Growing Into God's Lessons

 

God carries and supports us through painful training.

God has taught me, through so many stressful lessons, how to not fly off the handle. When we put our training and growth in God, it is painfully endured but he does carry us on each journey. There is something to the quote no pain, no gain. Just read John 15:2 and tell me if you don't think it means some type of pain to be endured. If you persist in thinking that you are ok without any growth pains, then that is probably why you have not grown up in the Lord very much. What is the pain of growth all about? 

Well, it's emotional pain primarily, the pain of being treated unfairly and not jumping to retaliate, the pain of not being allowed to repay evil for evil, the pain of not giving as good as we get, the pain of not seeking justifiable revenge, the pain of not allowing vengeful thoughts to develop, the pain of not correcting others and demanding from them, the pain of being constrained in thought, word and deed, the pain of not vindicating ourselves, the pain of learning to love our enemies (real and imagined), the pain of learning to bow our knees and pray for those who use us in hateful ways, the pain of waiting on God.

We are rewarded on the other side of painful training.

When we choose to put a challenging situation in his hands first instead of acting upon our initial, vehement response, we grow into the lesson that God intends. We are also rewarded on the other side of the pain because we don't suffer for nothing. When we handle a distressing situation on our own, however, we don't get anything everlasting out of it. As it says, we got our reward, in the flesh, and that's all we'll get out of what we did (Matthew 6:5, 21, I Corinthians 3:12-15). That reward is in our flesh. What else does that kind of unrestrained behavior cause?

As a result, we will most likely go on in life feeling resentful about the situation, recounting it and allowing it to replay over and over in our minds. We may have thought what we wanted to, said what we wanted to and did what we wanted to but we end up defeated. We have nothing of significance about our resolution to offer ourselves or anyone else. Most of all, we end up without any hope of spiritual, heavenly rewards for our fleshly effort. 

We end up defeated and without spiritual rewards when we behave any kind of way.

Many times, when I journeyed through with God to the end of the situation, he showed me that my hurt and/or rage was built up through untrue assumptions anyway. I don't think I would ever have found out had I flown off the handle at the onset of the situation. Even if someone or some entity was guilty of what I thought, because of my additional assumptions, they would not have deserved the ballistics that I would have leveled at them had I operated in my flesh. God gets to the root and leaves no stone unturned. A little assumption, a lot of assumptions, it's all the same to him.

Allowing ourselves to be taught and pruned by God quietly detonates the powder kegs of assumptions. Believe me, when we are obedient to God, often he will supernaturally shift things so that the least damage, to us and to them, will be done while he's teaching us. You'll see his right hand work! He's wonderful!

God will supernaturally shift things for damage control.

We don't have to fly off the handle anymore. We can triumph and have peace through every trying event. We can receive rewards for our obedience and endurance, not only here, but most importantly in Heaven. 

Holiness Is Godliness

Being Holy is simply becoming more like God.

There is nothing to be afraid of.

As we become more like God,

we become less dependent

on the things we

used to need. 

Holiness is Godliness.

 "Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders?

Exodus 15:11

and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

Ephesians 4:24 NKJV

 

 

Finding Romance, Love And A Christian Spouse

We should always pray and expect God's confirmation when we feel we have met the one.

I recently saw a video that someone shared at an online group, where a young Christian woman was advocating that we don't have to wait on God for a mate. She said that this principle was a part of Christiandom, or some contrived word like that. She felt that too many Christians sit around waiting for God to give them a marriage partner, when they can pick the person themselves. I feel that it is a combination of both. We should make an effort to be active and put ourselves out there to meet people.  Along with that, we should pray and expect God's confirmation when we feel we have met the one.

Moderation and merging of both searching and waiting for Christian love is important.

I think that to put all of the responsibility on ourselves to choose a holy person to marry is foolish and dangerous. However, I think to wait indefinitely on God to drop the person into our laps, while doing nothing to be friendly and attractive, is also foolish and self-defeating. Both attitudes are needed, but a moderation of both, a merging of them.

