Devotions - Prayer
Grateful heart…may I ever be thankful for my deepening relationship with Him!
God, I want to live with an attitude of gratitude, starting right now! I thank you so much for loving me and for blessing me. Help me see the Positive things in life and to thank You for them.
“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations”. (Psalm 100:4-5)
Sad? Depressed? Tired? Frustrated.
The LORD JESUS refreshes us in His presence.
The psalmist describes ENTERING INTO HIS PRESENCE with gladness. It takes a deliberate ACTION on our part. We must therefore MOVE FORWARD rather than sit and sulk in the midst of our circumstances.
How important it is for each of us to know the way into God’s presence. How do we enter in His gates? How do we come into His courts?
There’s only one accepted way:
* We enter His gates with thanksgiving; * We enter His courts with praise.
It’s as we come to God with thanksgiving and with praise that we have access.
Sometimes we are tempted to say, “But what do I have to thank God for, what do I have to praise Him for?”
The psalmist gives us three reasons.
1. The Lord is good.
2. His love endures forever.
3. His faithfulness continues through all generations.
These are three reasons why we should always praise and thank God. And notice that none of those reasons ever changes with our situation or our circumstance.
No matter what the circumstance, those three reasons for praising and thanking God always hold good.
Giving thanks begins with understanding the very basic idea that the Lord is good!
*In that goodness he has made us and he guides and directs our steps – He is our shepherd.
So many people today have a wrong picture of God. They see him as judge who is eager to punish anyone for the slightest infraction. God is good – he will punish, but he does not punish now.
God poured out all of his wrath on his Son Jesus who takes our punishment.
That’s why the angels announced at Jesus’ birth there would be peace – not between people but between people and God.
God is good because he has provided a way for us to escape punishment for sin and as a result spend eternity in heaven with Him.
**Jesus declared this task finished as he died on the Cross.
Even in the most difficult circumstances of this life we can praise God for his goodness.
When things are bad we can praise God they are not worse than they are! We can do this knowing of his good and final plan to restore us and creation at the end of time.
Let our worship be focused on God’s goodness and his perfect plan for us.
Psalms 107:1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. 2 Has the LORD redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies.
God made us—-not the universe, not pixie dust, nothing but God has created what and who each of us are.
*We are redeemed by the death of His son, made worthy in the eyes of our Lord God, through the blood shed on the Cross, made princes and princesses by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ!
*We must be joyful in all we do, knowing that we are free from bondage, darkness and misery!
*We are free to do more then survive, we are empowered to Live!!!
So Cheer it up, enjoy this life, enjoy your freedom!
Exhault in the fact that He loves you unconditionally and requires nothing but acknowledgment of being your Lord and Savior!
Remember that He knew you before you were even born, and that He has a plan to prosper you and NOT to harm you (Jeremiah 29:11)!!!
** Give thanks and praise to the Lord your God in this season and don’t let your failings get the best of you. God has already forgotten about them, so why don’t WE?!
****Now that Cheers me up this Day!
Psalms 105:1 Give thanks to the LORD and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done.
Revelation 12: 11 And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their TESTIMONY. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.
Lord, I get so caught up in daily life, work, and my own problems that I forget to thank You for the great things You have done for me and the wonderful promises You have given me. I forget to reflect on Your goodness and perfection and love. Lord, help me to take time to be thankful. Help me to set aside the trials and distractions around me and instead fill my mind and heart with Your goodness. Thank You, Lord!
God you are so good Lord. This is an area that I want to do more of. Positive thinking, gracious living,, and just being thankful for every opportunity that you have given me. My prayer Lord is that you continue to work on me that I may be a better example to others. Lord I give you all of the honor and all of the praise in Jesus name, Amen.
NEED A FACE LIFT?
*What to do about the blues?
*The POWER OF GOD is available Today!
” He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength”. Isaiah 40:29
*The very presence of Christ in your heart has a direct impact on your face!
David boldly declared, “For I shall yet praise Him, the help [health] of my
countenance” (Psalm 42:11).
*And he repeats the same statement in Psalm 43:5.
In the original Hebrew, the proper rendering of both these verses is, “God is the salvation of my face!”
I believe David is saying something important here. You see, your Face is a
billboard that advertises what’s going on in your heart.
*All the joy or turmoil that’s inside you is reflected in your countenance.
****When I speak of countenance, I am talking about facial expression, body language, tone of voice.
*Where do we go when we are depressed or discouraged, we come to God because we have nowhere else to go.
People do not quench the inner thirst of the Heart. Only God can do this.
God allows circumstances to come that create a longing in our Hearts for HIM!
God has great confidence in you to place you where you are this season in life. We get God’s Best when we leave the choices in life with Jesus—He does know the Future.
*This psalm(42:11) reminds us to put our faith in God, even when we aren’t “feeling it.” Regardless of where we are at in our walk, God is the same yesterday as he is today.
