How to Get the Help I Need for Today

In Isaiah 43:2-3 it says, “When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up—the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord your God.” (TLB)

When I became a Christian, did I expect life to suddenly be easy?

Well I found out pretty quickly that Christians face all kinds of trials—including relational, financial, physical, and mental. Some people expect life to be heaven on earth. But I need to remember this earth is not heaven!

We pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven—because then it would be done perfectly.

But on earth, God’s will is seldom done. Everything on this planet is broken. The weather, the economy, bodies, and relationships don’t always work right. We can be sure that, because of sin, bad things will happen.

I can be assured of God’s promises to support me in all the trouble I will face on earth.

Today’s verse reminds me, “When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up—the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord your God” (Isaiah 43:2-3 TLB).

So, when I go through deep waters and rivers of difficulty, God doesn’t promise that I won’t get wet; sometimes life hurts. But God does promise that I’m not going to drown. When I go through the fire, it’s going to get hot. But God promises that I’m not going to burn up. I’m going to make it through.

Philippians 4:13 reminds me that, “I can do all things [which He has called me to do] through Him who strengthens and empowers me [to fulfill His purpose—I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace]” (AMP). That doesn’t mean that I can do anything because of who I am. It means I can have confidence in whatever trouble life brings because I face it with the power of Christ in me.

I may not feel very strong right now. But strength will come when I need it. The Bible doesn’t say to ask God for my weekly or monthly bread. It says to pray something like this: “God, give me my daily bread. I need just enough strength for today.”

God will support me in my trouble. He always gives me the strength I need for today.

Going through rivers of difficulty will either cause me to drown or force me to grow stronger. If I go in my own strength, I am more likely to drown. However, If I invite the Lord to go with me, he will protect me

I think God wants me to ask him for enough strength only for today, so that I can learn to rely on him, vs. having a plan all laid out. I worry most about my life balance between my full time occupation, my part time coaching practice, my ministry and family life/time. I can tend to over do it, especially with my full time work. Even though I’m getting better with this, I am filling in other time with my coaching and ministry. God I need your guidance so that I can make a difference in the lives of others including my family. When I reflect back, even in the toughest times, God has always been able to help me realize the peace that comes from him. I need to embrace this more by spending more time in prayer and discussion with him. 

Believe in Others Like Jesus Believes in Me

In 1 Corinthians 13:7 it says, “Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” (NLT)  “If you love someone, you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost. You will always believe in him, always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending him.” (TLB)

Jesus believes in me. There is plenty of proof in his Word, the Bible! Verses such as:

“If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:20 NIV).

“Everything is possible for one who believes” (Mark 9:23 NIV).

“If you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more” (Matthew 21:21 TLB).

Jesus believes I can do all these things because he knows that, when I place my trust in him, his Spirit will live in me. He also wants me to help others believe this about themselves. The apostle Paul offered this encouragement: “I want us to help each other with the faith we have. Your faith will help me, and my faith will help you” (Romans 1:12 NCV).

Each day I will encounter people with low self-esteem. Everybody has insecurities. And many people are repeatedly playing a tape in their mind of when someone said to them long ago that they wouldn’t amount to anything.

How can people reverse a curse others have tried to place on them? I can help be the catalyst that can help them start believing what Jesus says about them, instead of believing what other people say.

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 13:7, “Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” (NLT) The living Bible version says, “If you love someone, you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost. You will always believe in him, always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending him” (TLB).

This is what God wants me to do. He wants me to show faith in others so they can believe what God says about them.

One of the best ways I do this in the church is by being part of a small group. When I have a really tough week and I’m doubting and down and discouraged, I need a group of trusted people who will believe in and are for me. And I can do the same for them. Followers of Jesus don’t just believe in Christ. We also believe in each other.

My faith can help grow the faith of others as I believe in them like Jesus believes in me.

God's kind of love is directed toward others, not inward toward myself. It is utterly unselfish. This kind of love goes against my natural inclination. It is impossible to have this love unless God help me set aside my own desires to that I can love and not expect anything in return. The more I become like Christ, the more love I will show others.

For a long time I had insecurities that have kept me from believing in myself like Jesus believes in me. By spending time in God’s Word and through relationships in small groups I was able to see and realize how God sees me.

In summary, tell it like it could be. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always helpful, and endures through every circumstance.  Love always looks for the best. When I have high expectations of someone, I don't tell them like it is, rather I tell them like it could be. I believe in what God wants to do in and through that person, and I affirm God's purpose for them. Because I expect them to be better, they will rise to the challenge. I will shape those around me by my expectations of them. When I expect the best, I'm reflecting the lasting love of Jesus. 

