Christian Otome

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“For with God nothing will be impossible.” (Luke 1:37)

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“Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”” (Luke 9:23)

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The God who finds the Lost

In Luke 15:4, Jesus says, “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?” That’s the beginning of the Parable of the Lost Sheep. Following that, there’s a similar parable, now mentioning the loss of a coin. The whole point of both is to highlight the joy of God and the angels when sinners are saved (Luke 15:7; 10).

Luke is also the book that tells us a very interesting story about two of Jesus’ disciples (Luke 24:13–35). After Jesus’ death, they left the other disciples and decided to go to a village called Emmaus—but that wasn’t Jesus’ will for them, and He went personally to meet them. God is still like that today. He comes to us when we’re lost and tries to bring us back to Him.

Sometimes we feel like He couldn’t possibly want us, and that we’re beyond salvation, but that’s just our deceitful hearts trying to deceive us (Jeremiah 17:9). God wants you. If you’re away from Him and you’re reading this now, that’s Him calling you back. If you’re just feeling down, that’s Him trying to assure you that He loves you.

But are you going to be like the disciples on the road to Emmaus and turn back to where He wants you to be—or are you going to ignore what He’s saying?

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“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)

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“But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.” (Colossians 3:8)

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“Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.” (Ephesians 4:31)

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Don’t trust yourself—trust the One who holds your life

A few months ago, I found myself in a situation where I had to make a very important decision—and it terrified me. I thought to myself, “God, how can I trust myself to make the right choice when I’ve made so many wrong ones before?” So I prayed, and prayed. After a few days, I felt God saying to me: “Don’t trust yourself, but trust Me to guide you.”

When we truly place our lives in God’s hands, He will carry out His will in us. If God decides to close a door, I have no power to open it (Revelation 3:7)—and that could be frightening if I didn’t have faith that “[…] all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

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“Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8)

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“Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.” (Proverbs 4:23)

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“For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.” (Hebrews 12:3)

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“You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,” (Psalms 30:11)

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“Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.” (Psalms 42:11)

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Who do you call when there’s no hope?

About a week ago, I said to my friend, “God loves to meddle in impossible situations, and He hates to share credit,” when he was feeling helpless about a very important situation in his life.

When we feel as if there is no way out of an impossible circumstance, we must not forget to reach out to God. In Luke 18:27, Jesus said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”

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“The Lord has done great things for us, And we are glad.” (Psalms 126:3)

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“Though evil is sweet in his mouth, And he hides it under his tongue, Yet his food in his stomach turns sour; It becomes cobra venom within him.” (Job 20:12, 14)

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“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)

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“Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, In the day of trial in the wilderness,”” (Hebrews 3:7-8)