Let our Faith not be dictated by mood or merely emotion, but a consistent high level of inspired faith that goes beyond bad days.
*May we let God give us a NEW SONG of PRAISE today whatever our circumstances may be! (PS. 40:3)
I thank God for His great salvation—for redeeming our soul, our spirit, even
our body. But many of us need to get our faces saved! We need a Holy Ghost
face-lift—because our faces are giving the wrong message to the world!
Why such a change of countenance? “A man’s wisdom makes his face shine, and
the sternness of his face is changed”. (Ecclesiastes 8:1).
I take “wisdom” in this verse to mean Jesus Christ. Indeed, the very
presence of Christ in your heart has a direct impact on your face! It affects
your walk, your talk, the very tone of your voice.
God often causes delays in our lives that we cannot understand. Sometimes it seems our obedience is not getting rewarded. Jesus said He learned obedience through the things He suffered (see Heb. 5:8). Imagine that – Jesus having to learn obedience. What does that say for you and me?
Sometimes God’s delays are simply because He wants more glory in the situation, more recognition, more Christ-likeness in you and me through greater patience and obedience. Faint not, for the promise may yet come.
Encourage yourself. Rise up and establish yourself in faith that the Lord will bring you through every situation that has the potential of bringing you down in discouragement. Ask, and He will give you wisdom and show you what must be done. Jesus will strengthen you in your weakest moment. Jesus is with you, and Jesus will not forsake you. Put your entire trust in Jesus to rescue you from even the most dire of situations and lift you up to new heights. Do not be afraid!
2 Corinthians 12:9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Lord, I want to want you more than anyone and anything else. Draw me to you and show me that you are all I need. Today Lord, I look to You and keep my focus off the storms and the distractions so that You may receive the praise and the glory and that I may walk in confidence and faith believing and knowing that today will be a great one, because it is in Your hands for Your Glory! Help me Lord not to stop at the blessings and experiences, so I don’t miss You Jesus the BLESSER. Lord, with You at the wheel, I know I can finish YOUR course for me with joy. “There is NONE upon earth that I desire but THEE”.
Isaiah 40:31 But those who wait on 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. Amen
*God can and will Reverse, Restore, Revive and Renew.
Don’t give up on the God who’s never given up on you! Life is hard– God is still God— Don’t give up!
*Out of struggle comes strength; out of strength comes discipline; out of discipline comes integrity; out of integrity comes inheritance.
*Know that your heavenly Father is looking down the road for you.
Job 42:1 “Then Job replied to the LORD: ‘I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted.’
verse 5 …My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.”
Job 42:12 So the LORD blessed Job in the second half of his life even more than in the beginning…
*As convinced as Job was, we must realize that God spoke and it came into being. God is the creator and we, the created.
*Therefore God has the final say in all things especially those things which we have no understanding of.
Romans 10:17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.
Sometimes I don’t fully trust God has prepared good things. For me, for family, for friends, for others.
*I’m not sure He can redeem the pain, recover what’s lost, heal all that’s broken. Can He truly fit the pieces of this past year into a hopeful future?
Right now, circumstances suggest otherwise. And if I rely on what circumstances currently imply, I’m apt to believe the answer is no, the Lord is not able.
*BUT circumstances tell Tales that are prone to change in a moment.
And the truth of the matter is: God never changes. His power to give a future and hope never change. His Word never changes. So when life weaves stories of doubt and hopelessness in God’s authority over circumstances, I reread accounts of His faithfulness and redemption. I refer back to the Truth…
Proverbs 19:21 Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the lord’s purpose that prevails.
All the while Job’s family, home, crops and health demolished…God was preparing to give him double of what was killed, stolen, lost and damaged.
The time Joseph was a slave and prisoner…God was planning for him to be second in command over Egypt.
When Ruth was a homeless, barren widow…God was creating a home in Boaz’s heart for her to be a wife, and mother, and great, great, great-grandmother to His Son.
As Lazarus was bound in grave clothes…God was forming the breath that’d give him new life.
The moment David laid down in adultery…God was laying the groundwork for him to rise up in repentance.
Every time Saul crucified Christians…God saw Paul preaching the crucified Christ.
With each strike that Sarai beat Hagar with…God saw Sarah beating her jealousy, pride and doubt with the birth of Isaac.
When Esther was an orphaned girl shaking in fear for her life…God made a way for His daughter to shake a kingdom and save His people.
As Rahab welcomed men into the shelter of her bed…God saw her sheltering the spies on her roof.
When Peter lost faith and denied Christ…God saw him bringing many to faith as he proclaimed Christ.
As Moses killed an Egyptian with his hands…God saw him chiseling the Ten Commandments with those same hands.
At the time Mary saw Jesus die…God saw Jesus resurrected and seated on His heavenly throne!
