Love The Redeemer

The Peace of God for Anxious Hearts

Many of us struggle with anxiety over our future, finances, career, or personal health. Scripture tells us that while there are some things that are within our control, most things in life are outside of our control. So more often than not, we spend time worrying about things that we have no control over.

Scripture tells us that trust in God should fill the gap between reality and what we desire. We should not be anxious about the things we cannot control, but rather we should submit everything to God in prayer. He alone has control over the unknown.

That is why the writer of Psalm 4 says that he will lay down at night in peace, free from anxiety and worry. Even though the writer is surrounded by danger, he places his trust in God. That leads him to sleep peacefully and safely.

Spend some time considering your own heart. Are you anxious or filled with worry? Meditate on God’s power and sovereignty. Ask Him to fill you with His peace and assurance that He is in control of your future. Continually remind yourself of the promises that God has given you in Scripture.

Love ya like Jesus

Audric

THE BIBLE CHANGES YOU

The Bible is the key to getting to know God and who He is, and it’s the instruction manual to everything you face in life!

Anything that you are or have gone through, the answer is in the Bible! God doesn’t want to hide from you, He wants you to know His wisdom and His knowledge. The only way to get it, is by reading the Bible and spending time getting to know Him. When you do that, God begins to change you and work in you. You might not even notice it until one day you realize, you don’t do the same things you used to do, or you don’t talk like you used to.

A life following Jesus will be a life of growth, and constant changing and renewing. The closer we get to God the more we become like Him, and this happens by reading His words.

Think about it in a practical way. Have you ever spent so much time with someone that without knowing it, you took on their mannerisms, traits, and hobbies? Maybe it was a boyfriend or girlfriend, or just a friend. The more time you spent with them, the more you became like them without even trying.

This is exactly what happens when we spend time with Jesus. When we read the Bible, pray, and sing songs of praise to Him, we will naturally become more like Him without even knowing! It is impossible to grow in your relationship with Jesus without spending time in His Word.

Practical Step:

Commit to reading the Bible every morning, even if it’s only a few verses a day.

Love ya like Jesus

Audric

God looks at your future, while the enemy tries to keep you in your past.

God says, “You can, in spite of what has been done!” The enemy says, “You can’t, because of what you have done!”

God will never define you by your past issues, but the enemy will try to confine you by them.

Whether it is the good, bad, or ugly that dominates your life up until now, it is Satan’s goal to keep you chained there.

Never let your yesterday keep you from your tomorrow. Learn from yesterday, but don’t live in it. Your victory comes through learning and then applying what you’ve learned. Becoming who God wants you to be starts with your thoughts.

Always remember that Satan’s number one strategy is to plant unhealthy thoughts in your mind, repeating them over and over until you start to think they are your own thoughts.

When Satan told Eve she would be like God if she ate of the fruit, whose thought was that? That thought came straight from Satan himself. In fact, he’d had the same thought before, as we read in Isaiah 14:14: “I will make myself like the Most High.” It was Satan’s thought, but he planted it in Eve’s mind.

So, be mindful of the devil. Don’t let him have free reign in your mind.

Who are you going to listen to?

🔥 Embracing Wisdom and Gentleness 🔥

"Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves."
-Matthew 10:16 NKJV

🐍 "Wise as a serpent' - Embrace the serpent's wisdom, being sharp-minded and savvy in your decision-making. Stay alert to the schemes around you, making wise choices that lead to success and protection.

🕊️ "Gentle as a dove" - Shift your focus to the gentle dove, embodying compassion, kindness, and a non-threatening demeanor. Spread harmony and goodwill in a world often filled with harshness.

🌟 By embracing both wisdom and gentleness, God can use us for His will & intent. We can unlock a life of abundance, purpose, and divine protection in Christ in a world full of darkness. This revelation needs to touch the depths of our hearts.

📖 Let us remember the grace of wisdom and gentleness within us by the power of the Holy Spirit. By embracing
the wisdom of serpents and the
gentleness of doves, the Holy Spirit can change our lives to be able to advance the kingdom & impact the world.

🔥 Take action today: Cultivate wisdom, practice gentleness, find balance, share your revelation, and reflect on
this verse.

- from: Pastor Richard Lorenzo Jr

The writer of Hebrews tells us to "fix our eyes on Jesus. Consider Him who endured such opposition, so that you will not grow weary or lose heart." (Hebrews 12:2-3)

When I fix my eyes on Jesus, I remember the God who saved me, and I also remember His example.

I look ahead, focusing on the future me - the person who I am becoming, rather than the person I have been. The person that God has dreamed up and is transforming me into.

