“Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col 1:27; KJV). Wow, do you ever stop to think what that means to us as Christians? We have Jesus on the inside of us in the form of the Holy Spirit (John 14:17). All that Christ died for, all he rose for, his victory and power and authority are ours (Matt 28:18).

We find out what is ours in the Bible and he gives us his power (Acts 1:8) to be all he wants us to be and to live the life that God lives (John 10:10). God’s power works in us to bring about change (Phil 2:13; Phil 1:6). In fact, Paul said that he could only boast about that which Christ had done in and through him; everything else was of no significance (Rom 15:18).

If you think about it, all we need to do as Christians is to rest in him (Matt 11 :28), study and believe his word (John 6:29) and cooperate with him as his word and power change us, guide us, direct and use us for his glory.

Knowing this, we should have such a heart to be in his word; to pray, praise and worship him, give him thanks and hang on every word as we are taught by his ministering servants.

It sorrows me to look around our churches and see blank, impassive faces during worship and hear gossip going on as we are taught the word of God. Christians, wake up to who you are in Christ, what we have and what God expects of us.

We are his hands and feet and voice in this earth. His will can only be done through us. Be exhorted today, time is short.

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 "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might may have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33 KJV).

What an encouraging verse this is. The word used there for "tribulation" is the Greek word "thlipsis" which means pressure, opposition, stress, squeezing. We have all experienced it at one time or another, whether it’s from people that make life difficult for us or whether it’s trying circumstances that we find ourselves in.

There are many other related and encouraging scriptures in the Bible. We are told that God comforts and encourages us in every trouble so that we can do the same for others (2 Cor 1:4). It also says that: "our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory" (2 Cor 4:17). God's grace is sufficient for us (2 Cor. 12:9) and “we are more than conquerors through him that loved us"(Rom 8:37). The meaning of the last phrase is "super victorious". Of course, you may not be feeling super victorious right now but don't go by your feelings, go by what the word says. Keep confessing these and similar scriptures, stay patient and trusting the Lord and he WILL bring you through the squeezing to the other side.

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A blog by Norman and Jean Rawlings, authors of the book: “On the Way: Basic Christian Training”. Check out our web site for information on our book and more encouraging Bible based blogs; click here: www.onthewayinlove.com    

As we look around us today we often see people in fear and confusion as they watch TV and listen to the fear mongers in the media. But fear and confusion should have no place in the life of the Christian: “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Tim 1:7; KJV).

God says that perfect love drives fear from our lives (1 John 4:18). Fear is the opposite of faith; faith believes God, fear believes the reports of the devil.

If our lives are driven by selfishness and evil motives then confusion easily results (James 3:16). However, “God is not the author of confusion, but of peace” (1 Cor 14:33). How do we walk in peace? In Isaiah chapter 26 and verse 3 it is written: Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee”.

Let’s commit to walk in love, focus on God’s word and believe it, not the noise in the world around us. Let’s cut through the confusion in our world and be beacons of God’s life, peace and truth. “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32).

True life and freedom are not to be found in rushing after everything the world says is important. God’s greatest desire is to bless us, but his word says: “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things (God’s provisions and blessings) shall be added unto you” (Matt 6:33). We need to put God first and do things God’s way. Wow, I don’t know about you, but I needed to hear that.

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Sometimes it seems like our prayers get no further than the ceiling, we wonder if God hears. What can hinder our prayers? Well, we must pray in faith believing (James 1: 6-8) and we must pray according to his word and will (1 John 5: 14-15). However, the word says we must also ask for the right reasons, not purely selfish ones (James 4:2-3).

We are also told in the word that we need to mix patience with our faith (Heb 6:12). God`s timing is not the same as ours (Ps 90:4). It’s also important in all our asking to have thankful hearts and to praise God (Ps 100:4).

In all our asking we need to be sure that our hearts and lives are right before God. In Matthew 6:33 we are admonished to seek God first before we start asking. In this verse we are also told to to walk in obedience to him, in right standing with him, seeking his face, his heart and not his hand. As we walk in obedience to God all of our needs will be met by our heavenly father.

I suspect that if we focused on Matthew 6:33 we would need to do less asking.

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Psalm 73 and verses 23 through 26 have always been favorites for us. The idea of constant fellowship with God and his holding us by our right hand has to thrill any Christian (V23). But verse 24 gets even better: “thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory” (KJV).

God guides us with his word (Ps 119:105).  In Proverbs 3:5-6 we are told that he will direct our paths if we fully trust him and don’t allow our thought processes to get in the way. In those verses it also says that we need to acknowledge him; to me that mean’s people around us should know whom we serve.

Back in Psalm 73 and verse 25, the Psalmist tells us we need to have a tenacious and single-minded focus on God. In verse 26 he tells us why; because we will always reach the limits of our strength but God is our strength and he never fails! Isn’t it amazing to think that God and his power, dwells in us as Christians in the form of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17; Rom 8:11)?

This all sounds wonderful and it is but to allow God to do all he wants to on our behalf we must cooperate. Cooperation is a matter of spending time with him in his word and prayer. A simple expectation but do we long for these times with him and make them our priority (Joshua 1:8)? We should, the results are awesome!

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