No matter what the dire, dreary circumstances, God turned each into a hopeful future.
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Our key verses in Job 42 assures us, none of His plans can be thwarted. Despite what is happening in life, these stories of redemption and hope speak the truth.
And Job 42:12 reminds us that the blessings Job lists in Chapter 29 are just table scraps compared to the riches and blessings God lays on Job in his latter years.
*You know you are healed, when you can Thank God for the pains of the Past!
I submit, not for blessings sake alone, but for the sake of the knowledge of God, when God walks with you through trials and struggles so that you might KNOW Jesus better than you ever could have imagined. Repent for what you thought you knew of God and were wrong about, and then rejoice in what you now know about God.
Can’t wait for Heaven when no veil remains, and I can finally say with Job, “I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you! And the blessings of eternity will far surpass anything I call riches here in this life.
*God can and will Reverse, Restore, Revive and Renew.
*God sees beyond the present troubles and is sparking a fire to light up the future with Hope.
As we begin this New Year, let’s be on the lookout for His plans to come to pass. And trust Him that He can take any circumstance and use it for our good and His glory.
*Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
What was Jobs final destiny?
* Job was walking out his destiny– Job didn’t stop at the roadblocks.
Dear Lord, I’m so grateful You not only see my future, but You’ve planned it. Thank You for Your faithfulness last year. And for recording these stories of lives You turned dreary pasts into hopeful futures. I ask that You do the same for all our circumstances this New Year please-for Your Glory and our joy . In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Read More*You know you are healed, when you can Thank God for the pains of the Past!
…”Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” (Luke 7:50).
“But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,” declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 30:17)
God’s Love is dependent only upon God, who is eternally faithful, trustworthy and reliable.
* “For I, the Lord, do not change…”
Malachi 3:6
May we strive for excellence in all that we do for the Master of the universe.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving (Colossians 3:23-24).
When was the last time you sat and wrote out a plan and revisited your vision? (Read Habakkuk 2:1-3).
The Enemy focuses us on what we can’t do instead of focusing us on what we CAN do.
Time heals nothing.
** It is what YOU DO with the TIME that matters.
*****You know you are healed, when you can Thank God for the pains of the Past! God is so patient with us and keeps His promises. (2 Peter 3:9).
Proverbs 1:33 But all who listen to me will live in peace, untroubled by fear of harm.”
John 14:27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.
Don’t wait until the time is just right to take the first step toward achieving your goals.
**The time will never be just right. Make the resolution to start where you are now and go for what matters most in your life as you stive to move forward. Where you end up one year from now IS up to YOU!
We have explosive power inside of us. It’s time to revert back to the power inside of you for excitement in your life. (John 15:9-15 Joy is available).
Act like who you are. YOU are the child of a king. You are His Masterpiece! It’s a matter of time to come out of the pits, bushes, or wherever you are and fight. Fight the good fight of faith. We are God’s workmanship. We are his pottery.
Allow Jesus to mold us. We were created for good works so its time to dream big. Be excited about your future. God has plans for you for His Glory! (Jer. 29:11).
2 Peter 1:4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
Matthew 11:28-29 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
The meaning of life lies in relationship!!
*First and foremost is our relationship with God,
* and then our relationship with each other.
*We each have these relationships, most likely one more than the other, But let’s get a Balance of the Two for God’s Glory!
* “We love, because He first loved us.”
1 John 4:19
When we come to KNOW the Lord we will begin to see that He wants us to truly love our neighbor just as we love ourselves.
Mark 12:29 Jesus answered, “The most important is: ‘Listen, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Here is how the Bible describes God’s Love:
* “God’s Love is very patient and kind, never jealous or envious, never boastful or proud, never haughty or selfish or rude. God’s love does not demand its own way. It is not irritable or touchy. It does not hold grudges and will hardly even notice when others do it wrong. It is never glad about injustice, but rejoices whenever truth wins out.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-6 (Living Bible)
The 4 Love’s we have!
The natural human loves inspired by friendship (phileo), family (storge), or romance (eros), are awesome blessings from our Creator, BUT Agape is the only love essential to human survival. Only God’s Divine Love can give us the Identity and Purpose we need to live life to the fullest.
* “If I have not (God’s) Love, I am nothing.” 1 Corinthians 13:2
Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all” (Mark 9:35).
* What Jesus did do was to tell them the true way to greatness.
**“It is NOT by seeking to be first,” He said.
**It is by a willingness to be last.
** It is not by getting people to serve you; it is by becoming a servant of all.
There are two kinds of ambition. There is the ambition to be approved and applauded by people, and the ambition to be approved and applauded by God.
There are those who want to gain fame and attention and influence and power. The measurement of the ambition to be great before people is always “How many serve me? How much power do I exercise over others? How wide is the extent of my influence?”
