Waiting On God? Or Just Indefinitely Waiting?

The path to success is not along a familiar route.

~S Holland~

 

If you are waiting on God, so that he can bring to you something familiar, so that your dreams will come true, you may be waiting 'till you die.

Your fondest dreams will not be brought about through a path you've already traveled, or else you'd already have them.

To have something you've never had, you've got to do something you've never done. God will show you what it is. He probably already has.

Don't keep waiting on the familiar, calling it waiting on God, and miss God.

 

Saved But Worried Or Afraid?

Every day of your life conceive of yourself as living in partnership and companionship with Jesus Christ. If He actually walked by your side, would you be worried or afraid? Well, then, say to yourself, "He is with me." Affirm aloud His promise, "I am with you always." Then change it to say, "He is with me now." Repeat the affirmation three times every day.

~ Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, The Power of Positive Thinking condensed edition, Chapt. 8, How To Break The Worry Habit, pg. 36. ©1987 & 2008 Peale Center for Positive Thinking. All rights reserved. Guideposts Outreach. GuidepostsFoundation.org ~

 

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!!! 

 

Remember To Pray For Those In Prison

Was watching a program on the Justice Network, and thinking so many prisons, so many people in prisons everywhere, always a chance for work related to prisons. It is unfortunate, but he truth is that jobs in the prison industry have a bright future. Bright future jobs are industries where job stability and growth are guaranteed, because of the increasing need of the products and services.

Behind that thought, I began to think about the brutality of prison life, and how depending on where the prisoner is sent, he/she will be treated like a human being, or like an animal. Then I thought of the many prisoners who are incarcerated for crimes that they did not commit. I can only imagine how it must feel to live in such a horrible, unjust situation.

I am asking you to remember prisoners when you pray. Pray for those who have committed crimes, and especially those who did not. Don't forget about the incarcerated, when you petition God.

 

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