30 scriptures to get your hope soaring again:
Trust HimYou keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock. Isaiah 26:3-4
Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Of course not. Matt. 6:27Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Psalm 37:3-6
Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people, from this time forth and forevermore. Psalm 125:1-2
He shall not be afraid of evil tidings; his heart is firmly fixed, trusting in the Lord. Psalm 112:7
But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in Your hand. Psalm 31:14-15
It is better to trust and take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in man. Psalm 118:8
But my eyes are toward You, O God the Lord; in You do I trust and take refuge; pour not out my life nor leave it destitute and bare. Psalm 141:8
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 15:13Seek Truth
Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always. Psalm 105:4
We do not look at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Cor. 4:18
The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. Psalm 34:17
Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17
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. Phil. 4:6I cast all my cares on You O Lord for You care for me. 1 Peter 5:7
You O Lord shall supply all my need according to Your riches in glory through Christ Jesus. Phil. 4:19
Now to You, O Lord, who is able to do exceedingly and abundantly above all that we can ask or think according to the power that works in us. Eph.3:20
Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. 1 John 5:14
Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. 1 Tim. 6:17
You TriumphFor I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39
But You, O Lord, are a shield about me, My glory, and the One who lifts my head. Psalm 3:3
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. 1 John 5:14-15
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid. Psalm 27:1
Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me? Jeremiah 32:27
Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them. Psalm 22:4Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit says the Lord God Almighty. Zechariah 4:6
For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 1 John 5:4
Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid of them! The Lord your God will go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor forsake you. Deut. 31:6
It’s Finals Week in seminary
And receiving encouraging phone texts from my men’s Bible study is definitely giving me some added energy to finish my projects. With work during Monday evening and Tuesday morning and afternoon, I only have a day to finish two research papers.
I’m glad God is with me as well.
I spent four hours finishing my Book Review of Unveiling Empire: Reading Revelation Then and Now and now I’m nearly done. I think my facial hair has grown immensely during the time. I locked myself at Fuller’s Hubbard Library. The darkness of night is falling on me. I have not eaten.
For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.
Ephesians 6:10-20 (ESV)
The Whole Armor of God
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand inthe evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel,20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.
Source: Flickr / godsfingerprints
A Winding and Troubled Road (feat. John Piper)/A Sweet and Bitter Providence - The Joy Eternal
Yesterday was tough. Really tough. I sat in the passenger seat of the car, and put this track on, totally forgetting what beauty and truth it held. As soon as John Piper said, “But along this hazardous, twisted road that doesn’t let you see very far ahead, that may even make you feel like you’ve been led to the edge of a cliff, God gives us encouragement and hope that all the perplexing turns in our lives are going somewhere good.” I couldn’t keep my composition.
And I burst into tears. Great sobs choked my throat, and disturbed my frame. Through my distress, I managed to somehow get out, “How can I not just cry at that?”
Because the past twelve months have been the hardest time for me in my twenty years of existence. It has been a year filled with sorrow, tears, and disappointment. I have given everything to Jesus. Everything. I quit college because He led me to. I kissed away an internship with Vogue Paris—my sure chance of success in this world. I have sold my most cherished and valuable earthly possessions—my MacBook, video games, half my clothes, everything that was stealing my attention from the Almighty.
And He has taken all this beauty and glamour, and given me rubble and ashes. I am absolutely empty.
Yes. This sure-to-success photographer is now cleaning toilets, cleaning up cat vomit, and doing roughly six loads of laundry a week. This is not how I would have planned my life. And there are times when I feel so low, and so empty, and so exhausted, without any sort of help—whether it be supernatural, or human—and the sovereignty of God is the biggest lie.
I yelled at Him yesterday. Hot tears of anger streamed down my face as I yelled at the God of the Universe. I am ashamed to admit that. But I thought that if anyone was to deal with my anger, it would be Him. I told Him that I wasn’t Paul, and I wasn’t Amy Carmichael, or A.W Tozer, or George Müller. I told Him that I was so weak, and insignificant, and bitter, and filled with so much pride. And sometimes, looking back, my lifetime sanctification seems to be what others make in an hour of any given day.
And then as soon as the anger surfaced, it was quick to disappear. The flesh had won, and I was left guilty in front of Him. I quickly washed my face, and scurried away, not wanting to hear His answer or the promises in His Word.
Yet, He would not let me have the final word. And when this song came on in the car, I wept. I wept in repentance. I wept in bitterness. I wept as I felt my heart wheeze, and break. He is good. And He cannot lie. So when He said that all things would work together for my good as long as I am in Christ Jesus, He did not make that up just as superficial words. He is Light, and in Light, darkness flees, and the truth is vivid.
Two months ago, I prayed that He may teach me to be the man under the stage. For those who are not aware, William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army, used to preach to his congregation until the Spirit moved. And if nothing happened, and the people puzzled why he kept on going and going, he would yell, “PRAY!” And why did he cry such a thing? Because he had a man that was under his preaching stage praying for a heart to be moved, a heart to be changed for the Lord’s glory alone. And I asked the Lord to teach me how to be that man. That man that had no name, but had huge significance in Booth’s ministry.
And this is how He is teaching me.
Though these past twelve months have been nothing but hard work, they have also been some of the most beautiful, blessed months of my life. Last year was the best year of my entire life because of Christ and what He did. He saved me. So even if this is as far as my life gets—cleaning up after others, and washing the feet of those around me. Even if true servanthood is not about being great, or well-known, or applauded by man but in fact, it is to learn true Christlikeness and His humility; even if I stay in this wilderness for a lifetime, let Him be glorified, and let Him be exalted. For He is worthy. He has never lied to me, or been unfair. He has treated me as His own daughter. Even though I cannot see how life is to pan out, or how this is all working out for His and my greater good, or how I am to be filled with joy within this set of circumstances, I know what is truth, and truth does not depend upon experience. To the God Who is more real than the very air, and Who is more faithful than the rising sun, be glorified.
I mean, I’m alive. Isn’t that a gift enough?
I really needed to hear that tonight.
Got a pretty awesome birthday present from my Bible Study bro: a set of Bible pens from Sakura, which come in different colors. Can’t wait to use them to mark up what I’m learning during Bible Study. (Taken with instagram)
