Sunday Post

Let All That Have Breath Praise The Lord Psalm 150:6

Scripture Post

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Sunday Post

Continually

King David said in Psalm 42:5 (NIV)

 

" Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God"

You know ... it's so easy to Praise God when everything is going good and your life is just sailing along with the sweetness -  but throw a monkey wrench into the thick of things and it becomes a little more difficult.

 

I often ponder on these powerful words when I am feeling down, overwhelmed or just generally out of sorts. It helps to bring things back into proper focus.

 

The next time you feel like your life is spiraling out of control; hang on to the words of David and Praise God. Know that He is continuously working out your life in a manner that is not only good for you but will bring Him Glory. In it's due time you will see the evidence of that fact.

 

Worth

Individual Worth

I Peter 2:9-10 NKJV
" But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy"

People often base their self-concept on their accomplishments. But our relationship with Christ is far more important than our jobs, successes, wealth, or knowledge. We have been chosen by God as His very own, and we have been called to represent Him to others.

Remember that your value comes from being one of God's children, not from what you can achieve. You have worth because of what God does, not because of what you do.

Trust In the Trails

Trust God Through Trials
 
Luke 22:42 NIV
" “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”

Growing into a mature Christian who follows the Holy Spirit is not something that happens overnight, it is a learning process that takes time. Little by little, one experience after another, God tries and tests our emotions, giving us opportunities to grow.

God allows us to go through difficult situations that stir up our emotions. In this way, you and I are able to see for ourselves how emotionally unstable we can be and how desperately we need His help.

Jesus exemplified this for us. The night before He died for our sins, He was in great emotional turmoil. He didn't want to die, but He moved past His emotions and prayed to God, "Not my will, but Yours be done." Things certainly didn't get better immediately, but in the end Jesus emerged victorious through the greatest trial possible.

You can make it through your emotional trials. Jesus wasn't led by His feelings, and you don't have to be either. When God lets things affect you emotionally, seize the moment and view it as an opportunity to step into a place of absolute trust in God.

Prayer:

Lord, I know that I can trust in You when emotional trials come my way. With Jesus as my example, I say, "Not my will, but Yours be done." You know what's best for me and I trust You completely. (complete by adding in your own prayers here)

 

Praise

Trust

Hebrews 1:2 NKJV
..."  has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds ..." 

Jesus was God's agent in creating the world. As followers of Christ, we  may believe that Christ knows and controls the laws of heaven (pertaining to salvation and spiritual growth), but we may act each day as though our financial, family, or medical problems are beyond His reach.

If Jesus could create the universe, then no part of life is out of His control. Do not exclude Jesus' wisdom and the Bible's guidance in your daily problems of life. No expert, professor, doctor, lawyer, or financial advisor knows more about your ultimate security and well-being than Jesus does.

Go first to God for advice. Talk to Him in prayer and listen to Him in his Word. He can sustain you in times of stress. From that perspective you can evaluate all the other wisdom and help He has made available to you.

In other words; Jesus is the only One with the real answers to any problem you will ever have - not the world and the people in it.

Trust Jesus!

Mistakes and Accusations

When You Make Mistakes

Romans 5:8-9  NIV 
" But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him" 


Have you ever wondered if you are good enough for God to love you? Unfortunately, many people believe God loves them only as long as they don't make mistakes. But; the facts of life is that we all do from time to time.


Perhaps it was this outlook that caused the psalmist to ask, "What is man that You are mindful of him?" (Psalm 8:4 AMP). Yet the Bible tells us that we are God's creation, the work of His hands - and that He loves each one of us unconditionally.


Let's face it: Jesus didn't die for you because you were great and wonderful; He died for you because He loves you. Romans 5:8-9 confirms this truth by telling us that He died for us while we were still sinners.


God loved you enough to give His only begotten Son, not only to die for your sins, but also to cover your daily mistakes. He loves you enough to get you through each day in power and victory.


The Accuser

God loves you, and He wants you to believe it and receive it all the time...even when you make mistakes. Yet there are those that will seize any and every opportunity to remind us of our failures; our mistakes. And I am telling you today to not listen to them.

