Here are some scriptures from the Old and New Testament's for time that you might feel yourself becoming impatient and want peace. All scriptures are taken from the Quest NIV study Bible.
Old Testament
Psalm 27:13-14
13.I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. 14.Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.
Waiting for the Lord suggests trust in God's goodness and His timing. God sees things different than we do, which means that answers to our prayers might not come as quickly as we might think they should. God's time is different than our time. God new our whole lives before we were even born. We need to put our whole trust, 100%, in the Lord and He will give us patience.
Psalm 37:7,9
7.Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.
9.For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.
There is a lot of evil in this world. At times we may be a witness to someone doing wrong, evil. God wants us to trust in Him to take care of the things we cannot change. He will remove the evil in the last days at the final judgment. We are to be set apart, sanctified. We need to focus on Jesus and He will work on us as individuals and in turn take care of those who are doing evil.
New Testament
Romans 2:7
To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.
Paul is not telling us how we can earn eternal life. There is no way eternal life can be earned. It is a true gift from God. He is basically saying that we reap what we sow, that our actions have consequences. By complete surrender to God's will we will be blessed with the gift of eternal life. If we choose to keep in the path of sin we will pay the price of eternal damnation. God expects us to do good as follower. We are called to be saints!
1 Timothy 1:16
But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus must display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.
Hebrews 6:12
We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but every0ne to come to repentance.
There are many times in our lives that we become impatient. These scriptures all follow the same ideas. By surrendering to Christ and confessing Him Lord, by opening your heart to the Spirit of God, we become a new creation. Of course at times we will still feel overwhelmed. Those are the times we need to talk to God and ask Him to take the issue. He will take it and work it out and you will feel peace. He is a great God!
We need to remember that God does things in His time and for His will, not ours. That goes along with surrender. It must be 100% for God to take a hold. Once He does we become a new person, more Christ-like. We begin to desire Godly things instead of earthly things. We begin to love all and not some of the time. We desire to help others know God. We become Christians!
I really hope that you enjoyed these scriptures and that you were able to take something with you. I love you all and hope to have more soon. May the grace of God bless you and your families!
For any Christian. Filled with scripture and great ways to apply God's word into our everyday life. Please feel free to discuss.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Monday, February 28, 2011
IF YOU ARE SEEKING GOD'S DIRECTION
Many of us go through life trying to do everything we can to be successful on our own. When things are going badly we start to look to God for direction, asking Him to fix the mess we got ourselves into. Why only when things are going badly? God is always there for us whether good or bad. If we begin to look for God to direct our lives now, when things are good, He will never fail us. Since He will never fail us or leave us, we won't find ourselves in the bad situations too often. Of course, we will always go through trials and tribulations. God uses them to build us and make us who we are. Here are some scriptures from the New Testament that will help you in building your relationship with God in order for Him to direct you.
Romans 12:1-3
1.Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship. 2.Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will.
3.For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.
Ephesians 5:15-17
15.Be very careful, then, how you live-not as unwise but as wise, 16.making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17.Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lords will is.
Colossians 1:9-14
9.For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10.And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11.being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12.giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. 13.For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14.In whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
James 1:5-8
5.If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6.But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like the wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7.That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8.he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
As Christians we will endure pain. We begin to find satisfaction in becoming what God has created us for, His purpose and will. Soon after we will find purpose in life and avoid pain at all cost. We can serve God's will by simply obeying Him and honoring Him in our lives. Toss away the old way of thinking and let Him transform your mind and give you peace and overflowing joys. By doing this we will begin to see God's will for us more and more. God may not lay it all out for you, but He sure will give you spiritual principles and situations in life that you can use them. Just maybe it isn't for us to know the actual plan? Who is to say? God, not you or me, and only God! We should always be aware of where we think we are in our spiritual self with God. It is very important not to let ourselves become filled with pride. "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." (James 4:6) True self-worth comes from accepting who we are in Christ and understanding that God loves us as we are. We can also ask God for an understanding of who He is and what He is doing with the trials in our lives. We can pray that He may give our spiritual eyes sight and to soften our hearts to get a greater understanding. It is very important that, after you pray for these things you get right back into God's word so that He may guide you. You must sit in quiet so that He may answer you.
