The Jeff Cavins Show (Your Catholic Bible Study Podcast) - More Motivating Scriptures

Episode Date: January 11, 2019

Back by popular demand, Jeff compiles thirteen more motivating Scriptures to help you discern the future and to help you in times of suffering and fatigue. We often dwell on yesterday, become frozen with fear today, and can be paralyzed by tomorrow. However, it is in our weakness that God demonstrates his power and his strength. God is the ultimate motivational speaker. For the full shownotes, include scripture verses, go to ascensionpress.com/thejeffcavinsshow

You're listening to The Jeff Kaven's Show, episode 98, more motivating scriptures. Hey, I'm Jeff Kavans. How do you simplify your life? How do you study the Bible? All the way from motorcycle trips to raising kids, we're going to talk about the faith and life in general. It's the Jeff Kaven Show. Hey, welcome to the show. I hope you're having a good beginning to this new year.

Last week on the show, we talked about a number of scriptures that I consider motivating scriptures in my own life and shared them with you. We talked about fear. We talked about seemingly impossible situations and obstacles ahead and gave you a number of really good texts from the Bible that are not just texts. They are words from your Heavenly Father to you in real life in the situations that you are facing. I appreciate all of the email that you are sending and your comments on the show. There's so many. And as I said, one of these days, I'm just going to take a lot of your questions and do several shows just based on your questions, but I appreciate your feedback. And I do encourage you to go to iTunes and Google Play, rank the show. You have no idea

how that helps in getting the show out to people who are looking for answers in life. They do a Google search, and this show comes up, and I can give you five, six, seven different testimonies of people who knew nothing about the faith. They knew nothing about me, but they were searching. And thanks to you, my friend, they found a podcast episode that really met them straight head on, and they wrote me about it. And so you and I are partners in this. It's not me just sitting here in the deep woods of northern Minnesota. Actually, I'm not there today. I'm more in the south. But we're partners in this, and we can do something together to be a blessing to others and spread God's word around the world. Again, I want to share with you that the answer to the difficult

situations that we face as we look back, as we look forward, is not in true grit. You know, it's not just in our own strength and pulling ourselves up by the bootstraps or going out and buying a lot of books on topics about go get them tiger, you know. They might have some good things to say. Don't get me wrong. There's a lot of good out there in the world. But there's nothing that compares. There's nothing as fresh. There's nothing as dynamic. There's nothing as powerful as the Word of God. I've got a couple Bibles on my desk right here that every morning my wife and I, we do Lexio de Vina together and we pray and God gives us a fresh word for our life every day. And if you want that in your life, I would really encourage you, and I'll put this in the show notes,

as I did last week. I'll put all the scriptures in the show notes, but my new book, The Activated Disciple, which I'm going to be doing a show on shortly, is really a guide on how to walk with Jesus on a daily basis and bring your faith to a new level where you are a disciple and you're meeting with the Lord every day and he's giving you a fresh word, a word that you need to hear, a word that you're desperate to hear. And if you put that word into practice, God can change your life in such a powerful way. You know, we're not just Christians out there who believe a number of things and just struggle through life.

No, we are sons and daughters of God who are empowered from the inside with the Holy Spirit and love and a disciplined life. That's us, but we've got to do it. We cannot just believe this stuff and hope that everything works out. No, we've got to meditate upon His Word and do His Word in the circumstances of our life. Let's look at some more categories this week. These two weeks, last week and this week, I'm giving you 25 scriptures altogether that I think can make a difference in your life. Today, this week, I'd like to talk about scriptures that deal with the future.

