Category: faith

God Makes Ways Out Of Impossible Situations

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In Mark 12 the Bible tells of a time when some men were sent to try to trap Jesus. They asked Him directly about taxes – should the Israelite people pay Romans taxes? They knew that there was no good way out of the question: if Jesus said the people shouldn’t have to pay taxes, He’d be in big trouble with the Roman government. If He said they should pay taxes, then the people would revolt against Him. It seemed like He was trapped in an IMPOSSIBLE situation – two ways to go, and neither was good!

Sometimes I’ve noticed I’ll hit a situation where it’ll seem like there’s no good answer – for example, some difficult situation where I have to make one of two or three choices, and all the options I can take ALL seem like they aren’t good choices, having bad consequences. It can tempt me to be anxious and tempt me to fear whatever step I have to take next. Another phrase for it is called “Being in a ‘bind’.”

And I saw that in this situation where Jesus was being questioned – it seemed like there was NO good exit for Him.

But in Mark 12:16-17 – when I see Jesus’ answer there, that there was a Word from God which was the PERFECT Word for that situation, which was a way out of a situation which looked like it clearly had zero good options:

“Whose image is on this coin? Give to Ceasar what is Ceasar’s and God what is God’s”

The Holy Spirit gave Jesus that Word – the perfect word; Such a simple word which defused what looked like an impossible situation.

And it encouraged me – we can sometimes feel like there’s an impossible situation, but there’s NO situation which God doesn’t have the perfect answer to, and a way for us through it. Nobody ever came to Jesus with a problem where He didn’t have an answer, and Jesus never went to the Father without receiving an answer. And it blessed me to realize – I don’t have to either!

The only reason why I’ve struggled so much previously is because I didn’t go to God to get that answer. But if I go – He will provide. It’s similar to when Jesus was asked about the adulteress in John 8 – another tricky question. But Jesus stooped on the ground and didn’t answer right away. So they pressed Him. What was He doing? I think He was hearing from the Father in that moment!

It’s also similar to when a crowd of people tried to throw Jesus off a cliff. It says He “passed through their midst” (Luke 4:28-30)

How did ALL the people who filled a whole synagogue let one man pass through them? I picture it as He just walked through this big crowd, and God put a restraint on every single person there, they couldn’t touch Him… perhaps they were sort of frozen – like how God kept Lion’s mouths shut for Daniel.

It showed me that God will provide the perfect way out in impossible situations – He will cause things, He will restrain things, He will give supernatural strength we didn’t have before, He will open ways, He will close paths. Things which we can’t even think of!

Isaiah 43:19 “Behold, I will do something new, Now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert.”

God will make a way where there was no way.

Impossible situations will come – it looks like NO good path forward is there.

But God will provide.

And I see the challenge for me is: Praise the Lord BEFORE I see the way, because God will make a way.

Isaiah 43:21 “The people whom I formed for Myself Will declare My praise.”

He did for Jesus and He’ll do it for us.

Praise God!

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**By Bobby MacDonald © Copyright – Bobby MacDonald. No changes whatsoever are to be made to the content of the article without written permission from the author at NCCF Church

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Trusting God to Heal the Scars of Sexual Abuse

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“You need to learn to trust men again.”

When she said this just moments after I admitted I had been sexually abused as a child by a man I trusted, I got mad . . . really mad! She didn’t understand the depth of my fear, disgust, anger, and helplessness. She didn’t even acknowledge my emotional scars.  

As with many women, my scars of abuse felt unique. I was confused about what was normal and used a variety of defense mechanisms to get through life.

If you’ve been sexually abused, you may be coping in one or more of the following ways. You hide or keep people at extreme distances, afraid of being hurt again. You remain numb through adulthood. If married, you find it difficult to respond sexually. You fear biblical submission—afraid of losing control.

You may feel damaged, see yourself as a sex object, flaunt your sexuality, and descend into promiscuity and other sexual sins. Or like me, you pour yourself into being “good” or embrace ministry. You may not understand the power of the gospel and focus instead on pleasing God to gain His favor.

You might respond to your abuse with anxiety, depression, self-loathing, self-harming actions, fear of intimacy, homosexuality, indecisiveness, perfectionism, a need to control, eating disorders, or addictions.

Satan doesn’t care how we react to the sinfulness of sexual abuse . . . as long as we don’t turn to Jesus. The enemy knows that when we find our identity, security, and dignity in Christ, we can live in victory.