* Who of us has not suffered many times from this desire to be known, to be admired, to be considered great?
But Jesus points out that true greatness is never found there. The measure of true greatness is:
***How many do I serve? How many can I help?” This is the mark of greatness in the eyes of God.
Christianity is a radical faith! It is exactly the opposite of the natural instincts of the heart.
Our natural inclinations will get us deeper and deeper into trouble. Though we may achieve a form of greatness in the eyes of people, it will turn into cobwebs and ashes in our hands.
Lord, Teach me the meaning of Your words in the depths of my heart. Help me to strive for that greatness that will shine throughout eternity. Help us Lord this day to see ones in need, be it loneliness, depression, fear, cancer, unforgiveness, guilt or shame and come along side them and show them Your Love. Help us be examples to show that, Christianity does not produce a changed life but an exchanged life. Like Jesus, grow in your wisdom and understanding of who we now are in Christ.
We know we are healed, when we can Thank God for the pains of the Past! Lord, help us share Our Testimony of what You, Jesus have done for US.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new Creation; the old is gone, the New has come!
Psalms 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
Romans 12:13 Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
Come Holy Spirit Come!!! Amen
***Jan. 24 at Christ Church at 7PM will be an informational meeting to kick off our NEW Moving Forward Group. Come for a great night of testimonials of “what God is doing in and through individuals.
**Revelation Bible study starting Jan 26. Go to web address below and go to calendar-scroll down to Thurs. And open “Community Wide Bible Study”.
Learn from you Failures & Trials!
Failing does not make us failures. It makes us experienced!!!
Proverbs 19:2 Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good; haste makes mistakes.
* A good reminder that passion does not equal wisdom or knowledge. We have to make sure our passion is directed in the right direction.
*Let’s remember to Pray first and Ask for Godly Wisdom before jumping into new activities.
* As the Holy Spirit does His work in us, we learn to walk with God. We learn what it means to see our work as “His work” and we desire to do it “His way”.
Matthew 22:29 Jesus replied, “Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God.
**One of our biggest Failures—- is not to understand the power of God.
Proberbs 17:3 Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but the LORD tests the heart.
*We need to withstand the heat while being transformed into something of even greater value.
*Because God loves us, and sees us as valuable to Him, He allows us to go through trials.
If God did not love us, He would not bother with trials because He does not care weather we become better, stronger, more holy….
*The trials of the Lord are seldom enjoyable – but the lesson learned is invaluable, if wisely and patiently endured .
*The theme of scripture is Glory out of trials, pain & suffering. Because God loves us He considers our state, and He is moved because out of love He is driven to see us become what His Son, JESUS has made possible.
James 1:3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.
Know that God is up to something.
1. God has a perfect plan for you.
2. God’s plan is always moving forward.
3. God’s is constructive and not destructive.
*How do you know God has a plan for YOU? The answer is –YOU are still here.
*Some things in life you can’t get unless you get down on your knees.
Romans 2:4 Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?
All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he(David) became their leader….
1 Samuel 22:2
*Man looks on the outward appearance but God looks at the inward- the heart!
Learn from Failure
Learning from failure and having regret are two separate things.
* Regret is an emotion; a feeling of disappointment along with a modest amount of shame or guilt.
* But to look back at a circumstance and figure out what went wrong gives you some very important information.
This review allows you to evaluate what worked and what didn’t, and more importantly, why.
Often when you are removed from a situation, you can look at it more objectively which will allow you to make better choices to keep moving forward.
Ask for Help!!!!!!You are not alone!!!!
It may feel that way sometimes, but there are many people who would extend their hand and lift you up if asked. Tap into Experience of the Faithful!
* Often times we are afraid to ask because we don’t believe we are worthy to receive the help.
*** Think about this: we are surrounded by millions and millions of people by design – for a purpose. Some have had the personal experience you need.
** A hand to grasp, a shoulder to cling, and a face to radiate hope can help you to keep moving forward.
Joshua 1:9 This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
Think about all the miracles God has performed for you? They haven’t produced in you much faith to help you in your present trouble!
I believe the greatest lasting sign or wonder to the world in these last days is not a person who has been raised from the dead. No,(even though Great) what truly makes an impact on the mind and spirit of the ungodly is the Christian who endures all trials, failures, storms, pain and suffering Daily with a confident faith. People want some of that!!!
Such a believer emerges from his troubles stronger in character, stronger in faith, stronger in Christ—Knowing Jesus is in control!
Ephesians 2:20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone.
God often uses failure to make us useful. When Jesus called the disciples, He did not go out and find the most qualified and successful people. He found the most Willing. He found a fisherman, a tax collector, and a farmer.
*The Hebrews knew that failure was a part of maturing in God.
*The Greeks used failure as a reason for disqualification. Sadly, in the Church, we often treat one another in this way.
This is not God’s way.