I really hope that you were able to grab on to something in this post today. These scriptures have helped me greatly in my journey to know God. I love you all. I hope and pray that it is God's will for me to continue posting His word. God Bless you and your families! Grace be with you all!
Romans 12:1-3
1.Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship. 2.Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will.
3.For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.
Ephesians 5:15-17
15.Be very careful, then, how you live-not as unwise but as wise, 16.making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17.Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lords will is.
Colossians 1:9-14
9.For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10.And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11.being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12.giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. 13.For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14.In whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
James 1:5-8
5.If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6.But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like the wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7.That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8.he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
As Christians we will endure pain. We begin to find satisfaction in becoming what God has created us for, His purpose and will. Soon after we will find purpose in life and avoid pain at all cost. We can serve God's will by simply obeying Him and honoring Him in our lives. Toss away the old way of thinking and let Him transform your mind and give you peace and overflowing joys. By doing this we will begin to see God's will for us more and more. God may not lay it all out for you, but He sure will give you spiritual principles and situations in life that you can use them. Just maybe it isn't for us to know the actual plan? Who is to say? God, not you or me, and only God! We should always be aware of where we think we are in our spiritual self with God. It is very important not to let ourselves become filled with pride. "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." (James 4:6) True self-worth comes from accepting who we are in Christ and understanding that God loves us as we are. We can also ask God for an understanding of who He is and what He is doing with the trials in our lives. We can pray that He may give our spiritual eyes sight and to soften our hearts to get a greater understanding. It is very important that, after you pray for these things you get right back into God's word so that He may guide you. You must sit in quiet so that He may answer you.
I really hope that you were able to grab on to something in this post today. These scriptures have helped me greatly in my journey to know God. I love you all. I hope and pray that it is God's will for me to continue posting His word. God Bless you and your families! Grace be with you all!
Friday, February 25, 2011
THE BLOOD OF CHRIST
Matthew 26:26-29
26.While they were eating, Jesus took bread , gave thanks, and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body."
27.The he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. 28.This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29.I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father's kingdom."
The bread reminds Jesus' followers of His body, being the sacrifice for our sin. The wine reminds His followers of the Blood of Christ and its saving effects.
The question that comes to mind is, "why would Jesus say He would not drink again? The reason is, Jesus knew that He was going to die. That the food and drink He was partaking in would be His last. But when He returns, He will be in perfect fellowship with His followers. Even now, we as Christians, celebrate the Last Supper not only to remember the crucifixion but also the return of our savior Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 9:11-28
11.When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. 12.He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. 13.The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14.How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
15.For this reason Christ is mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance - now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.
16.In the case of a will, it is necessary t o prove the death of the one who made it, because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. 18.This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood. 19.When Moses had proclaimed every commandment of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll of all the people. 20.He said, "This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep." 21.In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. 22.In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
23.It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24.For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's presence. 25.Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place with blood that is not his own. 26.Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27.Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28.so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
A "greater and more perfect tabernacle" is the tabernacle in heaven. The difference between an earthly and heaven tabernacle could be compared to a picture of a house and the real house.
To fully understand how blood can wash away sin you would have to be familiar with rituals from the Old Testament. In Jewish rituals and sacrifices blood was seen as a divine transaction. Life was exchanged for death and purity was exchanged for sin.
The new covenant was like a will. A will is a contractual arrangement that goes into effect upon the death of the will-maker. Christ made a new covenant with his people, like a will, went into effect upon is death. The teaching of The New Testament is based on the fulfillment of the new covenant. Christians now benefit from his covenant through intimacy with God and permanent forgiveness.
