Not be moved (Psalms 125:1)
Be prospered (Proverbs 28:25)
Be delivered (Jeremiah 39:18)
Be protected by God (Psalm 18:30)
Have our prayers answered (1 Chronicles 5:20)
Be established (2 Chronicles 20:20)
Never thirst (John 6:35)
Not be afraid (Psalm 112:7)

It is amazing that God blesses us with all this by simply putting our trust in Him—as well that the incredible blessings that we forfeit when we doubt Him and His Word and place our trust elsewhere. When the headaches and heartaches come, may we make it a habit to sprint to God and His Word for help and answers. When we do we will be blessed!

Question: When have you been in a situation in which you put your faith in God and, as a result, was blessed? Leave your comments by clicking here.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:

None of These Things Move Me

Taking God at His Word

Stepping Out in Faith

Remembering the Multitude of His Mercies

Copyright © 2011 Brooke Espinoza.

Let Your Mind Dwell on These Things

2011-08-29T17:06:00.000-07:00

“Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” whined Martha, who was trying to be the perfect hostess to Jesus’ while He was visiting her house. (Luke 10:38-42) Martha felt frazzled because her thoughts were centered on her discouraging circumstances, rather than on what the Lord would have her focus her thoughts on. Philippians 4:8 lays out exactly what the Lord wants us to center our thoughts on.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

As trials come up, take every thought captive, running your thoughts through Philippians 4:8 God’s standard for our thought life. Ask yourself about what you’re thinking:

Is it true?

Is it noble?

Is it right?

Is it pure?

Is it lovely?

Is it admirable?

Is it excellent?

Is it praiseworthy?

As we are faithful to take each thought captive and run it through these questions, we will think less Martha-like thoughts—thoughts of frustration and discouragement—and think more thoughts that produce joy and peace in our life. And we all can use more joy in and peace in our life right?

Now you might be dwelling on something hurtful someone did to you because it is true “whatever is true…” Philippians 4:8 However, we must not stop there. God wants our thoughts to fit all these criteria. If something is true, but not praiseworthy, God doesn’t want us to dwell on it. It is one thing to think about something discouraging when we are faced with it, like a huge bill that comes in the mail. We can’t just ignore it because it isn’t lovely, excellent, or praiseworthy. God isn’t saying that. What He doesn’t want us to do is to dwell on it. If we are going to park our mind on a thought God says that thought should be true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy.

So what can we think on, and think about, that fits all these criteria of Philippians 4:8? Then answer: God and His Word.

This is what God wants us to fill our minds with and to dwell on. So when a trial comes up, instead of dwelling on the problem as Martha did when her sister would not help her, we can instead set our minds on Jesus and His Word as Mary made it a priority to do. Are you facing something big? Are you discouraged? Overwhelmed? Frustrated? Set your mind upon God’s faithfulness in your life, on His character, His goodness, His promises and as you do, your faith will be strengthened and you will see your problem in light of God’s greatness.

I remember when reading Chuck Smith’s book “Effective Prayer Life” he encouraged readers to begin prayer by worshipping God. For example, starting of a prayer praising God that He is a great God, nothing is too hard for Him, by His breath He brought the heavens and the earth into existence, etc. I love this because, when I start prayer this way, by the time I get to bringing my problems before God, they don’t seem to be that much of a problem anymore. It is when I just launch into prayer with my problems that they seem overwhelming to me. But as I set my mind first on God’s greatness, as I bring my problems before God I feel a peace and hope that I otherwise would have missed out on had I just launched into my problems from the start. So what we set our minds on is important. May we be diligent and faithful to set our minds on the Lord and His Word, and as a result, experience God’s perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3), regardless of our circumstances.

Question: What have you found to be a help in lining up your thoughts with God’s standard laid out in Philippians 4:8? Let me know in the comments below.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:
Taking Control of Your Thought Life
Pleasing God by Your Words and Thoughts
Weighted Down by Anxious Thoughts
Held Back by Our Fears

Copyright © 2011 Brooke Espinoza.

Experiencing the Power Of God's Word

2011-08-04T00:07:00.000-07:00

I can’t imagine how much easier it was for the people in Jesus day to place their faith in Him. If someone needed healing, Jesus was happy to visit the sick at their home lay hands on them and restore their health. He went to Peter’s house and healed his mother-in-law (Matthew 8:14-15). He went to Jarius’ home and healed his daughter. (Mark 5:22-24, 41-42)

Now imagine the nobleman of John 4, a desperate father whose son is dying. Despite his being a royal official, his son remains in a hopeless situation. The father hears that Jesus is twenty-two miles away in Cana. (John 4:46-47) If he leaves his son to go to Jesus for help, his son could die. While it breaks this father’s heart to leave his son’s side when his son’s health is so frail, he knows without Jesus, his son will surely die. It’s a risk he can’t afford to take. Imagining the thrill of having Jesus come under his roof to restore his son drives this determined father to get to Jesus as soon as possible.