You know, one of the things that we are gifted with is that we are created in the image and likeness of God. And God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. And we share something with God that's kind of interesting. I've meditated on this for quite some time. It pops up once in a while, and that is we're different than the animals in that we're created in the image and likeness of God, but we're created differently than the animals in that we can dwell on yesterday, we can get frozen with fear today, but we can also be paralyzed by tomorrow, and the future can cause us to just, you know, stiffen up and

and we can't walk, you know. So what about your future? What about the rest of the year? Well, there's some scriptures I want to share with you. The first category is the future. The future. Jeremiah 29-11 is one of my top 10. It's one of my top 10 in the Bible. It's got to be. You know, it comes up over and over and over. And I'd like you to commit this to memory or give it to someone this week who needs to hear it. Jeremiah 29-11 says, this is God talking to you. He says, for I know the plans I have for you. Pause for a second. Do you believe that? God says, I know the plans I have for you. And you might say, well, I'm glad you know because I don't know, right? God says, I know the plans that I have for you. Now we've got to figure out what those are, right? We've got to get into this

relationship, become activated disciples. For I know the plans. I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. You might be really down. You might have family members who are really down. But know this. God has a plan for your life. He loves you, and he has an amazing plan for your life, and it is for welfare. Welfare in a sense of, it's good. And it's not, not evil. It's not for evil. And he has a future for you, and he has a hope for you. And that is good news for the coming year. I like what Hebrew says, you know, it says that hope is an anchor for the soul. And there was one instance in the Old Testament where they mentioned the Valley of

Ahor in Joshua, where they came across the Jordan River, and they were going to take, they were going to take the city of Jericho. And God said, don't take anything for yourself. This is a complete holocaust because of the wickedness of the city. But one man did, and it happened. His name was Aiken, and he took some of the loot from Jericho, and he was dealt with, and this happened in what was called the Valley of Ahor. And so if you want to mention to Israel, the Valley of Ahor, they're going to think about one of the worst things that's ever happened in their life, and God says, but I'll make the valley of a whore a door of hope for you. So if you think back about some of the, you know, some of the bad things that have happened, or if you're facing something right now, because it's just been

something bad and bad decision or whatever, God can turn that into a door of hope for you. So he has plans for you. Write it down on an index card. Carry it with you. God has plans for me. He has a future and a hope. 2 Corinthians chapter 4, Paul writes to the Corinthians in verses 16 and 17, and he says, So we do not lose heart, though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed every day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us, that's the future, preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. You see, God does have a great future for you. He has a future for you, and if you're going through a momentary affliction, you're going through

something right now, remember, don't lose heart. Don't lose heart, because there's an eternal weight of glory up ahead for you. And sometimes, you know, as we get older, as we get older, we feel that things are slowing down, and we're not able to do what we used to do, and we're not capable, and in physical strength, mental strength, finances, whatever it might be. But know this, even though the outer nature is wasting away, at the same time, your inner nature can be renewed every day. Your inner nature, your spirit, your heart doesn't grow old. It gets stronger and stronger. That's related to the future. Psalms, again, is a great book of encouragement. And in Psalm 18, too, the psalmist writes and says,

Lord is my rock and my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Oh, wow. I mean, we could do a whole show just on that one right there. The Lord is your rock. He's stable. And Jesus told Peter, Peter, upon this rock, I'll build my church. The church is built on the rock, and the church is a place where you can go as a fortress, and he will protect you. He will act as a refuge. He is a shield against those fiery darts. And you can go to him, and you can get the mercy of God, grab the horns of salvation, and obtain the mercy of God. He is a stronghold. So if you're facing that in the future, and you're starting to live in the future, and fearful of the future, remember this,

he's your rock. He's your rock. Take refuge in him. Paul wrote to the Romans in chapter 8 and verse 28, and he said, we know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose. You know what? That gets back to Jeremiah 29-11, doesn't it? God says, I know the plans I have for you. And Paul says, well, yeah, I know you got great plans for me, but I'm facing some things here in this year, and I don't know how they connect, and Paul says, listen, we know that in everything, if you're in the car right now, just repeat that with me, everything. We know that in everything, God works for good with those who love him. Do you love him?

I love him. I know you love him. If you love him, know this, he's working everything for the good. this is where divine providence oftentimes comes in, and that God has a tapestry that he's weaving in your life and a plan, and everything can play a part in that. Don't discard life. Don't discard life and don't put a period where God has put a comma in the sentence of your life. Maybe there's a pause. God's working the good in your life right now. Thank him for it and look for it and delight in it. I love that verse, Romans 828. I think that's probably in my top 10, too, to be honest with you. Hebrews chapter 10 in verse 23, the writer of Hebrews says, let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. Don't you like that verse? I like that. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope. What are you hoping for?

