Hard Times

 

      While I may look at my times right now as hard, God sees it as a period of growth in Him.  He isn't interested in making me comf

Living In The Desert

 

          Right now, I'm living in a season of adversity, and it's like I'm living out in the desert.  I feel alone at times, but truthfully I'm never really alone.  God is always with me and I've never been alone once in my life.  I may not can see him now, but He has always had a bigger picture for my life.  Not only that, but He has a bigger plan set in place to redeem me. I may face trials that shake me to my core, but I will never be separated from Him—not if I keep my eyes fixed firmly on Jesus.

          If you ask anyone who's dealt with their fair share of valleys in their life with chaos and heartbreak, then they'll probably tell you that while it was a difficult chapter, they saw God moving in their hearts and in their character more than ever.  I can say that's true for the two years it took for me to find a job after college graduation.  I sent out countless resumes and went on interview after interview but I didn't give up on God's plan for me or on myself.  He came through with the perfect job for me that was right for those 5 years of my life.

          So, now God's plan for me involves 'waiting'.  Anyone who knows me knows that waiting is not my strong suit.  I'm impatient, to say it mildly.  When we go through a long, hard season where we feel like God is distant, we don't know what His big-picture plan is. We simply have to trust and move forward the best we can.   God knows what He was doing back then, so why don't I trust in His plan for me now?  Because, I have to be still and know that He is God, not I.

          "It's often those moments of obscurity and doubt that we come face to face with God Himself."

     "If we've learned anything about God, is that He makes beauty out of our brokenness."

     "When God makes a promise, He never forgets."

         After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision,“Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward." But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.” ~ Genesis 15:1-3

Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness. ~ Genesis 15:4-6

When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking fire-pot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, “To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadiof Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates—the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.” ~ Genesis 15:17-19

"If we remember the story of Abraham and Sarah, this is the perfect example of a couple navigating the "desert" of life. They had previously been promised by God that they would be fruitful and blessed. After years and years of infertility, Abraham and Sarah must have been wrestling with all those tough emotions. Guilt, doubt, despair, anger, loneliness. Still, they continued to hold on to hope and wait on the Lord."

          What a great story of waiting and a promise fulfilled.  When my time 'in the desert' is over, I will come out stronger and He will have blessed me beyond my imagination.  I just have to cling to my faith, my hope and my trust in Him.  Whether I'm on a mountain or in a valley, God is worthy of my praise in every season of this life.  God always knows what He is doing and God is good, all the time and all the time, God is good.

 

Tense Times

 

          Today, we'll continue in the Book of James.  James is a short book found in the New Testament.  James was the oldest of Jesus' brothers and he is writing about how we respond to the stresses we encounter in this life.

          We've all been in moments with one another that brings out the worst in us.  We almost always are emotional at first, then we verbally attack the other person, and sometimes even physically abuse the other person.  This is not Gods way of dealing with or responding to the tense moments we are going to come across in life.  James gives us the key verses that will calm all of our tense moments down and keep us out of trouble, in James 1:19-20.

James 1:19  "You know this, my beloved brothers and sisters. Now everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger; for a man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness of God. 

          God  ggave us 2 ears and one mouth for a reason, it takes twice as much to intake than one to spew out.  We must listen first, then react with our voice.  "You can't help people, if you can't hear people." R. Emmitt

Verses on "Being Quick to Hear"

Proverbs 12:15  "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,, But a person who listens to advice                               is wise."

Proverbs 18:13  "One who gives an answer before he hears, ,It is foolishness and shame to                                   him."

Proverbs 10:19  "When there are many words, wrongdoing is unavoidable,,But one who                                       restrains his lips is wise.

          Slow to speak means you take it all in, then you respond.

Verses on Being Slow To Speak

Provrbs 15:1  "Agentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare."

Proverbs 17:28  "Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise;  When he closes his                                   lips,he is considered prudent.

