Studying Habakkuk

Studying Habakkuk

(Read Habakkuk 1-3)

Here we have another short, but yet powerful book in the Bible. This book has answers to many of our own questions like Habakkuk himself ask God. The answers God gives to Habakkuk still echoes truth into our lives today.

One thing I have learned over the years about God’s Word, is that it truly is a reflection of our own struggles, fears, praises and victories. As I begin to study Habakkuk chapters one and two, I quickly found that I too have and still ask and complain to God with some of the same dialogue Habakkuk himself spoke. I have prayed for deliverance, healing, guidance, protection and understanding over many situations and people in my life. As I read through Habakkuk chapter one, the one thing that really stood out the most to me was God’s answer to a complaining believer, “I am going to do something in your days, that you would not believe, even if you were told, Habakkuk 1:5.” How amazing is it that even while we are whining to God about our current circumstance, God already has the blessing in route.

I remember seven years ago when I rededicated my life back to Christ, and I begin taking my children to church every Sunday and Wednesday, I immediately wanted my husband to jump on the righteous path with our family. When he did not oblige to my pleads of walking in Christ with our household, I took my request to the Lord. For years and years I prayed, cried, pleaded and even complained about the lack of my husband’s response.

A few years ago in 2016 I sat in the floor of my closet “war room” praying over the new year at midnight of New Years. God spoke boldly to my heart, I am going to do mighty works, and He impressed in my heart, “Proverbs 3:5-6.” God wanted me to trust in Him and not lean to my own understandings of what I expected!

So the year took off and I stood on the promises of what was coming. By the end of summer that same year, I was faced with a huge change in my own personal life that was about to come, I had to have a total hysterectomy. I found myself once again at the base of God’s great throne praying and yes complaining about my current circumstance. Was this truly the mighty works Lord, You had promise? Like Habakkuk’s second complaint in chapter one, I too did not understand God’s reasoning. Habakuk could not understand why God was using such a violent nation such as Babylon to bring judgment on Israel, God’s chosen people.

Even finding out one week after my surgery, that I had been delivered from cervical cancer that neither my doctor or myself knew I had hidden in my endometriosis, I still struggled with the why. Like Habakkuk’s pleads of captivity; I too could not understand the purpose of my current struggles that I faced from the healing and recovery process of my hysterectomy. Slowly my hopes for my husband’s obedience to Christ begin to fade as the new year of 2017 begin. This was not a year of victories for me, I struggled every single day of 2017. My lack of obedience to my doctor brought on my own struggles that year. He had told me to come back in a month after my post-op appointment to begin my hormone therapy, instead I decided to try a different route. I instead chose to go all natural, because I thought the hormone therapy would cost to much for my budget income family. I struggled physically and mentally with an aching body from the lack of hormones I needed. I also struggled spiritually, little at a time I became distant from God, slowly lacking in my prayer life and studying the Word. Like Habakkuk I lived in a season of why and complaints. Because I had failed to heed to my doctor’s orders to come back for hormones, like the Israel’s I suffered in my disobedience.

God had told Habakkuk in chapter one, He was going to do something, that Habakkuk himself would not believe, (Habakkuk 1:5). We end chapter two with God’s answer to Habakkuk’s second complaint with, “The Lord is in His holy temple, let all the earth be silent before Him, Habakkuk 2:20”. God is not unaware, blind or deaf to our current situations, prayers and struggles. He knows what we need before we even utter a word to Him in prayer. Even in our darkest seasons of “whys” God knows our needs. He is still on His throne and He is still in control, we just need to be still.

We open chapter three with a new tone, a new song full of praise. Habakuk had spent the last two chapters complaining of the current circumstances he and the nation of Israel was facing with captivity by Babylon as their judgment. Like Habakkuk I too open this new year of 2018 with praises. I did not see it at the time, but my year of struggling with my health and faith as I desperately tried to recover, my husband was watching on the side line. At the end of 2017 in November, my husband answered to the call of Jesus knocking. We moved from our prior church me and the kids attended for over 6 years and begin our family walk in Christ at our new church. This man that once rarely attended church with me now attends faithfully every Sunday. I rejoice looking back on my struggle, because God used that storm of my life as the bridge for my husband’s faith. This coming Sunday, January 28, 2018 My husband is getting baptized.

