This I know.. that He is for ME

The past couple hours I’ve been dwelling on a few things:

God’s Power

My Delight

Good Gifts

Boldness

It helps that yesterday’s sermon at church was out of this world (no pun intended).  So powerful.  Ian was sharing about the Sadduccees and their many questions to Jesus during His time on Earth.

He made such raw correlations as to how we are similar to the Sadduccees in so many ways.  Were it not for the work of Christ in us, we would be the same.  One specific point that has been on my heart since yesterday’s service is the similarity to the Sadduccees in the way that we doubt Christ’s power.  I used to take lightly this notion of doubting God.  I always figured, ‘hey, He knows I’m human.. I’m not perfect.. all around me is broken.. He will help me believe cause I can’t just seem to do it.’

What a coward. 

I know.

It is sin.

The Lord is not afraid to bless us and open new doors in our lives, but I often live life as though He is, or even worse, that He is not on my side and would rather me live life miserably.  Rather, in all honesty, I’m afraid to ask.  Maybe somewhere deep down inside, I’m afraid of what His answer to me will be.

Is it a regular struggle to believe that the Lord is on my side?  Absolutely.  That He is for me and not against me?  Yup, that too.  Is my unbelief crippling?  What an understatement.

When I choose to believe that God is my kill-joy constantly defeating me and stomping on my dreams, I lose sight of Jesus.  I rebelliously choose the satisfaction of the world to buffer my pain and emotions and I become numb.  The feisty side of Sheryl comes out and the ‘get outta my face’ attitude brings forth layers of callouses — blocking God from getting in to my heart and my affections.  The cycle continues depending on the season and my heart’s struggles.

Rewinding, so yesterday, Ian is sharing about all of these Truths of the Scripture and the nature of God and I am again reminded that I really don’t know my Jesus.  I don’t know God.  There’s so much of Him I choose to disregard as I live life.  My belief has crumbled in so many areas as I found life kicking the stuffing out of me.  My heart is being reminded of that passage in the Psalms where David is encouraging his broken soul, that ‘this I know, my God is for me.‘

In the midst of cancer, ‘this I know my God is for me’.

In the midst of depression, ‘this I know my God is for me’.

In the midst of marital separation, ‘this I know my God is for me’.

In the midst of barrenness, ‘this I know my God is for me’.

In the midst of living paycheck to paycheck, ‘this I know my God is for me’.

In the midst of loneliness, ‘this I know my God is for me’.

In the midst of unanswered questions, defeat, and broken dreams, ‘this I know my God is FOR ME’.

Friends, that right there (points to the above list) is the word of the Lord.  God is on our side.  He has (past tense) won the battle.  Christ is (present tense) our advocate, and will continue to intercede (future tense) for us in our need.  So, don’t be intimidated to come boldly before the Lord asking Him to open a new door in your life, He is not afraid to hear what you have to say.  In fact, He’s simply waiting for you to come.  Just come.

More importantly, don’t second-guess the LOVE God has for YOU (points).  Don’t doubt the power He has.  He creates out of nothing.  He makes actual beings and substances with form out of that which was NOTHING.  I cannot seem to wrap my mind around that.  Let that be enough for you to be reminded that He is not a weakling in the clouds with a defeated mentality, ready to tell you ‘it’s too hard’.

Lies

LIES

Lies

Those are ALL lies from the enemy.  Nothing is too hard for the Lord.  Absolutely nothing.  If He can make a dead heart beat again, literally, and bring breath to lack-of-life, He can meet you at your most desperate need.

ASK.

Ask and you WILL receive.

BELIEVE.

Believe in His power and LOVE for you to bring you GOOD gifts.

In the toughest moments, whisper to yourself what David did for himself, that no matter what happens around you and whoever in your life comes and goes, ‘that this I KNOW (I know that I know that I know) that MY God is for ME.’