Don't Give up the Fight! I would like to encourage you all the more to continue and not give up the fight. We can never understand why God allows us to go through tough long fights, and why He just does not clean us up and change us in a snap.
We may never know those answers on this side of eternity. But this we do know about Him. He is all knowing, omniscient and His love for us is beyond any standard that we could measure His love for us. He wants us to stand beside Him and He wants us to continually rely on Him for all our needs, emotionally, spiritually and physically. He has told us that He will supply all our needs. We need not question Him but all we need to do is to trust Him at His Word.He never lies and His Word is truthful. Ps. 33:4; Ps. 119:160; John 17:17; 1 Thes. 2:13
It is hard to trust anyone else and even Him at times, because our inner old man always is fighting the newer man that He is changing us into.
Remember to that we have a foe whom wants us to fight against God and to follow him instead of God. Though you and I are both spiritual and physical beings we see only the physical and it is hard at times for us to grasp the idea of the thought that there is a spiritual host out there that is fighting to keep us under the dominion of Satan and his followers. As Ephesians 6:12 says : "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (King James Version)
If this is all we had and no one to help us against the fight, we would indeed be hopeless and might as well, as the world says: "party on for tomorrow we die."
But, "we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." 1 John 2:1 (King James Version)
He (Jesus Christ,) is our lawyer whom stands before the Father and pleads our case before the heavenly throne. Though Satan , The accuser of the brethren fights against us, we know that he shall be defeated, and that all his accusations and finger pointing will come to naught. For Christ has never lost a court case for believers, and never will.
"And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night." Rev. 12:10 (King James Version)
And remember this also, Rom 8:1-39 (King James Version):
"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Though we may walk this earth with a sinful nature, there is yet within as new creatures being transformed daily that also is at war against Satan and his hoards. And because of our love for God, He will not let anything, anybody come between us and Him. Though we may at this time feel like we are losing the fight, we will win the battle in the end, for Christ Himself shall come with a two edged sword and conquer forever the enemies of our souls and God.
So my final word to you tonight is to be as Paul:
"Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain." 1 Cor. 9:24 (King James Version)
Then you will be able to say as Paul said: "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." 2 Tim. 4:7 (King James Version)
God bless brother "...lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." Luke 21:28 (King James Version)
And remember: "...that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." Phil. 1:6 (King James Version)
No Cake Walk Life unfortunately is about struggles and pain. God promised us it would not be a cake walk. However He has also promised us all our pains, struggles etc. will be forever gone in his new kingdom. That is a promise we can take to the bank and count on. So look ahead and not behind to your new life with Him.
Complaining I could not help but think of the children of Israel as they wandered in the wilderness. They to complained a great deal. We know that they were punished for that. It is so easy to complain. But if we stop and think about others in this world who are not blessed as we are, and compare our lives with theirs, then we will realize that we have absolutely nothing at all to complain about, and everything to be thankful and grateful for.
Ps. 136:3 "O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever” (King James Version)
Yes, we have much to be thankful for.
Down Days Though you may have down days as such even if you were praying, studying etc in His word, hut that is to a deterrence to still be walking in the Spirit and being joyful. In the kids club at church these last few weeks we have been looking at what it is to be joyful. It is not brought on by things of the world, but by staying connected with God and gazing upon Him and not the things of this world or even ourselves. Sure we have our insecurities and imperfections, but that is not what are to be focussing on. I think of Joni Ericson (forget the last name) who is a quadriplegic caused from a dicing accident. She could easily blame God and hate Him for her condition, but the joy that is in her heart because she does not focus on her infirmities, but on Him, is oustanding. We whom have far less infirmities have no less reason to be down on ourselves, but every reason to be joyful and walking around with a smile rather than a frown.
God Bless And have a great week.