I will continue to ask God why and in I am sure I will complain as well over many seasons in my life that will take course. But, I can say from this past season and the study of Habakkuk which brought confirmation of God’s mighty work in my family’s life, had given me the understanding of His grace and mercy that He pours out to me daily, even when I can’t see or feel it. We end Habakkuk with a beautiful song of prayer, praising God for His faithfulness. Like Habakkuk we can be assured that God will always provide us with what we need according to His will. We too can sing the last verse of Habakkuk 3:19 to God with a heart full of faith and trust, “The Sovereign Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to tread on the heights.”

Habakkuk leaves me with these questions.

How often do I see a struggle as a storm rather then seeing it as a divine bridge? Studying Habakkuk

(Read Habakkuk 1-3)

Here we have another short, but yet powerful book in the Bible. This book has answers to many of our own questions like Habakkuk himself ask God. The answers God gives to Habakkuk still echoes truth into our lives today.

One thing I have learned over the years about God’s Word, is that it truly is a reflection of our own struggles, fears, praises and victories. As I begin to study Habakkuk chapters one and two, I quickly found that I too have and still ask and complain to God with some of the same dialogue Habakkuk himself spoke. I have prayed for deliverance, healing, guidance, protection and understanding over many situations and people in my life. As I read through Habakkuk chapter one, the one thing that really stood out the most to me was God’s answer to a complaining believer, “I am going to do something in your days, that you would not believe, even if you were told, Habakkuk 1:5.” How amazing is it that even while we are whining to God about our current circumstance, God already has the blessing in route.

I remember seven years ago when I rededicated my life back to Christ, and I begin taking my children to church every Sunday and Wednesday, I immediately wanted my husband to jump on the righteous path with our family. When he did not oblige to my pleads of walking in Christ with our household, I took my request to the Lord. For years and years I prayed, cried, pleaded and even complained about the lack of my husband’s response.

A few years ago in 2016 I sat in the floor of my closet “war room” praying over the new year at midnight of New Years. God spoke boldly to my heart, I am going to do mighty works, and He impressed in my heart, “Proverbs 3:5-6.” God wanted me to trust in Him and not lean to my own understandings of what I expected!

So the year took off and I stood on the promises of what was coming. By the end of summer that same year, I was faced with a huge change in my own personal life that was about to come, I had to have a total hysterectomy. I found myself once again at the base of God’s great throne praying and yes complaining about my current circumstance. Was this truly the mighty works Lord, You had promise? Like Habakkuk’s second complaint in chapter one, I too did not understand God’s reasoning. Habakuk could not understand why God was using such a violent nation such as Babylon to bring judgment on Israel, God’s chosen people.

Even finding out one week after my surgery, that I had been delivered from cervical cancer that neither my doctor or myself knew I had hidden in my endometriosis, I still struggled with the why. Like Habakkuk’s pleads of captivity; I too could not understand the purpose of my current struggles that I faced from the healing and recovery process of my hysterectomy. Slowly my hopes for my husband’s obedience to Christ begin to fade as the new year of 2017 begin. This was not a year of victories for me, I struggled every single day of 2017. My lack of obedience to my doctor brought on my own struggles that year. He had told me to come back in a month after my post-op appointment to begin my hormone therapy, instead I decided to try a different route. I instead chose to go all natural, because I thought the hormone therapy would cost to much for my budget income family. I struggled physically and mentally with an aching body from the lack of hormones I needed. I also struggled spiritually, little at a time I became distant from God, slowly lacking in my prayer life and studying the Word. Like Habakkuk I lived in a season of why and complaints. Because I had failed to heed to my doctor’s orders to come back for hormones, like the Israel’s I suffered in my disobedience.

