DETERMINE TO TRUST

Aloha!

“The decisive (or what I call the second) conversion from mistrust to trust – a conversion that must be renewed daily – is the moment of sovereign deliverance from the warehouse of worry.”  Brennan Manning

The story goes, there was a man who chose one day of the week to do all of his worrying.  All the rest of the week he wouldn’t allow anything to cause him to worry.  When he would feel anxious or concerned about different things, he would write down the worry and put it in a box.  After doing this for a period of time, he realized that when his “Worry” day came around, most things were settled.

Worry doesn’t help any situation you face.  “Rather than put our faith in God, worry asks us to place our faith in the uncertainty and to trust in what might go wrong.”  When we worry, we lose the confidence and assurance that we once had.

 Choose not to worry!  Choose to trust God and live a life of faith. It’s by faith that we cast our cares on the Lord and trust Him completely.  We start conquering worry with PRAYER.  Turn to the Lord and pray giving Him all your worries and trust Him with everything.

Hebrews 11:1 “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Like the man who took one day a week to worry, you can write down your worries and put them in a box or write them in a journal.  Faith, causes you to look to the Lord and see Him bigger than the problems.  Our perspective is, we serve a great and mighty God!

PRAY then PRAISE.  By doing so, you bless the Lord and will soon find that you are encouraged.  God inhabits our praises.  There’s nothing sweeter than the presence of the Lord.  You may feel like you’re in the middle of a storm, but remember that the Lord is with you.  Turn to Him in faith trusting Him implicitly with everything.  You can ask God for His protection, provision, and for His presence.

Choose to live a life of FAITH and not fear.  Say yes to faith and no to fear.  A visual is you open the door to faith and close the door to fear.

Years ago, my husband was on a work trip so I brought our young children to the country.  We had a wonderful farm-house and enjoyed going there.  We arrived late at night so it was very dark.  After entering the house, we heard coyotes howling (sounds like a woman’s scary scream) and fear filled the house.  Everybody wanted to sleep with me.  After telling them, “Everyone’s sleeping in their own bed,” we prayed.  I made up a little tune to 2 Timothy 1:7 “God has not given me the spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.”  We went through the house turning on all the lights and praying that scripture in each room.  By the time we went through the whole house, you could feel the peace of God.  No fear!

When you read the Heroes of faith in Hebrews 11:1-11, you realize they had faith amidst great trials.  They kept their faith in God.  You can too!  Draw close to God today and determine to trust Him.

Psalm 147:11 “The Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.”

Song:  Aaron Shust, “My Hope is in You!”

https://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=A0SO8woTbxNW1F4A8U1XNyoA;_ylc=X1MDMjc2NjY3OQRfcgMyBGZyA2hwLWRkYy1iZARncHJpZAMxa2g0VWF6VVQ1V2dVRUlEM

Mahalo,

Cindy Bice

“TIMES OF REFRESHING” Garden Bible Study in Hawaii

Please contact me via my Facebook for more information:

www.facebook.com/cindy.b.bice

Building A Solid Foundation

Aloha!

“Because we know that God is providing, protecting, and loving us just as we are, we can choose to trust in Him, lean on Him, and have faith that He has everything under control.”

We can allow worry to become so heavy that it will zap our energy and pull us away from what truly matters.  Are you frustrated, angry, agitated, and depressed?  Come to Jesus! Cast all your care on Him.  “As we yoke ourselves to Christ through prayer, studying God’s Word, and gathering with fellow Christians, we begin to learn from Him and find true rest.”

Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

“Only the man who follows the command of Jesus single-mindedly, and unresistingly lets his yoke rest upon him, finds his burden easy, and under its gentle pressure receives the power to persevere in the right way.  The command of Jesus is hard, unutterable hard, for those who try to resist it.  But for those who willingly submit, the yoke is easy, and the burden is light.”  Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Song:  Natalie Grant “Your great name” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gbBrlAVm20

Mahalo,

Cindy Bice

“TIMES OF REFRESHING” Garden Bible Study in Hawaii

Please contact me via my Facebook for more information:

www.facebook.com/cindy.b.bice

GOD IS IN THE DETAILS

by Cindy B. Bice

Aloha!

“You weren’t an accident.  You weren’t mass produced.  You aren’t an assembly-line product.  You were deliberately planned, specifically gifted, and lovingly positioned on the earth by the Master Craftsman.”  Max Lucado

It would be a very dull and boring story if the writer only included a beginning and end.  By painting pictures with words, the writer captures your attention to the detail of the story where you can picture it happening even as you are reading it.

Isaiah 28:10 “For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little”

We aren’t merely born and then die.  We are living the greatest adventure by being a Christian!

