Trusting in God and Putting Worry in Perspective – Purity 1820
Purity 1820 11/21/2025 Purity 1820 Audio Podcast
Purity 1820 on YouTube:
Good morning,
Today’s photo
Today’s photo of a pair of rugged trees in the foreground of a magnificent creek side waterfall comes to us from Dave Baun Photography , who shared this tranquil scene from Dave’s visit to Dunfield Creek bridge on social media back on October 24, 2024.
Well, It’s Friday, thank God, and when I say that I really mean it! THANK GOD! Today I will be removed from the payroll of the job that I have held for the last 28 years BUT it is also the first day at my new job at UPS and I am so thankful that the Lord had opened my eyes to this opportunity, on the very day I was handed my pink slip from my old employer, and how God sovereignly worked to prayerfully give me a way to meet my financial needs going forward.
I’m not sure what the future holds with this seasonal delivery job, but I know the one who holds the future and whether this opportunity turns into a full time gig, or if I get another job offer from the several other positions I applied for, or if my union somehow gets my job back somewhere in the near or distant future, the Lord has taught me to trust Him.
The Lord has been faithful to help me out my old darkness of my former life and led me into a new life that is good, pure, and holy. Looking back, I can say that all my life God has been faithful to help me and if He was faithful then, I can trust that God will be faithful now. And He has been. Fired last week, Hired this week. I know the Lord will provide! I am excited about this new job and to see where the Lord will lead me in days, months, and weeks ahead until I have a sense of what my “new normal” will look like.
As much as things will change and as much as it depends on me, I will continue to live the way I have for the past fifteen years – by continually seeking the Lord in prayer, Bible Study, and in seeking to share the message of hope that we have in Christ. Trusting in the Lord has delivered me from so much pain and heartache over the years that I know that God will help us in times of need, almost to the point where I can stop worrying.
Speaking of worry, the In Touch with Dr. Charles Stanley devotion from November 9th spoke about what to do with our worries and I am sharing it on the blog to encourage us trust in the Lord and to try to see things from His perspective. Dr. Charles Stanley writes:
“Putting Worry in Perspective
We don’t need to worry—God’s provision and strength are available for every challenge we face.
Worry is a common experience, and in many cases, anxiety is constant and overwhelming. But rather than address the issue, a lot of people have just learned to live with it.
We treat extreme anxiety like a benign emotion when in fact it can do harm, clouding our mind, dividing our focus, and robbing us of peace. Drifting through life exhausted by stress and worry isn’t God’s plan for us. Instead, we should take anxious thoughts captive (2 Corinthians 10:5) and replace them with healthier ones.
The best way to address anxious thoughts is to combat them with something positive. We do this by weaving Scripture into our life. God has something to say about everything that concerns us. Philippians 4:13 assures us we “can do all things through Him who strengthens [us].” If we fear the paycheck won’t cover this month’s expenses, Matthew 6:31-32 reminds us not to be anxious, “for [our] heavenly Father knows that [we] need all these things.”
Jesus said worry adds nothing to our life (Matthew 6:27). In fact, we actually waste time and energy dwelling on concerns instead of affirming our trust in God. When worry creeps up on us, let’s choose to set our mind on Him instead.” – Charles Stanley
Amen. It’s only natural to worry when the “facts” of the situation tell you that you are not going to make it.
When we face a trial that threatens us, we have to let go of anxiety and listen to what God is telling us. It is critical that you understand this and how God could speak to you when times are hard.
Yes, God speaks in His word – so read it every day. His word will be used by the Lord to give you hope and wisdom.
Also, you should pray and ask God for guidance. Listen and you might get an impression you didn’t have before. That’s God speaking to you.
Also, start thinking about your problem. Try to figure out a solution. Think of what you could do to address the situation you are facing. Believe it or not, God is in the middle of this process. As you seek to make things right. God will sovereignly work to move you to the things that will help you to get out of the mess you are in. God will present opportunities you didn’t consider before. He will move time and space to arrange for you to see something you wouldn’t otherwise. He will bring people into your life that will help. He may cause you to give something up. He may cause you to humble yourself and ask for help when you wouldn’t otherwise.
Recognize that God is crafting your reality so everything that happens in your life (the mental processes in your head and the things that happen in the circumstances around you) all hold the potential to be used by God to speak to you and to help you.
Romans 8:28 tells us that God uses all things to work for your good. So, believe it and pay attention to what’s going on in your mind and in your surroundings – because the things you think and see may be God trying to help you.
So, focus on the Lord. Trust that He will help you. Do what you can to turn things around. And expect that God will show you the way, because He will, if you keep seeking Him and His path for your life.
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For those who want more evidence for Christianity than my simple encouragements provide, I offer apologist, Frank Turek’s website, https://crossexamined.org/.
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Today’s Bible verse comes to us from “The Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling” By John G. Kruis.
(While Bible verses on various topics of Counseling can be found with a quick Google search, we encourage you to purchase this resource to support the late author’s work. (The Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling By John G. Kruis on Amazon )
This morning’s meditation verse comes from the section on Persecution.
Acts 5:17–32 (The apostles went on preaching the gospel.)
Acts 5:29 (NASB) But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.”
Today’s verse is the second of three passages of scripture that fall under the fifteenth point of our counseling reference guide resource section on Persecution.
15. If persecutors threaten you, obey God rather than man, as did Peter and John.
Today’s Bible verse tells us quite clearly what we are to do as disciples of Jesus Christ. We are to obey God rather than men.
As I stated earlier, God holds the future and is crafting our reality moment to moment. So, it only makes sense to seek to please God first. The world is a broken place and unfortunately many of the people we know will never accept Jesus as Lord and will ultimately meet their end in the lake of fire with Satan in his demons.
So, should we seek to obey these people, these sons and daughters of perdition, who curse the name of the One who saves us? I think not.
While we are to love our neighbors as ourselves, we are to love God first and foremost, above all others. And the best way to express our love for the Lord is to obey His decrees and instructions for our lives.
Even if we face the pain of persecution, we should reject the commands of men that would seek to compromise our faith. Let’s follow the Apostles example and seek to obey God rather than men.
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As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.com where I always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk.
Today we continue sharing from “Day by Day Along the Way” By Jay E. Adams.
As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage you all to purchase Adams’ books for your own private study and to support the late author’s work. This resource is available online for less than $20 at many sites.
Day 319
It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to lay any additional burden … – Acts 15:28
The “essentials” mentioned in the verse that follows have to do with idolatry. Not only did unsaved pagans sacrifice and eat animal blood, but in their very temples, as a part of their religion, they practiced sexual sin. The essentials of verse 29 were the minimum requirements that were laid upon believing Gentiles. And the apostles sent a letter stating so. Not circumcision, keeping of Sabbath days and feasts, or any other restrictions of this sort were to be imposed upon these brothers—or upon anyone today. There are those who would like to bring certain aspects of the Old Testament law into the new, but the new wine will not fit in the old flasks. Instead of trying to attach new cloth to old, patches must be of new cloth as well. The Old has passed; the new has come and replaced the old.[1]
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[1] Jay E. Adams, Day by Day along the Way (Cordova, TN: Institute for Nouthetic Studies, 2020), 327.
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