God had told Habakkuk in chapter one, He was going to do something, that Habakkuk himself would not believe, (Habakkuk 1:5). We end chapter two with God’s answer to Habakkuk’s second complaint with, “The Lord is in His holy temple, let all the earth be silent before Him, Habakkuk 2:20”. God is not unaware, blind or deaf to our current situations, prayers and struggles. He knows what we need before we even utter a word to Him in prayer. Even in our darkest seasons of “whys” God knows our needs. He is still on His throne and He is still in control, we just need to be still.

We open chapter three with a new tone, a new song full of praise. Habakuk had spent the last two chapters complaining of the current circumstances he and the nation of Israel was facing with captivity by Babylon as their judgment. Like Habakkuk I too open this new year of 2018 with praises. I did not see it at the time, but my year of struggling with my health and faith as I desperately tried to recover, my husband was watching on the side line. At the end of 2017 in November, my husband answered to the call of Jesus knocking. We moved from our prior church me and the kids attended for over 6 years and begin our family walk in Christ at our new church. This man that once rarely attended church with me now attends faithfully every Sunday. I rejoice looking back on my struggle, because God used that storm of my life as the bridge for my husband’s faith. This coming Sunday, January 28, 2018 My husband is getting baptized.

I will continue to ask God why and in I am sure I will complain as well over many seasons in my life that will take course. But, I can say from this past season and the study of Habakkuk which brought confirmation of God’s mighty work in my family’s life, had given me the understanding of His grace and mercy that He pours out to me daily, even when I can’t see or feel it. We end Habakkuk with a beautiful song of prayer, praising God for His faithfulness. Like Habakkuk we can be assured that God will always provide us with what we need according to His will. We too can sing the last verse of Habakkuk 3:19 to God with a heart full of faith and trust, “The Sovereign Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to tread on the heights.”

Habakkuk leaves me with these questions.

How often do I misinterpret a struggle as a storm rather then seeing it as a divine bridge?

Who in my life needs to see Jesus through all my seasons, good and bad?

Do my complaints end with praises or do they remain as a why?

Who in my life needs to see Jesus through all my seasons, good and bad?

Do my complaints end with praises or do they remain as a why?

Studying Jonah chapters 3 & 4

Studying Jonah chapter 3 & 4

(Read Jonah 3 & 4)

Reading through chapters three and four of Jonah, I have to admit I could feel the refinery fires burning away at my impurities. The amazing thing about studying God’s Word is that you don’t come out the same way you went in. The Word of God is active and like dry yeast in dough, we rise above what once held us down.

We read in Jonah chapter three that after his prayer to God from the belly of the fish, Jonah’s course of direction has changed. He finally obeys God’s command to go to Nineveh. What I found interesting is Jonah’s level of compassion when he did arrive to the city. He gave little to no information on to why in forty days they would all perish, (Jonah 3:4). How interesting is it, that like Jonah we have the gospel in our hearts, but often times we speak little to nothing of God’s great deliverance to a world in need of salvation. As you read along into chapter three, you see that God never really needs our eloquent speech He just needs our actions of obedience to carry out His will.

As I moved into chapter four, the fires heated up on my impurities. Jonah walks into the very city he had tried so hard to avoid only to reluctantly share God’s message of hope with no grace. How often do we wear the mask of love for the person(s) that God sent us to, when in our hearts bitterness is all that we feel.

Instead of seeing a city in need of a saving, Jonah sees a city through the eyes of judgment. After his quick warning to Nineveh, he exits the city only to sit in the judgment seat as a sulking onlooker. He once again boldly states that he would rather die then watch Nineveh be spared and blessed by God.

WOW, this lump in my throat is truly hard to swallow! I am guilty of often times, more then I’d like to admit of being the judge rather then the messenger of love, grace, hope and the gospel.