An artist begins with a blank canvas.  They don’t sign their name until the painting is completed.  It takes many deliberate brush strokes in creating a masterpiece. God is the Master designer.  He cares about every detail in our lives!  “It’s often in the details of life that we see God’s beautiful work so clearly displayed.”

The trials of everyday life may cause us to grow weary especially when you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel.  “But we can rest assured that even in the midst of the trials and challenges, God is able to work something in and through our lives-including the difficult areas-more beautiful than we ever imagined.”

God wants us to trust Him completely with the details of our lives.

Proverbs 3:5,6 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart;  and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” 

“How far does God seem to go in the details of your life?  Where does He seem to stop?”  Be courageous and trust God with the details!

Psalm 37:23 “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way.”

Song:  Natalie Grant “Breathe On Me, I Need Thee Every Hour” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oe3Xxw91sgE

Mahalo,

Cindy Bice

“TIMES OF REFRESHING” Garden Bible Study in Hawaii

Please contact me via my Facebook for more information:

www.facebook.com/cindy.b.bice

GOD MADE YOU

Aloha!

“Do not be afraid to be different from other people.  The path I have called you to travel is exquisitely right for you.  The more closely you follow My leading, the more fully I can develop your gifts.”  Sarah Young

God, the Creator of the universe, made you.  Psalm 139:14 “I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.”  My desire is for you to see yourself the way God sees you which is complete and whole.

Colossians 2:10 “and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.”

God loved us so much that He sent His only Son to die for us so that we can spend eternity with Him!

Is your self-talk positive or negative?  When positive, we encourage ourselves and are filled with hope as we pray.  When negative, we are filled with worry and begin to feel very insecure.

Gregory L. Jantz, the founder of the Center for Counseling and Health Resources, noted “many of the worries and anxieties that fill our thought life reveal hidden assumptions about ourselves and our relationship with God.”  The four he sees most often:  “I am not worthy, I am not able, I am not enough, and I am alone.”

Look at the Scriptural truths:

Worthy:  Luke 12:24 “God even takes care to provide for birds; we are far more valuable to Him than birds.”

Able:  Philippians 4:13 “We can do all things through Christ, who gives us strength.”

Enough:  Romans 8:37 “We are more than conquerors through Him who loves us.”

Alone:  Matthew 28:20 “Christ is with us always.”

“God’s Word challenges all of our false assumptions and exposes us to the truth that we are wholly His.  We can walk in the confidence and security of knowing God as the ultimate appraiser, the source of our strength and sufficiency, and the One who will never leave us or forsake us.”

Ephesians 3:20 “Now unto Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.”

 SONG:  “Who Am I” Casting Crowns https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBcqria2wmg

Mahalo,

Cindy Bice

“TIMES OF REFRESHING” Garden Bible Study in Hawaii

Please contact me via my Facebook for more information:

www.facebook.com/cindy.b.bice

GOD IS OUR PROVIDER

Aloha!

“Each of us may be sure that if God sends us on stony paths He will provide us with strong shoes, and He will not send us out on any journey for which He does not equip us well.”  Alexander McLaren

Another name for the Lord is, Jehovah-jireh which means the God of provisionand supply, the Lord of plenty. All through the Bible you can see God’s miraculous hand of provision.  So many stories come to mind.  The loaves and the fishes that were multiplied to feed the multitudes;  water was turned into wine at a wedding feast when they had run out of wine; manna for the children of Israel; a ram for sacrifice in place of Isaac; a coin in a fishes mouth for taxes.

“The great challenge for us is that in order to call on a God who provides, we must be in a position of need.”  Don’t worry when in need!  When we trust God, we will see His miraculous provision in our lives.

Matthew 7:7-11 God desires to give good gifts to His children.  Philippians 4:19 God supplies our needs!

During the ’96 Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, we housed YWAM young people in our home.  It was a wonderful blessing to be a part of a small window of opportunity in reaching the world at our door-step!  Truly it was a summer of seeing God’s miraculous hand of provision in our lives and many others!

At different times, we housed: 3 Americans, a Korean family, 27 Young Koreans, and 22 Faroes. My husband came home with over 15 young Koreans and went back to get more because their lodging was closed.  God provided our home for them!

My neighbor brought over blankets and pillows. Random people gave money to help with expenses.  The Atlanta Bread Company gave us huge bags of their wonderful sweet breads and we shared with other hosting families. Every need was met.  We were blessed and are in contact to this day with many who stayed with us.

God is faithful!  Count your blessings!  God provides!

Song:  Jehovah Jireh by Merla Watson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSDByrcWQV8

Mahalo,

Cindy Bice

“TIMES OF REFRESHING” Garden Bible Study in Hawaii

Please contact me via my Facebook for more information:

www.facebook.com/cindy.b.bice

GOD IS OUR PROTECTOR

Aloha!