Andre
My Yoke is Easy (A Response to an Email)
The passage you are referring to is Matthew 11:28-30 "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (King James Version)
A yoke in the days of Jesus and earlier, as you likely know, is a wooden frame linking two oxen together, held there with a thong around the neck. (Numbers 19:2; Deut. 21:3) This picture is used to figuratively to describe subjugation. (1 Kings 12:4, 9-11; Isa. 9:4.) The removal of the yoke denotes deliverance. (Gen. 27:40; Jer. 2:20; Matt. 11:29,30) Consider that thought a few moments.
Sin holds us bondage. Jesus came to set the captives free.
Listen to the words of Jesus, Luke 4:18-19: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord." (King James Version)
Again. Sin holds us in bondage. We are like the oxen held in the yoke. It is a heavy burden to carry the burden of the yoke. We carry this burden for many years often enough, because we are to stubborn to let Him carry the load. We try oh so hard by ourselves. But we are unable of ourselves to lift that yoke off of our necks.
There is that still voice calling and calling and calling. "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Matt. 11:28-30 (King James Version)
He wants to lift that yoke off of your neck. He wants to carry the heavy burden for you. And He will if you but listen to Him, follow His lead, obey His Words. It is not difficult, but we make it difficult upon ourselves when we listen to the other voice. The one whom pricks our minds with lies.
The words and lies of the devil are heavy and carry us down. But, "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous." 1 John 5:3 (King James Version). His "ways are ways of pleasantness", and His "paths are peace". Prov. 3:17 (King James Version)
The Key to having the burden lifted is to listen to His voice, to "Come unto me" (Matt. 11:28 King James Version)
Come to Him and Learn His ways. His ways are easy, they are light. He offers you rest from your weary load. Christ offers to you freely, with no exception, with no hardship, with no conditions, REST AND COMFORT, if we but take and accept His Lordship over our lives. Come Unto Him and take freely. Come as you are, heavy laden, dirty, thirsty. All that is holding you back at this very moment from being delivered once and for all of your heavy burden is you stubbornness to follow the ways of sin. Follow Him and Be SET Free. When their is obedience to Him, the yoke is easy. What makes it hard, is when there is no submission to Him.
To COME to Jesus is to believe by faith what He says Acts 16:31 It is to receive Him John 1:12. It is to eat of the bread that He offers John 6:35. It is to drink the cup that He offers. It is to Look upon Him, and be saved Isa. 45:22. It is to confess that He, Jesus is God 1 John 4:2. It is to Hear Him, who believes His Word and believes in Him who sent Christ who will have everlasting life and not pass into judgement, but from death to life. John 5:24 It is to enter the door and be saved and find the pasture. John 10:9. It is to open the door and hear His voice and dine with Him. Rev. 3:20 It is to touch the hem of His garment and be healed. Matt. 9:20,21. It is to accept His wonderful gift of eternal life John 3:16, Rom 6:23
Where is, or to Whom is the object of this wonderful faith, But None Other Than Jesus Christ. He says COME TO ME. There is none other under heaven or earth by which you may be saved and healed and to have your heavy burden lifted.
In order to have this burden lifted, you must first admit that you are burdened with the weight of sin. Only those whom acknowledge that they are burdened with they weight of sin and lost can be saved and have the weight of sin lifted. Faith in Christ is preceded by repentance toward God.
He offers you a free gift. He offers you REST. This gift is unearned, undeserved. This gift come from realizing and accepting the truth of the gospel message. Rest comes when we realize the debt He paid for our sins. And He does not demand a payment ever again.
Take His Yoke. Enter into submission to Him, to do His will. Turn over control of your life to Him. Rom. 12:1-2 implores us: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." (King James Version)
Learn From Him. Acknowledge His Lordship in every area of you life. Read His Word, study it and Obey it. In this, He trains us to follow after Him, to become more like Him.
Unlike the world today and the Pharisees of His day, their yoke, and the yoke of the world today is heavy, it is burdensome. He is gentle and lowly of heart. When we let Him lead us and humble ourselves before Him, we will ...