Proverbs 13:3 "One who guards his mouth protects his life; One who opens wide his                                          lips [c]comes to ruin

Verses on Being Slow To Get Angry

Psalm 4:4  "Don' sin by letting anger control you. Think about it overnight and remain silent,"

Proverbs 14:29 "One who is slow to anger has great understanding;, But one who is [m]quick-                              tempered exalts foolishness."

Proverbs 19:19  "A person of great anger will suffer the penalty, For if you rescue him, you will                             only have to do it again.

Responding to the World, Like a Christian

 

          I've been struggling the past few months, so today I decided to turn to the Book of James.  James is actually a letter to believers that can be read in about 20 minutes.  It's short and that's what I need right now to stay focused.  Maybe you're at that point in your life right now too.

          James 1:2-4 "Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.  And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

         This verse grabbed me by the shoulders because it says "when" you encounter various trials, not "if".   Christians need to expect trials in their lives and see it from a godly perspective.  That's where I'm at and I needed to know what the purpose of it all is.  Well, it says my faith is being tested to produce endurance.  My faith is being tested to trust God completely in His will for me in this trial and in my life.  When James says "Count it all joy", he wants us to see the bigger picture in our trials, as opportunities to grow and joyfully mature into Christ-likeness.

          "James encourages Christians to embrace trials not for what they presently are, but for the outcome God will accomplish through them. James 1:12 promises, “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” [gotquestions.org]

          The "crown of life" is a gift from God that will be awarded to those who, because of their love for Him, faithfully endured trials and tests on earth:  "The crown of life is not an actual ornamental headdress but a symbolic representation of God’s recognition for having spiritually triumphed in this life. Jesus assured the church in Smyrna, “Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown" [gotquestions.org]  

          When James talks of being 'perfect', it doesn't mean being sinless, it means growing in  spiritual development and maturity.   I know for myself, I can look back on past surgeries, past school experiences, and how I've responded to worldly things and have seen how my faith grew and I matured as a believer. 

          " But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.  But he must ask in faith without any doubting".   We must ask God first for wisdom in our trials and God is not an option.  We can't be double-minded by having God as a choice, no, He is the only way.  Ask Him, Seek His Word, and Trust Him.

          As for myself, I've been in this trial since March.  I faced a worldly decision to protect my friends from a wrong in this world.  I don't regret it, even tho it's cost me.  I have felt imprisoned these past few months but it is nothing compared to the glory Jesus received.  I've asked for wisdom and I think that's why God led me to the Book of James.  Responding to the things of this world takes the armor of God.

1 Peter 1:1-25

 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who reside as strangers, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, [a]to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various [b]trials, 7 so that the [c]proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which perishes though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and [d]full of glory, 9 obtaining as the outcome of your faith, the salvation of [e]your souls.

10 As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, 11 [f]seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories [g]to follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to [h]look.

13 Therefore, [i]prepare your minds for action, [j]keep sober in spirit, set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As [k]obedient children, do not [l]be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15 but [m]like the Holy One who called you, [n]be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16 because it is written: “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

17 If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; 18 knowing that you were not [o]redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. 20 For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared [p]in these last times for the sake of you 21 who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

22 Since you have purified your souls in obedience to the truth for a sincere love of the brothers and sisters, fervently love one another from [q]the heart, 23 for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable, but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God. 24 For,

“All flesh is like grass,
And all its glory is like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
And the flower falls off,
25 But the word of the Lord endures forever.”

And this is the word which was [r]preached to you.

John 16:20 " Truly, truly I say to you that you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will grieve, but your grief will be turned into joy!"

John 16:33  "These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”"

     So, I'm laying here in bed alone, as I do many of my days now, and decide to listen to a bible study online.  I pick 1 Peter for no apparent reason.  It really spoke to my heart and was what I needed.  

     As Peter spoke to Christians that were both exiled and elect that had been scattered to different  areas.  I could identify with them as a Christian who had been brought back here to Sherwood in 2001.  