“We need never shout across the spaces to an absent God.  He is nearer than our own soul, closer than our most secret thoughts.” A. W. Tozer

I went on a snow skiing trip to Red River New Mexico with some of my family when I was 24.  We were all looking forward to a fun snow skiing vacation!  The first day of skiing was so much fun!  After a full day of skiing, we ate a nice dinner and then went to bed.  We were in room #13 on the second floor of a ski lodge.

While we were all asleep, my mom was awakened by a faint cry from outside, “Fire!” Mom said, “Get up!  Put your ski suits on, and get out!”  We woke up quickly to blackness because there was no electricity.  We were scrambling to find our clothes.  We quickly dressed leaving behind jewelry and everything we’d brought except for the clothes we’d put on.

One by one we quickly made our way out of the room only to be met by the oncoming fire that was quickly devouring our lodge.  One family member was slow in coming out because of looking for the car keys.  I was on the walkway outside the door yelling for them to come.  You could literally watch the fire covering the building.  The flames seemed to reach a doorway and then jumped across while engulfing the room.

Right before the flames had reached our room, we all made it safely down the walkway and down the steps.  We were all dazed, and yet thankful for the car keys so we could drive away from the lodge.

There were many injured and some deaths.  The couple in the room next to ours didn’t make it out.  Many lost their vehicles because they didn’t have their keys.  Others tried to jump from their back windows and suffered broken bones.  GOD WAS OUR PROTECTOR!

My mom wrote a beautiful song taken from Psalms 121.

“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.  My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.  He will not suffer thy foot to be moved:  he that keepeth thee will not slumber.  Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.  The Lord is thy keeper:  the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.  The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.  The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil:  he shall preserve thy soul.  The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.”

King David found himself in perilous situations where his safety for himself, his family, and his nation were threatened.  He declared God as his Protector and offered thanks to the Lord and sang a song of praise when God delivered him from his enemies.

Psalms 91:1, 9, 10 “Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most high, thy habitation; there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.”

Psalms 4:8 “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep:  for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.”

Psalms 3:1-3 “Lord, how are they increased that trouble me!  Many are they that rise up against me.  Many there be which say of my soul, there is no help for him in God.  Selah.  But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.”

Song: Psalms 3:1-3 “Thou, O Lord, art a shield for me!” Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y284YvkYrZo

Mahalo,

Cindy Bice

“TIMES OF REFRESHING” Garden Bible Study in Hawaii

Please contact me via my Facebook for more information:

www.facebook.com/cindy.b.bice

GOD IS OUR PEACE

Aloha!

“When too many worries are blaring in ear-splitting volume, peace is drowned out.” Gregory L. Jantz, PhD, founder of the Center for Counseling and Health

Real life is filled with uncertainty and we are sure to face overwhelming situations at some point in our lives.  The important thing to remember is that no matter how tumultuous our lives may be, God is our peace through every storm! When you have the peace of God in your heart and life, you can weather the storms by His grace.  John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

I lived in a little rural town at one time where it seemed like everybody knew each other. It was much like you’d picture Mayberry. One day I was in the church parking lot and noticed an ambulance coming and realized I knew the person they were stopping for across the street. I quickly went to her and started praying for her even though they’d already placed her on a gurney.  The EMT’s stepped back as I prayed and the peace of God was right there as I called on the Lord.  Little did I know she’d had an anxiety attack and God’s peace was just what she needed!  Amazingly the paramedics allowed me to continue praying because she’d calmed down as I prayed for her.

God knows right where we are and cares about every detail in our lives. He is a very present help in the time of trouble.  He is our peace. We can choose to let God’s perfect peace rule and reign in our hearts and lives.  Jesus gives us His peace!  We can accept the peace of God for ourselves. It’s much like receiving a gift.

If we choose to excessively worry, it can wreak havoc on our health.  Rather than allowing that to happen, trust God and allow His peace to fill your whole being.  Storms will come, Jesus spoke to the raging storm, “Peace be still.”  Speak to the storms in your life. Sometimes they will be still, and other times, God will give you peace through them.

Isaiah 43:1-3 “Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee; when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned;  neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.  For I am the Lord thy God.”

“Though worry may try to take over our mind and emotions, we can remember that God’s amazing peace is available to us now, in this moment.”

“It is well with my soul”

Mahalo,

Cindy Bice

“TIMES OF REFRESHING” Garden Bible Study in Hawaii

Please contact me via my Facebook for more information:

www.facebook.com/cindy.b.bice

OVERCOMING WORRY #1, GOD IS IN CONTROL

ELIJAH’S DIVINE VISITATION

Aloha!

