Mark 9:24 (NASB) Immediately the boy's father cried out and said, "I do believe; help my unbelief."
Do you ever find yourself in a tragic situation and asked God, 'Why? Why is this happening to me?'
For one moment, let's imagine that God actually answered that question. Would His explanation change anything? The effects of the tragedy would still be with you, and the pain would be just as severe as it was before. What would you have learned?
When we ask God that question, I think the real questions we're asking are: 'God, do You love me? Will You take care of me in my sorrow and pain? You won't leave me alone, will You?' Is it possible that, because we're afraid God doesn't truly care about us, we ask for explanations?
Instead, we must learn to say: 'Lord, I believe. I don't understand, and I'll probably never grasp all the reasons bad things happen, but I know for certain that You love me and are with me, always.'
I believe it often takes more faith to go through something victoriously than to be delivered from it. Put your faith in God and you'll come out stronger on the other side.
Prayer Starter: God, I believe in You, even when circumstances try to fill my mind with doubt. Help me to remember Your love for me and to put my faith in You, no matter what happens.
Devotional by Joyce Meyer
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Make Bold Requests
God wants to give us BIG gifts. He loves to bless us. We receive, in direct proportion to our faith. In James it says 'we have not because we ask not'. So how are we asking? What are we asking for? Are we asking God to just get us by or are we boldly asking for Him to go above and beyond.
Psalm 2:8 Ask of Me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance.
So stop praying those 'get my by' prayers! Start asking for your biggest dreams. Elisha asked for a DOUBLE portion of Elijah's spirit! The blind men at the gate did not ask Jesus for conveniences or for help to get around, or for shelter or food; they asked for their sight! Go for the big guns! Start asking God to bless your business so that you can be a blessing to others, ask God for sales and promotions so that you can bless ....a village in Africa...those who are trapped in human trafficking...those who suffer from everyday ailments without access to medical treatments... and the list goes on.
Psalm 81:10 says "open your mouth wide and I will fill it!"
When we ask for little things and just to get by prayers we are not opening very wide. It's like a young girl who asked for prayer to get a 'C' on an upcoming test because the best she ever got in that class was 'C'. Ridiculous! you say, why not pray for an 'A'? She didn't 'open her mouth' wide enough to receive an 'A'. In the same way, start praying for your kids to become great leaders that make a difference in their culture and in their world, instead of "Lord, just keep them out of trouble", say "God I want to be free of this illness"; "I know that I will come through this health issue a better person". Pray, all the while believing that God will keep His promises.
Psalm 2:8 Ask of Me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance.
So stop praying those 'get my by' prayers! Start asking for your biggest dreams. Elisha asked for a DOUBLE portion of Elijah's spirit! The blind men at the gate did not ask Jesus for conveniences or for help to get around, or for shelter or food; they asked for their sight! Go for the big guns! Start asking God to bless your business so that you can be a blessing to others, ask God for sales and promotions so that you can bless ....a village in Africa...those who are trapped in human trafficking...those who suffer from everyday ailments without access to medical treatments... and the list goes on.
Psalm 81:10 says "open your mouth wide and I will fill it!"
When we ask for little things and just to get by prayers we are not opening very wide. It's like a young girl who asked for prayer to get a 'C' on an upcoming test because the best she ever got in that class was 'C'. Ridiculous! you say, why not pray for an 'A'? She didn't 'open her mouth' wide enough to receive an 'A'. In the same way, start praying for your kids to become great leaders that make a difference in their culture and in their world, instead of "Lord, just keep them out of trouble", say "God I want to be free of this illness"; "I know that I will come through this health issue a better person". Pray, all the while believing that God will keep His promises.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Actively Waiting on God
We spend much of our time waiting. In line at the grocery store, at the car wash, for the coffee to brew, water to boil, the mail to come, at a stop light, on our spouce to get home from work. In each of these waiting situations we are expecting something while we wait. Much like this, we wait for God to work on our behalf. We must not just sit and wait and do nothing waiting for Him to rescue us, we do what we can while we wait; expecting Him to come through. For example, if we have credit card debt...we need to start putting every extra dollar towards paying off our debt. Maybe I don't have $10,000 to pay it off, but I can put this $5.00 toward the debt today, and maybe $5.00 next week. If we do what we CAN do, God will do what we cannot do. We take little steps toward the goal having faith that God will take over when we can no longer make progress. God wants us to depend on him. He is honored when we ask Him to move on the behalf of His children.