Don't go by feelings, which got you into romantic trouble before.

Dating around to feel our way to finding someone with whom we click got us into trouble before. Going by our feelings got us into trouble before. Depending upon our own devices is the reason that we are alone today. Being led of the flesh is the reason that we have so much baggage today, so that the Holy Spirit can barely get our attention.

We Christian woman have to learn how to submit to a man after God's own heart.

My point is that Christians lean too far to the right or the left about everything. The Bible plainly says to not lean to the right hand nor the left, keep our feet from evil. (Proverbs 4:27) The order of the relationship and marriage has to be established by God, in the beginning, for the union to be successful and righteous. This is even more so in today's world, where for generations women have had to assume the authority of men. This is because men have become so slack and lax in being men and heading the families as God desires. We, as Christian women, don't have any idea how to submit to a holy and righteous Christian man. Most of us have only known strong, overbearing women and weak men. We don't have healthy examples of the order in the Christian marriage.

God will confirm in the heart of the woman that indeed that man is the one.

So, to establish the relationship on Holy ground or a powerful foundation, we have to be able to submit in the beginning. In that regard, I believe in the way that many other Christians believe, that God will confirm with the man that yes indeed he has found a wonderful Godly woman who would be a faithful, holy and diligent wife to him.  The man will then show his interest in her and she will return that interest. Most important though, not the man, but God, will confirm in the heart and spirit of the woman that indeed, that man is the one.

God never changes and his order is supreme.

Basically, God will tell the man and the man will tell the woman, and God will confirm to the woman. It may sound old-fashioned and distasteful to some, but no matter what the variation is, you will find this holy process in all of the great, true, authentic and enduring Christian marriages. God never changes and his order is supreme.

The sad thing is that most of the time we operate in the flesh when it comes to romance and marriage. There is another, more excellent way, to work with God to put the flesh under. As reborn spirits, we possess the power to crucify the flesh that seduces and misleads us. We can learn a new way of experiencing romantic love. That infallible way is God's holy way.

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You Are Here: Tired Of Praying & Weary III

Guilt is debilitating and useless, and comes from the influence of the devil.

 I know how it is to weep your heart out because of distress over a circumstance. I know how it feels to be overcome by struggle, fear or tragedy. Breaking down in tears is a relief, but it is also horrifying and exhausting. We often feel guilty for being human, though we ARE human. God acknowledges this by coming in human flesh to experience what only humans can, and dying for our human frailties.

When we feel tired of praying and believing in prayer, guilt tries to set in. We feel like we should be able to do better, fix things, make something work out, not grieve, not feel trauma, not feel bad. Guilt is debilitating and useless, and comes from the influence of the devil. If we are ever guilty of anything at all, there is always the answer of accepting a washing that makes us whiter than snow, through what Jesus did.

There is no level of black guilt that cannot be covered by Jesus' sacrifice for us. All we need to do is ask to realize what is already there for us. Feeling overcome and tired, and not feeling like praying anymore is nothing to feel guilty about. It is human. God knows that we are human. He created us.

After we have accepted how we feel, and have called upon the Holy Spirit to pray for us (see You Are Here: Tired Of Praying & Weary) , we should as devoted, growing Christians, desire to get our prayer life back on track. Sometimes it helps to change up how we pray, the words and scriptures that we use, the times of day, the subjects, etc. At the same time, we should continue to thank God for specific things that we have asked for. Don't keep asking, begging and pleading with God for the same thing. You ask him once and you have it. You ask according to his will and it is done. Plain and simple. I John 5:14-15 says If we ask anything according to his will, we know we have the petitions that we desire of him.

Sometimes it helps to change up how we pray, the words and scriptures that we use, the times of day, the subjects, etc.

The next step is to crush the fear that things will not work out, that nothing will ever change, that we will never be happy. When the desire to beg and plead for that same thing tries to rule you again, stop the thought and thank God for the answer. Thank him that it has been done, according to his will. Our faith in his will is what puts us in a position to receive his answers to our prayers.