“Elijah’s story reminds us that wherever we are and whatever we’re doing, God can draw near.”

Elijah was a prophet who spoke boldly for the Lord.  When Queen Jezebel put a bounty on his head, Elijah ran and tried to hide.  He was worried and afraid of this wicked and powerful Queen.  God wouldn’t let Elijah go!  Elijah had a divine visitation!  When he was hiding in a cave, God sent an angel to bring him bread to eat.  Elijah soon found that God wasn’t in the wind, earthquake, or fire; but in a gentle whisper!  He met God at the cave’s entrance and his worries and stress were alleviated! God drew near to Elijah and spoke to him.   His concerns were heard and met! 1 Kings 18, 19

“Even when we are emotionally, spiritually, and physically overwhelmed by stress and worry, God longs to speak to our souls in a gentle whisper and assure us of His presence and purpose for our lives.”

Newly married, I was thrilled to pieces because we were building our first home!  It was exciting to be able to pick out colors, wall paper, flooring, etc.  After a few weeks of watching it come together, I felt like something was wrong and that we weren’t supposed to buy the house.  Wanting a clear answer, my husband and I sought the Lord fervently in prayer and in searching the scriptures.  As soon as I read Micah 2:10, I knew we had our answer.  “Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest:  because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction.”

Doing the right thing isn’t always easy and isn’t always fun.  It can be very anguishing and even frustrating in choosing the right thing to do especially when you don’t understand why.  We paid a lot to get out of the contract and soon found ourselves back at square one of still desiring to have a home of our own.  After a few months, we discovered that the whole neighborhood where the house was being built had a bad water system.  The houses dropped in prices drastically because it was not safe to live there.  It’s vital to have a personal relationship with the Lord and to seek Him.

Matthew 6:33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Proverbs 3:5, 6 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths.”

“Don’t give up on God because He won’t give up on you!  He’s able!”

*Next week we will begin Book #3 Women of Faith Study Guide Series, “OVERCOMING WORRY.”  Finding Peace in the Midst of Uncertainty by:  Margaret Feinberg

Mahalo,

Cindy Bice

“TIMES OF REFRESHING” Garden Bible Study in Hawaii

Please contact me via my Facebook for more information:

www.facebook.com/cindy.b.bice

RUTH’S AMAZING RESCUE

Aloha!

“The faithful person lives constantly with God.”  Clement of Alexandria

“Though we are faced with seasons of loss, and pain, God has a plan to not only provide for us but also heal us.  We simply need to turn and trust Him.”

Late one night, I remember my Mom calling my brother, sister, and me to tell us that our Dad had just died.  She was long distance at a hospital. After we hung up the phone, we joined hands and prayed for her and then went to our rooms to go to bed because we had school the next day. As I was going down the hall, I felt overwhelmed by waves of grief and felt devastated that I’d never see my Daddy again.

All at the same time, I felt the Lord comfort me as He spoke to my heart, “I am your Heavenly Father and I will never leave or forsake you.”   We’d all recently come to know the Lord in a very real and powerful way.  I was fourteen at the time.  Through the months and years that followed, I’ve missed my Dad greatly and I look forward to seeing him again in heaven.  I’ve also been comforted by the Holy Spirit and have found great peace in trusting God with my whole life.

“The book of Ruth demonstrates the power of God to transform a life from hopelessness and sorrow to hopefulness and joy.  Naomi chose to put her hope in God and found God working through the unexpected love story of Ruth and Boaz to provide for her.  However, the story doesn’t end there.”

Ruth’s husband and his brother died.  She experienced heartbreak and loss and –needed a new beginning.  She went with her mother-in-law back to her far away homeland in search of food.  She left all that was familiar and accepted the one true God as her own Lord and trusted Him.

Ruth had a heart of obedience and went and gathered wheat at the edges of the fields as Naomi had instructed her to do. It was common for widows and orphans to do so at that time.  She worked very hard and was noticed by many.  Her reputation was that of a loving, loyal, and kind person.  Boaz (a wealthy kinsman to Naomi’s husband) also noticed her and soon Ruth found more food in his fields.  Eventually Boaz married Ruth.    Ruth 1-4, Leviticus 19:9-10

Redemption is something we could never do for ourselves!  Boaz redeemed Ruth by giving her a life and a future.  Jesus gave His own life in order to be our redeemer, the One who saves us from our sins.  He too gives us a life of hope and a future.

Song by Honeytree “Lord, give me the heart of Ruth, full of faithfulness and truth.  Teach me to follow you…”

Mahalo,

Cindy Bice

“TIMES OF REFRESHING” Garden Bible Study in Hawaii

Please contact me via my Facebook for more information:

www.facebook.com/cindy.b.bice