Twisted Thinking

It took me awhile to get there, though. For years, I felt the need to protect my abuser and not hurt others who loved him. It was twisted thinking, but the enemy delights in warping thoughts. In high school, I had poor interpersonal skills. By college, I felt suicidal and alone. Abuse distorted my image of God and affected my ability to seek and trust Him. My confidence was shattered.

After college, I joined Life Action Ministries and began a journey with God that changed my heart and life. One day as I was singing “Do You Know My Jesus?” on stage with the team, I suddenly realized I knew all about Jesus, but I didn’t know Him. I left the microphone, went to the prayer room, and placed my life in Jesus’ hands.

The most astounding changes came as I learned to trust Him with my past hurts.

Lessons I Learned

  • God loves me. Deeply and completely. The enemy loves it when I feel shame, condemnation, and self-loathing, but God’s Word says I am precious in God’s sight—accepted and valued (Isa. 43:4).
  • God saw my abuse and did not condone it. Neither should I. I do not have to stay silent or bury the pain and trauma. The Lord hates all wickedness, including my abuser’s sinful actions (Ps. 11:5).
  • I can pray for wisdom and entrust true justice to the righteous heart of God. He always has the last word—He brings justice to the unrepentant and great mercy to the repentant (Ps. 103:6).
  • I know I can forgive others because I have been so greatly forgiven. Bitterness will only make my pain worse and continue to wound others (Heb. 12:15).
  • I can pray for my abuser’s change of heart and repentance—that my abuser will seek the Lord, turn from wickedness, and learn to live a godly life so God will be glorified (Luke 6:28).
  • I do not have to live in fear like a victim. Peace and victory come as I study and rest in who I am in Christ (Eph. 1:3–8).
  • As I run to the Lord who sees, heals, and comforts, I can use what the enemy meant for evil to bring glory and praise to God (Gen. 50:20).
  • I can learn how to communicate clear, pure boundaries in all relationships and speak truth in love (Eph. 4:15).
  • I must be aware of the enemy’s schemes to control my responses and defeat me. I must saturate my life with Scripture and remember God’s grace is greater than the condemnation I feel (1 John 3:20).
  • Knowing my thoughts will control my actions and responses, I must allow God to transform my thinking so I can make daily choices to please Him (Rom. 12:2).
  • I will grow and heal as I rub shoulders with godly women who model how to respond with the pure love of Christ and trust the Lord to help me stand in dignity and strength (1 Peter 3:3–5).
  • I can, as a member of the Body of Christ, be a part of holding abusers accountable—especially within the church (Matt. 18:15–17).
  • I can also encourage those who still struggle toward freedom from the pain and insecurities that arise out of sexual abuse (Gal. 6:2).

Set Free and Healing

Second Peter 1:3 says, “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence.” I’ve discovered everything I need to move forward in grace and strength comes from abiding in God’s presence and the Word of God.

The path to thriving begins with God-focus, not self-focus. If we continue to gaze inward, we will always see our scars, but when we gaze on Jesus, we see His scars and remember He died to make us whole again. We can trust this One who loved us so completely.

I’ve grown in Christ, but it hasn’t always been easy. I’ve had many questions, and my heart screamed for answers. Satan wants us to believe God is not good and does not care, but our Father God is never blind to the sins that hurt His people. He grieves over all sin and hates it. Sometimes the Lord deals directly with others’ sinful behavior against us; other times, it’s just not time yet. In mercy, God gives even the most evil among us opportunities to turn to Him and repent.

My great comfort is that Jesus understands abuse. He suffered great abuse and even death to give us life (see Isa. 53). He brings hope for today and tomorrow and, most certainly, hope for dealing in victory with hurtful past circumstances.

I am free to love others sincerely and allow the Lord to work in my life and my abuser’s life now that I have been set free from the bondage that chained me for so many years,

Although Jesus said He came to give me abundant life (John 10:10), sometimes I resort to survival mode when I allow myself to feel ashamed. In those moments, I forget who I am—or rather, whose I am. Jesus bore my shame on the cross; I don’t need to bear it for one moment.

Though scars remain, God gives healing grace.

Father God, I ask You to bring victory and healing to those who suffer. Surround them with Your presence, help them see You as You really are, and show them the overcoming power in Your Word. Amen.

If you are struggling, you might also want to watch this video about a young woman who was sexually abused.

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*** By Dawn Wilson © 2001–2023 Revive Our Hearts, an outreach of Life Action Ministries.ECFA Member

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Trust The Provider, Not The Provision

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Key Quotes

“If we aren’t careful, we can be set up for failure and disappointment if we take our eyes off of our Provider and fix them on His particular means of provision”

“Sometimes God has to remove one thing so that we can be open to what He has next for us.”