Sin was an irreversible affront to God's holiness. The only solution to sin was the death penalty. When blood, signifying life, was poured out, it signified that a life was given up. In The Old Testament the deaths of animals fulfilled this standard of justice. In The New Testament, Jesus' blood fulfilled the requirement of sin, satisfying God's justice so we could be forgiven.
Although Jesus has done everything necessary to do away with sin, we as sinners still must allow his work to take effect in our lives. Because our human nature is infected with sin and because we live in a sinful world, we will have to deal with our sin throughout our lives. The tyranny of sin is broken when we confess, repent and find forgiveness through faith in Jesus.
We are at war daily with evil in the world and trying to fight our own sinful natures. We must, as Christians, arm ourselves daily with the weapons the Lord has given us. We can fight satan and his temptations with scripture. He will flee at the mention of the name Jesus. Jesus sacrificed himself for us so that we may be forgiven for the wrongs we commit. His blood will wash us if we have faith. We must sacrifice ourselves daily to become holy. Holy is to be sanctified, set apart from the evil desires of the world. The question I leave you with today is, Jesus gave His blood for us to be saved, What will you give to Jesus to be saved?
I love you all and hope something today helped. God bless you and your families!!
26.While they were eating, Jesus took bread , gave thanks, and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body."
27.The he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. 28.This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29.I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father's kingdom."
The bread reminds Jesus' followers of His body, being the sacrifice for our sin. The wine reminds His followers of the Blood of Christ and its saving effects.
The question that comes to mind is, "why would Jesus say He would not drink again? The reason is, Jesus knew that He was going to die. That the food and drink He was partaking in would be His last. But when He returns, He will be in perfect fellowship with His followers. Even now, we as Christians, celebrate the Last Supper not only to remember the crucifixion but also the return of our savior Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 9:11-28
11.When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. 12.He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. 13.The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14.How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
15.For this reason Christ is mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance - now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.
16.In the case of a will, it is necessary t o prove the death of the one who made it, because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. 18.This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood. 19.When Moses had proclaimed every commandment of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll of all the people. 20.He said, "This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep." 21.In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. 22.In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
23.It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24.For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's presence. 25.Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place with blood that is not his own. 26.Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27.Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28.so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
A "greater and more perfect tabernacle" is the tabernacle in heaven. The difference between an earthly and heaven tabernacle could be compared to a picture of a house and the real house.
To fully understand how blood can wash away sin you would have to be familiar with rituals from the Old Testament. In Jewish rituals and sacrifices blood was seen as a divine transaction. Life was exchanged for death and purity was exchanged for sin.
The new covenant was like a will. A will is a contractual arrangement that goes into effect upon the death of the will-maker. Christ made a new covenant with his people, like a will, went into effect upon is death. The teaching of The New Testament is based on the fulfillment of the new covenant. Christians now benefit from his covenant through intimacy with God and permanent forgiveness.
Sin was an irreversible affront to God's holiness. The only solution to sin was the death penalty. When blood, signifying life, was poured out, it signified that a life was given up. In The Old Testament the deaths of animals fulfilled this standard of justice. In The New Testament, Jesus' blood fulfilled the requirement of sin, satisfying God's justice so we could be forgiven.
Although Jesus has done everything necessary to do away with sin, we as sinners still must allow his work to take effect in our lives. Because our human nature is infected with sin and because we live in a sinful world, we will have to deal with our sin throughout our lives. The tyranny of sin is broken when we confess, repent and find forgiveness through faith in Jesus.
We are at war daily with evil in the world and trying to fight our own sinful natures. We must, as Christians, arm ourselves daily with the weapons the Lord has given us. We can fight satan and his temptations with scripture. He will flee at the mention of the name Jesus. Jesus sacrificed himself for us so that we may be forgiven for the wrongs we commit. His blood will wash us if we have faith. We must sacrifice ourselves daily to become holy. Holy is to be sanctified, set apart from the evil desires of the world. The question I leave you with today is, Jesus gave His blood for us to be saved, What will you give to Jesus to be saved?