Now move on and petition or ask God for the next thing, leaving it at the Cross. From then on, thank him for it until you recognize an answer,

however and whenever that should come.  
 

You Are Here: Tired Of Praying & Weary

You Are Here: Tired Of Praying & Weary II
You Are Here: Tired Of Praying & Weary IV

 You Are Here: Tired Of Praying & Weary V

POETRY: About How The Bible Changes Us

Read the Bible everyday, read a variety of scriptures and watch the changes happen.

Subtle Changes

The Word molds.

The Word shapes.

Read the Word,

And you'll never have to try

To be good.

You will evolve,

Into a thing of beauty

Before God.

 

~ SJ Holland ~

How God Helps With Problems

God shows me over and over...

...that the answers to most things that trouble me are very small things. These small things are solutions that I would never discover if it was not for Him. These solutions are tiny compared to how I view my problems. 

When God reveals a tiny solution to me, whether it is temporary or permanent, it has always been there all along. Close and within reach, but hidden from me. My solutions, which are usually very involved, always take me in a different direction than where God would take me. That is why I can never see God's solutions. 

Whenever My Heavenly Father reveals a solution to me, I am always so elated! The tiny solution makes such a big difference! I feel hopeful. I feel optimistic. I feel faith-filled! I can rest, while working the solution.

I also feel bad that I worried so much. I feel like I did not trust My Father like I could have. It hurts my heart, but I know that He understands.

 

I Prayed And It's Getting Worse! Why?

Often, when we are believing God for big changes, and praying and standing on his promises, the opposite will seem to happen. When we think things should be getting better, some things may seem to get worse. Some areas in our lives may need to collapse, so that God can build upon a stronger foundation that which we desire.

This is not pertaining to the foundation of the life of a Christian, for that main foundation is already built upon the Rock of Jesus Christ. The foundations that I'm speaking about are the areas of our lives that are a hinderance to obtaining what we want. They are superflous things, people and circumstances that need to go, that usually were not introduced by God into our lives to remain in the first place.

Some definitions of superflous include unnecessary; uncalled-for; wasteful. The best definition, though, is obsolete, which means no longer produced or used; out of date. They may have been useful at the time, according to God's plan, but are no longer so. We don't realize that many advancements, relationships and situations that we encounter are not meant to continue along the road with us.

God rarely reveals to us that what is a blessing at one time will become dispensible at his appointed time. These invited-turned-uninvited blessings must be wrenched from our lives in ways that we don't expect, because we don't understand that we must let them go. While God is permanent, the circumstances that he allows or places in our lives are not always so.

How do we handle these potentially upsetting and distressing developments? We continue to stand on the original promise of God. While doing so, we also do what is best at any given time, facing the challenges that God places before us. We determine to continue to have faith in him, while doing our part to fearlessly manage our daily lives, fearing no thing.

We go with the flow and recommit to God daily, loving and praising him with every fiber in our being. The course may veer off along the path at times, but if we are sure of what God is doing in our lives, then the path is the same. It is time to move upwards and onwards to what we asked God for.

Definitions: dictionary.com , Google 
Image: pixabay.com

How To Store Up Faith

You will notice how much more satisfied you are with your responses to challenges, how much better you overcome obstacles.

It is important to store up faith everyday. Read some of the Word each day, according as your schedule allows. Do this as soon as possible when you get up each morning. If you can't do it first thing, be sure to do it later in the morning.

It's best, though, to get up a tad earlier if necessary to do it before you start anything else that day. It doesn't matter how much you read, but I would hope that you'll read more than "Jesus wept". Whenever you can, read more than you normally would.

Pray every morning, in fact, before you get out of bed. Say something to God when you first open your eyes each day. Speak a faith statement, or thank God for something. This is a type of prayer, just as thinking is also.

When you get up to start your day, pray first, just as you determine to read the Bible first. Pray before, or after you read, whatever helps you to feel most comfortable. This is your formal prayer, where you open yourself and your life to God's direction each day. This is when you arm yourself, and set your mind to receive the goodness of God.