Be encouraged in knowing that the work God has started in you, He has not finished. Keep your eyes on Him.

Love ya like Jesus!

Audric

Have you noticed how the things you tell yourself before your mistakes simply don't add up or make sense afterwards? Therapists call this warped self-talk "cognitive distortion".

Here are some examples:

➡️ Maximising the impact - "I need this", "Nothing else will help me"

➡️ Minimising the implications - "No-one is getting hurt", "It's not as bad as being physically unfaithful"

➡️ Consumed by shame - "There must be something wrong with me", "I'll never change so there's no point trying"

➡️ Fueled by blame - "If that person gave me more attention then I wouldn't need to do this", "I've had a hard day so this isn't my fault"

Pay attention to what you say, even in your head. These things that we tell ourselves, the corrupt speech patterns that play in our minds and leak from our mouths, reveal the cognitive distortions that so often pre-empt our mistakes.

Someone once said, "Behind every self-defeating act in our lives is a lie we've believed. Either we've lied to ourselves, or we've believed one of Satan's lies."

Does this ring true from your experience?

How can you begin to identify these thoughts and take them captive and submit them to Christ?

Love ya like Jesus

Audric

It's probably more important that we're true to our convictions than whether or not our convictions are correct.

We must not do things simply because others do them, nor force others to do things simply because we are happy about them.
(Dave Tomlinson, “The Post Evangelical”).

During the fiery trails of life, when times get rough, God likes to expose peoples hearts. During those times God will reveal who truly stands by your side. It is in these moments that we must pay close attention to discern those who are genuinely for us. Remember, in Proverbs 17:17, it is written: ‘A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.’

We also must always remember that it’s God who can get us through any storm. Psalm 46:1: ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.’

Always remember to trust in Him through any trail, and those who remain steadfast will be a true testament to their loyalty.

Love ya like Jesus

Who are you trying to impress?

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. – Rom 12:2

What does it mean to be conformed to this world or to this age? We often joke about the present generation’s obsession with social media. Everything that one does is shared online. If something is not “Instagramable", it isn’t worth doing. This isn’t limited to insecure teenagers. Organizations do it too and so do churches and non-profits. Helped someone out? There must be pictures to post so that people can see the good we are doing. Had a special event? There must be pictures to post so that people can see how much fun we had.

How does this compare with Jesus’ instructions to not let the left hand know what the right is doing? He said that being “seen by people” shouldn’t be what drives us, but that we are to do our good works in secret so that God who sees in secret would reward us. God’s knowledge of our actions should be more than enough for us.

Now there isn’t anything wrong with social media, it is just a tool. What matters is the motive we have when sharing. Do we post to share information or connect with people? Or do we post to make an impression, “to be seen by people”? If we have a need to be seen by others, then we are conformed to this world and in need of a transformation.

We are supposed to present ourselves to God as sacrifices (Rom 12:1). This means that we are dead to ourselves and our selfish desires. We shouldn’t need other people to think more of us than we are. A perfect life that makes us happy is no longer defined as one that people envy, but one that is lived according to God’s will and is approved of by God. The only person we need to impress is God, no one else.

Does your life show that God’s approval is all that matters?

Almost in everything where you have to wait on God, the devil will come and tell you that there is a shortcut. That shortcut is meant for you to bring suffering into your life out of impatience and taking matters into your own hands.

It is God's desire to bless you and bring you breakthrough. But He doesn't want you to be desperate for that breakthrough.

He wants you to be desperate for Him. Before God gave Abraham a child, God gave Abraham a promise.

If God gave you a promise, hold on to that promise because that is a sign that the miracle is on the way.

God bless you, in Jesus' name

Audric

No matter what you are going through, God is there. Though you may not understand, trust God is there and will see you through.

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6

Every once in a while, a ewe will give birth to a lamb and reject it. If the lamb is returned to the ewe, the mother may even kick the poor animal away. Once a ewe rejects one of her lambs, she will never change her mind.

These little lambs will hang their heads so low that it looks like something is wrong with its neck. Their spirit is broken. These lambs are called “bummer lambs.”

Unless the shepherd intervenes, that lamb will die, rejected and alone. So, do you know what the shepherd does? He takes that rejected little one into his home, hand-feeds it and keep it warm by the fire. He will wrap it up with blankets and hold it to his chest so the bummer can hear his heartbeat.

Once the lamb is strong enough, the shepherd will place it back in the field with the rest of the flock. But that sheep never forgets how the shepherd cared for him when his mother rejected him.