“Sometimes God wants to use us first to comfort those in need, even when we ourselves are in need”

Full Article

The word of the LORD came to him, saying, “Go away from here and turn eastward, and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. It shall be that you will drink of the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to provide for you there.” So he went and did according to the word of the LORD, for he went and lived by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he would drink from the brook. It happened after a while that the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land. (1 Kings‬ ‭17‬:‭2-7‬ NASB)

God clearly told Elijah to go to the brook, and Elijah obeyed. God miraculously provided for his servant there. And yet the brook dried up. Does that mean that Elijah did something wrong? No! I think it’s meant to teach us an important lesson: that God will always meet our needs, and He intends to use certain means for only certain times.

It is so easy to fall in love with the particular way that God is providing for us — a job we love, a friendship that is fulfilling, a routine that we really enjoy — but if we aren’t careful, we can be set up for failure and disappointment if we take our eyes off of our Provider and fix them on His particular means of provision. In all of our interactions with God, and especially in receiving good gifts for our needs from His hand, we should always seek to make sure that we are trusting God as our provider, and not starting to depend on the specific way He has chosen to provide.

I had a recent experience which helped me see this firsthand. There was a circumstance at work that made me feel that my job was in jeopardy. I was tempted to be anxious because the specific way God had been providing for me and family (ie, my job!) felt threatened. But God brought this story to my mind, and through it, He brought me to a place where I could confidently and restfully say, “(this person) would have no authority over me except what is given by God,” so I do not need to fear what they can do to my job, or the impact that could have on my life.

God did not choose to “dry up the stream” in my case, after all, but I felt it was an important test to ask me what I’m focused on: my Provider, or His provision.

*We can absolutely count on God to provide for the need though, even if the particular way He’s provided is removed.* Seeing God’s faithfulness to Elijah helped give me rest in the midst of my own trial.

The story continues:

Then the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and stay there; behold, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.” (‭1 Kings‬ ‭17‬:‭8-9‬ NASB)

It’s amazing to realize that God had already arranged to provide for Elijah, before He even allowed the brook to dry up. What I see here is that sometimes God has to remove one thing so that we can be open to what He has next for us.

And I’ve seen this is my own life too. One simple example is that last year we had some dear friends move away and have to leave our church. I was disappointed at first, as I really felt they were folks God had provided for fellowship and had thus spent a lot of time with them. But now I can see that God had other plans for my life and how I spend my time, and I probably wouldn’t have been as open to new members or to new opportunities to serve if God hadn’t removed the thing He had originally provided. He needed to get rid of the “brook” in order to introduce me to the “widows” He’s currently using to meet my needs.

Praise God for knowing our needs even more intimately than we do, and for supernaturally providing for us in ways we would have never even dreamed of!

The last thing I see in this story of Elijah is there’s an interesting “plot twist!”:

So he arose and went to Zarephath, and when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks; and he called to her and said, “Please get me a little water in a jar, that I may drink.” As she was going to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a piece of bread in your hand.” But she said, “As the LORD your God lives, I have no bread, only a handful of flour in the bowl and a little oil in the jar; and behold, I am gathering a few sticks that I may go in and prepare for me and my son, that we may eat it and die.” (‭1 Kings‬ ‭17‬:‭10-12‬ NASB)

Elijah obeys God and goes where He leads, only to find that the widow isn’t able to meet his need after all. This brought a question to my mind: What do we do if it looks like the “provision” God has led us to is really a dead end? Like there’s no water in the “new brook” after all?

Then Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go, do as you have said, but make me a little bread cake from it first and bring it out to me, and afterward you may make one for yourself and for your son. For thus says the LORD God of Israel, ‘The bowl of flour shall not be exhausted, nor shall the jar of oil be empty, until the day that the LORD sends rain on the face of the earth.'” So she went and did according to the word of Elijah, and she and he and her household ate for many days. The bowl of flour was not exhausted nor did the jar of oil become empty, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke through Elijah. (‭1 Kings‬ ‭17‬:‭13-16‬ NASB)

What I see from Elijah’s response is that sometimes God wants to use us first to comfort those in need, even when we ourselves are in need. Elijah had such complete trust in God his ultimate Provider that he was undeterred by the fact that she didn’t have any bread! And instead of being disturbed that this woman whom God had sent him to was empty handed, he was perfectly at peace, and could minister to her from the rest he had found in His true Provider: God. So he immediately comforts her with the comfort that he’s been given — that if God has a plan to feed him through her, then He certainly has a plan to feed her too — with no concern whatsoever, being convinced that what God has promised He is also able to perform.