Get in the habit of praying throughout the day. These are your informal prayers. They are no more than talking to God, conversing with him about anything and everything. This is praying without ceasing, as the Bible instructs us to do.

As you practice these heart-felt procedures, you will be storing up faith. Often you will not feel any different, though you may feel satisfied that you are doing a very good thing. You may not necessarily feel stronger, or feel the power of God working in you at those moments of study and meditation. You will, however, notice how much better you handle daily occurrences.

You will notice how much more satisfied you are with your responses to challenges, how much better you overcome obstacles. This is because faith is being stored up in you. You are becoming strong in the Lord and in the power of his might, though you may not feel it during your daily practices.  

This is where your own faith comes in, and where you do the work of looking into the perfect law of liberty, of ingesting the Word (James 1:25 NKJV). This is where you get set up to deal with your day in a way that pleases God, and that will ultimately richly bless you. Even when you don't feel like it, even when you're tired, or discouraged, or sad and depressed, make yourself open the Bible and read it, everyday. Don't wait to read it when you feel thrilled. If it seems dry, read it.

Pray, everyday. Get on your knees whenever you can, subject and submit yourself to God, first thing in the morning, and throughout the day, everyday, day in and day out. Be faithful and do it! When happy, when sad, eat and drink the Word of God, and talk to God, always, continuously, everyday, about everything.

You will be amazed at how your barely detected, dormant and stock-piled faith will spring up and conquer like a lion, when needed. 

Trust In God

Why Praise God In Bad Times?

Don't support the devil's evil mechanizations in your life. Rise up and praise God, no matter what is happening that you can't control! No matter what God allows in your life, stand tall and praise him!

No matter who the devil may be influencing in your life, they are not in control. Raise your hands and praise God! The devil does not want you to praise God. If you don't praise God in adversity, you will be supporting the devil's evil mechanizations. If you don't praise God, you will slowly lose your strength. So switch your focus when it comes to praising.

Don't focus on praising God for the good things. That comes naturally. It's easy to praise God for good things, and blessings. Focus on praising him during the bad, difficult times. During what appears to be curses settling into your life. Praise him, praise him, praise him. Make yourself do it when you don't feel like it. I read that someone said something to this effect: Prayer starts the blessings. Praise brings them on home!!! 

 

How To Deal With Tests, Trials & Tribulations

Sometimes, we just want it to end; those difficult trials and testings...

~ I had a moment of weakness

when I spoke in spirit to my Heavenly Father ~

Sometimes, we just want it to end; those difficult trials and testings that we are suffering through. I had a moment of weakness when I spoke in spirit to my Heavenly Father, with very much heartfelt expression, I just wish it would end. He knew what I was thinking about. I did not need to spell it out or identify the issue. Then on the heels of that thought came the one that always brings me back to commitment.

I thought of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. He had endured so much harassment most of his 33 years. He had lived through his cousin, John the Baptist, being murdered. He had been hounded, shunned, consistently plotted against and betrayed. Though he knew these things would happen, they still happened to someone who could feel as we feel. He experienced the feelings, emotions and stress that we feel. He was very tired, I'm sure, by the time he made it to that garden. He felt fear and dread. What did he do?

~ The moment of terrifying weakness

turned into a moment of strength ~

In a moment of human weakness, he asked his Father, with so much  heartfelt expression that it seems some of his capillaries burst and oozed blood from his pores, Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me.  The moment of terrifying weakness turned into a moment of strength when he said, nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done. He chose to reestablish his determination to accept God's will. The flesh that he had taken on was fearful, but in his spirit was the strength to continue on. 

God expects us to determine to overcome our aversion and fear.

If Jesus had not recommitted himself, dug his heels in, and stayed the course, I would not be able to say today that I have a Heavenly Father. I would not be able to say that I have true help in a time of need, that he prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies, or that he shows me how to overcome evil with good. I would not be able to say that he helps me to do all things, and to put on effective, spiritual armor. Most of all, I would not be able to say that my Eternity is set in Him.