Asking God for Help With Finances

In Philippians 4:19 it says, “You can be sure that God will take care of everything you need, his generosity exceeding even yours in the glory that pours from Jesus.” (MSG)

Philippians 4:19 is an amazing and all-encompassing promise regarding God’s provision: “You can be sure that God will take care of everything you need, his generosity exceeding even yours in the glory that pours from Jesus” (MSG).

Note these two words: “God will.” It doesn’t say, “God might” meet my needs. It says, “God will” meet my needs. It’s written as a fact. God is staking his character and his reputation on it.

The verse continues, “God will take care of everything.” It doesn’t say, “God will take care of some needs.” It says he’s got them all covered.

Now, it doesn’t say, “God will meet all your greed.” There’s a big difference between needs and wants.

As a parent, I didn’t always give our daughter everything she wanted? I didn’t do that because I loved her—and my heavenly Father loves me. He’s not going to give me everything I want because if he did, I’d be spoiled to death—and he knows that some of the things I want wouldn’t be good for me.

He won’t give me everything I want, but he will give me everything I need.

The question might be, “Then why do I still have financial needs?” Did God fail? Did he lie? Did he exaggerate? 

No! With every promise, there is a premise; there are conditions and requirements. When God makes a promise, his expectation is often, “I’ll do my part, and you do your part.” God’s financial principles are clearly laid out for us in his Word. The Bible discusses many aspects of financial health, including principles of saving, spending, giving, investing, and stewardship. God has given me everything I need for financial stability.

I just need to ask for his help as I follow his principles. Jesus says, “Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy” (John 16:24 NLT).

Many people depend more on their credit card than on Jesus Christ. Here’s a good rule: Before you pay for it, pray for it. Give God a chance to provide before I go out and charge it. Ask him for wisdom to make a good financial decision. 

Why does God want me to ask? So he can give. Why does he want to give? So I can receive it.

Why does he want you to receive it? So I’ll be full of joy.

There is great joy in obeying God’s Word regarding your finances. God will take care of me. I Just need to ask him!

In summary, I can trust that God will always meet my needs. Whatever I need on earth he will always supply. I must remember the difference between my wants and my needs. While I want to feel good and avoid discomfort and pain, I may not always get what I want. By trusting in Christ, my attitude and appetite can change from wanting everything to accepting his provision and power to live for him. 

To Achieve My Dream, Give It Up

In Philippians 4:12-13 I read, “I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength." (NLT)

I’ll never achieve my dream until I learn to give it up. It sounds counterintuitive, but it’s true! When it comes to my dream, surrendering it to Jesus is always the safest decision I’ll ever make.

What I’m learning is that God typically takes my dream through six different stages.

Stage 1: God gives me a dream.

Stage 2: I decide to go after the dream.

Stage 3: My dream is delayed.

Stage 4: My dream encounters difficulties.

Stage 5: My dream hits a dead end.

Stage 6: God delivers my dream.

During each of these stages, I continue to work on my dream. And at the same time, God is working on me.

More than anything else, God wants me to trust him. The apostle Paul says it like this: “I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:12-13 NLT).

The Bible says emphatically that I can do anything, as long as I do it with God’s help or, as Paul says, “through Christ, who gives me strength.” I’ll need much more than positive thinking as I pursue my God-given dreams. I’ll need the power of God.

Many people have read one motivational book after another and still haven’t made progress toward their dreams. That’s because we don’t need stronger motivation. We need God’s supernatural help.

If I’ve been trying to make my dreams set sail on my own power and getting nowhere, I’m the one powering it, the wind is dead.

So I need to surrender my dreams to God and let him give them the power to set sail.

In summary, I’ll never achieve my dream until I learn to give it up. When it comes to my dream, surrendering it to Jesus is always the safest decision. God typically takes my dream through six different stages. 1). God gives me a dream. 2). I then decide to go after the dream. 3). My dream is delayed. 4). My dream encounters difficulties. 5). My dream hits a dead end. 6). God delivers my dream. During each of these stages, I continue to work on my dream. And at the same time, God is working on me. God wants me to trust him. “The secret of living in every situation, with plenty or little, Is that I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength”. I can do anything, as long as I do it with God’s help. I’ll need much more than positive thinking. I’ll need the power of God. I also don’t need stronger motivation. What I need is God’s supernatural help. If I’ve been trying to make my dreams set sail on my own power and getting nowhere, I’m the one powering it, the wind is dead. I need to surrender my dreams to God and let him give them the power to set sail.

Paul was content because he could see life from God's point of view. He focused on what he was supposed to do, not what he felt he should have. Paul had his priorities straight, and he was grateful for everything God had given him. Often the desire for more or better possessions is really a longing to fill an empty place in a person's life. True contentment will lie in my perspective, priorities and source of power. The power I receive in union with Christ is sufficient to do his will and to face the challenges that arise from my commitment to doing it.