I love you all and hope something today helped. God bless you and your families!!
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
ANXIETY
Today's topic is Anxiety because so many of us face this issue in our daily lives. Here are some scriptures that will help to give a new light in situations where you might feel that everything is falling apart.
The Old Testament
Psalm 94:17-19
17.Unless the Lord had given me help, I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death.
18.When I said, "My foot is slipping," your love, O Lord, supported me.
19.When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.
This part of Scripture talks of a person so close to giving up, so close to death because of their problems. They talk about the Lord giving them help. God is His strongest at our weakest points. He will comfort us with His Spirit when we are in need of Him. He will bring our soul joy when we lean on Him in times of trouble.
Ecclesiastes 2:22-25
22.What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun? 23.All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless.
24.A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, 25.for without him, who can eat or find employment?
This Scripture basically comes down to "Contentment." Sometimes we think all the work we do is meaningless. We decide to, "live life to the fullest," "work hard and play hard." We decide we will do whatever God enables us to do. We often find that simple pleasures fail to satisfy us. Contentment comes through a life of faith and obedience. If your not receiving joy in what you are doing, pray that God will guide you and that He will give you joy and peace. If you are living to please God you will receive the fruits of His Spirit.
The New Testament
Luke 12:22-34
22.Then Jesus said to his disciples. "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23.Life is more than food, and the body more than cloths. 24.Consider the Ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable are you than birds! 25.Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 26.Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
27.Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28.If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29.And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30.For the pagan world runs after all such things, and you Father knows that you need them. 31.But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
32.Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33.Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourself that will not wear out, a treasure in Heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34.For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
In this Scripture Jesus is giving us an open invitation to rest in the loving arms of the Father. We often cross the line and fret when we should trust. When we constantly focus on ourselves instead of God we violate Jesus' principle. Jesus tells us here not to worry about anything. He names things we often wory about; food and clothing. We often get caught up worrying about jobs, dating and money. Jesus tells us to seek the kingdom and all else will be provided. Lean on God and seek Him and you will be blessed by Him in ways you could never of imagined.
Philippians 4:4-9
4.Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5.Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6.Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. 7.And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
8.Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praise worthy - think about such things. 9.Whatever you have learned or recieved or heard from me, or seen in me - put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
We should always rejoice in the Lord. When we have issues in our lives we should be praying to God about those issues. If we present those issues to God, being thankful, He will give our minds and hearts peace over the issue and resolve it in His time. Paul is saying in this scripture that thoughts of temptation and dicouragement can come into our lives unannounced. We can discipline ourselves, making consious choices to contemplate good things. Reading Bible verses, for example, or listing God's attributes can get us on the right track.
Hebrews 13:5-6
5.Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."
6.So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"
This and many other Scriptures say, "The Lord is my helper, he will never leave nor forsake you." This is so true!
There are so many times throughout my past when I was anxious. There were times when I felt there was no hope, no purpose and no point. Since I have found Jesus to be my savior I have learned to lean on Him when I have doubts or when I don't know why or what to do in certain situations. An answer always comes in one form or another. Those times in my past when I was the most anxious, I was so wrapped up in myself and the questions; "why is this happening to me?," "what am I going to do now?," "How am I going to get through this?," "How will I pay for this?" I was forgetting to pray and to keep helping others in their times of need. I was down right "selfish." I was going no where fast.
Today I have peace and Joy. I have some medical issues that sometimes try to get me down, but I have a relationship with God. He helps me through my daily struggles and gives me the strength to keep helping others. As long as I remember to lean on Him, I have peace and joy. If I begin to get anxious, I go into a quiet room and pray for God to help. He is always there and has never failed.
Next time you feel anxious or if you feel it now. Stop! Go into a quiet place and pray for God's help. I guarentee in one way or another He will always be there for you. I love you all and hope you were able to grab a hold of something today. God Bless you and your families!