What is God put in your heart? How is God leading you? What has He said? said in His Word, get your confession to line up with His Word. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope in who God is. That basically comes down to praising God and worshiping God. And just like Jehoshaphat in the Old Testament was surrounded by enemy armies, he didn't know what to do. He said, I don't know what to do, but our eyes are upon the Lord. And what did he do? He began to praise the Lord. And the enemies of Israel all turned on each other. So don't lose that confession of who you are in Christ and who he is and the promises of God. Don't let go of that this year. Hold fast the confession of our hope. Paul's so filled with these good motivational speakers. And as I've argued over and

over, God is the ultimate motivational speaker. I'll tell you what. I'll take him over Tony Robbins any day, Any day. Paul wrote to the Philippians chapter 4 in verse 19, and he said, and my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches and glory in Christ Jesus. Isn't that great? Just to know that my God will supply every need that I have. You know, God takes care of the flowers, he takes care of the birds. How much more do you think he's going to take care of you, a son of God, a daughter of God? And so if you're dealing with some instability concerning the future, maybe it's your 401K.

Who knows, you know? Know this. And I've never known anyone that God let down. My God will supply every need of yours, according to His riches and glory in Christ Jesus. All right, we're going to take a break. When we come back, I want to talk about some scriptures dealing with suffering and fatigue. Suffering and fatigue. You're listening to the Jeff Kaven show. Wouldn't it be nice to have a Bible that actually explains how to navigate it and make sense of it, a Bible that includes a detailed plan for how to read it with a page layout that's designed for study and personal devotion. Now for the first time ever, there is a Catholic Bible that does just that.

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And I welcome you back. We're having a great time this week talking about God is the ultimate motivational speaker and his message. His message is true and his message is powerful and it has contained within it the power to change our lives. That's what I like about this Bible sitting on my desk right now. is that it's unlike any other book in the world. There is no book like it because it's inspired. The Holy Spirit is the author, and our father is speaking to his children about real life, and he's revealing himself in Scripture for the New Year in Words and Deeds. One of the great paragraphs in the Catechism that I like to meditate on is paragraph 236.

It talks about getting to know the theology and the economy of God. Simply put, the theology is to know the mystery of the Trinity. It's to know the heart of your heavenly father, and the economy is to know your father's household plan. He's got good plans for you. He's got a wonderful family plan. And that's what we are doing last week and this week is we're looking at scriptures that will help us to understand who he is and what he's done and his plan so that we can dispel with fear and everything that keeps us from walking. in his fullness. And I love it. I really love it. Okay, so let's look at some scriptures. What about suffering? No doubt, you've suffered in the last year. No doubt there's going to be suffering in the future. Jesus said, in this world, you're going to have tribulation, but just put up with it. No, he didn't say that. He said, in this world, you're going to have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world. And so if we're with Christ, we can overcome too. Suffering. Paul said in 2 Corinthians chapter 12, verses 9 and 10, but he said to me, my grace, you might remember this

one, Paul was really having a difficulty with thorns in the flesh, and he had all kinds of problems that he was facing, and he felt weak, and he said, God told him, my grace, which is the life of the Trinity, Eucharist, sacraments, go get them, my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. As you start this new year, do you feel weak? In the last year, think back for a moment. Were there times where you felt weak? Is there someone in your family that feels really weak? As at the time of this broadcast, I've got a relative that's in the hospital and really struggling. And I'm going to give this scripture to them today. Today. And that is that my power is made perfect in weakness. You see, it is in weakness.