When on the heels of that broken-down thought of supplication I remembered Jesus, and all that he had endured for me, I immediately said in my spirit to God, nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done. In some circumstances, no matter how much we plead and pray, the situation will not be changed. We sense this in our spirits, though we wish it was otherwise. God expects us to determine to overcome our aversion and fear, and submit to his care in these distressing times.

~ Even Jesus asked to be delivered ~

So, do not be afraid to say nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done. It is okay to ask if it can be done in some other way. Even Jesus asked to be delivered from something that we know today was necessary for our very Salvation. Our Father wants us to always be honest with him, to worship him in spirit and in truth, and to walk in the light before his face. How do we build faith in a time of suffering under adverse circumstances, frightening developments, and devastating trials?

...reliable faith is believing that you will be ok in whatever will happen...

The Lord showed me this week that faith is not grasping to believe that some undesirable situation will not happen. True, reliable faith is believing that you will be ok in whatever will happen, and that if you perceive that he has ordained it, he will see you through to some kind of victory, one way or another. 

Scripture: Luke 22:42 (NKJV) BibleStudyTools.com
Images: Pexels.com

What About The Bad Places In My Life?

Sometimes as Christians we worry about the things that we can't seem to get right. We are frustrated over bad things that continue to crop up in our thoughts, our behaviors, and our lives. We lament that our failures and challenges are putting us behind. We feel anger that the influence or seeming control of another/others is causing unwanted effects to grow as we work to grow in the Lord.

Matthew 13:24-30 talks about the good seed and the tares. A man planted good seeds in his soil, and while he rested, an enemy came by and sowed some tares, or unwanted seeds, in among his good seeds. 

When his servants saw the sprouting of the bad seed among the good, they were aghast. They did not understand how this could have happened when they knew he would not have sown other than good seeds. They wanted to go to work ripping up the tares seedlings. No doubt, they thought it would be better to do this now, than wait for the wheat-resembling weeds to grow larger and stronger. They were concerned that these unwanted plants would take over, and even kill the good plants.

Their master, the owner who sowed the good seed, explained to them that it would be better to let the tares grow along with his good plants. If they ripped them out now, they would also dislodge and destroy many of the good seedlings in the process. He told them to wait until harvest time, when it would be easier to separate the weed plants from the good grain, and throw out the bad and keep the good. The owner knew that the tares would not take over.

This parable relates to what God will do when it's time for this world to end. It is okay that people who don't want to accept Jesus and love God are living, growing, advancing, prospering and even sometimes winning over Christians. In the end, when God's harvest is ripe, he will discard and destroy the remaining tares, those who refused Jesus Christ as Savior, and bring into his bosom those who love Him through the Shed Blood of His Son. 

Practically, we should practice the same confidence in ourselves and our lives. We don't have to worry about our faults, mistakes, failures, challenges, setbacks, relapses, struggles and rebellions. In the soil of our lives and in this world, there will always be tares, planted by any number of people, circumstances and unavoidable influences. Our focus and job is to keep planting and filling our fields with good seed. Don't worry about the bad seeds in our lives, why they are there, or how they got there. Many of them will die off along the way, as our good seeds grow. Those that are stubborn weeds that persist in surviving and even growing along with our good growth? Well, they will be destroyed in the end. In the end, it will be easy for the bad to be completely obliterated, and the good to be preserved.

Don't worry. Continue to focus on planting good seed into your thoughts, your mind, your heart, your being, your life. In the end, anything that is not done for Christ, by Christ, through Christ will be ripped out, separated and destroyed, never to grow, influence and affect again. In the end, everything that is done for Christ will last.

Tares Definition: TheFreeDictionary
Image:  Pixabay Free Images

The Trial Will End In Good Time

When we are enduring a trial or tribulation, and we feel that we can endure no longer, we usually ask God to deliver us. We ask him to end the suffering, because we know that if we ask him he will answer. We know that when we ask according to his will, we have the petition that we desire of him.