Find rest for our souls. Rest is found in obedience to Him, in letting Him take control of our lives, when we serve rather than being served.
When the Pharisees walked the earth, they laid a heavy burden on the people with their man made rules which were longer than the Mississippi River. They themselves would do nothing to lift or carry the burdens of the people. Matt. 11:30 Jesus on the other hand says: "For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (King James Version)
This does not mean that we shall never have trouble or heartache. But rather that when we do, He will be there tio help us carry the load. We are together yoked with the One who created us who gives sufficient grace for every need, for every burden. To serve Him is not Bondage, but is perfect Freedom.
J.H. Jowett said: "The fatal mistake for the believer is to seek to bear lifes load in a single collar. God never intended a man to carry his burden alone. Christ therefore deals only in yokes! A yoke is a neck harness for two, and the Lord Himself pleads to be the One of the two. He wants to share the labor of any galling task. The secret of peace and victory in the Christian life is found in putting off the taxing collar of "Self" and accepting the Masters relaxing "yoke"."
How to Find Joy It is said that Christ turns everything on its head." Others have referred to this as the great reversal. Jesus said such things as "the last shall be first," (Matt. 20:16 King James Version) "He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it," (Matt. 10:39 King James Version) and "Blessed are the poor." (Matt. 5:3 King James Version).
We've all experienced this great reversal numerous times. The more we try to draw attention to ourselves, the more we humiliate ourselves. The more we try to cling to our rights, the less free we feel. The more we think something will bring happiness, the less it satisfies.
That's why it shouldn't surprise us that to find joy we need to do such counterintuitive things as put Christ above our wants, give ourselves away to others, and pursue God with all our might instead of our own agenda. Philippians is just about that. No book of the Bible gives a clearer picture of how we can find joy.
Read and study this book again for the first time and discover the joy that you have been missing.
You are not Alone (Email to an Online Group Member)
You are not alone. Not here on earth or without the Lord. He is forever present. He has promised to never leave nor forsake us. Heb. 13:5 And remember also, that our battle is not of flesh and blood, but from the evil spirit realm. Ephes. 6:12 The Battle belongs to the Lord. You are not expected to fight this on your own. God Wants to stand beside you and fight for you. But if you shut Him out, He will stand off out of your way. And of course you also have a group of great guys in here whom also want to stand beside you to help you along the way to victory. Like wise as in any war zone, if you run from your comrades, they will not support you. You must be willing to stay with them and run the course which God has set before you.
God Bless and have a Good and Godly Day. For, what good is a good day, if it is not also a Godly day.
Andre
Just a Passing Thought... Just a passing thought.
More often than not, when we as Christians and also largely non believers, come to the end of our rope, when we can take no more, when we can se no end in sight, then we and they call upon God.
Scripture is full of the many whom tried to go it all on their own without God. He allowed them all to try it on their own, only to come to failure. Then when they finally gave up, they turned to God and He blessed them.
Isn't it interesting that professed atheists whom deny even the very existence of God, will on the death bed cry unto God!
"For when I am weak, then am I strong"
9And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10, King James Version)
Let Him Worry! Staying focused sometimes on the present is sometimes hard. It seems silly for us to worry about what could have been rather to to consider what is. God is allowing now what is. Let Him worry about what might be. As Jesus said, "So why do you worry about clothing?" (Matthew 6:28. New King James Version).
This passage 6:25-34 is a reminder that we need not worry about what is not at the moment but what is and what He is doing. Let Him worry about your needs and your life. That is His job!!!!!!!!
A burden has been lifted (a reply to an email from an online-group member)
Wow. I wish I could have been there. I have and can identify with all you have said. Everything from the hurts, the need to forgive, the need to identify etc. (...).
I really like your identifying with Frodo and Sam. I have read the series many many times, and watched the movie several times. Yes, I agree. Sam was the strong one, and in my estimation the real hero of the story. It was as you say, Sam who could not carry Frodo's burden, but could carry Frodo. He was always there for his friend and would not give up. He represents in a way our Lord, who also never gives up on us. He carries us in His arms and helps us to "carry the load." He is waiting for you to let go and let Him.
