I pray these things while I am still in the world so that these followers can have all of my joy in them. John 17:13 What Jesus dreamed of doing and what he seemed able to do were separated by an impossible gulf. So Jesus prayed. We don't know what he prayed about. But I have my guesses… He prayed for the impossible to happen. Or maybe I'm wrong. Maybe he didn't ask for anything. Maybe he just stood quietly in the presence of Presence and basked in the Majesty. Perhaps he placed his war-weary self before the throne and rested. Maybe he lifted his head out of the confusion of earth long enough to hear the solution of heaven. Perhaps he was reminded that hard hearts don't faze the Father. That problem people don't perturb the Eternal One. In the Eye of the Storm (Max Lucado) "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." 1 Corinthians 10:13
Let's talk about temptation. How do you keep a decision to do wrong from getting the best of you? Realize that temptation is a part of life. The Bible tells us Jesus was tempted in every way we are--every way. The big difference in Him and all of us is that He never gave in to it. So, how can we keep temptation from getting the best of us? * Just say no. Don't take time to flirt with it, or even argue. Just say no. * Ask God's help to resist it. For things too tough to resist, things you battle constantly, simply admit they're too tough and ask God's help in resisting them. The power used by the only Man to never give in to temptation is available to all of us. We just need to confess our weakness and admit our need for Him and His strength. * Then scram. Get out of there! This is one time in life when running is not cowardly, but the bravest thing you can do. Jare gelede is stres meestal gesien as 'n probleem wat mans ervaar het, maar dis nie meer die geval nie. Vroue het die stres om perfek te probeer wees, om 'n sekere voorkoms te hê, om mee te ding by die werk, om alles te probeer doen, om nooit nee sê nie, en om dus nooit vir hulself tyd te hê nie. Dis nie hoe God wil hê jy moet leef nie! "My volk sal in rustige velde woon, in veilige wonings, op plekke waar daar rus is en geen sorge nie." (Jes. 32:18 NV). Hier is twee praktiese voorstelle vir stresontlading:
1) Gee jouself genoeg tyd. Alles neem langer as wat jy dink, en om genoeg tyd te hê om jou werk te voltooi, sal jou benoudheid aansienlik verminder. Wanneer jy onder druk is, is 'n goeie praktiese reël om vir jouself 20% meer tyd te gee om klaar te maak as wat jy dink jy nodig sal hê. 2) Wees met minder tevrede. 'n Onlangse studie van duisende huishoudings het bevind dat mense wat bo hulle vermoë leef meer geneig is tot stresverwante siektes soos hartaanvalle en depressie. God wil hê dat jy jou prioriteite reg moet hê en dat jy die tydperk moet geniet waar jy tans is, op pad na jou bestemming. As jy vandag angstig voel, bid: "Here, ek het vernuwing nodig. Die lewe het alles uit my getap. Dankie dat U stil tye en rusplekke beskik het te midde van bedrywige skedules. Help my om U altyd eerste te stel en om my rusplek in U te vind." Sielskos: Jer. 41-44; Mark. 2:1-12; Ps 25:8-15; Spr. 10:1-3 Jeremiah 32:27
'I am the Lord, the God of all mankind; is there anything too hard for Me?' - God tells us that nothing is too hard for Him. - What are the desires of your heart? - Begin to expect God to fulfill them. - It is not impossible for Him. PRAYER: Lord, I pray that my doubts and fears will not undermine the reality of the fact that nothing is too difficult for You. Amen A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a regional sales convention in Chicago .