Psalm 62:5&6 says that my hope and expectation are of Him. "I shall not be moved," meaning that I will not give up. God likes when we say "I'm expecting You to keep the promises you made." Lamentations 3:25&26 says that God is good to those who wait, hopefully. We must expect Him to move. Don't just sit idle and say... 'well, I'm waiting on God'. If we have a need we have the right to expect Him to work on our behalf.
Don't give up...do as much as you can while you wait for Him to complete the job. It is so much fun to watch how God will step in for us. He is so creative.
Psalm 62:5&6 says that my hope and expectation are of Him. "I shall not be moved," meaning that I will not give up. God likes when we say "I'm expecting You to keep the promises you made." Lamentations 3:25&26 says that God is good to those who wait, hopefully. We must expect Him to move. Don't just sit idle and say... 'well, I'm waiting on God'. If we have a need we have the right to expect Him to work on our behalf.
Don't give up...do as much as you can while you wait for Him to complete the job. It is so much fun to watch how God will step in for us. He is so creative.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
"Blessings"
Does God 'bless' us by NOT giving us what we are asking for? I love this song! Although God does not send suffering into our lives, He does allow Satan to do so. (see the story of Job). The outcome He desires to see from the trials, is that we draw closer to Him and what Satan plans for evil, God uses for good! Everything that happens to us is for OUR good!
Job's example is so rich. When he heard that all his children and all his livestock had been killed, this was his response, Job 1:20 Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. 21He said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!” 22In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.
In the end Job received twice as much as he had to begin with. Job 42:12 God blessed the latter part of Job's life more than his beginning.
Monday, February 13, 2012
4 more thoughts
Dream what you want to dream, go where you want to go; try to be who you really are, because life is short, and often only gives one chance to do things.
The really lucky people do not necessarily have the best of everything, They are the ones who make the most best of whatever is thrown at them.
The most splendid future will always depend upon the necessity to release the past. You cannot move forward in life unless you learn from your past mistakes and move on.
When you were born, you were crying while everybody around you was smiling; Always live your life smiling even when other people around you are crying.
The really lucky people do not necessarily have the best of everything, They are the ones who make the most best of whatever is thrown at them.
The most splendid future will always depend upon the necessity to release the past. You cannot move forward in life unless you learn from your past mistakes and move on.
When you were born, you were crying while everybody around you was smiling; Always live your life smiling even when other people around you are crying.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
3 thoughts for today
In life there are moments when you miss someone so much, you that you wish you could grab them out of your dreams and hug them tight.
When a door closes another one opens, but often we stand there so long looking at the closed door, we don't even see the one that's opened.
Do not look at physical appearances, they can be deceiving. Do not look at riches, for they are only temporary. Look for someone who makes you smile; because sometimes it only takes a smile to brighten up a very dark day. Look for someone who makes your heart sing!
When a door closes another one opens, but often we stand there so long looking at the closed door, we don't even see the one that's opened.
Do not look at physical appearances, they can be deceiving. Do not look at riches, for they are only temporary. Look for someone who makes you smile; because sometimes it only takes a smile to brighten up a very dark day. Look for someone who makes your heart sing!
Friday, February 10, 2012
Comforting Grace
"He is Faithful that Promised."
"I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you."—John 14:18.