The Old Testament
Psalm 94:17-19
17.Unless the Lord had given me help, I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death.
18.When I said, "My foot is slipping," your love, O Lord, supported me.
19.When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.
This part of Scripture talks of a person so close to giving up, so close to death because of their problems. They talk about the Lord giving them help. God is His strongest at our weakest points. He will comfort us with His Spirit when we are in need of Him. He will bring our soul joy when we lean on Him in times of trouble.
Ecclesiastes 2:22-25
22.What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun? 23.All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless.
24.A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, 25.for without him, who can eat or find employment?
This Scripture basically comes down to "Contentment." Sometimes we think all the work we do is meaningless. We decide to, "live life to the fullest," "work hard and play hard." We decide we will do whatever God enables us to do. We often find that simple pleasures fail to satisfy us. Contentment comes through a life of faith and obedience. If your not receiving joy in what you are doing, pray that God will guide you and that He will give you joy and peace. If you are living to please God you will receive the fruits of His Spirit.
The New Testament
Luke 12:22-34
22.Then Jesus said to his disciples. "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23.Life is more than food, and the body more than cloths. 24.Consider the Ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable are you than birds! 25.Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 26.Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
27.Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28.If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29.And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30.For the pagan world runs after all such things, and you Father knows that you need them. 31.But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
32.Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33.Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourself that will not wear out, a treasure in Heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34.For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
In this Scripture Jesus is giving us an open invitation to rest in the loving arms of the Father. We often cross the line and fret when we should trust. When we constantly focus on ourselves instead of God we violate Jesus' principle. Jesus tells us here not to worry about anything. He names things we often wory about; food and clothing. We often get caught up worrying about jobs, dating and money. Jesus tells us to seek the kingdom and all else will be provided. Lean on God and seek Him and you will be blessed by Him in ways you could never of imagined.
Philippians 4:4-9
4.Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5.Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6.Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. 7.And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
8.Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praise worthy - think about such things. 9.Whatever you have learned or recieved or heard from me, or seen in me - put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
We should always rejoice in the Lord. When we have issues in our lives we should be praying to God about those issues. If we present those issues to God, being thankful, He will give our minds and hearts peace over the issue and resolve it in His time. Paul is saying in this scripture that thoughts of temptation and dicouragement can come into our lives unannounced. We can discipline ourselves, making consious choices to contemplate good things. Reading Bible verses, for example, or listing God's attributes can get us on the right track.
Hebrews 13:5-6
5.Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."
6.So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"
This and many other Scriptures say, "The Lord is my helper, he will never leave nor forsake you." This is so true!
There are so many times throughout my past when I was anxious. There were times when I felt there was no hope, no purpose and no point. Since I have found Jesus to be my savior I have learned to lean on Him when I have doubts or when I don't know why or what to do in certain situations. An answer always comes in one form or another. Those times in my past when I was the most anxious, I was so wrapped up in myself and the questions; "why is this happening to me?," "what am I going to do now?," "How am I going to get through this?," "How will I pay for this?" I was forgetting to pray and to keep helping others in their times of need. I was down right "selfish." I was going no where fast.
Today I have peace and Joy. I have some medical issues that sometimes try to get me down, but I have a relationship with God. He helps me through my daily struggles and gives me the strength to keep helping others. As long as I remember to lean on Him, I have peace and joy. If I begin to get anxious, I go into a quiet room and pray for God to help. He is always there and has never failed.
Next time you feel anxious or if you feel it now. Stop! Go into a quiet place and pray for God's help. I guarentee in one way or another He will always be there for you. I love you all and hope you were able to grab a hold of something today. God Bless you and your families!
Monday, February 21, 2011
LOVE
Today's topic is Love. Some Scriptures from the Old testament and the New testament to see what God and Jesus said about Love. Under each Scripture will be some study points.
The Old Testament:
Leviticus 19:18
"Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord."
