Tag: Karol Ladd

Completely Understood

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Have you ever felt misunderstood? Perhaps you have found yourself saying to a close friend, “You just don’t understand what I am going through?” Or maybe someone has made assumptions about your actions or your words or your motives. Could it be that you are experiencing loneliness and that no one else could possibly “get you?”

Feeling misunderstood is a hard place to be, and honestly no one can know exactly what is going on in your heart…except the Lord. I find it very reassuring that the Bible tells us that God is the God who sees. He is the One who searches our hearts. Jesus Himself was misunderstood.

The good news is that God meets us where we are. He sees our pain, He knows our hearts better than we know them. This same God who met Hagar when she was crying in the wilderness, and Elisha when he was depressed in the cave, and Jonah under the plant, and Jeremiah in the pit, and David on the run – this same God meets us where we are at.

He sees. He cares. He understands.

In our darkest hours, we can call to Him. When life seems unfair, we can cry to Him. When no one seems to get us, we can go to Him. God’s invitation is clear, “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”

The deepest need of our heart is to be understood and fully loved, but no human can fulfil that void. To be sure, God brings people into our lives to counsel and encourage, but only God completely understands us and loves us with an unfailing love. He is not far – He is near. May you find hope, comfort and strength in Him today.

He Provides

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 “God himself will provide the lamb

for the burnt offering, my son.”

Genesis 22:8

            It was a tense moment. In the book of Genesis, we read the story of Isaac and Abraham headed up the mountain to present a burnt offering to God, but there was no lamb. God was testing Abraham’s heart to see if he would be willing to offer even his only son. Abraham prophetically stated a truth that would be fulfilled several thousand years later in Christ, as God provided the Lamb who died on our behalf.

            The angel of the Lord stopped Abraham from offering Isaac. The Bible then tells us, Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. God provided a lamb that day on the mountain, and God has provided a lamb for all who will believe. Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

            As we celebrate Easter this month, may our hearts be drawn to the great sacrifice God made for us in sending His only Son to offer His life on our behalf. But the story doesn’t stop at the cross! In three days, He rose from the grave demonstrating victory over sin and death! What joy and victory for those who place their faith in Him! 

Photo by Danny Lines on Unsplash

Close Beside Us

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Even when I walk through the darkest valley,

I will not be afraid,

For you are close beside me.

Psalm 23:4

            You are not alone. Your Shepherd is close beside you. He protects and comforts you in the midst of your darkest valleys. Do not be afraid for you do not walk your path by yourself. It is a great comfort to know that when we face the scariest times in our lives, He is there with us. The Bible doesn’t say that we will never walk through dark times, but it does reassure us that we won’t walk through them alone.

            What great assurance we have in knowing that the Lord our God will not leave us. Do not fear about things that may happen or the possibility of valleys in your life. The “what ifs” need not linger as long as we remember that our good Shepherd will protect and comfort us in the midst. Let us walk in confidence and not fear for the road ahead.

Blessings with a Purpose

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I will make you into a great nation,
   and I will bless you. Genesis 12:2

God not only blesses us, but he blesses us for a purpose.  He blesses us so we will be a blessing.  The word bless means, “to benefit.”  It implies abundantly or greatly. In the Bible we are reminded that God blessed Abraham abundantly by building a great nation through his seed.  He made Abraham’s name great.

God’s blessings are different toward each one of us. Sometimes our blessings may come through the most difficult of trials. The purest gold comes through the most intense heat, and the most beautiful gems are formed through immense pressure. Other blessings may be in the rich joy of family members or friends in our lives.

Everyone can look at unique ways God has blessed their lives. The question is, “Are we focusing on the blessings God has given us or on the frustrations?” Let’s thank God each day for the wonderful ways He blesses us, and then let’s be diligent to use our blessings to bless the world around us.

How does God want to use your gifts and talents to benefit others today?

When Disaster Strikes

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Currently the word “crisis” is becoming an everyday term, as we see devastation both here and abroad. Our hearts go out to the people who were hit hard by Hurricane Ida, as well as the those who are attempting to flee the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. If you are like me, you wonder what you can do to help and bring hope to those facing such daunting challenges.

First and foremost we are called to pray. Paul wrote to the Colossian church, “Be devoted to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” Let us pray without ceasing, asking for God’s comfort, care and strength for those in need. We can thank the Lord He is present in the midst of the storms of life, and He can do far beyond what we can ask or imagine.

Second, we can look for opportunities to help. Being “watchful,” means we search out ways that we can make a positive impact. There are trustworthy organizations which have “boots on the ground” in places of disaster. Two organizations I recommend for hurricane relief are Samaritan’s Purse and Texas Baptist Men Disaster Relief.

As far as helping abroad with the crisis in Afghanistan, there is an organization that is committed  to helping persecuted Christians around the world. They are currently aiding those in Afghanistan. The Nazarene Fund’s mission is, “To liberate the captive, to free the enslaved, and to rescue, rebuild and restore the lives of Christians and other persecuted religious and ethnic minorities wherever and whenever they are in need.” They are currently working to help believers in Afghanistan find safety.

Thirdly, consider one step you can take to help those in crisis, whether it is donating to the needs of a national crisis or taking a meal to a family in personal crisis or joining a relief team to provide hands on help in a crisis. We can’t do everything, but each of us can do something. Take one step forward as you consider ways you can make a difference.

Let’s not sit on the sidelines, rather let’s step into action by praying, searching and taking one step to offer a cup of cold water to someone in need.

Photo by John Middelkoop on Unsplash