However, when the father pleads with Jesus to come to his house because his son is dying, instead of agreeing to go as Jesus did with Jarius when his daughter was sick ((Mark 5:22-24), Jesus simply tells the nobleman, “Go your way; your son lives.” (John 4:50) Unlike Jarius, the nobleman wouldn’t have that blessed assurance of watching Jesus come under his roof to heal his child. The nobleman simply had to take Jesus’ word for it that his son would be all better. Initially this seems like it would be a test of faith for the nobleman. However, when you consider whose word this is, it makes sense why the nobleman believed Jesus and made his way back home. Creation came into existence solely by the words uttered from the mouth of God. He just said the word and it was done. (Genesis 1:3) Now the nobleman was face to face with Jesus, God in the flesh, assuring “Go your way; your son lives.”

While the nobleman was on his way home his servants met him on the road. Clearly it was news too important to wait for his return home—however, what the news was he could only imagine. When he reached the servants, they announced that his son lives. (John 4:51) It was a blessing that his son was no longer dying, but when you consider what that word “lives” means in the Greek this was so much bigger than his son’s health no longer threatened by death. His son lives meant:

He was back among the living—not lifeless
He was enjoying real life
He was active and blessed
He was in the manner of the living and acting
He was in full vigor
He was fresh, strong, and efficient,
He was active and powerful

Thrilled, the nobleman asked his servants when his son got better. As it turned out, his son’s health was fully restored the same time that Jesus had told the boy’s father “Go your way; your son lives.” (John 4:52-53) The power of God’s word touched the nobleman and his family so deeply that day that he and his whole household put their faith in Jesus. While it was heartbreaking for the nobleman to see his son dying before his eyes, it was the very thing that lead the boy’s father to Jesus leading not only to the boy’s healing, but more importantly the nobleman’s and his household to putting their faith in Jesus. Don’t you just love the amazing ways God works?

Question: How have you experienced the power of God’s Word in your own life? You can leave a comment by clicking here.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:

God’s Word for Our Every Need

Believing Jesus in Troubled Times

With God All Things Are Possible

Taking God At His Word

Copyright © 2011 Brooke Espinoza.

Book Review: 90 Days of God’s Goodness

2011-07-14T15:21:00.000-07:00

In times of blessing and rejoicing it is so easy to see God’s goodness and the good things He is doing in our life. However, when we are experiencing frustration, disappointment, heartbreak, or tragedy our view of God’s goodness seems to grow dim. We struggle to recognize the good things God is working in our life. Randy Alcorn’s devotional book, 90 Days of God’s Goodness: Daily Reflections that Shine Light on Personal Darkness shows that when things look their worst, God is still good and still doing a good work in our life even if we cannot see it. Readers will be encouraged as they read true stories of people who found themselves in discouraging times, yet the Lord’s goodness shined through as He brought about good in their life despite their trials. I really enjoyed seeing God work through the lives of these people in discouraging times.

Though I know God works all things to good (Romans 8:28) and delivers us from all our troubles (Psalm 34:19) it was encouraging to see these priceless promises fulfilled through these stories. For me it showed me that when I’m frustrated, discouraged, or downright heartbroken, God is still good and He is still working good in my life even then in the midst of my trial. This encourages me to look for the good in my trials—maybe starting a journal of God’s goodness so as each trial comes, I can be reminded of God’s goodness in my life and be encouraged that the trial I’m in will be infused with God’s goodness to give me hope if I’ll just take the time to look past my trial and recognize His goodness. I recommend this book to anyone in a trial who wants a quick reminder that God is good all the time—especially those times when you need Him most. Whether you get this book for yourself, or a friend who needs a refreshing reminder of God’s goodness I encourage you to get this book. You will see God’s goodness!

Disclaimer: I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group as part of their book review program for bloggers. I was not asked to write a positive review, but simply, an honest one.

Copyright © 2011 Brooke Espinoza.

When You're in the Storm

2011-04-19T22:59:00.000-07:00

You're probably familiar with the Bible story of when Jesus calms the storm. (Mark 4:35-41)

35 On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” 36 Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. 38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”

39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. 40 But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”41 And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”

However, this passage has completely opened up for me in an exciting new way after reading the following commentary by Warren Wiersby at Precept Austin. Hope you find it a blessing too.

"The storm described here must have been especially fierce if it frightened experienced fishermen like the disciples. There were at least three good reasons why none of the men in the ship should have been disturbed, even though the situation appeared to be threatening.

Three Reasons The Disciples
Should Have Had Faith & Not Fear

1) They had His promise that they were going to the other side (Mark 4:35). His commandments are always His enablements and nothing can hinder the working out of His plans. He did not promise an easy trip, but He did promise a guaranteed arrival at their destination.

2) The Lord Himself was with them, so what was there to fear? They had already seen His power demonstrated in His miracles, so they should have had complete confidence that He could handle the situation. For some reason, the disciples did not yet understand that He was indeed the Master of every situation.

3) They could see that Jesus was perfectly at peace, even in the midst of the storm. This fact alone should have encouraged them. Jesus was in God’s will and knew that the Father would care for Him, so He took a nap. Jonah slept during a storm because he had a false sense of security, even though he was running from God. Jesus slept in the storm because He was truly secure in God’s will. “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep, for You, Lord, only make me dwell in safety” (Psalm 4:8)."