Leviticus 19:34
"The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, you were aliens in Egypt. I am the Lord your God."
Deuteronomy 6:1-5
1.These are the commands, decrees and the laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, 2.so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. 3.Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your fathers, promised you.
4.Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5.Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
God's love for Israel did not depend on their obedience to the law. He initiated the covenant with them before they obeyed, and he still cared for them when they disobeyed. However, the blessings and the curses were dependent upon their obedience to the law.
The New Testament
Mark 12:28-34
28.One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, ''Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"
29."The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one. 30.Love the Lord our God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' 31.The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."
32."Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. 33.To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."
34.When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.
1 Corinthians 13:1
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
This scripture is talking about spiritual gifts and love. Love is a fruit of the Spirit. It is love that unifies the church. The gifts of the Spirit are like the tools that accomplish the the purpose of love, building up the body. Love controls the use of gifts, they are not to divide the church, nor are they to be used to gain personal recognition. With love the gifts are a genuine service to the church.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
4.Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5.It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs. 6.Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7.It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
1 John 4:7-21
7.Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8.Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9.This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10.This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son is an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11.Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12.No one has ever seen God: but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
13.We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14.And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15.If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. 16.And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. 17.in this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. 18.There is no fear in love. But perfect loves drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
19.We love because he first loved us. 20.If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 21.And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.
To live in God is to remain in God. We are to remain in a relationship with God, like it is told through biblical love. Jesus was and is an example of a life lived and breathed love. He gave himself and calls us to do the same. True love is more than a feeling. It is a consistent attitude of giving ourselves to God and to others.
God loves us unconditional. No matter what we have done in our past he loves us the same. God wishes that all would be saved. He gave his Son to die for the worlds sins. Do you have children? Could you imagine the love you have for your own children and then imagine giving that child to be a sacrifice for the sins of others. It is a really hard thing to imagine. How many of us would? That there can tell you how powerful God's love is for us.
As long as we remember to give ourselves to God everyday and to treat our fellows as we want them to treat us, we are obeying the most important commands of our Lord. Of course we will still sin. We are all sinners, every last one, but we are forgiven through the blood of Jesus. Ask for forgiveness and change what causes you to sin. Look for ways to help someone in need. Not for personal gain, but because it is right. I love you all and hope you were able to grab onto something here today. God Bless you and your families!
The Old Testament:
Leviticus 19:18
"Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord."
Leviticus 19:34
"The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, you were aliens in Egypt. I am the Lord your God."
Deuteronomy 6:1-5
1.These are the commands, decrees and the laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, 2.so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. 3.Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your fathers, promised you.
4.Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5.Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
God's love for Israel did not depend on their obedience to the law. He initiated the covenant with them before they obeyed, and he still cared for them when they disobeyed. However, the blessings and the curses were dependent upon their obedience to the law.
The New Testament
Mark 12:28-34
28.One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, ''Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"
29."The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one. 30.Love the Lord our God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' 31.The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."
32."Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. 33.To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."
34.When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.
1 Corinthians 13:1
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
This scripture is talking about spiritual gifts and love. Love is a fruit of the Spirit. It is love that unifies the church. The gifts of the Spirit are like the tools that accomplish the the purpose of love, building up the body. Love controls the use of gifts, they are not to divide the church, nor are they to be used to gain personal recognition. With love the gifts are a genuine service to the church.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
4.Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5.It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs. 6.Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7.It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
1 John 4:7-21
7.Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8.Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9.This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10.This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son is an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11.Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12.No one has ever seen God: but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
13.We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14.And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15.If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. 16.And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. 17.in this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. 18.There is no fear in love. But perfect loves drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
19.We love because he first loved us. 20.If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 21.And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.
To live in God is to remain in God. We are to remain in a relationship with God, like it is told through biblical love. Jesus was and is an example of a life lived and breathed love. He gave himself and calls us to do the same. True love is more than a feeling. It is a consistent attitude of giving ourselves to God and to others.
