In April of 2013, a devastating storm hit the East Coast of the United States, bringing huge trees crashing to the ground. Mighty oaks that had stood for generations lay stilled, their limbs splintered and broken.
We feel like that sometimes. The devil comes at us, and our faith is battered. We find ourselves on our knees, with God’s promises twisted and scattered all around us.
Yet, when we place our trust in God, hope is not lost. Those oak trees might have been cast aside by the storm, but that only opened the ground below to the sun. Before long, new life will burst from seeds sown by the oaks.
All it takes is that one small seed of faith, and God can make his promises to us FRESH once again. We will rise again to the great heights he wishes us to reach.
Let’s look at our FRESH God:
F – He gives us a FRESH start.
In Acts 3:19, we read that if we repent and turn to God, he will soften his heart toward us. A time of REFRESHING will be ours, for the Lord above wishes to cleanse us from our sins.
When we are brought low and certain our sins cannot be washed clean, the flooding of God’s grace will cleanse us until we are as pure as spring water.
R – He holds his RIGHT HAND out to reassure us.
In Revelation 1:17, John saw the Lord, and he fell to his feet as if dead. However, the Lord laid his RIGHT HAND on John to reassure him, telling him not to be afraid.
The world may batter us, and we may feel deserted by those we have come to trust. However, God never deserts us, for his hand is always upon on us whatever comes our way.
E – He is our ETERNAL refuge.
Deuteronomy 33:27 describes God as ETERNAL, a refuge that is everlasting. He will cast our enemies as far as the east is from the west, and they will be destroyed unto the ends of the earth.
When we come to accept God as our redeemer, there is no end to his protection, for there is no end to our God.
S – He casts his SHADOW of safekeeping over us.
Psalm 17:8 speaks of the mighty reach of God’s power, for wherever we go or whatever we do, we always abide beneath the SHADOW of his wings.
When the evil one comes our way, we need not fear. God encamps around us, and we are never far from his outstretched arms.
H – He is the Lord God of HOSTS.
2 Samuel 5:10 reveals God’s plan for those who walk with him. In this passage, we read that David became more and more powerful, and it was all because the Lord God of HOSTS was at his side.
When we feel that the only ones fighting the battle are us and God, we must remember that God has all the spiritual armies of heaven at his command, and there is no enemy on this earth that can come against them.
When the storms of life knock us to the ground, God will raise us up again, and we will flourish in him.
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