What a blessed ministry of encouragement can flow through the one who has surrendered completely to trust in his/ her Heavenly Provider.

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**By Jeremy Utley © Copyright – Jeremy Utley. No changes whatsoever are to be made to the content of the article without written permission from the author at NCCF Church

What Does It Mean To Take Every Thought Captive?

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We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God,and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. ~ 2 Corinthians 10:5

The Bible instructs us to take every thought captive. It’s an essential part of Christian living that eludes many of us. But what does it mean to take thoughts captive, why does this matter, and how do we do this? Today we’ll break down each of these questions one by one and give you tips for handling anxiety in your thought life, according to the principles in God’s Word.

Every day we have thousands of thoughts that run through our minds. When thoughts go unexamined, they can do a lot of harm. They can get out of control and cause negative cycles that lead to negative feelings and actions.

Anxiety is a big area where it pays to take every thought captive. Many people who suffer from anxiety don’t recognize how their problems begin in their thought lives. For example, you may have experienced an anxious thought train like this one:

What’s this spot on my arm? I haven’t seen it there before. I wonder if it’s skin cancer. That would be horrible! Skin cancer is so deadly. Have I caught it in time? What will happen to my family if I die? I’m too young to die!

We’ve all had thoughts that spiral downward in a hurry as in this example. Taking your thoughts captive might look like this instead:

What’s this spot on my arm? I’ll watch it for a few days to see if it changes, and trust that God is in control. If it doesn’t get better by Friday, I’ll call the doctor to get it checked out. But I refuse to let this little spot, which may be nothing, take over my thoughts all week. God is the Great Physician, and he can heal me, no matter what.

See what a difference it makes to take your thoughts captive? Our thoughts will naturally run rampant with fear and worry. But if you examine them before they begin spiraling downward, you can gain control and choose peace.

You’ll need to train yourself to take thoughts captive with lots of practice. The above example of intentionally choosing not to worry may need to be repeated dozens of times, each time worry is triggered. Practice makes perfect, especially in your thought life if you are prone to anxiety. The more you replace your worried thoughts with what is true about God and what can be controlled by you, the less fear and fretting you’ll experience.

Why Does It Matter What I Think?

What you think matters very much to God. He made your mind and wants you to think thoughts that lead you toward life and peace, not toward fear and anxiety. He wants you to set your mind on things above (see Colossians 3:2) and choose to believe he is Lord of your life.

You may not realize it, but you are facing a battle every day. Satan would love to have more control over your thought life, and with every temptation you face, he can either gain more ground on your mind’s battlefield or lose it. You have the choice of whether to allow him more room or shove him out.

In Job 1 and 2, we get a behind-the-scenes look at the kind of battle Satan wages against us. He wanted to take everything from Job so that Job would change his mind about who God is. God allowed Satan to test Job, but Job didn’t change his mind about God. Job is a success story of waging spiritual warfare with Satan.

Satan also wants to take from you and destroy your peace. But you can fight back the way Jesus did. When Jesus was tempted by Satan, he used Scripture to counter him each time. He knew that Satan couldn’t win against the ultimate truth of God’s Word. If Jesus, the Son of God, used Scripture to fight temptation, we can do the same in our thought lives.

What you think matters. It matters at least as much, if not more, in the spiritual arena as it does in your daily life. What you think spills out into your feelings and actions. If you can exercise control in your thoughts, where the problems begin, you can prevent sinful feelings and actions from occurring.

This takes commitment to the Lord and dedication to studying his Word. Over time, you will experience victory in spiritual battles if you choose to engage with God’s truth rather than the untruths you are telling yourself in your mind.

How Do I Take Every Thought Captive?

Taking every thought captive is simple, but it isn’t easy. It takes dedication and self-awareness. It requires repentance from sin and faith in God, but it may be the most rewarding gift you ever give yourself.

If you struggle with anxiety in your thought life, you can form a plan for taking every thought captive. First, list out all of your anxiety triggers. This can be a stressful exercise, so reward yourself with a healthy treat or activity afterward. By writing them down, you are naming your fears so they will no longer have a chokehold on you.

Second, look up scriptures that address each of your triggers. Is health your trigger? Isaiah 38:6 may help you. Is the fear of death a problem for you? Psalm 23:4 can be a big help. Whatever your issue is, there is a solution in God’s Word. A Christian counselor can help you find verses to counter anxious thoughts in specific areas.