God loves us unconditional. No matter what we have done in our past he loves us the same. God wishes that all would be saved. He gave his Son to die for the worlds sins. Do you have children? Could you imagine the love you have for your own children and then imagine giving that child to be a sacrifice for the sins of others. It is a really hard thing to imagine. How many of us would? That there can tell you how powerful God's love is for us.
As long as we remember to give ourselves to God everyday and to treat our fellows as we want them to treat us, we are obeying the most important commands of our Lord. Of course we will still sin. We are all sinners, every last one, but we are forgiven through the blood of Jesus. Ask for forgiveness and change what causes you to sin. Look for ways to help someone in need. Not for personal gain, but because it is right. I love you all and hope you were able to grab onto something here today. God Bless you and your families!
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Freedom In Christ
John 8:31-36
31.Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32.Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
33They answered Him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say we shall be set free?"
34.Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35.Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36.So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
Romans 8:1-17
1.Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2.because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. 3.For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of a sinful man to be a sin offering. And so He condemned sin in sinful man, 4.in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.
5.Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6.The mind of a sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; 7.the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. 8.Those controlled by sinful nature cannot please God.
9.You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. 10.But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your Spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11.And the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.
12.Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation-but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. 13.For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, 14.because those who are lead by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15.For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." 16.The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. 17.Now if we are children, then we are heirs-heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share His sufferings in order that we may also share His glory.
Galatians 5:22-24
22.But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23.gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24.Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.
Everyone of us is a sinner. Our nature as humans is to sin. By surrendering ourselves to Christ and by crucifying our sinful nature and allowing the Spirit of God to control our lives, we are set free.
A question often asked, " Why, if we have given ourselves to Christ and the Spirit is within us, do we still sin?"
Our sinful nature and the Spirit are always in conflict. We have the choice to feed the one we wish to prevail. We have free will. If we feed the sinful nature with sin we will die. If we feed the Spirit by obeying God and serving His will, we will live eternal. We must obey God and ask for His help. The more we let the Spirit take control in our lives the more fruits we will receive. Faith and obedience go hand in hand. The fruits of the Spirit is something that only The Holy Spirit can produce in the life of a believer. As such, it's something that we receive by faith. A gift given to us when we receive Christ as or Savior. At the same time, as we live in obedience to God's commands, the fruits grow and develop in our lives. So you see how faith and obedience go hand in hand. I remind you again the wages of sin is death. Live forever in Christ! I love you all! God Bless you and your families!
31.Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32.Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
33They answered Him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say we shall be set free?"
34.Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35.Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36.So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
Romans 8:1-17
1.Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2.because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. 3.For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of a sinful man to be a sin offering. And so He condemned sin in sinful man, 4.in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.
5.Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6.The mind of a sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; 7.the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. 8.Those controlled by sinful nature cannot please God.
9.You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. 10.But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your Spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11.And the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.
12.Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation-but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. 13.For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, 14.because those who are lead by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15.For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." 16.The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. 17.Now if we are children, then we are heirs-heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share His sufferings in order that we may also share His glory.
Galatians 5:22-24
22.But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23.gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24.Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.
Everyone of us is a sinner. Our nature as humans is to sin. By surrendering ourselves to Christ and by crucifying our sinful nature and allowing the Spirit of God to control our lives, we are set free.
A question often asked, " Why, if we have given ourselves to Christ and the Spirit is within us, do we still sin?"
Our sinful nature and the Spirit are always in conflict. We have the choice to feed the one we wish to prevail. We have free will. If we feed the sinful nature with sin we will die. If we feed the Spirit by obeying God and serving His will, we will live eternal. We must obey God and ask for His help. The more we let the Spirit take control in our lives the more fruits we will receive. Faith and obedience go hand in hand. The fruits of the Spirit is something that only The Holy Spirit can produce in the life of a believer. As such, it's something that we receive by faith. A gift given to us when we receive Christ as or Savior. At the same time, as we live in obedience to God's commands, the fruits grow and develop in our lives. So you see how faith and obedience go hand in hand. I remind you again the wages of sin is death. Live forever in Christ! I love you all! God Bless you and your families!