We end chapter four with a lesson and questions. The lesson is self explanatory, God is teaching Jonah in this chapter that He is the judge of all humanity not Jonah and that Jonah’s anger toward the people of Nineveh was personal and not practical. God’s anger toward the people of Nineveh was out of jealousy for their love. God’s mercy and grace is for all not just for a set few like Jonah stubbornly believed. God shows Jonah through the plant that He provided for him as comfort during his sulking fit, that God is in control of who He will bless. God reveals to Jonah how he was more concerned about the well being of the plant, rather then the salvation of children and animals. Here are the questions God ask Jonah, in order to have him examine his heart, (why are you angry, Jonah 4:4, is it right for you to be angry about the plant, Jonah 4:9). Unfortunately like Jonah, the bitterness in our hearts can consume us to the point where anger is all we can feel, making it hard for us to see through the eyes of grace in order to give the same mercy that God has and still blesses us with even at our worse.

I close the study of Jonah the same way I opened it in chapter one. This book is not just about God’s amazing grace and endless mercy or the bitter heart of a prophet that could not see past his anger toward a city; that he felt did not deserve mercy or grace. It is a book that reveals to us what easily could come about in our hearts. If we don’t stop to examine our bitterness, that quickly can turn into controlling anger leaving us feeling desperate to flee rather then surrender to God who blesses us more then we deserve.

Here are some questions Jonah 3 & 4 leaves me with to ask myself.

Why am I angry?

Why do I have bitterness in my heart that I refuse to let go of?

Why am I more concerned about the practical rather then the purpose of God’s will?

This study of Jonah has been a game changer for me. I am grateful that God does not leave us the way we entered into His Word and presence.

Studying Jonah chapter 2

Studying Jonah chapter 2

(Read Jonah 2)

As I read through the prayer of Jonah from chapter two, I could see myself in each Word that was penned by the Holy Spirit. This chapter reminded me of the past season I had just been delivered from and the lesson I learned and wisdom I gain from that season.

In verse one of Jonah chapter two we read where Jonah is literally praying from the pit of his current circumstance. That is all to familiar for many of us. How many times have we been on the fast track of destruction, only to pray when we finally crash. It is such a shame that we like Jonah; wait until we are in dire circumstances, before we cry out to God. I am sure this is the most urgent prayer that Jonah has ever prayed. Notice, like God is still Jonah’s God, He is our Lord even while we are in this peril.

This chapter of Jonah’s prayer, brought remembrance to me of how quickly we get caught in the storm of self destruction by simply not heeding to God’s warnings and instructions.

In September of 2016 I had a total hysterectomy. Leading up to the surgery and a few weeks after I was doing fine. I felt like a strong Christian woman and nothing was gonna bring me down. Except not heeding to the instructions of my doctor, who recommended me to come back a month after my post-op appointment to begin hormone therapy. Being a budget income family and only having discount insurance I was afraid of what this treatment would cost. So instead of asking my doctor’s advice I turn to the world. I started taking all natural hormone supplements. Sure the first few months I had myself convinced this was the best route to take. It didn’t take long until my body and mind begin to take it’s toll on not having the right amount of estrogen and testosterone that my body needed. Over that year I started gaining weight rapidly, my joints begin to ache and it became a chore to walk with my feet and ankles hurting. Along with my physical struggles, I was struggling mentally and spiritually. My prayer life became weak, my Bible begin to collect dust and my character took a U turn in the wrong direction.

Like Jonah I had found myself in the mist of a great storm I had brought on to myself, by running away from instructions rather then heeding to them.

My fish finally came and gulped me up in September 2017 a year after my surgery and devastating recovery. I sat across from my doctor at my one year well women check up, as he ask me what happen and why I never came back for my hormone therapy appointment. I begin to explain to him the natural supplements I had chosen to take, the way my body had been hurting and how I just felt mentally drained. The words he spoke, will forever remind me why…listening to our great Physician the Lord makes all the difference in our lives. My doctor said, Karrie if only you would have listen to me and came in for your hormone therapy, you could have avoided all the struggle, as well because you had a total hysterectomy you are not a candidate for natural hormone supplements. WOW..what a difference my new hormone therapy my doctor recommended has made on not just my body and mind, but my spirit as well. That little word “if” holds so much power, that we unfortunately have to learn the hard way sometimes.