When the shepherd calls for the flock, guess who runs to him first? That is right, the bummer sheep. He knows his voice intimately. It is not that the bummer lamb is loved more, it just knows intimately the one who loves it.

So many of us are bummer lambs, rejected and broken. But He is the good Shepherd. He cares for our every need and holds us close to His heart so we can hear His heart beat. We may be broken but we are deeply loved by the Shepherd.
From one bummer sheep to another…keep your eyes on Christ!

Audric

Who is influencing your thoughts?

God looks at your future, while the enemy tries to keep you in your past.

God says, “You can, in spite of what has been done!” The enemy says, “You can’t, because of what you have done!” God will never define you by your past issues, but the enemy will try to confine you by them. Whether it is the good, bad, or ugly that dominates your life up until now, it is Satan’s goal to keep you chained there.

Never let your yesterday keep you from your tomorrow. Learn from yesterday, but don’t live in it. Your victory comes through learning and then applying what you’ve learned. Becoming who God wants you to be starts with your thoughts.

Always remember that Satan’s number one strategy is to plant unhealthy thoughts in your mind, repeating them over and over until you start to think they are your own thoughts. When Satan told Eve she would be like God if she ate of the fruit, whose thought was that? That thought came straight from Satan himself. In fact, he’d had the same thought before, as we read in Isaiah 14:14: “I will make myself like the Most High.” It was Satan’s thought, but he planted it in Eve’s mind.

So, be mindful of the devil. Don’t let him have free reign in your mind.

Who are you going to listen to?

Love ya like Jesus

Audric

But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols. So because you have rejected the command of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.”
1 Samuel 15:22‭-‬23 NLT

I was having a conversation with a bro yesterday and today this scripture stood out to me in my readings that confirmed the advice I'd given him.

It also spoke to me as a reminder that God demands our obedience and submission over our works.

Let's remember to reflect on how we are doing things and if we are truly obeying and submitting to the Will of God.

Love ya like Jesus.

Audric

What would you do if you had all the power in the universe? We could all come up with some wild answers to that question, but I bet none of us would say, I would choose to give up my power and die.

But you know what? That's exactly what Jesus chose to do. Philippians 2 says, “Being in very nature, God, he did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage. He humbled himself by becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.”

Jesus didn't use His almighty power to get what He wanted or control people into obedience. Instead, He became human to experience the world just like we have experienced it. And He died to give us a beautiful invitation to know Him as a friend—to be filled with His Spirit and to be free from the sin, death, and the shame of our life before—so that we can live with Him now and forever. Forever in Heaven. Wow. That's His offer for you—His offer today. Will you accept it?

Put your trust in Jesus, the humble king.

Reading Exodus 34-38 we see how the Tabernacle of God was designed and built. The detail that God provides and that went into all the curtains, tents, altars...even how beautiful the poles that carried the tables and the Ark of the Covenant.

The Tabernacle where God resided was a thing of beauty and every part of it had a purpose.

God told me this morning, "How much more beautiful and intricately designed are you my child? How precious did I create you while you were in still in your mother's womb? How much more purposeful are you that I created you with my own hand and breathed my own breath into?"

See God created us and we were special enough that He used His own hands to mold us and His own breath to give us life. The details that He thought out for our existence. A design more precious than the Tabernacle He had Moses create. And just like the Tabernacle, when we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, God's Spirit then dwells in us. But unlike the Tabernacle, we are not stuck in one location where the masses had to come to it to experience a closeness with God. We can move around and in doing so bring the Spirit of God to others. We can speak life into everyone we come in contact with. We can experience the Glory of God in our very lives.

So my encouragement to you today is to read these chapters, and as you read the amazing detail that went into God's design of a tent, remember you hold even more value in the eyes of Yahweh. You are worth it.

Love ya like Jesus

Audric

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:2 NKJV

We tend to be creatures of habit. Unfortunately, the habits we form aren't always the best. The habits most times tend to cater and please our flesh. By the attractiveness of the world around us.

Yet here we are instructed to not conform to this world. Recently in studying for my mortgage loan originator license I learned about rules that conform to the laws established in the mortgage industry. Meaning they line up to the standards. So we are being told in this scripture that we shouldn't line up to this world and what it represents.

To renew our mind we must first replace what's in there that isn't aligned to what God commands. It looks a cup filled with dirty water. You could empty it and start fresh (how easy that would be if we could just empty our minds and start with a blank slate lol), or you can begin to pour fresh, clean water in to the cup. Eventually all the dirty water will overflow out of the cup and what's left will be clean water.... We do the same by reading the Word of God. The more we read the word, the more the unclean things in our minds begin to overflow and empty.

