Tag: faith

Claiming God’s Promises

“So the LORD gave to Israel all the land He had sworn to give their ancestors, and they took possession of it and settled there.

And the LORD gave them rest on every side, just as He had solemnly promised their ancestors. None of their enemies could stand against them, for the LORD helped them conquer all their enemies.

Not a single one of all the good promises the LORD had given to the family of Israel was left unfulfilled; everything He had spoken came true.”

~ Joshua 21:43-45

The Israelites “took possession” of the land that the LORD had sworn to give their ancestors. The land already belonged to them, but they were required to move forward in faith to accept what God had given them.

Have I “taken possession” of all of the promises that God has given me through His Word? All of the opportunities to serve Him through the ways He’s gifted me? And all of the areas of stewardship (relationships, time, resources, etc.) that God has blessed me with?

Or am I holding back because I’m scared, doubtful, lazy, etc.?

Joshua and Caleb were the only two Israelite spies from their generation who were later permitted to go into the Promised Land. They believed God’s Word, obeyed Him, and took possession of His promise! Alternately, the other ten Israelite spies did not move forward in faith, and therefore were not permitted to enter the Promised Land.

I must believe God’s promises and take possession of them! Not one of His good promises has ever failed, and they never will. 🙌🏻🌻

©️ 2023 by Crystal Ann

More Precious than Gold

But [God] knows the way that I take (the way with me); when He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

Job 23:10

I thought of this verse before going to bed last night, and I looked it up. Then I was prompted to look at the context of the verse. I’m glad that I did!

At the end of Job Chapter 22 Job’s friend Eliphaz exhorts Job to delight in God as his gold and precious silver. The allusion to these precious metals sets the stage for Job 23:10, where Job states that he will “come forth as gold” after being tried by God.

Eliphaz (in Job 22:24-26) exhorts Job to “place your gold in the dust” – to find his fulfillment in God alone, above precious gold and silver! The neat thing is that the Hebrew for “the Almighty” in Job 22:25-26 means “Shaddai”; Job was exhorted to find his everything in God, to rely on God to be his portion, far above gold and silver.

I recently studied about the Hebrew meaning of “El Shaddai”, a name of God found in Scripture. In this passage of Job the author brings together El Shaddai (our Almighty Provider and Sustainer) with our need as Christians to rely on Him completely as He uses trials in our lives to refine us. We need God in EVERY situation!

At this realization I knew that God saw me in that moment, right where I was, amidst my struggle to keep Him as my everthing.

He is so good!

Father,

Be my portion, my all in all. Help me to lay aside all treasures from this world and to make You my gold and silver. Also, use the trials in my life to refine me and to present me as pure gold – precious in Your sight.

I love You, Abba!

Crystal (from a journal entry on 3/10/22)

Everything I Need

God spoke to me today.

Not through an audible voice, but through His Spirit’s meeting me right where I was. He saw my struggle, He heard my cry for help, and He answered me.

Recently I’ve been engaged in a daily battle – a battle to look to God for all that I need. Instead of running into His arms, I have been settling for lesser things, things that bring only fleeting pleasure and ultimately leave me empty.

But God spoke to me today while I was sitting in my car, enjoying a few moments of peace while sipping my coffee and nibbling on a pastry.

He directed me to read a devotional that I had come across recently, studying the names of God in the Bible. The first name of God listed was “El Shaddai”. This name of God is translated from the Hebrew text as “Almighty God”, with undertones of God’s providing His children with all the nourishment they need for life, as a mother’s milk provides life-sustaining nourishment to her child.

Our God is a God of almighty power and strength. He is the only One who has complete control over all of creation, and He promises to give His children the strength that they need to accomplish His purposes for their lives. And our Almighty God cares about us so deeply that He desires us to come to Him for all of our needs, just as a child relies solely on its mother.

What does this mean for me? In El Shaddai, I have the power to accomplish all that He has called me to do. Not only do I have His almighty power, but also His daily sustenance and provision to meet every single one of my needs as I serve Him.

How can I look for contentment in any other place than in His loving embrace?

My Almighty Father, my El Shaddai, thank You for teaching me more about Your character. Help me to look to You alone for the power and provision that I need to accomplish Your will for me.

“The LORD is my Shepherd; I have everything I need.”

Psalm 23:1

*I actually wrote this earlier in the week, but I have not been able to post it until now.

*Photo taken by me 🙂