that God demonstrates his power and his strength, and he likes to. He likes to. And if you're suffering, and if you're feeling weak in your life, let God, let that power of God be made perfect in your weakness. He goes on and says, I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content. with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities, for when I am weak, then I am strong. You know, when I came back to the Catholic Church, you might not know, but I was gone for 15 years, and I was a Protestant pastor for 12 of them. And when I decided that I was going to come back to the Catholic Church, one of the deciding factors was the papacy, Papa, to have a father that loves me,

in the church, and I told that to one of my friends, and he told it to a rather famous evangelist. And the evangelist piped back and said, oh, he's looking for a father figure, is he? Now, he was pointing to what he perceived as my weakness, and I would say what Paul said. I'm going to gladly boast of my weaknesses. Yes, I am weak. Yes, I need a father figure. Yes, I need the Pope. Yes, I need the priests and bishops. Yes, I need mentors and saints. I'll go on all day about how weak I am, but I know this. The power of Christ rests upon me, and I am content with these weaknesses and insults and so forth, because I know that when I'm weak, he's strong. Then I'm strong. Then I'm strong. I love that. That is such a, that's a good text. Take the whole show on that one, huh? He wrote to the Corinthians 1 Corinthians 1558, therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord, your labor is not in vain. Sometimes I think that when we suffer or we go through trials in our life, we sort of fall back on this idea that everything I'm doing

is in vain. It's not really worth anything. I'm not accomplishing something in the suffering state that I'm in. And Paul reminds you that in this plan that God has for you, Jeremiah 29-11, we talked about that last week, or we talked about that just at the opening of the show here, know this, that your labor is not in vain. Just because you might be suffering doesn't mean that the work you're doing is in vain. In fact, in that weakness, God can do amazing things. So don't give into that idea that your work is in vain. The work that we do here on earth in the spirit is like fine metals, gold, and silver. It's not like hay in that.

If we do this in the Lord, it's not in vain. First Peter three, and Peter knew a lot about suffering. You want to read a guy that was acquainted with suffering and wrote a lot about it. read Peter, first and second Peter. In 1st Peter 314, Peter said, but even if you do suffer, even if you do suffer for righteousness sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled. That's from the first pope, by the way, to you at the beginning of the year. If you suffer for righteousness sake, you're going to be blessed. You're going to be blessed. Read the beatitudes in the sermon on the mountain, Matthew's Gospel.

Have no fear of them, nor be troubled. And then Paul wrote to the Romans in chapter 8, this is another classic, it's another classic, and you might want to memorize it. All these are going to be in the show notes. If you're not getting the show notes, by the way, send an email in the subject line, just say, I want the show notes, we'll put you on the list.

You'll get them automatically every week. He says, for I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come. Future? nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Isn't that beautiful? And you know why that's so important? Because we've been talking last week and this week about verses where our success

is based on our relationship of the Lord, being in Christ and walking with Christ. And he says, he says that nothing's going to separate you from the love of Christ, Jesus, our Lord. And so if you can't be separated from the Lord, it's victory. And so that's a good thing. That's a very good thing. What about scriptures dealing with fatigue? Let's spend a couple minutes on that because some people just get plain tired. My wife and I, we have a family cabin. The whole family takes advantage of it, and grandkids come over and relatives, 4th of July, forth, and it's a family gathering place. And there was a tree that was stretched out over the

backyard in a precarious way. It looked like it was going to fall any time. And we're talking about thousands of pounds of weight. And our grandsons and granddaughter are out there playing in the backyard, and people are out there camping and so forth. And I said to my wife, we got to deal with that tree. And that scares me a little bit. You know, I don't want that thing coming down some someday on people in the backyard. So this last year, we were at the Minnesota State Fair, and we ran into a guy, a lumberjack, who is known all over the world for doing chainsaw carvings,

bears and animals and birds, and you name it. But he was particularly good at eagles. And what we decided we would do is we wanted to cut down that tree that was precariously perched over the backyard, and we wanted to cut it down, say, 15 feet up in the air. And so it was no longer, no longer would be a danger. But we thought, wouldn't it be cool to get a carving of an eagle and place that eagle up on top of that sawed-off tree? So we made an arrangement with him, and he carved an eagle out of a piece of