*** We need to understand that Failing does not make us failures. It makes us experienced.
***Failure makes us more prepared to be useful in God’s Kingdom — if we have learned from it. Use them to help others. And that is the most important ingredient for what God wants in His children.
Deuteronomy 31:8 Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.
Father, thank You for Jesus’ courage, which dared to challenge human traditions. Grant that I may see myself and others as You see us–sick people in need of a physician. Lord–I am encouraged that You are always with me. Whom shall I fear with You with me. How can I fail as long as I follow your way. Thank You for All Your promises.
Isaiah 40:29 He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.
Philippians 4:13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
Amen
***Jan. 24 at Christ Church at 7PM will be an informational meeting to kick off our NEW Moving Forward Group. Come for a great night of testimonials of “what God is doing in and through individuals.
**Revelation Bible study starting Jan 26. Go to web address below and go to calendar-scroll down to Thurs. And open “Community Wide Bible Study”.
* Suffering either gives me my self or it destroys my self.
Hebrews 5:8 though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.
When life tumbles in, leaving us mystified, are we allowing God to plant Hope, Love, Freedom and Faith in our minds and hearts? Do we humbly recognize his inscrutable wisdom?
If we are faithful to do our part, God will always be faithful to do His!
* “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”James 4:8
But those who suffer He delivers in their suffering; He speaks to them in their affliction. – Job 36:15
*God’s ways are not our ways.
* His preparation of His warriors seems cruel and hurtful at times.
*God’s ways are much higher than ours. **Trust the God of the universe that He CAN orchestrate the events of your life when they seem the darkest.
What shall I say? Father, save me, from this hour? But for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify Thy name. — John 12:27-29
My attitude as a saint to sorrow and difficulty is Not to ask that they may be prevented, but to ask that I may Preserve the self God created me to be through every fire of sorrow.
*** Our Lord received Himself in the fire of sorrow, He was saved not from the hour, but OUT of the hour.
*Lord I ask that you help us learn to pray to grow nearer to you. To hear your voice and follow your will. Lord I ask too that you show us your good and perfect plans. Father thank you for your love and your unending promises and grace.
We say that there ought to be no sorrow, but there is sorrow, and we have to receive ourselves in its fires.
* If we try and evade sorrow, refuse to lay our account with it, we are foolish. *Sorrow is one of the biggest facts in life; it is no use saying sorrow ought not to be.
**Sin and sorrow and suffering are, and it is not for us to say that God has made a mistake in allowing them.
*Sorrow burns up a great amount of shallowness, but it does not always make a man better.
* Suffering either gives me my self or it destroys my self.
* If a man has not been through the fires of sorrow, he is apt to be contemptuous, he has no time for you. *If you receive yourself in the fires of sorrow, God will make you nourishment for other people
I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes–I, and not another (Job 19:25-27a).
This is one of the great words of faith in the Old Testament,of the resurrection of the body found in the Word of God.
Slowly, through the anguish and gloom of this man’s heart, born out of the passion and the pathos that he feels, comes the dawning realization that God is working out a great and mighty Purpose, and that one of these days God Himself (Job has never failed to see God’s great majesty and power) shall be visibly present before people.
*God is working out a purpose!!!
“How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?” (Ps 13:1-2).
When David wrote his psalms he was honest about what he was feeling. However, David never stayed in the place of despair. He often ended his psalms like this one.
*** “But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me” (Ps 13:5-6).
David chooses to focus on what God HAS DONE for him, not what He has not done.
*David’s situation did not change from verse 1 to verse 5, but his Perspective and Attitude changed. He was wrestling with God’s timing, plan, attention…but ultimately David trusts in God’s love and remembers God’s favor and faithfulness to him.
*If you are waiting for a breakthrough with God, be honest with Him about your hopes, concerns and dreams.Pray!
* However, also affirm your Faith and Trust in Him to accomplish HIS Purposes through your life.
In times of despair, it is harder to hold on than to give up. BUt if we give up on the LORD, we give in to a life of DESPAIR.
God forgive me for NOT consistently praising Your name. You are great and worthy to be praised for all that You have done and will do.
Thank You, Lord, that You have sent Jesus to be my Redeemer, and I can trust that You are working out Your purposes even through my current sufferings. Help me to accept what You have in store for me and move forward as the sphere in which I am to live to the glory of God.
Father, thank You for the encouragement I receive from Your Perfect Word in the Bible through the Holy Spirit. Help me to take heart in what trials and sufferings I may be going through and know that You will bring me through.
I thank you God for always being so great to me. Even in my times of heartache and suffering you were there to lean on. I will Never forget how kind You have been to me and how great You are today. To God be the Glory. Forever and Ever. Amen
1 Peter 2: 20…But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. 21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: 22 Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth; 23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness by whose stripes you were healed. 25 For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
Read MoreThe way to strength is to discover
“the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”
The apostle Paul was one of the most mature Christians who ever lived, yet he wasn’t ashamed of his human frailties.
