God’s Promise: A Perfect Love
by Charlene Friesen
**Think of a situation that is overwhelming you. How does seeing yourself as firmly attached to Christ, being nourished constantly by Him, help you face that situation? http://mag.thelife.com/study/galatiansonlinestudy.html
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They slept in chains, endured floggings, were chased by mobs, suffered ridicule and cursing, were fastened in stocks, berated by the courts and survived shipwrecks. Some were martyred by stoning, beheading or crucifixion.
And what was the response? Prison chains were used to accompany songs of praise, court hearings became times of teaching, floggings did not squelch the hunger to serve Christ and martyrs praised God with their dying breath.
Fear must have threatened to overwhelm, yet these followers of Christ chose to press forward. Preaching and praising, they found joy in unimaginable circumstances. It seems almost inhuman. Perhaps it is, for the supernatural, perfect love of Christ can seep into every human thought and reaction, transforming gut wrenching fear into unexplainable tranquility.
Perfect love casts out fear (I John 4:18) and is made whole when we reflect on God’s abundant promises.
• Promise of His presence: The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world (I John 4:4).
• Promise of His peace: His death and resurrection not only assures victory over sin, but also reassure us of Christ’s undying love and commitment (John 15:13).
• Promise of His prayers: Christ lives to intercede for us (Hebrews 7:25).
• Promises of His protection: While He may not remove us from stressful situations; He will give us His divine protection (John 17:15).
We have nothing to fear! We have a God who offers His presence, peace, prayers and protection. And that’s just for starters. Open your Bible and continue your search for God’s promises. Underline them. Believe them. Experience them.
~Thank you, Lord that Your perfect love casts out fear. What a promise! Help me to live today in that love. Amen.
Permanent devotional link
Questions: What circumstance is making you numb with fear? What Godly promise has soothed your soul?
About the Author: Charlene Friesen
Thank you Charlene for such a wonderful devotional, very timely.
Peoples are facing a lot of trialing difficult circumstances right now. I
believe that because of all the great calamities that are taking place
around the nation even world, peoples are in need of encouragement
and comfort. We as christians have been given a great opportunity to
share Jesus with them. We as christians, point them to the one who
is the source and resource to what they are in need of. I thank God
for his precious promises that he has blessed us with. I can remember
a number of times when faced with a very difficult situation, the very
promises of God brought strenght and comfort to me. I must admitt at
the very beginning, fear tried to come in and take over, I had to act
right then with my faith(speaking the promises of God). We can’t pre-
vent troubles from coming but we can choose how we are to respond
to them when they come. How we respond to any situation when it
happens determines mostly the out come of that situation. A while
back I was experiencing a lot of pain in my body, when I woke up one
morning. I just automatically to myself not out , a healing scripture and
tried to ignore the pain. These words came so clear to me in my spirit,
“If singing to the stop up wells of Jacob, unstop them, surely you can
speak to your body and it will be healed”. These words prompt me to
action, I got up and went into the bedroom, and began to speak to my
body and command it to obey the word God. I told my body that it has
not choice but to obey the word of God in Isaiah 53:5. I spoke to every organ in my body and commanded them to obey the word of God. In a matter of minutes I felted a release and a relief in my body.
Later, I shared this with my intercessory prayer group, giving God all
the glory. I realized that for that particular situation, that it was just
enough for me to quote a scripture silently. I, my body was being
attacked by the enemy and it was needed for me to speak out, with
boldness and authority the word of faith. Those words of faith had to
be spoke out inot the atomsphere and charge and change the negative atomsphere. I praise God for all the promises of God is yea
and amen in him. Once again thanks for today’d devotional which gave
me this opportunity to testify of him(God, the only true and living God).
Sisters in Christ I miss your imput on the devotional blog, please start
back taking part in the dicussions. Sisters you have been a blessing to
those who have been involved in the blog. Love you all in Christ.
Hi Shirley,
You are so right. The world is riddled with crisis, strife and can be fickle. However, God’s Word, His truth and His promises never change and never fail to deliver. A rock in the sea of jello!
Proberbs 3:5,6 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thy own understanding, In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct your paths!
thank you Max for today’s devotional.
I knew all too well the numbness that fear held over me for many many years. those circumstances did not know of God’s love. as a new Christian fear ceases to exist, the Holy Spirit gives me peace and the power! the power has enabled me to face the ultimate(personally speaking)–death. death of 2 very important relationships in my life(both within months of each other). I could not have done this with the fear of the past that held me back, robbed me of so many of God’s promises , of God’s love for me. I continue to press on without the fear. I have conquered so many things in my life that I never thought possible. He has a plan for me and I anticipate everything with serenity, peace and joy.
as for the Godly promise that has soothed my soul? I know that I am not alone anymore and that I do have a Father who loved me then and loves me now. He never abandoned me, He was there all the time. all I had to do was just trust Him. as Psalm 118:5, 6 says “I called on the Lord in distress; The Lord answered me and set me in a broad place. The Lord is on my side I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
my sincerest apoligies to you Charlene. i inadvertantly gave thanks to Max for your wonderful devotional.
I guess I am human after all.