The interesting thing, though, is that we can sometimes feel that it is not really time for us to be delivered. Deep in our spirits, we can feel that the training or lesson is not quite done. It is almost completed, nearly finished, but not just yet.  

So what do we do about that? Well, we dig in and prepare for a little more enduring. We know that we do want to be delivered ASAP, but if in our hearts we feel that it is not yet time, then we will not receive a favorable answer to our prayer to be delivered now. 

In order to receive favorable answers to appropriate prayers, we have to believe deeply and realistically in what we are asking. We have to be able to receive that for which we are asking. If we don't believe that it is time, then that much desired answer will not manifest today. So while ASAP may mean today for us, God knows, and our spirit knows, that for today ASAP means all in good time. 

So prepare for a little bit more endurance while you are looking to be delivered ASAP. The time will surely come when you pray that prayer of deliverance and your inner man will know and agree wholeheartedly that it is finally, time.

God bless you and keep you safe!

 

The Kingdom Of God Is Like...?

The Kingdom Of Heaven Is Like...

The kingdom of Heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field...

The kingdom of Heaven is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field...

The kingdom of Heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal...

The kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hid in a field...

The kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls...

The kingdom of Heaven is like a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind... 

The kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a householder, who brings out of his treasure new and old things... 

Matthew 13:24-52 

Have you read and studied to learn just what the Kingdom of Heaven is, and how it pertains to your life here, and in the hereafter?

It's not just a place that we go to when we leave this earth.

It is behaviors, experiences, occurrences and principles, as well as a place where we will be honored to spend Eternity, which is just forever and forever.

But, as many profess today, Eternity is now, the moment when you accepted Jesus Christ as the only Savior of mankind, as your Savior.

So, if you haven't read these illuminating scriptures, or if you've only read them once, read them again, over and over until you feel God's Spirit revealing to you just what your should be experiencing as a member in His Kingdom. Afterall, you do want all that is yours.

 

The Difference That Being Rooted & Grounded Makes

I can tell that I'm much more rooted and grounded in God's kingdom. One way in which this is evident to me is because I can listen to or watch anything about The Lord at any time of day or night. This is versus when I was un-saved, or a babe in Christ and felt comfortable and happy doing that at certain times of the day, or on certain days.

I'm just simply always ready to hear a good word about God, or listen to some good worship and praising. I always feel open to it, ready for it. I don't have to get ready, or get prepared, or get in the right frame of mind. I'm always ready to receive. 

I believe this is because I am on the inside of God's Kingdom, not on the outside looking in. Even new Christians are somewhat on the outside looking in, because they are not versed nor experienced in the things of God. They don't understand a lot about who they are, or what it is that they have. 

When I was on the outside, the things of God had the tendency to infringe upon my life, though I wanted to learn more about God. I was seeking growth, but that separation between my moods and desires were conflicting with being mentally and emotionally immersed in God things. 

Some may call it being in The Spirit. Others may refer to is as being consumed with the things of God. Whatever it is, I call it being rooted and grounded in all things God, to the extent that you are always joyfully willing to hear about Him.

As I ponder on this circumstance, I ask myself how has it come about? I believe it is because:

1. I have been reading The Bible everyday for years now. Whether it is one paragraph or one chapter, I rarely miss.
2. I have turned prayer into talking to God. As a result I spend time with Him throughout the day, talking to Him about my joys and sorrows. This allows me to share with Him when things happen, not later at a prayer time when I will have forgotten much of how I felt.
3.  I pray for a hunger and thirst for righteousness, for God to make my crooked places straight, for Him to order my steps in His Word, for Him to establish my thoughts, and for Him to create in me a clean heart. I pray what The Word says I should have. These requests mean that I have to be continuously submitted to God.