This will eventually lead to us being aligned to the perfect and acceptable will of God for our lives.

Love ya like Jesus!

Audric

Arriving at Gergesenes, Jesus is approached by two men possessed by demons, pleading to be cast out into nearby pigs, fearing Jesus was there to torment them.

When Jesus casts out the demons into the pigs, the pigs run down a steep cliff and into the sea and drown. The care takers run off to the village to proclaim what happened. (Matthew 8:28-34)

What happens next is a testament of where the hearts of the villagers were. They begged Jesus to leave the town. Why? Because in that day, pigs were a form of currency. They represented wealth, money, riches. The villagers instead of rejoicing that two fellow villagers were freed from demon possession instead focused on what they had lost, showing that their fellow man was not as valuable as their possessions.

How often do we find ourselves coveting our own possessions over the needs of others. Have you ever had something stolen or had someone borrow money because they were in need and they never paid it back? How did that make you feel at the time towards the person? How upset were you? Did you stop talking to that person? Maybe it happened more than once so you felt justified in cutting that person off.

Peter asked Jesus how many times he was supposed to forgive someone who sinned against him...and then proceeded to put a limit of 7 times, maybe thinking after that he was justified to then be able to get payback (my thinking here).

Jesus once again raises the bar and says 70 times 7....that if a person continually sins against you but repents and then comes and asks for forgiveness, you must forgive them. Jesus puts the value on the fellow man instead of the material or action that we tend to value more. (Matthew 18: 21-35)

What do you cherish more, your fellow man and his soul or the materials you own?

My encouragement for you today is to forgive those that have wronged you. Pray for them and their situation. Look at your fellow man through the eyes of Jesus and see their value just as God sees them. In this time of Thanksgiving, thank God for the people He has placed in your life and ask that you may be a blessing to them.

Love ya like Jesus!

Audric

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38‭-‬39 ESV

The devil has one job...to make us believe his lies. If we believe his lies then we won't believe God's truth.

From the beginning of creation all the devil has done is make us believe a lie and make us focus on anything but what God was providing for us. To Eve, he made her desire the one thing her and Adam were instructed not to touch, and made her ignore everything that God made available for their every need to be met.

He tries to do the same with us. Look at the trouble you're in now, where's God? Look at how they ridicule you and make fun of you, where's God? Look at how much bigger his house is or how much newer his motorcycle is, God doesn't care about you, God doesn't love you...but those are all lies straight from the pit of hell. I rebuke them in the name of Jesus.

This scripture as well as thousands of others clearly show and tell us of how much God does provide. How when we are faithful and draw close to God we begin to truly see how blessed we are, even when we may not have much in the eyes of the world. The scripture and history tell us how much God loves us...

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."
(John 3:16‭-‬17 NKJV)

That sounds like Love to me. Agape Love.

So when things seem to be screaming at you to focus on the stuff that makes you anxious, depressed, feeling not loved or unworthy...rebuke it and command Satan to get behind you.

My encouragement to you: Dive deeper into His Word and see His promises and begin to identify all the ways God has been there for you and praise Him. God loves you. Jesus loves you. I love you.

Be blessed in Jesus' name.

Audric

For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Galatians 1:10 ESV

A lot of people want to hear that Jesus loves them and died for their sins...the problem starts when you tell them Jesus requires us to now turn from those sins.

The Gospel is not meant to be watered down just to give people what they want to hear. So many people are led astray by a false gospel that is more palatable. Paul is very clear in this scripture that we are not meant to strive for people's approval.

The issue comes from us not believing the level at which God says we are worth. So many turn to others for validation of their worth because they fail to see themselves the way God sees them.

Today I encourage you to remember your worth as God sees it. You were made in God's image. You are beloved, so much that God sent His only Son to die on the cross for you. He knew you while you were still in your mother's womb. You are worthy because God says you are.

Love you like Jesus!

Audric

For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Galatians 1:10 ESV

A lot of people want to hear that Jesus loves them and died for their sins...the problem starts when you tell them Jesus requires us to now turn from those sins.

The Gospel is not meant to be watered down just to give people what they want to hear. So many people are led astray by a false gospel that is more palatable. Paul is very clear in this scripture that we are not meant to strive for people's approval.

The issue comes from us not believing the level at which God says we are worth. So many turn to others for validation of their worth because they fail to see themselves the way God sees them.

Today I encourage you to remember your worth as God sees it. You were made in God's image. You are beloved, so much that God sent His only Son to die on the cross for you. He knew you while you were still in your mother's womb. You are worthy because God says you are.

Love ya like Jesus!