Third, meditate on the scriptures you’ve chosen. Meditation simply means thoughtfully and deliberately thinking about God’s Word. It can take only a few minutes, several times per day. As you practice Christian meditation, you’ll start experiencing peace instead of anxiety.

Fourth, display your chosen verses to see them throughout the day. Since anxious thoughts roll through your thought life thousands of times per day, it’s important to replace them with God’s truth as often as necessary.

Most of us are visual learners and need reminders to choose the truth. Put your favorite verse in front of you on a 3 x 5 card or a sticky note. Look at it as many times as you need every day to take your thoughts captive.

Finally, replace your negative self-talk with affirmations from God’s Word. You can make your chosen verse into an affirmation. For example, Psalm 23:4 talks about God walking with us through the valley of the shadow of death. You could say to yourself, “Today I choose not to fear this valley. God is right beside me, protecting me and guiding me. He is taking care of me.” Make it into a personal prayer.

Christian Counseling for Anxiety

nxiety is a difficult problem to eradicate from your thought life. Many of us have been thinking along the same lines of anxious thoughts for years. By doing this, you may have formed patterns in your brain where your thoughts naturally flow. But the good news is that you can form new, healthy brain patterns when you take your thoughts captive with God’s Word.

A caring Christian counselor can help you retrain your thoughts. Your counselor will uncover the roots of your anxiety problems and help you identify your triggers that reactivate the problems, even if they occurred years ago. In counseling sessions, you’ll discover methods for using God’s Word to address problem thoughts and ideas for engaging in spiritual warfare.

Interested in using counseling as a tool for overcoming anxiety? At Seattle Christian Counseling, our team has helped thousands of people manage their anxiety and choose peace. We can help you make better choices by coaching you in taking your thoughts captive. Contact us today for more information.

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** By Alexandra Schmidt at Seattle Christian Counselling / Image by Cleveland .com

The Need for Revelation and Power

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In Ephesians 1:17, 18, Paul had prayed that the Christians at Ephesus might receive revelation from the Holy Spirit. At the end of this first half of Ephesians, in chapter 3:16, Paul prays that they might receive power from the Holy Spirit. These are our two greatest needs – revelation and power. The Holy Spirit alone can give us both. The entire Christian life is dependent on the Holy Spirit. First of all, the Spirit gives us revelation on what God has done for us in Christ. Then, He gives us power to walk in a manner worthy of our calling, obeying all that the Lord has taught us.

In Ephesians 3: 18 & 19, we see that we can experience the breadth and length and height and depth of the love of Christ (there are four dimensions there and that itself goes beyond human knowledge!!) – only along with ALL the saints. We can never grasp the love of Christ all by ourselves. We need the other members of Christ’s Body. And further, we need ALL the members of Christ’s Body, not just those in our own little group. That is why our hearts should always be open to ALL believers, even to those who don’t agree with us, and even to those whom we would consider a bit extreme. We may not be able to work with all of them, and we certainly will not be able to meet all of them on this earth. But our hearts should be open to all of God’s children. Our hearts must have room for as many brothers and sisters as God has children – both barbarian and cultured.

That is why we need to be open to read the writings of ALL godly people – and not just to the writings of our favourite authors. Let me warn you, in advance, that in my lifetime, I have found very, very few believers who have such an open heart. But those are the few who are truly spiritually wealthy. The remainder carry on with their poverty-stricken, sectarian attitudes and live and die as Pharisees, missing out on the wealth that could have been theirs if they had been humble enough to accept all whom God had accepted.

Let us meditate carefully on the first three chapters of Ephesians and ask the Holy Spirit to give us revelation on these glorious truths. Once you have got revelation, you will be ready to seek the Spirit for His power to live an overcoming life, full of purity, humility and love. Then we will be able to put away ALL unwholesome words from our speech, and ALL anger and ALL bitterness from our hearts (Eph.4:29, 31).

Then wives will be able to submit to their husbands as the church is to Christ, and husbands will be able to love their wives as Christ loved the church (Eph.5:22, 25). Then we will be able to overcome Satan at all times (Eph.6:11-13). And then we will have the power to “become imitators of God” (Eph.5:1).

God is able to do far more in us and through us than we can ask or think.

To Him alone be all the glory (Eph.3:20, 21).

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** Copyright – Zac Poonen. No changes whatsoever are to be made to the content of the article without written permission from the author at CFC India.com / Photo by Avery Nielsen-Webb at Pexels