You definitely need to tear down the walls you have built around yourself that are keeping you at a distance from others to get close to you. I would guess that there are several who want to get close to you, to be your friend, but he brick wall you have built around yourself is keeping you distant from them.
I know what I am saying here as I have had the same situation. Once I realized that I had built this wall around me, I worked at taking it down. It was not easy, it was not fast. But I realized the need to do so. Otherwise you will always find yourself to be forever disintegrated from others, always distant, always discouraged, always feeling hurt.
Again, you need to forgive and to release those whom have hurt you in the past. If you do not you will never ever feel at ease. The ones whom hurt you are not suffering, but you do if you do not forgive and release the pain to God.
When one spends lots of time dwelling on problems, the problems never go away. Why, because we are human and think like a man. And because we are human we are more prone to err, that is we are prone to coming up with the wrong thoughts, because we are not thinking as God thinks, but as man thinks. And as we think, we are also being influenced by Satan and his fellow angels. It is a no win situation. Allow God to sort out your problems. You cannot do it on your own.
When Jesus said: "Cast all your burdens on Me" He meant it because as He said: "My burden is light." (Matt. 11:30. King James Version)
If you try to carry it on your own, it is way to heavy. But if you give it to Him, the weight is lifted off your shoulders. A yoke on the oxen is being pulled by usually one ox. He is pulling and carrying the whole weight himself. But, Jesus says, "give me the load. I will walk beside you, but you do not need to carry the load any longer. I will carry it for you." You only need to let Him walk and carry the load, while you walk beside Him as a true and trusted friend.
Your strength in all this is the strength and the power you receive when you LET HIM. And as you say: "Put on the whole armour of God." (Eph. 6:11. King James Version)
Our battle is not with flesh and blood, but against principalities, against the powers of darkness. Eph. 6
You on your own can never ever battle against Satan and his followers. But God can carry and defeat them that hassle you in the spirit. By getting up in the morning and starting your day off with quiet one on one time with God in prayer, scripture reading and meditation, you protect yourself from the wiles and darts of the evil one. Yes, that is what the armour of God is. Use it, use it use it use it, can I say it enough? Use it. If you walk outside on a wintry day in bare feet, you are not protecting your feet from the cold. Our shoes, our protection is found in God's Word, in prayer, in meditation and quiet time with Him. Arm yourself daily first thing in the morning before you go out to work. If you need to get up an hour or so earlier to do so, then by all means do it.
A good practice you can do for yourself is to write on paper all those who have hurt you, all whom you feel like they have turned their backs on you, all your problems etc. Then pray to God to relieve you of all this and then burn the whole thing and pray for Him to remove these from your mind so as to not dwell on them any longer and release it all into His hands.
Amen. You shared what you needed to share and God gave you the power to release it and now a burden has been lifted. Praise God.
Have a great and Godly Week.
You are free from your burdens now, if you Let Him carry your past. You no longer need to look back, but to look forward to Him and the awesome plans He has for you.
God Bless
Andre
God has not forsaken us! (A reply to an email from an online-group member)
Though I am not personally familiar with these books, I am certainly familiar with Job. Yes, at times it does seem like God has forsaken us, though He tells that, " ...be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." Heb. 13:5 (King James Version)
Life all rounds seems like it is out of control. And in reality to my way of thinking it is. The power of the prince of the air, Satan seems to be getting more and more in control of things, yet he does as much as God gives him leash. But we also know this, God is in control and he is letting man to see that his ways are not best when left to his own devices and ways. We, on a personal level have tried to go life on our own way, leaving God out of the picture and living life our own way against His laws. So, as with any action, there is always a consequence. We are suffering from our own actions.