From the pit of the whale I prayed for God’s deliverance from that storm and praise Him for the season that taught me the power of a surrender heart. Like Jonah I turn my eyes back to the Lord and from the mouth of the pit where I hit bottom I came back to the land of the living.

Jonah’s prayer teaches us that the only direction we need to be heading in is the way God had commanded us. God’s Word penned in Jonah gives us hope, that no matter how far off the track or down the pit we have found ourselves, God can and will always reach down lift us up and redirect us back into His will.

Here are the questions that Jonah chapter 2 has given me to ask myself.

How often do I second guess the people God places over me, such as my doctor and his recommendation only to search out my own plan rather then asking God for His wisdom?

How many times do I make plans without leaving room for God to change them to His plans?

How many more times will I pray from the belly of a whale, before I realize God is in control and I am not?

Studying Jonah chapter 1

Studying Jonah chapter 1

(Read Jonah 1)

My understanding of the book of Jonah is not that it tells just about God’s mercy or the story that unravels the bitterness Jonah has toward his enemy…but rather it is a book that mirrors our reflection of our worse characteristics.

In Jonah 1:2 God commanded Jonah to go and preach to the wicked city Nineveh. Jonah instead fled from God’s calling rather then facing this city, that he considers as his worse enemy.

Here is where the mirror of God’s Word reflects our lives today. Who has God commanded you to go and show love toward, that you would rather avoid by all causes? That is basically what God ask of Jonah, go to this wicked city and show them love. But like Jonah, we don’t want to face that person(s) so we come up with every excuse to avoid any encounter with them; basically we flee!

In Jonah 1:3 we read that Jonah had boarded a ship to cross the sea and flee to another city, called Tarshish. If we are honest, we have all been guilty of skipping town and heading toward our own Tarshish, so we can avoid a certain person(s).

But, Jonah had forgotten in his desperate flee, that God the creator of all things, has control over the winds and the seas. Jonah 1:4 describes how God then commanded the winds to cause a violent storm on the sea and torment the sailors upon the ship. This raging storm caused each crew and passenger to question one another’s current status, (Jonah 1:5-7.) After they had found out Jonah was to blame for the sudden disturbance of their smooth sailing, Jonah suggested for the men to just throw him overboard so he could drown, (Jonah 1:12.) Jonah displayed his greatest weakness of character here, he would rather die, then have to go back and face his enemy.

Wow! How often would we rather die (so to say) then face that one person(s) God is asking us to show love toward. No we would rather preach the gospel to a stranger, then show love to a family member or distant friend. We would prefer to hold onto bitterness rather then surrender to God and show them mercy and love.

I think Psalm 139:7-12 sets the stage for Jonah 1:17

Psalm 139:7-12 KJV “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.

Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.”

Jonah really thought he could outwit God and hide or die from Him, but like Psalm 139 reads, there is not a place we can hide. “Jonah 1:17 Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish.”

Here are the questions this study of God’s Word from Jonah chapter 1 lead me to ask myself.

Who is God asking me to show love toward?

Who is God asking me to show mercy toward?

Who is God asking me to forgive and let go of bitterness toward?

With this new year upon me, these are questions I need to pray over and surrender to the Lord for deliverance of my bad characteristics.

Leave the Mountain in Your Dust

Leave the Mountain in Your Dust! 
Deuteronomy 2:3 You have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward. 
Like the Israelites, sometimes we, even seasoned Christians can get stuck circling a mountain. Surprisingly it is usually a mountain that is intended for us to climb, or to be prayed over for God to cast into the sea. Instead of having faith to climb or pray, we chose to occupy our time, by creating a path around it, with our heavy footprints. 

