Author: hillturnfs

God made us with an innate need not only to love but also with a need to be secure. Without both love and a feeling of safety in our lives we tend to suffer psychologically.  The only real security in this life is the loving arms of our Heavenly Father. Having God on your side is like having a big brother nobody messes with. It’s like having your own personal bodyguard.

Deuteronomy 33:27 – The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.

Psalm 144:2 – He is my loving God and my fortress….in whom I take refuge.

Isaiah 41:13 – For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, do not fear; I will help you.

Isaiah 43:13 – From eternity to eternity I am God. No one can oppose what I do.

Malachi 3:6 – For I the Lord do not change.

God’s Word contains prophecy to prove God is who He says He is. The other main reason for prophecy is to comfort believers by letting them know what is coming in the future while giving assurance that God will protect His own from harm. Scripture tells us that God is in control of His creation and will do all that He pleases.  If we have made peace with God through faith in his Son, Jesus Christ, then we know we are secure and safe in the loving arms of our Father no matter what happens in the future. Relax and be glad. God is inside you and Satan can’t touch you.  Praise God for His love, mercy and grace!

Psalm 55:22 – Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.

Jeremiah 17:7 – Blessed is the man who trusts in God and who makes God the source of his trust.

Isaiah 26:4 – Trust in the Lord forever for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal.

Isaiah 46:4 – Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

I have a confession to make. Patience is my favorite attribute of God because it’s personal to me. My sister and I were saved and baptized in the First Baptist Church in our hometown when I was 12 years old.  Later I became a backslider for the next 40 years until I was finally restored to fellowship with God.  That entire time a loving God relentlessly pursued me, not willing to let me go. God crossed my path so many time and in so many ways it was obvious even to my dull mind that I was being hunted. Without a doubt God was stalking me, seeking to restore me to fellowship with a loving Father.  It was the story of the prodigal son but on a personal level. God is sometimes referred to as, “the Hound of Heaven,”  and I can personally attest to that. Imagine that, the Creator of all things, loving me enough to chase me for 40years without losing His patience. In my life, God’s patience has made all the difference. The following Scripture is true; you have my testimony:

Hebrews 13:5 – I will never leave you nor forsake you.

The Old Testament prophets knew well the patience of Almighty God. How many times in the Bible did the Israelites provoke God to the point of wrath? More than I can count. But each time God pleaded over and over for their repentance and patiently waited for Israel to stop their sinning ways. God waited patiently for 40 years while the Israelites wandered in the wilderness because of their sin. Only as a last resort did God punish Israel.  This cycle repeats itself throughout history.  God’s patience is inexhaustible.  Even today, over 2,000 years after the rejection and crucifixion of Jesus by the Jews, God is still patiently waiting for His chosen people to return to His bosom. This will finally happen at the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ when the Jewish remnant will finally confess Jesus as Lord and be saved.

2 Peter 3:9 – The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

Nehemiah 9:19 – Yet in Your manifold mercies You did not forsake them in the wilderness. The pillar of the cloud did not depart from them by day, to lead them on the road; nor the pillar of fire by night, to show them light, and the way they should go.

Psalm 86:13 – For great is Your mercy toward me, and You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

Nahum 1:3 – The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked.

I have a rock solid belief that God will always do the right thing. God does what He says He will do every time. One benefit of studying God’s Word is knowing without a doubt you can trust God to keep his promises. We are at peace with God because we know the truth. Every story in the Bible confirms the faithfulness of God.  God is the same every single time. God doesn’t change because He can’t change; because God is holy. Over 500 fulfilled prophecies tell us God is faithful to His Word. We can be confident the rest of the Bible’s over 500 remaining prophecies will be fulfilled in due time.

Micah 3:6 – For I the lord do not change.

Revelation 19:11 – Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.

All the Old Testament prophets reveled in the knowledge that God acts with perfect faithfulness in all He does. God revealed Himself to the prophets so they would know Him. God also promises to give believers the strength to overcome whatever temptations come our way.  God promises to be our refuge, our rock, during our walk with Him in this life. We can count on the faithfulness of God to the end so that our joy in heaven will be great and we will be rewarded for our faith in Him.

Deuteronomy 7:9 – Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments.