However, as dire as that sounds, that is not the end of the story. God is in control, and He will have the last say and His way promises us eternal life with the groanings and moanings of the earth which are suffering the consequences of sin, to come to and end. The end of the book of Revelation describes earth made anew, with sin wiped out, Satan bound so he can no longer influence the world, and where every tear will be wiped away never to be shed ever again.
This is where faith comes in. Faith is hard, for certain. We always want something we can see, we can grasp a hold of. But with God, that is not what faith is. Faith is as Michael Card sings:
Galatians 3; Romans 3:22
"To hear with my heart To see with my soul To be guided by a hand I cannot hold To trust in a way I cannot see That's what faith must be."
We need to let Him, trust Him and wait beyond at times what seems beyond human measure. Unfortunately we live in a McDonald's fast paced, want now world. We want and expect God to deliver what we want right now. That is not the way He is. We cannot of course understand His ways and why He allows to wait and to suffer sometimes so much. Our ways and His ways are far apart. But if we look at what He says in scripture and look at His creation, and stop, look and listen to Him, then we begin to understand in small measure whom He is, why He makes us to wait on His timing.
You are fretting over lack of friends. Could it be you have those friends already and do not realize it. God places people in our lives to be there in His place often to be one to whom we listen to His word, to whom we receive comfort, to whom we have a shoulder to cry on, to whom will listen to our cries.
Friends do not happen overnight. It takes time to develop a friendship Look how long it took you to become His friend. He was always there for you waiting for you to come along, and in time you did. And as said recently, true friends are hard to find. Friends unfortunately do not measure up to what we would like them to be. Friends will lie and deceive us, whereas God never does. He is always faithful and true.
This world without God would never be a world. It cannot of itself become something. Something cannot develop out of nothing unless God speaks it into existence. Anything else, evolution etc. is nothing more than lies from Satan. He will use and has used the same arguments over the centuries to deceive us and to try to make us believe that God is dead. Today he is using the media and books to try and deceive us with the likes of The Da Vinci Codes and The Judas We Never Knew. These are not new lies. They are the same lies he has used since the beginning, but dressed in a different package. If he can make people to believe that the scriptures have even one lie, then everything else is the scriptures cannot be trusted as truth neither.
When Adam and Eve were in the Garden, he did not use outward lies to deceive them, he told them half truths, and planted doubt in their minds as to what God said by twisting the words of God around so that it sounded like God actually said something else. And this has always been his main tact to deceive people since the beginning.
So, if you are having doubts about God, and what he says, stop and consider where these ideas are coming from. They are not from your own mind, but thoughts planted there by Satan himself to deceive you, so that he can cause you to turn away from God and throw your life away.
But, if you truly were once saved, then nothing, nothing at all can ever take your salvation away.
"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Rom. 8:38-39 (King James Version)
Though you may have doubts at times, and we all do, you can never, ever lose your salvation. Though you may turn your back on God, He will not turn His back on you. Though you may return to a life of sin, you may lose some rewards prepared for you, you will still never see hell.
Be assured my friend, God loves you with an immeasurable amount of love that we can never fathom. Though He may seem at times to have forsaken you, be sure He has not.
As the poem "Footprints in the Sand" tells us, it is at those times when we least thought that He was there, that He was lifting us up.
So, my friend and friends, and to me as well, for I also lately have felt discouraged, remember that no matter what, though you may be going through tough times, though you may be discouraged, though you may think that God is turning His back on you and you feel like throwing in the towel, He is always there for you and it is not He who casts doubts and fears and bad thoughts in your mind, but it is the enemy, the prince of the air who wills to destroy you. Face Him, who loves you so much that "... he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16 (King James Version)
"Lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." Luke 21:28 (King James Version)
Andre
Spend Quality Time with God (A Reply to an Email from an Online-Group Member)
Life is one continual up and down experience. Would it not be great if it was always up? But God allows the valley and dark path experiences to teach us His ways. Even if we were righteous always, we will still always have much to learn about Him. Look at the life of Job. He was a just man, yet God allowed Satan to sift him though terrible valleys with he loss of his family and home etc. Yet, Job did not play the blame game on God, but used the experiences to be a reminder and a teaching experience that whatever God allows in our life is a gift, whether it seems like it or not. Each day is a day to learn, to draw closer to Him.