Genesis 2:7  "Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living person.

Genesis 25:8  "Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and satisfied with life; and he was gathered to his people.

Job 7:7  "Remember, that my life is a mere breath.

Job 12:10   "In whose hand is the life of every living thing, And the breath of all mankind?"

Elihu Claims to Speak for God

 Job 33:3-5  "My words are from the integrity of my heart, And my lips speak knowledge sincerely. The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of [a]the Almighty gives me life."

Broken

 

      I begin this blog with the acknowledgement that I've reached the end of myself.  There is a blessing from Jesus that comes from that, which is Him meeting me there in my brokenness.  The first beattitude that Jesus talks about on The Sermon on the Mount is in Matthew 5:3  "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."  He redefines what happiness truly means.  We can chase after our desires but real happiness comes in pleasing Jesus.  Right now I feel bummed because I'm not getting to do what I want without an aide to help me, but when I finish this blog on my own then I will be truly happy that I did something pleasing for the Lord.

Psalm 14:18 "The Lord is near the brokenhearted; He saves those crushed in spirit."

     We need to be beautifully broken before the Lord.  When we are, He will draw us nearer to Him and put us back together as He sees fit.  We first have to trust Him with our brokenness, then we can be restored thru Him to be what He wants us to be and do what is pleasing in His sight.

Psalm 37:4   "Delight yourself in the Lord; And He will give you the desires of your heart."

     How many people confuse 'the desires of their heart' with what God really means, is in the verse is 'a relationship with Jesus Christ"?  "That verse does not say “God will give you the desires of your heart because you delight in Him”. Instead, the verse commands us to “Delight yourself in the Lord” and then He will fulfill your desires because He is the only One who can satisfy your heart." [gracecalling.com]

     How many of us would like an easy life?  Jesus promised that we would suffer in our trials, but that He would also give us peace in them.  John 16:33  "These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

     In all of our found brokenness, God's love for us never decreases.  He will never forsake His children.  Even tho we may struggle through our trials, would we not give up our desires, if it's not Jesus' will?

John 1:24  "Truly, truly I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit."

     When we willingly submit our lives to Christ, then we glorify Him with our testimonies and bear fruit in this broken world.  Even if our life isn’t what we hoped for, God will not abandon us or leave us in tribulation. Isaiah 29:11 states “‘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.’”

     As for myself, I built my life on dreams and desires of my own. Now that all of that has left me, I've concentrated my life more on what God wants from me.  This will be my 1356th blog since 2011.  These are more important to God, than any number of tests I took in school or lab tests I ran at work.  These blogs have also drawn me nearer to Christ , than anything I've ever done.  My blog collection has truly been a source of happiness for me.

Remember, in all of our pain and sufferings, it is Christ who calls us and in Him are our desires truly satisfied.

Our Silent Example

 Isaiah 53

Who has believed our report?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot,
And like a root out of dry ground;
He has no stately form or majesty
That we would look at Him,
Nor an appearance that we would take pleasure in Him.
3 He was despised and abandoned by men,
A man of great pain and familiar with sickness;
And like one from whom people hide their faces,
He was despised, and we had no regard for Him.

4 However, it was our sicknesses that He Himself bore,
And our pains that He carried;
Yet we ourselves assumed that He had been afflicted,
Struck down by God, and humiliated.
5 But He was pierced for our offenses,
He was crushed for our wrongdoings;
The punishment for our well-being was laid upon Him,
And by His wounds we are healed.
6 All of us, like sheep, have gone astray,
Each of us has turned to his own way;
But the Lord has caused the wrongdoing of us all
To fall on Him.

7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
Yet He did not open His mouth;
Like a lamb that is led to slaughter,
And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers,
So He did not open His mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment He was taken away;
And as for His generation, who considered
That He was cut off from the land of the living
For the wrongdoing of my people, to whom the blow was due?
9 And His grave was assigned with wicked men,
Yet He was with a rich man in His death,
Because He had done no violence,
Nor was there any deceit in His mouth.