They had assured their wives that they would be home in plenty of time for Friday night's dinner. In their rush, with tickets and briefcases, one of these salesmen Inadvertently kicked over a table which held a display of apples. Apples Flew everywhere. Without stopping or looking back, they all managed to Reach the plane in time for their nearly-missed boarding... ALL BUT ONE!!! He paused, took a deep breath, got in touch with his feelings and experienced a twinge of compassion for the girl whose apple stand had been overturned. He told his buddies to go on without him, waved good-bye, told one of them to call his wife when they arrived at their home destination and explain his taking a later flight. Then he returned to the terminal where the apples were all over the terminal floor. He was glad he did. The 16-year-old girl was totally blind! She was softly crying, tears running down her cheeks in frustration, and at the same time helplessly groping for her spilled produce as the crowd swirled about her; no one stopping and no one to care for her plight. The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the apples, put them back on the table and helped organize her display. As he did this, he noticed that many of them had become battered and bruised; these he set aside in another basket. When he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said to the girl, "Here, please take this $40 for the damage we did. Are you okay?" She nodded through her tears. He continued on with, "I hope we didn't spoil your day too badly." As the salesman started to walk away, the bewildered blind girl called out to him, "Mister...." He paused and turned to look back into those blind eyes. She continued, "Are you Jesus?" He stopped in mid-stride ... and he wondered. He gently went back and said, "No, I am nothing like Jesus - He is good, kind, caring, loving, and would never have bumped into your display in the first place." The girl gently nodded: "I only asked because I prayed for Jesus to help me gather the apples. He sent you to help me, so you are like Him - only He knows who will do His will. Thank you for hearing His call, Mister." Then slowly he made his way to catch the later flight with that question burning and bouncing about in his soul: "Are you Jesus?" Do people mistake you for Jesus? That's our destiny, is it not? To be so much like Jesus that people cannot tell the difference as we live and interact with a world that is blind to His love, life and grace. If we claim to know Him, we should live, walk and act as He would. Knowing Him is more than simply quoting Scripture and going to church. It's actually living the Word as life unfolds day to day . You are the apple of His eye even though you, too, have been bruised by a fall. He stopped what He was doing and picked up you and me on a hill called Calvary and paid in full for our damaged fruit. Romans 15:13
'Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.' - God is a God of hope. - He wants to fill you with joy, peace and hope. - Don't settle for discouragement and despair. - But receive His hope and may you abound in hope. PRAYER: Lord, I receive Your hope, joy and peace in my life today. May Your Spirit come and fill me now I pray. Amen. Once upon a time, a man lived in the streets, clad only in the dirtiest and worst of rags. One day a person from the Palace noticed him, and approached him. There was going to be a banquet at the Palace, and he had instructions to come and invite people from the highways and byways. Would the man like to come? The fellow was indeed interested. However, he could not attend a banquet dressed in his rags. The Palace representative assured him they would exchange his rags for some suitable finery to wear to the banquet. All was in order. The two arrived at the Palace where they went directly to the dressing chambers of the King. Servants took the filthy rags, bundled them in a little package, and proceeded to rub, scrub, and clean the man from top to bottom. He was then allowed to choose his robes from the closets of the King. He was told that whatever he picked he would be able to keep, so he carefully examined all the many garments in the closet. He chose an exquisite inner garment of purest silk, and an outer robe of finest purple satin. He was ready for the banquet! As they left the dressing quarters, the man grabbed his old rags. The servants told him to just leave them, because he wouldn't need them anymore. However, he insisted on taking the bundle with him. Even though he didn't need the rags now, he felt more secure somehow if he could just hold on to them. In the Palace banquet hall, the festivities were about to begin. So many were there, including the King himself. The man was seated, looking resplendent in his new attire. He hid his bundle of rags on his lap, underneath the tablecloth, so no one would see them. The banquet was not to be believed! There was music and dancing, and every kind of delicacy imaginable. As the trays were passed, the beggar had difficulty getting the food onto his plate. He was constantly juggling the package of old rags on his lap, balancing it so it wouldn't fall off. It constantly distracted him from what was going on in the grand hall. Eventually the evening ended and the great gala event was over. Everyone was stuffed to the gills except for the man clinging to his rag bundle. He was as hungry as when he had come in. He never had eaten even one morsel of the food. He had been too busy fixing and holding on to his old rags. Today, you are all invited to God's great banquet, to leave our old ways and old rags, and to say, "Yes!" to Him and to a new and glorious way of living. That is good news! A little girl and her father were crossing a bridge. The father was kind of scared so he asked his little daughter, "Sweetheart, please hold my hand so that you don't fall into the river." The little girl said, "No, Dad. You hold my hand." "What's the difference?" Asked the puzzled father. "There's a big difference," replied the little girl. "If I hold your hand and something happens to me, chances are that I may let your hand go. But if you hold my hand, I know for sure that no matter what happens, you will never let my hand go."
In any relationship, the essence of trust is not in its bind, but in its bond. So hold the hand of the person whom you love rather than expecting them to hold yours... Do not be discouraged with yourself just because you have not yet arrived at a place of perfection in your mind and behavior God will not be angry as long as we have the right attitude. He knows we are a work in progress and will be as long as we live Philippians 1 v 6 enjoy where you are going and on the way there grow.
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