1 Thessalonians 5:24 – He who calls you is faithful, who will also do it.

1 Corinthians 10:13 – No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

The intensity of God’s love for us is beyond our comprehension. People are incapable of loving as deeply as God and it’s not even close. God revealed the depth of His love for man to His Old Testament prophets. The prophets understood God’s deep love and they marveled at it.

Isaiah 54:10 – Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet My unfailing love for you will not be shaken.

Exodus 15:13 – You in Your mercy have led forth the people whom You have redeemed.

Zephaniah 3:17 – The Lord your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.

We all crave to be loved. God made us that way. When nobody else loves us we can know for certain the Creator of the universe loves us deeply and we are immensely valuable to Him. If the people thinking of taking their own life only knew how much God loved them there would be no suicides. They would understand they have great worth.  We are somebody to God. We are His children and we are royalty in heaven who will one day judge men and angels. This knowledge should give us a quiet confidence as we go through this life. Our life is the “time of choice” for us to choose to follow either someone who loves us or someone who hates us.  The choice is a “no brainer” for me.  How about you? Rest secure in God’s love and let nothing move you from this truth.  Always remember that God is forever faithful and cannot change, therefore nothing can separate you from the love of God in Christ.

Romans 8:38-39 – For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I’m so excited about our future in heaven! I know God always speaks the truth plainly and without exaggeration. In the Bible the brief descriptions God gives of our future in heaven lets us know the riches He has in store for us are beyond our imagination. I have a vivid imagination so I’m expecting wonderful things!  I must keep calm and be disciplined in my walk with God. There are still souls to be saved and works to do for the kingdom of God. Every once in a while I can’t help but take a little peek into our future and dream of how it will be. It always gives me a thrill. I know how the Apostle Paul felt. We have a rendezvous with Jesus in the air in the near future. I’ve always wanted to fly and I hope to see you there. Please don’t miss it.

1 Corinthians 2:9-10 – Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him. But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit.

Proverbs 23:18 – There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.

Jeremiah 29:11 – The Lord designs all of His plans to prosper us, not harm us, to give us a bright hope and a solid future.

John 3:16 – God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Philippians 3:20-21 – For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to himself.

13. Study Bible prophecy:

Studying Bible prophecy is a subset of studying God’s Word but its importance is often overlooked. All Christians can see God in man, nature and the heavens yet scoffers have a different set of facts. The unbeliever has no adequate explanation for Bible prophecies that have been fulfilled.  God’s Word is 28% prophecy with over 1,000 prophecies, over 500 of which have already been fulfilled and documented.  Prophecy success rate so far is 100% which gives us confidence the remaining prophecies will also be fulfilled in due time.  Prophecy is history written in advance and can only come from God, the Author of history. All other religions of the world have no fulfilled prophecies which shows they are false religions sponsored by Satan to divert man from the truth of God. The wise man should know all the unfulfilled prophecies and prepare for their fulfillment.

2 Peter 1:21 – For prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

14. Witness for Christ:

The entire Bible boils down to the revelation of Jesus Christ coming to earth in the flesh to save a fallen mankind from an eternity in hell by His death on the cross in our place. God in His mercy, grace and love has restored fellowship with us and given us eternal life in heaven in His presence. As disciples of Christ our main duty is to execute the Great Commission that Jesus gave to all believers and that is to witness for Christ to all the nations.  We are to spread the “good news” of the gospel of Christ to everyone.  We are to help save as many lost souls as possible for the kingdom of God. If we don’t do it who will? At the bema judgement seat of Christ the effectiveness of our witness for Him will be the number one thing we will be judged on. If we want to hear Jesus say, “Well done good and faithful servant,”  we had better focus on our witness for Christ. You can only be an effective witness for Christ if you make the conscious decision you will share the message of the gospel of truth and then plan and prepare to do it.

Proverbs 14:25 – A true witness delivers souls.

Proverbs 11:30 – The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.

Daniel 12:3 – And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

Matthew 4:19 – Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.

Mark 1:17 – Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.

10. Read the Bible daily:

God’s Word has supernatural power. There’s no better way to keep Satan at bay than by reading the Bible daily. When the Bible is read the Holy Spirit of God is present and ready to fulfill the promises and commands of Almighty God. Numerous verses in the Bible tell us to stay in God’s Word every day. Daily Bible reading helps us prepare for our sanctification process as God transforms us day by day into the likeness of Jesus.