Blessed Jesus! How thy presence sanctifies trial, takes loneliness from the chamber of sickness, and the sting from the chamber of death! Bright and Morning Star! precious at all times, thou art never so precious as in "the dark and cloudy day!" The bitterness of sorrow is well worth enduring to have thy promised consolations. How well qualified, thou Man of Sorrows, to be my Comforter! How well fitted to dry my tears, Thou who didst shed so many thyself! What are my tears—my sorrows—my crosses—my losses, compared with Thine, who didst shed first Thy tears, and then Thy blood for me! Mine are all deserved, and infinitely more than deserved. How different, O Spotless Lamb of God, those pangs which rent Thy guiltless bosom! How sweet those comforts Thou hast promised to the comfortless, when I think of them as flowing from an Almighty Fellow-Sufferer,—"A brother born for adversity,"—the "Friend that sticketh closer than any brother!"—one who can say, with all the refined sympathies of a holy exalted human nature, "I know your sorrows!" My soul! calm thy griefs! There is not a sorrow thou canst experience, but Jesus, in the treasury of grace, has an exact corresponding solace: "In the multitude of the sorrows I have in my heart, Thy comforts delight my soul!"
"REMEMBER THIS WORD UNTO THY SERVANT, UPON WHICH THOU HAST CAUSED ME TO HOPE!"
taken from public domain The Faithful Promiser by John Ross Macduff
P.S. Although this is written in a rather old dialect it is almost poetic and full of truth!
"I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you."—John 14:18.
Blessed Jesus! How thy presence sanctifies trial, takes loneliness from the chamber of sickness, and the sting from the chamber of death! Bright and Morning Star! precious at all times, thou art never so precious as in "the dark and cloudy day!" The bitterness of sorrow is well worth enduring to have thy promised consolations. How well qualified, thou Man of Sorrows, to be my Comforter! How well fitted to dry my tears, Thou who didst shed so many thyself! What are my tears—my sorrows—my crosses—my losses, compared with Thine, who didst shed first Thy tears, and then Thy blood for me! Mine are all deserved, and infinitely more than deserved. How different, O Spotless Lamb of God, those pangs which rent Thy guiltless bosom! How sweet those comforts Thou hast promised to the comfortless, when I think of them as flowing from an Almighty Fellow-Sufferer,—"A brother born for adversity,"—the "Friend that sticketh closer than any brother!"—one who can say, with all the refined sympathies of a holy exalted human nature, "I know your sorrows!" My soul! calm thy griefs! There is not a sorrow thou canst experience, but Jesus, in the treasury of grace, has an exact corresponding solace: "In the multitude of the sorrows I have in my heart, Thy comforts delight my soul!"
"REMEMBER THIS WORD UNTO THY SERVANT, UPON WHICH THOU HAST CAUSED ME TO HOPE!"
taken from public domain The Faithful Promiser by John Ross Macduff
P.S. Although this is written in a rather old dialect it is almost poetic and full of truth!
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
"Praise You In This Storm"
"Praise You In This Storm"
I was sure by now
God You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining
As the thunder rolls
I barely hear Your whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away
And I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
And every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm
Casting Crowns
Monday, February 6, 2012
Let Go of Anxiety
Philippians 4:6 Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.
7And God's peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
The best way to combat fear & anxiety is to have a thankful attitude. Many times we need to CHOOSE to have a grateful spirit, even if we don't FEEL like it. God is with you and for you. Focus on Him, verbalize your trust in Him, allow Him to carry you safely through this day.
2Timothy 1: 7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.
Fear not, for I am with you. (Isaiah 41:10) I believe God works gently with us to bring us out of bondage and into liberty. If you've been afraid of something and desire to be free, the time will eventually come when you'll have to face your fear and not run away from it. Just take Jesus' hand, acknowledge that He is with you, and do it.
If you're at one a crossroads in your life, let me encourage you to go forward. Don't stand still in terror, but take His hand and go forward. Remember, fear torments and God wants to deliver you from all of your fears
7And God's peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
The best way to combat fear & anxiety is to have a thankful attitude. Many times we need to CHOOSE to have a grateful spirit, even if we don't FEEL like it. God is with you and for you. Focus on Him, verbalize your trust in Him, allow Him to carry you safely through this day.
2Timothy 1: 7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.
Fear not, for I am with you. (Isaiah 41:10) I believe God works gently with us to bring us out of bondage and into liberty. If you've been afraid of something and desire to be free, the time will eventually come when you'll have to face your fear and not run away from it. Just take Jesus' hand, acknowledge that He is with you, and do it.