I'm happy and content to be open to teaching, preaching, reading, worship and praise at all times. It's wonderful to welcome the things of God, rather than to be afraid or ambivalent about them. It's wonderful to be drawn to God at all times, rathern than to be repelled by Him at certain times.

To be rooted and grounded in God means that we can never get away from Him, and we never want to.

 

Poetry ~ Lord How Sweet Is Your Word

Lord How Sweet Is Your Word

How sweet is your Word in suffering,
Though oft' the burden is great.
It feels unbearably frequent,
Such difficulty of late.

Your Word is a precious ointment,
Oft' applied in much duress.
Your Word is a pathway lamplight.
With your Word I make progress.

I read and feel much freedom.
A breath of joy I breathe.
I lose myself in scriptures.
Where found is sweet relief.

Your Word I'll never shun it,
Though hurting hinders me.
That two-edged sword of sweetness,
Is what I need from thee. 

---

If you are not delving into the Word daily, preferably in the morning, you are missing a treat. It is the necessary nourishment for us to learn more about God, and the gospel of His Son, and to be able to successfully walk in His ways. Many Christians practice what they know of the Bible, but without spiritual power.

It is the daily ingesting of His Word that spiritually transforms us over time, giving us the power to not be conformed to this word, to resist the devil, to take no thought for tomorrow, to fear not, to give thanks in everything, to bear fruit from the inside out, to not turn to the right hand or to the left, to pray for those who despitefully use us, and to increase in faith. It is this very Word that many try to do in the flesh, that when eaten and drunk every day, will give us the power to walk in the freedom where with Christ has made us free, and to not be entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Lord How Sweet Is Your Word (c)2016 sjhollandwriting

Image: Pixabay.com Free Images

How Do I Get Rid Of My Guilt Feelings?

Guilt is most definitely not from God.

Why would it be when Jesus Christ of Nazareth paid it all?

We either believe it, or we don't.

If we find that the truth behind that is not manifesting in our day-to-day thinking, then we'd better step up our daily Bible reading, and praying without ceasing.

God expects us to take responsibility for our actions, not only those that affect others, but our actions that adversely and negatively affect us, as well. Often in this earthly life, we even have to live with the consequences of our actions, for God does not always change the outcomes. He is, however, always there to help us to live through the results in the positive way that he would have us to. He can take bad results and cause them to eventually benefit us, if we will allow him to.

It is extremely difficult to see how God can and would do this for some situations in life. We point to evidence that we feel shows that we have never benefited from hurtful and distressing situations in our lives. Sometimes we have benefited, and don't realize it. Regarding other circumstances, God has not yet provided us with the benefits. Sometimes the benefits may not even come in this life, I believe. However and whenever we experience these benefits, God's word is true. He is not a man that he should lie. He keeps his promises, forever and forever. He always has, and he always will.

Responsibility is paramount, guilt is useless. God never punishes us for anything un-Godly and un-beneficial that we have caused, because Jesus took our punishment, past, present and future, once and for all.

If you would like to be sure that you are Saved, say this simple prayer:

Jesus, I believe that you are the Son of God, and the only Savior. Come into my heart, and save me. I was born in sin and you died for me so that I can know God and not be blamed anymore. Thank you for my new life. Show me the way to turn away from bad things and help me to understand. I don't have to fear death anymore, and thank you for Eternal Life.  

 

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Draw Nigh To Hope

What CAN We Change That Will Bless Us?

My great-grandmother was a three-time widow, who appeared to be very unhappy towards the end of her life. As I continued my genealogical research, my heart went out to her. How neglected and unloved she must have felt by God. She was blessed to find a new husband three times, only to find herself left alone in the end. Existing day after day, and though fit, caring for an elderly sister, and herself being elderly and alone.

As I thought back on the few times I remember being in her presence, I can see now what part of the reason could have been why she appeared cold and stand-offish. In fact, the last time I saw her, she looked simply dejected and miserable. She was born in the late 19th century, and married my grandfather's father in her 20's. By the time she was 61, he had died, she had married again and her 2nd husband died. A few years after that, and sometime between when I was born and my first memory of her, she had married her 3rd husband, who died before I remember him. Though I'd heard about 1 or 2 of her marriages, I'd only known her as a single woman.

