“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)

When trouble strikes, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and unsure where to turn. But this powerful verse reminds us that God is always our secure refuge, our inner strength, and our constant source of help—right when we need it most.

He is our Refuge

A refuge is a place of safety and shelter from danger. In the same way that a solid garage shields valuable parts from the storm outside, God protects His people from the harsh winds of life. When you run to Him, you are safe.

He is our Strength

Strength is the ability to keep going when you’d rather give up. When your own power runs low, God’s strength takes over. He provides endurance, courage, and confidence to face any challenge head-on.

He is our Ever-Present Help

God doesn’t just help occasionally—He is ever-present. That means He’s never off duty, never too busy, and never far away. He is right there, lending a helping hand in every moment of trouble.

Therefore

When you face difficulty, don’t run from it—run to Him. He is your refuge, your strength, and your help today and every day.

“The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.” (Psalm 46:7)

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thess. 5:18)

A farmer once faced a terrible drought. His crops were withering, and his neighbors had given up hope. Yet every morning, he still thanked God for the sunrise, the soil, and the promise of rain. When others complained, he remained grateful. Eventually, the rains came—and his faith had not only preserved his fields but also strengthened his heart. Gratitude didn’t change his circumstances right away, but it changed him.

Be thankful in every situation.

The Bible doesn’t tell us to be thankful for every circumstance, but in every circumstance. Gratitude turns trials into testimonies and problems into opportunities for God’s power to shine.

A thankful heart sees God’s hand at work

When you choose gratitude, you shift your focus from what’s missing to what’s present. You begin to see that God’s grace has been there all along—guiding, providing, and sustaining you.

Thankfulness invites God’s presence

Worship and gratitude go hand in hand. When you give thanks, you open your heart for God’s peace, strength, and direction to fill you.

Therefore

No matter what season you’re in—whether everything is going right or everything feels wrong—choose to give thanks. Gratitude keeps your faith strong and your heart open to God’s blessings.

“Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever.” (Psalm 107:1)

“For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance.” (Matt. 13:12)

A farmer once said, “When I give God a shovel, He gives me one back—but His shovel is a lot bigger than mine!” That’s a perfect picture of how God works. You can never outgive or out-bless Him. When you sow in faith and honor Him first, He multiplies your efforts and supplies far more than you could ever produce on your own.

We serve a God who supplies more than enough! In fact, another verse says He gives “a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over.” (Luke 6:38)

God gives you the power to get wealth!

“And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth.” (Deut. 8:18)

Notice that it doesn’t say God drops wealth out of the sky. He gives you power—the ability, ideas, energy, and opportunities—to produce it.

You must remember the Lord your God

Include God and put Him first in every part of the process (Matthew 6:33). Ask Him for wisdom and direction in what you do (Matthew 7:7). He will give you productive ideas, talents, skills, and opportunities to help you succeed. Your part is to recognize them, develop them, and put them to work!

Keep in mind that even though God promises to supply all your needs (Philippians 4:19), His provision often comes disguised as work!

Work hard with a good attitude, as though you are working for the Lord.

After all, everything you need ultimately comes from Him!

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” (Col. 3:23–24)

Therefore

When you put God first, work diligently, and trust His promises, you’ll find that His supply always exceeds your need. He is the God of more than enough!

“If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chron. 7:14)

It’s Not About Secular Leadership!

This verse says it very clearly. It begins with “If My people.” It does not say, “If the president of the USA,” or “If the kings or queens of the world,” or even “If the combined world leadership.”

No! It says, “If My people, who are called by My name,” will do certain things—then God will do certain things.

What God’s People Must Do:

• Humble themselves

• Pray

• Seek His face

• Turn from their wicked ways

How God Promises to Respond:

• He will hear from Heaven

• He will forgive their sin

• He will heal their land

Therefore

The real answer to the wickedness, confusion, and unrest in our land is not political—it’s spiritual! It begins with God’s people, not the government. When we humble ourselves, pray, and turn from sin, then God promises to hear, forgive, and heal. It’s time for God’s people to wake up and respond according to His Word!

“The LORD is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous.” Prov. 15:29)

“Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” (Lam. 3:22–23)

Early one morning, a man stood on his porch watching the sunrise after a difficult night. The sky was painted with brilliant colors, and in that quiet moment he sensed God’s presence whisper to his heart, “It’s a new day—with new mercy.” Yesterday’s troubles no longer defined him; God was giving him a fresh start. That’s exactly what this verse reminds us of—each new morning brings a renewed opportunity to experience God’s unfailing compassion and faithfulness.

Because of God’s great love…

• We are not consumed!
  Consumed means to be done away with, destroyed, or burned up. God’s love keeps us from being overcome by life’s difficulties.

• His compassions never fail!
  Compassion means sympathy, empathy, care, concern, love, tenderness, mercy, leniency, tolerance, and kindness. God’s mercy toward you never runs out or wears thin.

• They are new every morning!
  New means made fresh—as if for the very first time. Each day brings a brand-new beginning filled with God’s grace.

• God demonstrates great faithfulness!
  Faithfulness means being true, devoted, steadfast, constant, loyal, dependable, and committed. God never changes—He remains faithful through every season of your life.

Therefore

Start each new day with confidence in God’s love and mercy. No matter what yesterday held, today is filled with fresh compassion, renewed hope, and steadfast faithfulness from your Heavenly Father.