If you're at one a crossroads in your life, let me encourage you to go forward. Don't stand still in terror, but take His hand and go forward. Remember, fear torments and God wants to deliver you from all of your fears
Sunday, February 5, 2012
What happened to my Memory!
This is hysterical, I can identify with this! Enjoy a good belly laugh!
I believe it is healthy to have a good laugh, so here is yours for the day!
Saturday, February 4, 2012
God wants the Glory
Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind
1 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" 3 "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. John 9:1-3It’s truly miraculous what can happen. I don’t guarantee it will happen for you this side of heaven, but it’s frequently what God does. His ways are just not our ways. Sometimes it takes 3 months, sometimes 3 years, sometimes it’s 3 decades. Sometimes it’s not this side of heaven. But like the man who was born blind so that God’s glory would be revealed, there is always purpose in our pain, and He doesn’t waste anything.
13Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. 14Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. 16Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. 17Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit. James 5:13-18
Friday, February 3, 2012
Thursday, February 2, 2012
God's Promises
"God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him." Romans 8:28 and in vs 31"If God is for us, who can be against us?"
He doesn't say that all things ARE good, he says all things work together FOR good!
God's promises are incredible, and they are for you! If you are wondering how you can see these promises come to life for you....It's simple.... The way you see God's promises in His Word come to life is by agreeing with them rather than what your circumstances are saying. When I can declare out loud the promises of God, it helps me to believe and re-confirm my beliefs in what He has promised.
examples:
1. "I CAN do all things thru Christ Who strengthens me" Phillipians 4:13
2. "I WILL fear no evil, for God is with me." Psalm 23:
3. " I CHOOSE to put my trust in God, and BE joyful in Him, for He protects me and surrounds me with favor." Psalm 5:11-12
You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Trust in the LORD always, for the LORD God is the eternal Rock. Isaiah 26:3-4
It is when times are difficult that I rely on God to pull me through. It is that close relationship that I desire most. In fact I have actually prayed for bumps in the road so that I may stay focused on Him.
The Bible says in 1Peter; Why are you surprised, or why do you think it strange that you face these 'firey trials'? Look at it this way, it is an honor for me 'to be counted worthy to share in Christ's suffering' So that "when His Glory is revealed, I will be glad with exceeding joy." 1Peter 4:13
So rather than saying 'why me', say 'why not me'?
(Please don't be offended by this post...maybe I don't know how very difficult your situation is or what you are going through but I know the One who can help you through it! It is my desire to have this attitude through tough times of my own.)
.
He doesn't say that all things ARE good, he says all things work together FOR good!
God's promises are incredible, and they are for you! If you are wondering how you can see these promises come to life for you....It's simple.... The way you see God's promises in His Word come to life is by agreeing with them rather than what your circumstances are saying. When I can declare out loud the promises of God, it helps me to believe and re-confirm my beliefs in what He has promised.
examples:
1. "I CAN do all things thru Christ Who strengthens me" Phillipians 4:13
2. "I WILL fear no evil, for God is with me." Psalm 23:
3. " I CHOOSE to put my trust in God, and BE joyful in Him, for He protects me and surrounds me with favor." Psalm 5:11-12
You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Trust in the LORD always, for the LORD God is the eternal Rock. Isaiah 26:3-4
It is when times are difficult that I rely on God to pull me through. It is that close relationship that I desire most. In fact I have actually prayed for bumps in the road so that I may stay focused on Him.
The Bible says in 1Peter; Why are you surprised, or why do you think it strange that you face these 'firey trials'? Look at it this way, it is an honor for me 'to be counted worthy to share in Christ's suffering' So that "when His Glory is revealed, I will be glad with exceeding joy." 1Peter 4:13
So rather than saying 'why me', say 'why not me'?
(Please don't be offended by this post...maybe I don't know how very difficult your situation is or what you are going through but I know the One who can help you through it! It is my desire to have this attitude through tough times of my own.)
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