It’s at the very spot we drop to our knees and make a new indention on our path, to seek God for His guidance, that we can hear His voice direct our new steps.

 I recently had my own mountain circling experience. I had become discouraged from having a major surgery that left me idle from moving forward spiritually and physically. I had been active for a few years on my fitness journey, and now the ideal of even being committed was a daily struggle. My spiritual journey was effected too! I was having a hard time staying focused on the Word, my prayers were weak and I could not hear God over the panting I was making from circling that mountain of fear. 

Finally God, spoke to this heart through my “on this day” from Facebook. 

Last year when I was very active on my fitness journey, I had signed up and ran my first 10k. I did not train and had no fear to face it. Without a thought, I signed myself up again this year, but I will need training and a revival to run this race that has been set before me. God has heard my prayers to have that mountain flatten. It is time to get up off my knees leave that mountain in my dust and make these feet useful by pressing on. This race is not about the run, but rather it’s about pressing on in God and regaining my spiritual and physical strength. It is about getting a new attitude and gaining peace as I allow God to continue transforming me into the vessel He has handpicked me to be. It is time to move away from that mountain of fear, and move toward the greater prize, Christ has for me, it is time to gain perseverance! 
Lord I am grateful that You, never give up on me and that You will not leave me idle, circling a mountain of fear and discouragement. I praise You, Lord for making this message for me loud and clear, I pray that it will be just the right encouragement someone else needs to move away from the mountain they are occupying to run after the blessings You have in store for their spiritual walk with Christ this new year, in Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Listen & Obey the Holy Spirit’s Promoting

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Listen & Obey the Holy Spirit’s Prompting.

Matthew 19:21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

God does not require a person to give up every cent he owns in this world to follow Him, unless it is so important to him that he would chose wealth over God; if it came to that decision. Whatever we have, that is more important to us than God is what we are required to give. God said, thou shalt have no other gods before me, (Exodus 20:3). Anything can become our god, money, car, clothes, jewelry, t.v, music, junk food…etc. If it is something that we worship and put above God, then it is something we need to let go of. Each one of us own an item that we LOVE, and it many not necessarily be a god that we worship; but we would be sad if it was lost or stolen. God may even want you to give it to someone else, WHY? To see if you will follow Him and depart from earthly things that have no value in heaven. I once had my sister in law, who is also one of my very dear friends and sister in Christ; take a pair of earrings right out of her ears and give them to me. Why? Because the Holy Spirit prompt her to do it. God was testing her that day, what was more important to her, those beautiful silver cross “material” earrings, or her obedience to follow Him and be rewarded for her faith in heaven. When the Holy Spirit prompts you to give a material possession away, don’t debate on how much you love that neckless, that is your favorite scarf, or you are saving that money for a new pair of shoes. Even though you may not worship those items, the minute you debated or second guess the Holy Spirit’s command, it becomes your god. Today ask God what items you have that, you would be devastated if lost or stolen, or that has become your god over Him; ask Him who you should bless with these items. The only possession we should own that is important is our salvation, everything else is vapor in the wind and holds no value in the kingdom of God.

Heavenly Father I praise You for my most valuable possession; my salvation, through Christ Jesus, my Savior. Lord I pray that if there is any item that I possess that I think highly of, or has become my god; I pray to listen in obey my Holy Spirit to give it away. I choose to follow you Lord and not be held bondage by material possessions that hold no value in Your kingdom, in Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Choosing A Bless Day

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Choosing a Bless Day!

Deuteronomy 11: 26-28 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day:
And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.