10 But the Lord desired
To crush Him, causing Him grief;
If He renders Himself as a guilt offering,
He will see His offspring,
He will prolong His days,
And the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand.
11 As a result of the anguish of His soul,
He will see it and be satisfied;
By His knowledge the Righteous One,
My Servant, will justify the many,
For He will bear their wrongdoings.
12 Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great,
And He will divide the plunder with the strong,
Because He poured out His life unto death,
And was counted with wrongdoers;
Yet He Himself bore the sin of many,
And interceded for the wrongdoers.

     I'm starting this blog with Isaiah 53, also known as 'The Suffering Servant'.  It is the Old Testament's account of Isaiah's prophecy of the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow. In the following other verses I list below, we see also how Jesus was willing and without complaint in following His Father's will.  No other could die for our sins, and rise again for our justification.

     

Mark 15:4-5 " But Pilate questioned Him again, saying, “Do You offer nothing in answer? See how many charges they are bringing against You!”  But Jesus said nothing further in answer, so Pilate was amazed."

Matthew 27:14 "And still He did not answer him in regard to even a single charge, so the governor was greatly amazed."

Luke 23:9 "And he questioned Him at some length; but He offered him no answer at all."

     The point of this blog is that we should follow Jesus' example in not complaining when trials become part of the Lord's will for us.  Why do we question 'Why me?'  Why not us?   Jesus was a willing sacrifice and paid our sin debt, while He knew no sin of his own.

    Ecclesiastes tells us that there is time to speak and a time to keep silent. , When is there a fitting time? When is it better to speak? And when is it better to stay quiet? This is practical wisdom.

Ecclesiastes 3:1, 7 " There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every matter under heaven—; A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; A time to be silent and a time to speak".

     The silence of Jesus reminds us that silent suffering was necessary for Jesus. We are taught that sometimes being quiet takes more strength than talking. Isaiah 53:10 "Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. "

Silence allows us to refocus and redirect our thoughts on what is truly important, which is to think about the things God desires us to think about.

John 10:27-29
"My sheep listen to My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.  My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand."

     We follow Jesus' example by knowing; Jesus did not plead His own case, Jesus wad patient under affliction, and Jesus was oppressed, yet did not open His mouth.  Haven't we all felt all of these 3 ways and a need to tell our side?  There is power in silence and a comfort in knowing God is on your side.

     As for myself, this is a new challenge for me.  Silence is not my strength.  When I am hurt, mistreated, or felt wronged, then I want to speak up and let the other party know how I feel.  Jesus is letting me know, that its not always necessary.  Silence can bring on a time of reflection, not only for myself but for the other side as well.  It's hard to be slow to speak and quick to listen, but it is possible.  With my mask, it's kind of been forced upon me to wait for someone else to take the mask off before I can talk.  Sometimes I'm just chomping at the bit.  The term 'Silence is golden' is really determined by who is having to be silent.  Personally, I need my quiet time with myself and with the Lord.

You Are

 

          This morning I am sharing a devotional I got through my email, that you are enough.  Through your faith in Christ, don't doubt yourself.  2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (New American Standard Bible)  "For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that those who live would no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose on their behalf."  Matthew 19:26 reminds us "with God all things are possible."  Don't give up on yourself, God is still at work on you.

You are enough, just as you are. God created you with a purpose and a plan, and He equipped you with the abilities and gifts you need to fulfill it.

You are capable of overcoming any obstacle that comes your way, because God's strength is made perfect in your weakness.

You are strong, because the same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives inside of you.

You are beautiful, because you are fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God.

You are chosen, set apart for a special purpose and called to make a difference in this world.

You are never alone, for God is always with you, guiding and comforting you every step of the way.

So go forth with confidence, knowing that you were created for greatness in Christ.

You are enough, friend.