Paul knew God loved him no matter what, and He understood that confessing his weakness was essential to walking in God’s Strength.
** “Therefore I am well content with weaknesses…for when I am weak, then I am strong.”
2 Corinthians 12:10
We need to be honest with each other in sharing our shortcomings as well as our victories.
**When we are real and transparent with others, we give them the freedom to “remove their masks” in our presence.
“It is better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.” Proverbs 16:19
You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus (2 Timothy 2:1).
The first thing you have to do when things start falling apart, Paul says, is to be strong yourself in the grace that is in Christ Jesus; that is a fundamental principle of helping anybody.
*You can only pass on to others what you yourself have received.
* Head knowledge is of no value. If you merely pass on a knowledge of the truth—TEACHING people the various doctrines of Christianity—you have done nothing to help them at all.
* Unless they can see that that TRUTH has Changed You and Made You different.
*That you speak out of the experience of having been Altered by the TRUTH you believe, you will never do anything to help someone else stand in the hour of danger.
***If you want to strengthen others, Paul’s advice is to start with Yourself.
That which strengthens is grace. A peculiar thing about grace is it is never available to strong people.
That is what makes grace difficult for us to get hold of it sometimes.
We are continually assaulted today with a barrage of propaganda teaching us that the way to be strong is to develop some quality about ourselves, some hidden power, some reserve of personality, some right that we need to demand.
** But if you believe the Bible, these teachings are the way to be weak—and that is what proves to be the case.
God’s grace alone is strong enough to handle the pressures of a fallen world, but the only way you can lay hold of the grace of God is to acknowledge that you are so weak you do not have anything else that will hold you.
Many today are unable to be strong and don’t stand in the day of pressure, although they give great testimony about how they are going to follow Christ and stand for Him.
In the moment of pressure, however, they go down almost instantly. They have bought the lie of the world that if they just make up their mind, that if by their will or their effort they display their tremendous natural gifts, or if they develop some power to ride over the rights of others, they can stand.
** But Paul’s word is that the way to strength is to discover
****“the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”
*Grace is a free gift Grace is everything for nothing when we don’t deserve anything.
*Grace pays my debt mercy forgives my debt.
***What should my response be to grace?
*Recognize the debt of my sin.
*Demonstrate my new life in Christ.
*Live a godly life.
Recognize your own weakness and then accept God’s promise to work with you and through you in your weakness to make it strong.
That is how it works.
Christians should continually be learning to say,
“I can’t live up to this demand. I can’t do this thing that is asked of me. But He can; therefore I can.”
Take the action based upon the expectation that God is in you, and He will enable you to do what you otherwise cannot do.
That is authentic Christianity. It is supernatural. Natural strength is its greatest enemy. When we learn that, we can be “strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
You live in times of great evil and adversity. Your only place of escape is in the Lord. You must come and hide yourself in Truth and Righteousness so that the enemy cannot touch you and nothing can dissuade you from His purposes and your life in Him. This is a deliberate commitment and takes effort to maintain, but Jesus will give you the help and strength you need. Don’t get caught up in the issues of life and worldly concerns; keep eternal focus.
* Psalms 27:5 For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.
Lord, I confess my weakness. I ask that You fill me with your strength to face the things You have put before me each and every Hour. In ALL things help me to point to you Jesus. Let my identity be in You! Amen
Read MoreTemptation Our Own Evil Desire!
Paul’s identity was not based upon himself, but upon the person of Jesus Christ. Each and every day we must remind ourselves: It’s not I…BUT Christ.
** “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Philippians 3:20
God created and designed us with a desire and the ability to desire but when the enemy tainted it, the original design that God created to glorify Him became our own stumbling block to growth! The Bible says:
“But every person is tempted when he is drawn away, enticed and baited by his own evil desire (lust,passions).”. (James 1:14).
God is not tempting us but it is ourselves that tempts ourselves, we draw ourselves away from God’s purpose and will because of our own perverted desires.
Yes the enemy can lure us BUT we will not be enticed if we don’t allow him to entice us.
For because He Himself [in His humanity] has suffered in being tempted (tested and tried), He is able [immediately] to run to the cry of (assist, relieve) those who are being tempted and tested and tried [and who therefore are being exposed to suffering]. (Hebrews 2:18 )
Jesus Himself was tempted in EVERY WAY— because He was full of the Spirit, Jesus didn’t succumb to His carnal desires! Let’s be like Him, always full of the Holy Spirit having divine empowerment from God to withstand temptation!
*Matthew 26:41 Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!”
*We may be able to understand entering into temptation as succumbing to its power. BUT We don’t fall until we give in to it.
People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction (1 Timothy 6:9).
Paul is telling us how, in every age, this subtle peril lays hold of our hearts. *First it comes in the form of simple temptation.
