The person who trusts the LORD will be blessed. Jer 17:7
Just prior to his crucifixion, [Jesus] told his disciples that he would be leaving them. "Where I am going you cannot follow now, but you will follow later" (Joh 13:36). Such a statement was bound to stir some questions. Peter spoke for the others and asked, "Lord, why can't I follow you now?" (v. Joh 13:37 ). See if Jesus' reply doesn't reflect the tenderness of a parent to a child: "Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust in me. There are many rooms in my Father's house; I would not tell you this it if were not true. I am going there to prepare a place for you… I will come back and take you to be with me so that you may be where I am going" (Joh 14:1-3 ). Reduce the paragraph to a sentence and it might read: "You do the trusting and I'll do the taking." When Christ Comes (by: Max Lucado) Thank you Lord that You are effectually at work in us to do Your will and to work for Your good pleasure satisfaction and delight. Thank You Lord for energizing us for creating in us the dersire and power to do the right things in our circumstances Philipians 2:13
No matter what our problem is or how badly we feel about ourselves God Loves us. Jesus Christ cares for us therefore we are ok and we are going to make it.
All God expects us to do is to bring our transgressions to Him in prayer and He will forgive us Jeremiah 31:34 I will remember your sins no more. See also Psalm103:12. In Isaiah 30:18 God says that He is actively looking for somebody to be good to. In fact He waits and expects and looks to be gratious to you, God can however not pour out His goodness on us if we are constantly negative. He wants to be good to us so we need to expect it and be full of faith that he is a rewarder to those who diligently seek Him.
Sorrow has overwhelmed me. I am sick at heart! Jer 8:18
There are many things that can upset you and get you down. Family conflicts, difficulties at work, unreasonable employers, colleagues, finances, debt, a barrage of accidents or adversity, tiredness etc… to name a few. Jeremiah preached his heart out but the people rejected the message that he brought them, and that broke him. He was frustrated and uncertain, worried about the imminent punishment from God and that it would destroy the land and its people. Just the thought of the sin of his nation and their rejection by God made him feel sick. Sorrowful and confused he turned to the only help that he knew – to God! “Is the Lord not in Zion? Is her King no longer there?” (Jer 8:19). He was honest before God – Jeremiah did not put on a brave face before God to try and hide the true situation. You too, through the Holy Spirit, can pour out your heart before God. If God is your sunshine when the day is fine, He is also your candle at midnight. When your heart is troubled and your problems are too private to share with others, allow the Holy Spirit to be your Comforter in times of trouble. “Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed…” (2Ti 2:15, Amplified Bible)
Think of Abraham being tested to the point of raising the blade to slay his son, Isaac. God stopped him, and place great trust in him from that time forward. I think of Joseph being sorely tested in Egypt as he went through multiple injustices, without turning bitter in his heart against the Lord. And we see how God raised him up to be a prince in Egypt who brought salvation to the people of God. Think of Daniel and the Hebrew children facing great trial of soul in Babylonian captivity, who nevertheless kept their faith in the darkest hour and were elevated by God to positions of extraordinary influence. Tested by trials, trusted by God. This is the way of the Kingdom. God looks for those who have been proven by going through significant trials; men and women who are not out to make a fast buck, or jump on the fast track to fame and glory. Men and women of substance, found in the depths of solitude and separation. Earlier Paul told Timothy, “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord. He has given me the strength for my work because he knew that he could trust me.” (1Ti 1:12). Can the Lord trust you? And listen to Paul’s words to one of his favourite churches — the Thessalonians: “God tested us thoroughly to make sure we were qualified to be trusted with this Message. Be assured that when we speak to you we’re not after crowd approval—only God approval. Since we’ve been put through that battery of tests, you’re guaranteed that both we and the Message are free of error, mixed motives, or hidden agendas. We never used words to butter you up. No one knows that better than you. And God knows we never used words as a smoke screen to take advantage of you.” (1Th 2:3-5, The Message). May God exalt in these days those whom HE trusts, because they have been tested by trial — and passed. If God trusts them — then so can we. In the first-century church at Jerusalem, the Greek widows were being
neglected in the daily distribution of food. Naturally, they sought the help of the leaders in the church. The apostles did not feel right about giving up their study of God's Word and time in prayer just to oversee this administrative task, so they called together the church body and said, "It is not reason [good] that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables" (Acts 6:2). As a result, seven men of "good report" were appointed to handle all the church's business affairs. In the meantime, the apostles pledged, "We will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word" (Acts 6:4). The result of this arrangement was: "The word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied" (Acts 6:7). The church grew because these men refused to neglect their primary task. Very few pastors today will make this kind of sacrifice. One minister looked me in the eye and said, "I simply don't have time to pray. I'm too busy. There are too many demands on my time." Another pastor confessed to me, "I haven't prayed in months. I meditate and have quick devotions occasionally, but I can't bring myself into the discipline of prayer." I don't want to condemn any hardworking, devoted minister of God. But the fact is, every servant rises and falls to his own master, and many preachers of the gospel today are not aware that they have become victims of a satanic conspiracy of interruptions. They are constantly on the run, bogged down under an avalanche of duties and details. I thank God we are never at the mercy of Satan or any of his devices. We can expose his tactics, speak the word of faith, and in Christ’s name stop every single interruption. By the power of God’s Spirit within us, we can clear our path to the Lord’s gates and come boldly to His throne of grace to receive help in our time of need. That is what the Lord desires for all of us. Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life. Pro 4:23
[God] wants you to "think and act like Christ Jesus" (Php 2:5 ). But how? The answer is surprisingly simple. We can be transformed if we make one decision: I will submit my thoughts to the authority of Jesus… Jesus claims to be the CEO of heaven and earth. He has the ultimate say on everything, especially our thoughts. He has more authority, for example, than your parents. Your parents may say you are no good, but Jesus says you are valuable, and he has authority over parents… Jesus also has authority over your ideas. Suppose you have an idea that you want to rob a grocery store. Jesus, however, has made it clear that stealing is wrong. If you have given him authority over your ideas, then the idea of stealing cannot remain in your thoughts… To have a pure heart, we must submit all thoughts to the authority of Christ. If we are willing to do that, he will change us to be like him. Just Like Jesus (Max Lucado) |
Ana & Andre Schoonbee God uses us to motivate and encourage the body. Authors
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