Month: April 2015

Before You Walk into Battle

Posted on by hona

“A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil…

In the Face of Unmet Expectations

Posted on by hona

In our lives, we can face situations where we experience unmet expectations. We are hoping for God to give us answers in our finances, our faith, our family, or our careers. Maybe we thought a relationship would move forward and it didn’t or our job would change and it didn’t. Sometimes we can face disappointment when life just doesn’t go as we expected. Then, when things don’t quite turn out like we anticipated, we can have a lot of questions. So, what do we do when we face unmet expectations? Do we stop believing God, or do we press a little closer to see what God is actually doing? …

Confidence in What He Can Do

Posted on by hona

The end of Moses’ life was drawing near, and he had final instructions from the Lord to give to the Israelites in the book of Deuteronomy. In this particular segment, Moses was encouraging the people to follow God and remember His faithfulness. As they were approaching the Promised Land, there would still be battles that the Israelites would face. Moses kept encouraging the people to remember the victories that came when they never thought they would leave Egypt; remember the obstacles that God overcame when they stood before a sea that seemed immovable. Interestingly, God was giving the Israelites these instructions even before they experienced the Promised Land. He didn’t tell them all the specific battles they would face; yet there was a plan for their deliverance and prosperity before it happened. If God had driven out all their enemies before they arrived in the Promised Land, then the land would have become uninhabitable. God not only wanted to give them the land; He wanted to give it to them in such a way that it would be a blessing for them. There would still be battles and fear on the other side of the Jordan River as they walked into God’s promise; yet, God was still with them…

The One We Find in Deep Waters

Posted on by hona

Jesus was teaching the people, and Simon Peter happened to be doing his work in his boat. Upon the request to teach from Simon’s boat, Simon had a front row seat to hear Jesus’ words. After Jesus was done, He had specific instructions for Simon. Simon needed to move his boat from its current location to experience miraculous provision. While it seemed simple, it didn’t make sense. Simon was a fisherman by trade. He knew the best time to fish and the best locations. He had spent all night fishing with no return for his effort. While Simon Peter could have been insulted by this man standing in his boat, he obeyed, because Jesus said it. As the boat moved into deeper water and nets were cast out, something began to stir in the water. It wasn’t the movement from boats surrounding his boat. Fish began filling his nets over and above what they could hold. Friends surrounding him began to be impacted by this miraculous moment as well. While Simon Peter had just thought he was letting this man stand in his boat to preach, Jesus was setting the stage to bless him abundantly. Simon Peter received something far more than fish in a net that day; he came to a new understanding of who Jesus is. When Simon Peter was willing to push away from the comfortable shore, the very thing he needed was provided for him…