* Open a magazine, and there is a picture of a gorgeous automobile. It makes you drool to look at it.
That is temptation, and that is what we are up against. It creates in us a hunger to have what others have.
It is amazing how easily we can convince ourselves that we, like everybody else, have a right to things.
*But that is not the worst. There is another stage. Paul says that those who want to be rich “fall into a… trap.” Notice where the emphasis is: It is on the Desire to be rich.
It is the love of money, not money, that is the root of all evil.
We hear all the time that money is the root of all evil, but it is not.
* Money is a very necessary commodity in life; it is impossible to get along without using money in one form or another.
It is “the love of money” that the Scripture is talking about, the desire to have more and more of it, the craving for riches, the constant planning of how to get another buck.
You say, “What is a young man with a family supposed to do? Isn’t he supposed to try to provide for them?” Yes, he is, but what is his objective? Is it to earn money, OR is it to be a good, faithful worker, using his gifts and abilities to the Fullest Degree for the Glory of God in the scene in which he is placed?
That is something the world never thinks about.
Paul says that when you fall into temptation and give way to this lust for more things, you create a trap for yourself.
*** By that, he means that your possessions will soon begin to possess you. Everyone who has had any success in obtaining some of the things they desire soon discovers this, because their possessions demand that they take care of them.
Possessions also change your relationship with others. You discover that people are treating you differently because you have something that is a symbol of prestige or status.
People no longer treat you for WHO you are; they are treating you for WHAT you have, so you become suspicious of your friends and your friendships.
All these complications occur when the love of money starts to possess you. That is the trap involved.
God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.(James 1:12-15).
What the Lord has started in you, He will also continue and complete. That is not to say that your success will be automatic; we have to cooperate with what God is wanting to do in our lives. Our faithfulness may always be suspect, but God’s faithfulness is never in question. It is always God’s will to continue and complete the good work He began in us.
In your most recent personal course of corrections– refuse to give into temptation or get discouraged when you don’t see immediate answers or solutions. You are on the right track, when you are Trusting Jesus and following His Leading. Just keep moving forward with patience and obeying the Lord’s voice and His leading. You will see that “Divine Purpose” is being accomplished. You are God’s Masterpiece!!!
*Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
1 Corinthians 10:13 The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.
Rise up in faith to know that no weapon formed against you will prosper. It doesn’t matter what the enemy brings against you, YOU belong to the Lord. You will have to take a stand and resist his maneuvers, but the Lord has already given you the power to defeat him soundly. Refuse to allow his tactics to overwhelm you or bring discouragement. It is the Lord’s will that you obtain and maintain the victory. Read 1John 4:4 We fight From Victory-not For Victory.
**Isaiah 54:17 No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is from Me,” Says the LORD.
Look forward, finally, and hope for the coming of the Lord. Your best things are yet to come. The second coming of Christ will soon be here. The time of temptation will soon be past and gone. The judgment and reward of the saints shall soon make amends for everything. REST in the HOPE of that day. Work, watch, and look forward–one thing, at any rate, that day will make abundantly clear. It will show that there was never an hour in our lives in which we had our hearts too thoroughly focused on Christ.
*How do you avoid temptation – “pray”
The Lord’s Prayer says:
*And don’t let us yield to temptation,
but rescue us from the evil one. (Matthew 6:13)
*Prayer reflects the condition of the heart. Prayer is a reflection of the intimate relationship between Father and His children. When we hold the WORD of our Father in our hearts we do not have to speak for Him to hear us.
*Make your temptations a constant focus of prayer.
Thank You, Lord, for the practicality of these words. May they help me correct my viewpoints and resist the badgering, bloated misconceptions of the world around me. Thank you for coming to me and helping me not to fall into temptation. You know my weaknesses and I will come to you for your strength to get through the time of trial. Please remind me to continually pray all day so I will walk in the Spirit and listen to You. I love you with an everlasting heart. Amen.
*Galatians 5:16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. *Revelation 3:10 “Because you have obeyed my command to persevere, I will protect you from the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world.
*Hebrews 5: 7 While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God. 8 Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered.
15) For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
16) Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
This scripture reminds us how great our Lord is. That as the Son of God he lived a perfect life and died for our sins. What a great God we have. Now when we pray we should first and foremost bring Glory to God our Father. We should then pray for others. THANK YOU JESUS-WE ARE SO honored to have a high priest that has been through ALL the temptations that we have to face!
Read MoreGIVE UP ON MEASURING UP!
“No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us”. (Romans 8:37)
The Lord has only one standard. His standard, and it’s a Godly standard. If we compare what we’ve done to others, or what our integrity is, we must measure it to Gods standard. We must always strive to reach Christ’s example. Paul says “follow my example, as I follow Christ’s example.”