Audric

Are you choosing the flesh or the spirit?

For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
Romans 8:6 ESV

Reading Romans 8 and this verse jumped out at me, specifically the words "life and peace".

Many times I find myself overwhelmed, anxious or plain frustrated in differing situations. This tends to be because I am trying to figure stuff out in my own strength. I'm setting my mind on my flesh.

This scripture is an encouragement to all of us that if we focus on setting our minds on the Spirit, in all situations, then we will have peace.

This past Sunday, our Pastor told us that anxiety comes when we worry about situations that have either 1) not happened or 2) we have no control over. Both being a choice we make that we can easily release and give to God. Removing our minds from the flesh and setting it on the Spirit. Not worrying to death as the saying goes.

So if you find yourself worrying about a situation or stressing out because of things beyond your control, remember to set your mind on the Spirit so that God can give you peace and life!

Love ya like Jesus!

Audric

"and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised."
(2 Corinthians 5:15 ESV)

Humility has been a recurring word for me lately. What does it mean and why do I continue to hear it?

Humility is defined as "a modest or low view of one's own importance; humbleness." I tend to disagree with that definition because I believe I am important. I am a son of the Most High God. But what I really think it means is having a modest view of one's own wants and desires, and instead having a higher view of others' needs, first.

Not thinking of what I can get out of it but rather how can I serve others before serving myself. I tell you honestly that it is a huge work in progress.

I praise God I have Brothers around me who hold me accountable on that. I grew up having to be a survivor. "I need to get it because no one will give it to me" type mentality. It's a mentality that God has instructed me to let go of this past weekend.

One of my Brothers used Proverbs 25:6-7 as an example when we spoke just the other night and after a few days of reflection, it ties in with today's word that I read.

My encouragement to myself and to all who read this is to consider that Christ died for us so we could die to our own selfish desires and wants and instead live for Him. In living for Christ and following His example, we therefore have to desire to put others before ourselves in order to reconcile them back to Christ and ultimately God.

Love ya like Jesus!

Audric

But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head. I cried to the Lord with my voice, And He heard me from His holy hill. Selah
Psalms 3:3‭-‬4 NKJV

No matter what we are going through God will always be there for us. All we have to do is cry out to Him. When we are sad, depressed, or overwhelmed, God will be the one to lift up our heads. To keep us from being downtrodden.

Even though He is God, He cares enough to hear our voices and listen to our cries for help. Depend on the protection of the Lord and rest in confidence knowing He hears you.

~Be blessed in the name of Jesus~

Audric

Today's devotional focused on Isaiah 40:28-31. Then it had me research how eagles fly and come back and read the scripture.

Watching eagles when they learn to fly as fledglings shows how they are apprehensive, scared, and hesitant. Eventually, they leap and soar through the sky.

If you ever watch eagles, they hardly flap their wings. They extend them and glide on air currents. They receive their ability from an outside factor.

This brought this scripture to a clearer picture when Isaiah says "they will soar high like an eagle."

It means when we trust in God, especially when we are feeling tired, defeated, or just plain out of it, God will provide the strength and air under our wings to lift us up. We won't have to work hard for this strength because it all comes from God.

"28Have you never heard?
Have you never understood?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of all the earth.
He never grows weak or weary.
No one can measure the depths of his understanding.

29He gives power to the weak
and strength to the powerless.

30Even youths will become weak and tired,
and young men will fall in exhaustion.

31But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:28-31

Love ya!

Audric

THIS IS DEEP!

Church, Leaders, Pastors, and Friends, pay much attention!

“So, please, for the love of God stop saying things like this when people need ACTUAL help and ACTUAL advice for their problems and issues.

If someone is drowning because of an issue that is plaguing them such that they cannot even think straight, telling them to "just pray about it" is not what they need in this situation.

In fact, the Bible says something similar to this in the book of James,

"Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." (James 2:15-17)

This is equivalent to saying "just pray about it" or "I will just pray for you."

It's important that Scripture actually commands us to not just use our words, but to actually help people and serve them,

"Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth." (1 John 3:18)

The people in the church are hurting and no one even knows, as Leaders and Pastors, it is your duty to help not by just praying but by taking the time and guiding them. ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARE SERVING!! They are always giving but not receiving, they need that one-on-one.

Don't *just* pray about it!
Don't *just* tell them to pray about it.
Don't *just* offer words of exhortation.

Humble yourself and actually SERVE and HELP those who are drowning in sorrows, issues, and problems. Do not judge but offer guidance and discipline.

That's what Jesus did.

Keep Thinking!

Credits: Kyle Barrington