“This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24)

”Abstain from all appearance of evil.” (1 Thess. 5:22 KJV)

While speaking with one of my grandchildren, who was excited about Halloween, I told him that Grandma and I don’t celebrate it, and we try to avoid it as much as possible. He looked surprised and asked me why. I explained that Halloween is another example of how Satan has taken something that once belonged to Christians and twisted it into something dark—just as he’s done with other holy days (that’s what the word holiday means).

Take Easter, for example

Instead of celebrating the resurrection of Jesus, the focus has shifted to the Easter bunny and baskets of candy. And at Christmas, instead of honoring the birth of our Savior, much of the world centers on Santa Claus and gifts. Sadly, most people don’t realize that Halloween actually began as a Christian observance called All Hallows Eve—the evening before All Saints’ Day—a time for believers to remember and honor saints and martyrs who had gone to be with the Lord.

But over time, that day has been turned into a celebration of horror, fear, and death. Today, Halloween is associated with witches, ghosts, skeletons, and all kinds of dark imagery. Even the jack-o-lantern has its roots in an old Irish legend about “Stingy Jack,” a drunkard who tricked the devil and was doomed to wander the earth without hope. Now, people celebrate with costumes, frightening decorations, and the familiar words, “Trick or treat”—a phrase that literally means give me something, or I’ll do something bad to you. Like Christmas and Easter, it has also become commercialized, profitable, and widely accepted.

What do we do?

Personally, we choose not to participate in Halloween. We don’t decorate for it or take part in its activities. Instead, we enjoy the beauty of fall colors and neutral seasonal decorations. We focus on gratitude, family, and the upcoming Thanksgiving season. And most importantly, we remember that many people simply don’t know the spiritual roots of Halloween—they’re just having fun. That gives us an opportunity to respond with love and understanding, not judgment.

What the Bible says

The Bible clearly instructs us to “abstain from all appearance of evil.” That’s not always easy, especially when reminders of it are everywhere—from store aisles to neighborhood yards. Yet we can still make choices that honor God. Like the Apostle Paul, who used the presence of idols in Athens as an opportunity to share the Gospel (Acts 17), we can use even dark times or worldly traditions to point others toward Christ, the true light.

Therefore

“Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.” (1 Cor. 13:6)

“We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.” (1 John 5:19)

“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” (Isa. 5:20)

The promise

“He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, who despises the gain of oppressions, who shakes his hands lest they hold a bribe, who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed and shuts his eyes from looking on evil—he will dwell on the heights; his place of defense will be the fortresses of rocks; his bread will be given him; his water will be sure. Your eyes will behold the King in His beauty; they will see a land that stretches afar.” (Isa. 33:15–17 ESV)

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

Life often feels like driving at night with your headlights on. You can only see a short distance ahead, but that light is enough to keep moving safely forward. In the same way, God rarely shows us the entire road at once—just the next few steps. But when we trust Him with each step, He faithfully leads us exactly where we need to go.

God delights in guiding you.

When your heart is surrendered to Him, He doesn’t leave you guessing. He arranges your circumstances, opens the right doors, and gives you peace to confirm the right direction. Even when you can’t see the full picture, you can trust that His plan is unfolding perfectly.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105)

Step-by-step obedience brings blessing.

Sometimes we want God to reveal the entire plan before we move, but He often says, “Just take the next step.” Each small step of obedience builds faith, and before long, you’ll look back and see how He guided you every mile.

Therefore

Don’t wait until everything makes sense. Move forward in faith, trusting God to light your way one step at a time. He knows the road ahead—and He’ll never steer you wrong.

“In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:6 NKJV)

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” (James 1:5 NKJV)

Have you ever faced a situation where you just didn’t know what to do next? Maybe it was a financial decision, a relationship issue, or an unexpected problem at work. You tried to think it through, but the more you analyzed it, the more confusing it became. Then, after taking a moment to pray and ask God for direction, the right answer seemed to come with peace and clarity. That’s not coincidence—that’s wisdom from above.

God’s wisdom is available to you.

No matter how uncertain or complicated your situation may be, God promises to give wisdom generously to anyone who asks. He never rebukes or turns away those who seek His guidance with a humble heart.

“For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.” (Proverbs 2:6)

Wisdom protects and prospers

When you follow God’s wisdom, it not only shows you what to do—it keeps you from making costly mistakes. His wisdom leads you down paths that are safe, fruitful, and filled with His favor.

Therefore

Before making any decision—big or small—pause and ask God for His wisdom. He knows what’s best for you, and He delights in guiding those who trust Him.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5)

“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.” (Proverbs 16:3)

Here is an interesting promise!

This verse begins with a command: “Commit to the Lord whatever you do.” Then comes the promise: “and He will establish your plans.” What a powerful reminder that success begins by placing every goal, project, and decision under God’s direction.

It’s a great success principle to apply to everything you do.

Include God first—and invite Him to guide every step of your plans. When you do, He not only blesses your work but also establishes it, giving it strength and lasting purpose.

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)

Therefore

Before you make a move, make sure you’ve committed it to God. When He’s at the center of your plans, you can trust Him to bring them to pass—in His perfect timing and His perfect way.

“In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path.” (Proverbs 3:6)