As my heart ached for her, I thought about how it is these types of turns in life that cause many to feel that God does not care, that he does not love them. Some say in their hearts, "Afterall, why would he bless me with husbands who die and leave me? And here I am alone in the end. In the end, I have been left with years of loneliness, drudgery and boredom. No one to help me in my declining years, and  I have my single sister to care for. How cruel and unfair life has been to me!"

I don't know my great-grandmother's thoughts during that time. These are my general guesses on how anyone may have felt. From her demeanor when I knew her, it did not appear that she was happy, upbeat and optimistic. Not until I was well into my adult years, in fact, fairly recently, did I come to understand the course of her marriages, and how it must have been for her to endure it.

Sometimes life just beats us down, and we become tired, period. But we should start early claiming all that the Bible says that God feels for us, and all that he wants us to think and have. Why? Because his love and promises are in spite of life's twists and turns. Some have more sorrow and suffering than others. Things never seem to work out for many, and they can't catch their breath before another crisis happens. It doesn't just rain, it pours for so many Christians, and often the torrent of trials don't seem to let up. Does all of this negate God's love for each individual? No! Does it mean that he has forgotten us? No! Does that mean that his Bible is worthless? No!

There are going to continue to be problems, sorrows, disappointments and devastation in this world, until it is over for all of us, living and dead. We may have dreams fulfilled, and we may have happiness at every turn, and we may not. None of us knows as we live, what will happen. We do know that his Word is always true, dependable and everlasting. We know that there is always an answer in Christ, and that we can always ask and receive, seek and find, knock and the door will be opened for us by God.

It is good to start early, and no time is too late, determining in our hearts and minds what the end of our lives will be, no matter when that will come. No matter what our situations or conditions, we can determine that the joy of the Lord will be our strength as we live and age. We can live out the conviction that he will keep us in perfect peace  because our minds will be continually on him.

We can grab hold to and confess joy unspeakable, because our hope is for something more than what we are living. We can confess that we live in the peace that surpasses all understanding, because we know that God said he loves us no matter what. He has our best interests at heart, though all looks like disaster. It is not easy, but our tending to these things will help us to present different personalities and attitudes than the ones displayed by those who are consumed by the sorrows of life's downturns.

My heart truly breaks for those who have successive sorrows in life. We don't know why some have to endure these types of things, and others do not. Anyone who comes to the altar of God, though, has something to bring, however different than the other. I don't know what my great-grandmother thoughts were about her life's course. I do know that had she been immersed and focused on God's love and glory, she would have been more able to reach out to others, and even alter some parts of the course of her life.

Some things we can never change, but we don't know what we can change unless we have the physical strength, the mental and emotional fortitude, and the spiritual growth to try. I truly believe this. None of us who love the Lord can have the exact, perfect life that we desire here in this fallen world, but we can grow in him everyday. His everlasting love can flow through us and out to others. He even helps us, for moments at a time, to forget our sorrows in favor of helping others with theirs.

I am sorry that the end of my great-grandmother's life was not better. Was it meant to be? Is it what she wanted? I doubt it. By the time I knew her, she was too old and tired to care. I have felt that way sometimes, and I'm not the age she was when I knew her. I am not professing that I can do better than her, because they say we all do the best that we can with the life that we are handed. That's why I say it's never too early to grab this life by the horns. Rather than determining to accept and react to what comes our way, work with God to make changes.

We are either resigned and have given up, or we are resistant to defeat and are always planning for the best, for what we really want, now and towards the end. There is a way to make life more of how we really want it to be, to make whatever changes are necessary to attain that. As we work with God to bring it about, we present a certain face to the world, one of true love, never-ending hope and Godly happiness. We cannot change everything, like the death of my great-grandmother's 3 husbands. The important question is, what can we change that will bless us, and make a difference in the way that we treat others?

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