Next time you find yourself in anxious circumstances, be encouraged that Jesus is with you, "a very present help in times of trouble." (Psalm 46:1), and is at complete peace because He knows the plans He has for you, "plans to prosper you, and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV)

Copyright © 2011 Brooke Espinoza.

Book Review: Max on Life by Max Lucado

2011-04-18T00:00:00.000-07:00

Wouldn’t you love the opportunity to sit down with Max Lucado and pick his brain with your most important questions? Questions like:

“We have prayed without ceasing for three years now, for God’s healing, but healing has not come. Should we keep praying for his healing, or just accept that he will never be healed?” (# 69)

“We’re trying to teach our children humility, but at the same time we don’t want to destroy their self-esteem. What would you say is a good balance?” (# 123)

“How can I be the mom God wants me to be? (# 119)

Over the years, Max Lucado has received countless letters from people seeking answers and insights regarding important life questions. In Max on Life: Answers and Insights to Your Most Important Questions by Max Lucado, Max answers one-hundred and seventy two questions from people such as those questions above. His Q and A are grouped in the following categories:

Hope: God, Grace, and “Why am I here?”
Hurt: Conflicts, Calamities, and “Why me?”
Help: Prayer, Scripture, and “Why church?”
Him/Her: Sex, Romance, and “Any chance of a second chance?”
Home: Diapers, Disagreements, and “Any hope for prodigals?”
Haves/Have-Nots: Work, money, and “Where’s the lifeline?”
Hereafter: Cemeteries, Heave, Hell, and “Who goes where?”

I think this book was an interesting read, but not necessarily a must-have. The reason I say this is because while it is interesting to read Max Lucado’s answers and insights to people’s questions, being that I have been walking with God and studying the Bible for the last 19 years, I found many of the questions to be basic in nature—one’s that I had when I was new in the Lord.

So for someone who has walked with God, and studied their Bible for several years now, this book may answer some of your questions, but I think the basic questions you will already know how God’s Word answers those questions. Still I’d say it’s worth a look because Max Lucado does an excellent job answering people’s questions with Scripture, showing them what Scripture says about their question.

Though these people went to Max Lucado for answers, I love that he takes them back to the Bible for the answer. So if you’re pretty familiar with what the Bible says, many of the scriptures he references may be ones that came to your mind too, as you read the person’s question, but then again, I found sometimes he referenced an excellent verse I hadn’t thought of, or offers an insight based on scripture that I had not considered. If you are a fan of Max Lucado you will enjoy this insightful read. However, for “answers and insights to your most important questions” the Bible remains unsurpassed.

To preview this book click here.

Disclaimer: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their book review program for bloggers. I was not asked to write a positive review, but simply, an honest one.

Copyright © 2011 Brooke Espinoza.

Miraculous Protection

2011-04-01T15:06:00.000-07:00

Three years ago today, I woke up lying on the floor of Sam's Club with my fully loaded shopping cart on top of me. At the time, I was fifteen weeks pregnant. It was about 3:45pm when I was finishing up my shopping. Approaching the baked goods aisle for one last thing, I could feel myself becoming increasingly hot. Growing weak, I cleared some space on the baked goods display table so I could sit down for a minute and cool off. My energy fading quick, I slumped over my shopping cart in front of me, too weak to stay sitting up. My temperature continued to rise, while my energy continued to plummet. As I began to faint, I must have grabbed my shopping cart to keep from falling, but instead, when I came crashing down I pulled the card down with me.

As I came to and realized I was lying on the floor in Sam's Club, I found myself pinned down by the weight of my fully-loaded shopping cart lying on top of my stomach. As I saw the shopping cart’s handle bar directly on top of my abdomen, immediately my mind raced to my developing baby inches below the cart. Lying there, I looked around me to see if anyone was around who could pull my shopping cart off me. There was no one around. Ironically, I went to Sam’s Club at that time of day because I knew most people would have been at work, and that would mean short check out lines for me. Thinking I better get this cart off me for the sake of my baby, I prayed for strength, and proceeded to push the cart off myself and then slowly got myself up.

I was collecting the groceries that had rolled out of my cart when another customer saw me and asked if I was okay. I explained what happened and she asked, "Do you know your nose is bleeding?" I didn't, but it hurt. My guess is when I came down I smacked it on the handle bar of the cart. The Good Samaritan got me a tissue and helped me pick up my remaining groceries that had rolled out of my cart during my fall. Since no one saw me faint at Sam's and, by this point I felt fine, just a bit sleepy I proceeded to pay for my groceries and left.

Shortly after, my husband took me to the ER, to double check that both I and the baby were okay. As it turned out, we were both in perfect health. Had I been further along in my pregnancy, my baby could have definitely been impacted by my fall. Also, had I not been wearing my backpack purse which broke my fall and prevented me from smacking my head on the concrete floor, there is a good chance, without it, I would have cracked my head open. Praise God, my baby and I walked away unscathed. That was a huge answered prayer

That experience showed me that even when I experience seemly frightful circumstances God can still do the impossible, and work my circumstances to good.

Copyright © 2011 Brooke Espinoza.