Run? Or trust?

(NLT)Psalm 11:1-7
I trust in the Lord for protection. So why do you say to me, "Fly like a bird to the mountains for safety! [2] The wicked are stringing their bows and fitting their arrows on the bowstrings. They shoot from the shadows at those whose hearts are right. [3] The foundations of law and order have collapsed. What can the righteous do?" [4] But the Lord is in his holy Temple; the Lord still rules from heaven. He watches everyone closely, examining every person on earth. [5] The Lord examines both the righteous and the wicked. He hates those who love violence. [6] He will rain down blazing coals and burning sulfur on the wicked, punishing them with scorching winds. [7] For the righteous Lord loves justice. The virtuous will see his face.

Yes, satan is out to destroy you. It's what he does. He kills, steals and destroys. What will you do? Will you run? Hide? Cower in a corner?

Read the first part of verse 4 again. [4] But the Lord is in his holy Temple; the Lord still rules from heaven.

Today proclaim with the Psalmist, "I choose to trust the one who rules from Heaven."

Love in Christ,
Steve Sherwood Sr

Where?

(NLT)Psalm 42:3
Day and night I have only tears for food, while my enemies continually taunt me, saying, "Where is this God of yours?"

Ever been there. I have been recently. Only I thought I was asking the question, "Where are You, God?" It turns out some demon of hell, my enemy, our enemy was whispering that in my ear and I took it as my own thought. Paul says we have the mind of Christ. I know where my God is. He is on His throne from where He rules all things. He is mighty God and Everlasting Father.

Today, proclaim what you know to be true from His word, ignore the demonic whispers, rebuke them and take such thoughts captive at the door.

Love in Christ,
Steve Sherwood sr

Redeemed

(NLT)Psalm 49:5-9
Why should I fear when trouble comes, when enemies surround me? [6] They trust in their wealth and boast of great riches. [7] Yet they cannot redeem themselves from death by paying a ransom to God. [8] Redemption does not come so easily, for no one can ever pay enough [9] to live forever and never see the grave.

(NLT)Hebrews 9:11-12
So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. [12] With his own blood-not the blood of goats and calves-he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever.

(NLT)Romans 8:18
Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.

Today, whatever comes your way remember you are redeemed. What you suffer now is not worthy to be compared with the glory God will reveal in you on the day of redemption.

Love in Christ,
Steve Sherwood Sr.

Thinking

(NLT)Psalm 48:9
O God, we meditate on your unfailing love as we worship in your Temple.

What have you been thinking about? If you discover that your thoughts have been on negative things try turning the course of your thoughts by dwelling, on purpose, on the love of God. I say, "on purpose" because it is easy to let our thoughts run willy nilly leading us down paths of discouragement and depression. We are to take every thought captive to the obedience of Jesus Christ, who was obedient even to the death on the cross. Oh, that leads us back to the amazing love of God for us. Today, think about that.

Love in Christ,
Steve Sherwood, Sr.

PS no, you didn't receive the Daily Encouragement from me yesterday, and I won't be sending it out Friday this week, because I will be serving at the Kokomo Great Banquet this weekend.

A prayer to know Him.

(NLT)2 Peter 3:17-18
I am warning you ahead of time, dear friends. Be on guard so that you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing. [18] Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen.

Dear Heavenly Father,
Jesus taught us to pray that we would not be lead into temptation and that we would be delivered from evil. Please do that for Your children today. While You do that cause us to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Yes increase our love for You, for others and for ourselves.

Increase our knowledge of Who Jesus really is. There are many ideas floating around that touch on one or another aspect of His character, but without the whole picture we get a weak, watered down faith that has no power for living and no glory for You. So, increase our knowledge of Who He is. Give us a desire to dig into Your word and learn the whole story.

And may You be glorified in us, our lives, our thoughts, words and actions.

In The Name of Jesus Christ,
AMEN!!!

Love in Christ,
Steve Sherwood Sr.

Expectantly

(NLT)1 Peter 1:3
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation,

Do you live expectantly? Do you look for God to do miraculous things? Or is life for you just hum drum, ho hum, another day?

Grasp this, get it deep within your spirit, wake up and smell these roses: By His mercy we have been born again, saved from sin, death, hell and the grave, and of this because God raised Jesus Christ from the grave.

(NLT)Romans 8:32
Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won't he also give us everything else?

The God who did these things is no boring God. He is alive and powerful. He is working around and through His people. Today, live! Live expectantly! Live looking for God to work in your life and through your life.

Love in Christ,
Steve Sherwood Sr

Anchor

(NLT)Hebrews 6:18-20
So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. [19] This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God's inner sanctuary. [20] Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.

Today, let those words encourage you.  God, who cannot lie has promised and He is a trustworthy anchor for your soul. Because of Jesus, you have free access to Your heavenly Father.

Love in Christ,
Steve Sherwood Sr.