wood that is about four feet high, weighs about 75, 80 pounds. And this last fall, he came out, and all the grandkids and all the family were there, and he went up on a scaffolding and mounted this beautiful eagle that is painted. And I named the eagle Isaiah. Why? Because of this verse that I'm about to give you. I love this verse. It's Isaiah chapter 40 and verse 31, and it's for you who might feel fatigued. Okay? Here's what it says. But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint. Oh, man, that is so good. I'm going to do it again. That's so good. I like hearing it. But they who wait for the Lord, are you waiting for the Lord? Are you spending time in prayer? Are you meditating

upon His word? Are you hopeful? They who wait for the Lord shall do what? They shall renew their strength. Could you use some renewing this week? This year? They shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles, and they shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint. Two weeks ago, I was sitting in my office, and I was getting ready to do a show. And as I looked to the the left of my desk, I have a big window, and there is a lake in the distance, and as I looked, there came an eagle. I am not kidding you here. This eagle's wings were like seven-foot span, coming right for my window, and I'm literally going, like, wow, and it just went right above the house, and it was gliding. It was soaring with these magnificent wings, and it didn't even look

like it was working hard at all. And I was immediately drawn to Isaiah 40 and verse 31, which came up in my heart and strengthened me. By the way, I named that eagle at the lake, Isaiah. Isaiah the eagle. And you know what I'll do? I will put a picture of Isaiah the eagle in the show notes. So you can enjoy the eagle that we put up on that tree. They who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they'll mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not be weary, they will walk and not faint. Love it, love it, love it. Psalm 16-8, I keep the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. I shall not be moved. That's the key, my friend. I keep the Lord always before me. Pray without ceasing. Don't lose sight of the fact that you're an activated disciple.

And then finally, I've got one for you. It's the big one. I call this the text regarding the sky's the limit. And if you're an eagle like Isaiah, the sky's the limit. Luke 1.37, Luke says, for with God, nothing will be impossible. Nothing will be impossible. I love it. Well, those are the texts I want to share with you this,

week, and I think that they are powerful. They will do great things in your life if you walk in them. Hey, by the way, I forgot to mention this last week. Ascension Press just put out a number of memory cards, and I want to share it with you. It's called the Bible Memory Table Tent. These are small little cardboard tents that sit on your kitchen table for your family that give scriptures that the family can talk about at meal time, and it comes in six different packets based on topics. Now, it's a clever, affordable, simple, and highly effective tool that lets you put what we call manageable doses of scripture in places where you know you will be exposed to it, and that your children and family will be exposed to God's word as well. And so we've got six of

these Bible memory table tents. And I'm going to put the link in the show notes, and here's the categories that you can pick from, children. They're all text for children. One whole packet are text for children. Another one are everyone. We called it everyone. They're just great text to memorize. We've got a whole packet for fathers, mothers, grandparents, and teenagers. So if you want some packets of scriptures, all the ones I gave you last week. and this week are going to be in the show notes. But if you want some really formal packets of scriptures that we call Bible Memory Table Tense, you can go to ascensionpress.com, and I'll give the link in the notes here. You can simply go there and do a search on it, but I do recommend that

you start memorizing God's Word and hiding it in your heart. It's a light to your path. It's encouragement and dark times, and it gives you direction in your life. I can't believe I didn't mention that last week. The Bible Memory Table Tense. All right, my friends, once again, if you have questions for me, write me. My email is The Jeff Kaven Show at ascensionpress.com. And if you have ideas for shows, you have questions, I appreciate your email, and I do read them all. I do read them all, and I appreciate that. And again, go to iTunes and Google Play, rank the show, give your comments. it'll help the old algorithm raise the show up when people are looking for scriptures about suffering or scriptures about their future.

This show right here. This is what they'll get if you work with me on that. Let me pray with you. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, amen. Lord, we delight in you and thank you for giving us your word. And we thank you for being pinpoint accurate about the situations that we're in in life and what you will do and what's expected of us. we do delight in you and praise you. You are awesome in your work and your faithfulness and your mercy

and in your kindness. And we need you, Lord, we want to see Jesus. Lord, we pray that as we press into your word and we memorize it and we walk in it and meditate on it and walk in it to do it, Lord, we pray that we will see the fruit of your word in our life. We pray this in Jesus' name amen name of the father the son and the holy spirit amen