Be careful to not let a single day to slip away without having spent quality time with God. Just as our bodies need daily physical exercise to keep in shape, our spiritual life is the same. If we allow one day, two days, three days to slip by without quality time with Him, our spiritual life becomes slack, it becomes saggy. It is said that it takes 21 days to develop a habit and only a few to break a habit. When you miss days of a habit, it slowly becomes more days, and soon you are totally out of step with that habit. Therefore be careful not o allow even one day slip away from spending quality time with Him. I know, I have been there and unfortunately have allowed it to happen to me. Then it takes hard work and steadfast devotion to get back into step with God again.
Good for you. Look in the mirror and seek and see Christ and not the sinful man we are. When one seeks into depression, it is because one takes his eyes off of God and focuses rather on oneself and looks at the dark rather than the light. Seek first the kingdom of God and all shall be added onto you.
Good for you in spending time doing His work. When you are in His work, there is no time for spending time in sin.
Yes, forgiving yourself is good. Otherwise you'll fall back into old bad habits and be forever beating up on yourself. Christ paid the penalty for our sins and has forgiven you. There is no need to beat up on yourself when you are in His eyes already forgiven and made as white as snow. He does not see you as a sinner, but as His son washed in the blood of the lamb, pure and holy. So why should you view yourself in dirty rags?
Andre
Suffer for the Cause of Christ Since time beginning people in power have always and will continue to power trip over those of whom they are in authority over. It seems to give them satisfaction to belittle others. Jesus as we know was perfect and had no faults, and we know what was done to Him. Jesus told us to turn the other cheek and so we must as hard as that is to understand and do at times. Last year at the construction site I wanted so badly to punch out my foreman. But I knew that was not the right thing to do. I put up with all kinds of verbal abuse. Still, I held my tongue and clenched my fists to my sides rather than striking him. In the end God will make all things rights, and He will make those who abuse us to pay. Remember Deut. 32:41 & Rom. 12:19 "Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord." (Rom 12:19 King James Version) Christ's people will always be the targets of abuse. People hate the fact that we follow a code of righteousness and not the ways of the world. So the fact that you are being targeted by others is a sign of your faith in Christ. Remember, too, when the disciples and Paul told how they were abused, imprisoned etc. because of their faith, and yet they counted it joy that they could suffer for the cause of Christ. Scripture tells us that if we are true disciples of Jesus, we can expect persecution, especially in these last days. So hold your head up high, and count it all joy as well, "for your redemption draweth nigh." (Luke 21:28 King James Version)
André
Not Feeling Good Enough? Your HICK-UP of not feeling good enough is just another lie from the father of lies himself, Satan. If he can cause you to feel unworthy of yourself in any manner, you will be less likely to seek after God's help and in time you may into despair and who knows what. If you are of no value to God, then Satan laughs in your face because then he has caused another of God's children to fall by the wayside. And if you are not following God, you are following Satan, even though perhaps unwittingly.
So when you find yourself thinking bad of yourself, remember to where these thoughts come from. Rebuke him, tell him to get lost and pray to God for that extra measure of strength and security. Be sure, God will then come to your side and lift you up.
André
Being Sick (Response to an Email) Being sick certainly is no fun, but then again when we are too ill to be nothing but lazing about, it gives us opportunity to focus on things of God. This gentleman whom came to encourage you was a God send. It is good for you in that sense that you were indeed able to focus on things of God, which in turn turned your mind away from untoward thoughts. This is a good example of why I tell others often, that when temptation comes, grab up your Bible and read scripture, memorize scripture, pray to God and keep doing these things at least until the temptations go away, which they will while your mind is on the things of God.
Have a good and godly week, for what lasting value is a good week, if it was not a godly week.