11. Study God’s Word:

The Bible exhorts us to always study God’s Word for knowledge, understanding and wisdom. The books of Psalms and Proverbs instruct us to study God’s Word so we can resist the attacks of Satan and his demons. Satan knows the Bible and we are defenseless if we don’t have equal knowledge.

Proverbs 23:12 – Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.

Psalm 119:18 – Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.

12. Meditate on God:

The human mind cannot comprehend the magnitude of God. Regardless, we should take the time to meditate on the attributes of God, the Creator of all things. Just looking at the names for God on a regular basis and thinking about them should keep us in fear of the Lord. And by fear I mean we should always look upon God with the awe, reverence and respect He deserves.

Psalm 86:11 – Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.

Proverbs 14:27 – The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life.

Psalm 46:10 – Be still, and know that I am God.

8. Cultivate your love:

The Bible tells us God is love. God tells us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves and that this sums up the law of the prophets. Love describes the essence of God. God made us in His image so we’re also capable of a much greater capacity for love than we now have. It’s up to us to cultivate and grow our capacity to love by meditating on God’s Word and the promises God made to us, His beloved children.  We can stoke our love of God by praying continually to our heavenly Father with thanksgiving and gratitude for all He has done for us. God’s mercy, grace and love has given us eternal life in heaven in the presence of Almighty God and the untold riches He will shower on us, His special creation.

Philippians 4:19 – And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 5:20 – Always give thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9. Be a prayer warrior:

God wants to communicate with us. God speaks to us through his Word and we speak to God through prayer. Jesus died on the cross to restore our fellowship with God which gives us the privilege of accessing the throne of grace where we can talk directly to God continually. The Bible says Gods hears the prayers of His children and He answers those prayers.  God wants to hear about every aspect of our lives and all our worries and concerns. God will never get bored with what we have to say. God is the perfect listener. The more we go to God in prayer the deeper our personal relationship with God.  God is our Creator and also our treasured friend.

Colossians 4:2 – Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

Ephesians 6:18 – And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

Philippians 4:6-7 – Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

6. Be holy:

In the Bible God commands us to be holy because He is holy. Our mission in life is to glorify the God who made us and we do that by obeying the commands of Almighty God. We are primarily to witness for Christ and emulate Jesus in our daily walk with God. Living a holy life before the Lord requires us to seek His face and assistance through continuous prayer, dedicated Bible study and obedience to the commands of God.

2 Corinthians 5:10 – For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

1 Thessalonians 4:3-8 – For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness.

Ephesians 5:3-7 – But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakes with them.

7. Be resolute:

As Christians we can expect to suffer persecution in the name of Christ. In the Bible Jesus warns us of this and commands that we be ready to stand firm for the Lord. Throughout history Christians have suffered and died for their faith and the situation will only get worse as we get closer to the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our great God will be our Rock, our Shield, in these turbulent times so we must have faith and stand firm in the Lord.

Luke 12:11-12 – Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.

Philippians 3:20 – For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philippians 4:1 – Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.

4. Seek fellowship with other believers:

As the body of Christ, God’s plan for the church is for all believers to be equal members gathering together regularly to worship and give praise to God. There is security, support and encouragement when brothers and sisters of the faith meet together in fellowship to share their praise and love for God. It’s much easier for Satan to attack and discourage individuals than it is to attack someone in a group with a support network.  We see this principle play out in nature where the herd instinct of animals causes them to band together against predators to ensure their survival. Christian fellowship can take many forms. The most common form of fellowship for believers is organized churches but there are other effective ways to maintain fellowship such as home Bible study groups or even on-line communication through Christian blogs.

Hebrews 10:25 – Nor forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as in the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 – Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.

5. Be courageous:

As disciples of Christ we are to be warriors for the faith by persisting in the good works God has planned for us to do. God has left us here after our salvation to be a witness to other unsaved souls and to emulate Christ by our actions in order to glorify God. To confront Satan and a fallen world takes courage.  Be of good cheer! On our own we are weak but through Jesus we can do all things. Through prayer God will supply all our needs.  We already know our citizenship is in heaven. We are simply to call on God in prayer and rely on God’s Word as we stand firm against Satan and his demons.  We can continue in our walk with God confident that He works all things to the benefit of those who love Him.

1 Corinthians 15:57-58 – But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Philippians 4:13 – I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

1 Corinthians 9:24-25 – Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.