“False weights and unequal measures— the LORD detests double standards of every kind”. (Proverbs 20:10)
Let’s be brave enough to share our own experiences of being downcast and wounded. Don’t be afraid. God commands us to love, and anytime we love…we become vulnerable.
* “…so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”2 Corinthians 1:4
Biblical Example ON MEASURING UP!
“The people feared the presence of the Lord . . . and they came and worked on
the house of the Lord of hosts, their God” (Haggai 1:12, 14).
Here in chapter 1 Haggai’s people are unconcerned with God or the things of God. They are wrapped up in Themselves.
*God calls them to repent and put Him first in their lives.
* They choose to heed His call and return to Him.
**How amazing it must have felt to hear the message from the Lord, “I am with you!”. God responded to their obedience. God requires our obedience.
***” Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered”. (Hebrews 5:8).
*Help us Lord to put God first in every area of Our life!!!
*Help us that we will seek to obey not just know God.
After all our hard work, all our
sacrifice and obedience, all our putting God’s interests first, we don’t
measure up!
This is nothing compared to what we once saw. Why struggle, why go
on, when we see so little for all that we’ve done?
A host of God’s people today are “giving up” because they do not think they
will ever “measure up”!
Like the Israelites, they have gone back to God, back to putting Him first, seeking His will, building His house. BUT when they look at their lives, they say,
*I have so little to show for all my struggles!
*I have so little of God’s holiness, so little of His glory in my life.
* Compared to other Christians, I’ll never measure up.
* What’s the use of struggling?
****I’ll never have victory.”
LISTEN to the WORD!
“For the LORD your God is going with you! He will fight for you against your enemies, and he will give you victory!’” (Duet. 20:4).
*God sent His precious and only Son to die on Calvary’s tree for you. God redeemed you.
*More than God bringing you out of a watery grave, He delivered you from eternal damnation into glorious communion with Him forever!
God saved YOU! What more could you possibly want?????
*Are you down in the dumps today?
* Do you feel like the victim of a bad situation?
* Do you feel like God has abandoned you?
*Do You feel you do not measure?
Then write down Deuteronomy 20:4 on a piece of paper and meditate on it until you believe it.(“For the LORD your God is going with you! He will fight for you against your enemies, and he will give you victory!’”).
I am convinced this is why many devoted Christians give up the fight. They Compare themselves to other believers and become discouraged because they feel hopelessly inferior!
“You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? It certainly isn’t God, for he is the one who called you to freedom”.
(Galatians 5:7-8)
*** As we continue to run the race that is set before us, am I fueling myself for the hills that lie ahead? Have I filled my inner man with the spiritual food of God’s word, regular fellowship with His people, and the presence of His Spirit within me?
*Have I refrained from spiritual “junk food” that would provide temporary satisfaction but doesn’t really give me the strength and energy I need?
* Am I really committed to doing this God’s way, or mine?
If you will just stay true to the Lord and not try to measure yourself by
anything except “Your own Love for Jesus”, you can be assured that you are
growing—and God promises to be with you!
The Lord’s discipline is designed for one purpose: for us, his children, to REPENT and to put him FIRST in our lives.
Are you feeling the absence of the Holy Spirit in your life?
Prayerfully consider those areas where you are NOT putting Jesus first, and then adjust your priorities accordingly.
Nowhere in the Bible does God condemn people for longing to be happy.
People are condemned for forsaking God and seeking their happiness elsewhere (Jeremiah 2:13). This is the essence of sin. The Bible actually commands us to delight in the Lord (Psalm 37:4).
Jesus teaches us to love God more than money because our heart is where our treasure is (Matthew 6:21).
Paul wants us to believe that gaining Christ is worth the loss of everything else (Philippians 3:8) and the author of Hebrews exhorts us to endure suffering, like Jesus, for the joy set before us (Hebrews 12: 1-2). Examine the Scriptures and you’ll see this over and over again.
I will not be confined by my circumstances. Though mountains and giants be before me, God strengthens me. For it is “not by power, nor by might, but by My Spirit, says the Lord” that the mountains of my life become plains. I am more than a conqueror through Him (Christ Jesus) who loves us.
Psalms 139:
1 OLORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.
7 I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence!
13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. 15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. 16 You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
Lord help me to be more than just someone who knows you, but help me be a person that obeys you. I’ve read your Word and from it I have gained much knowledge about what you desire from me…help me live by and obey what I know. If only I was as good at obeying as I am about knowing. Thank you for being so Patient and Gracious with me. I would have given up on me by now, Your mercy is new every morning. Help me to show you the love you have shown me by a life of obedience and dedication to you. Help me to do the giftings you have given me to glorify You-verses Measuring myself by others giftings. We need the whole Body and help me see my part for Your Glory and my Joy Amen.
“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10.
(Today read Colossians 2— God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself. In Jesus lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge-Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking-These worldly rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires. )
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