Each day that God gives us is a blessing, (Psalm 118:24). How we choose to live this day can be a blessing or a curse, (Deuteronomy 11:26). That decision is entirely up to us; and is a choice that makes huge difference at the end of the day. When God brought us out of our Egypt (pit) and placed us on the righteous path (wilderness) all He ask is that we follow Him. By walking daily with Him in His Word and spending time in prayer talking to Him and listening. God told the Israelites that every place that the sole of their feet walked on was theirs, (Deuteronomy 11:24). We are given the same choice daily, which way we walk determines whether we will be blessed or cursed that day. God wants to bless us abundantly above and beyond what we could ever imagine; but it starts with faith. Dying to ourselves and picking up our cross and following Jesus, (Luke 9:23), walking with God in His Word daily, (Psalm 119:105), and staying in constant communication with God daily through prayer, (1 Thessalonians 5:17). God has made it so simple, yet we make it so hard. In the morning when we rise, we have a choice; either obey God or just go through the day with our own fickled emotions. Depending on the choice you made will reflect on your day of either being blessed or cursed!

Gracious Heavenly Father, I praise You and thank You for my salvation. I am thankful that You hold tight to Your promises of blessing me, when I stay faithful to obeying You daily. Thank You Lord for Your abundant blessings and the ones to come, in Jesus name, Amen

Rebuke The Devil

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Rebuke The Devil

Matthew 16:23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

There will be times when God will guide you to do something, and others will not understand. They will give there opinion or try and talk you out of what God has called you to do. We have to make the right decisions for our children and our family, and when God says move; follow through and don’t question Him. Jesus gives us the best answer for those who come against us and try to rebuke what God has commanded, get thee behind me Satan. When those we love who are among the believers stand against a direct order from God; know that it is not their heart that is against you, but the spiritual warfare of the devil. When others come against you, pray that God will open their eyes to see what He has ask you to do. When a fellow believer is doing something God has ask and you do not understand, pray that God will give you a heart of discernment. We as believers are not called to blend into this world, we are called to obey God and follow through when direction are given by Him. We are to deny ourselves pick up our cross daily and follow Jesus, and sometimes that means we have to let go of the material things of this world that hinders our walk, (Matthew 16:24). What may seem small in your eyes may be a battle in another’s life that is restraining them from fully serving God. What good does the message do in our hearts, if we are allowing the world complete control of our lives? We believers can not grow in Christ if we are more focused in the world and not in the Word. What we feed our hearts, is what others will see in our lives and that is what we will be judged by, (Matthew 16:26). When God says move and you follow, know that others may not understand and support you, but God will reward you for being obedient, (Matthew 16:27).

Most Gracious Father thank You for calling me out of this world and giving me specific directions on where to move. I know that others will not understand and that they will not support me at times for what you have ask of me to do. But I also know the devil will use other believers against me to make me grow weary and buckle. I made the choice 3 1/2 years ago to follow Christ and not this world and that is what I intend to do, in Jesus name, Amen.

Be Sill For God Is In Control!

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Be Still For God Is In Control!

Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

God gives us direct instructions in this verse, and that a to be still! His reason for wanting us to be still is because we are too busy looking for a way to solve our situation. He wants us to literally sit down criss cross apple sauce with a bubble in our mouth and hands in lap, keeping our eyes on Him. God is in control and there is no small or BIG situation in our lives He can not handle. The problems is that we want to cry out to Him, but not hand our troubles over. We want to still keep meddling with them and frantically trying to fine a answer on our own. If we fickle humans would just learn to prayerfully hand our burdens over to God and watch in amazement as He makes all things work together for good, (Romans 8:28). When we hand our problems over to God and walk away knowing He will take care of them and praising His name whether He answers yes, no or not right now; God is glorified through our faithfulness. When others see how we trust God and not wallow in our despairs, He is exalted! We have a choice, just like our parents and teachers have always taught us, do it right the first time and you will have better results. Trust God know that He can handle any burdens in your life, but you must trust and obey; because there is no other way!

Most Gracious Father in heaven please forgive me when I don’t trust You with my troubles. You are the very creator of this entire world and universe, there is nothing that You can not handle. I pray that I will always have faith and trust to exalt you among others, so that You will be glorified through all my burdens I give to You, in Jesus name, Amen.