Friday, February 18, 2011
HOPE
Today's topic is Hope. Sometimes we lose site of the things in our lives that build up our Hope. My intentions today are to give you some Bible verses that will help at times you might feel that all hope is lost, or hopeless.
(Psalm 42)
1.As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God
2.My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go to meet with God?
3.My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, "Where is your God?"
4.These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go without the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng.
5.Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and 6.my God. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon-from Mount Mizar.
7.Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.
8.By day the Lord directs His love, at night His song is with me-a prayer to God of my life.
9.I say to God my rock, "Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed buy the enemy?"
10.My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all the day long, "Where is your God?"
11.Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.
The Psalmist who wrote Psalm 42 was most likely exiled far from his home in Jerusalem. He was mourning the fact he could no longer worship God in the temple. Far worse than that he was now in a foreign land surrounded by foreign gods. He was feeling cut off from the presence of the Lord in his life. The Psalmist urges his heart to trust God's promises despite the seeming absence of God during the dark times. Faith often means doing exactly that. We often cling to the promises that we believe will come true, even if we cannot immediately see their fulfillment. Hope is the language of faith when evidence of God's care does not seem clear to us.
(1 Peter 1:3-9)
3.Praise be to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4.and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade-kept in heaven for you, 5.who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6.In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7.These have come so that your faith-of greater wealth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8.Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9.for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
A question often asked, "Why does God allow our faith to be tested?"
Not to learn anything He doesn't already know. God allows trials so that we can discover our own weaknesses and His infinite strength.
God is His strongest at our weakest moments. He is always with us and know everything we are going through. Certain things we go through in our lives, we are meant to go through. Those things make us the person we are for God purpose. Sometimes we question God for our trial, but we must remember His will is going to be done. Who are we to say to the potter, "I want to be made this way." Read Jeremiah 18 the story of the potter and you will get a greater understanding. I pray that everyone got something out of this teaching and that you were able build your faith and gain new hope in your lives. I love you all! God Bless you and your families!
(Psalm 42)
1.As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God
2.My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go to meet with God?
3.My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, "Where is your God?"
4.These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go without the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng.
5.Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and 6.my God. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon-from Mount Mizar.
7.Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.
8.By day the Lord directs His love, at night His song is with me-a prayer to God of my life.
9.I say to God my rock, "Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed buy the enemy?"
10.My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all the day long, "Where is your God?"
11.Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.
The Psalmist who wrote Psalm 42 was most likely exiled far from his home in Jerusalem. He was mourning the fact he could no longer worship God in the temple. Far worse than that he was now in a foreign land surrounded by foreign gods. He was feeling cut off from the presence of the Lord in his life. The Psalmist urges his heart to trust God's promises despite the seeming absence of God during the dark times. Faith often means doing exactly that. We often cling to the promises that we believe will come true, even if we cannot immediately see their fulfillment. Hope is the language of faith when evidence of God's care does not seem clear to us.
(1 Peter 1:3-9)
3.Praise be to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4.and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade-kept in heaven for you, 5.who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6.In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7.These have come so that your faith-of greater wealth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8.Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9.for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
A question often asked, "Why does God allow our faith to be tested?"
Not to learn anything He doesn't already know. God allows trials so that we can discover our own weaknesses and His infinite strength.
God is His strongest at our weakest moments. He is always with us and know everything we are going through. Certain things we go through in our lives, we are meant to go through. Those things make us the person we are for God purpose. Sometimes we question God for our trial, but we must remember His will is going to be done. Who are we to say to the potter, "I want to be made this way." Read Jeremiah 18 the story of the potter and you will get a greater understanding. I pray that everyone got something out of this teaching and that you were able build your faith and gain new hope in your lives. I love you all! God Bless you and your families!
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