The Bible speaks to us of those that are the mouth piece of the devil himself. Satan is called the "accuser of the brethren" (Rev. 12:10, Job 1:6; Zech. 3:1), as seeking to uphold his influence among men by bringing false charges against Christians, with the view of weakening their influence and injuring the cause with which they have been given by the Lord. He was regarded by the Jews as the "accuser of men" before God, laying to their charge the violations of the law of which they were guilty, and demanding their punishment. The same Greek word, rendered "accuser," is found in John 8:10, Acts 23:30, 35; 24:8; 25:16, 18, in all of which places it is used of one who brings a charge against another unjustly.

There is a story in Nehemiah 1:1-9:38 which speaks of this in extent.

Nehemiah knew how to handle being accused and so should you in order to keep your faith strong, your goals in line with what the Lord wants of you and to keep pushing forward.

But; how do you identify the "accuser?

Nehemiah gives us some insight on how to identify this, how to answer it and keep moving forward.

The accuser will laugh at you to make you think that you are doing something wrong or ridiculous.
The accuser will despise you, that is, look down upon you to make you think that you are lower than he is.
The accuser will question what you are doing and try to get you to raise questions about the legitimacy of what you are doing.
The accuser will question your authority and suggest that you are in rebellion against the established authority.
The accuser will use his anger in any way that he can.

The accuser will use his anger to belittle you.
The accuser will mock you and what you are doing.
The accuser will accuse you of being too weak or too old or too young or too ignorant to do what God has told you to do.
The accuser will question if you can protect yourself.
The accuser will question your depth of commitment.

The accuser will suggest that you have made a rash decision that you cannot keep.
The accuser will imply that it is too late to change because of your past experiences.
The accuser will suggest that even if you start to rebuild your life, that it won't do any good.
The accuser will declare that you will be overcome by the smallest enemy.
The accuser will state that the least pressure will cause you to fall again.

The accuser will attack when you are tired.
The accuser will attack when you don't feel like you are able to rebuild.
The accuser will suggest that he will attack you in secret when you don't know he is attacking.
The accuser will declare that he will destroy you and cause you to stop God's work in your life.
The accuser will say the same thing over and over knowing that if you ever stop to listen to him that he will have you.


We are human beings. We all make mistakes and wish that life came with a "do over" button that we could push whenever we have done something wrong. But were this so; we would not have needed a Savior in Jesus Christ.


You have an Authority to listen to and it isn't someone that takes personal enjoyment in pointing out your character flaws and mistakes. Things that Jesus has forgiven you for even before you make them.  God loves you; in all of your flaws and imperfections. Listen to Him and ignore the accuser.


Concluding Prayer Focus:

Lord, Your love is incredible. You love me even when it doesn't make sense to me. When I make mistakes, You are still with me. Because of Jesus' sacrifice, my mistakes are covered. I receive Your love today. Help me to not listen to those that accuse me unjustly. Remind me daily that You are all that I have to be accountable to. It is in Your Precious Name that I pray. Amen

Continually

Definition of Prayer
 
1 Thessalonians 5:17  NIV 
 "pray continually"

Have you ever heard the biblical phrase "pray without ceasing"? To many, that sounds daunting and impossible. How could anyone bow their head, kneel, and pray 24 hours a day?

If that's what you think, it might be time to change your definition of prayer. Too often we view prayer as a very specific process that can only happen once we've gone to a private place and shut the entire world out.

But do you realize that even directing a thought toward God qualifies as silent prayer? It's true! Prayer is communicating with God, so when the Bible says to "pray without ceasing" it means to always be open to communication with God. That could mean a two-hour prayer session, or it could be something as simple as being aware of His presence as you go throughout your day.

God has not made prayer complicated. He intends for prayer to be an integral part of our everyday lives. Today, change your definition of prayer, and you can experience the joy that comes from constant communication with the God who loves you.

The Priority of Prayer

Power of  Prayer

Hebrews 5:7  NIV 

"During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission"

Prayer is so powerful because it joins the hearts of people on earth with the heart of God in heaven. When we pray, we connect with God, and He affects our daily lives beyond our comprehension.

I believe prayer is one of the greatest powers available in the entire universe. That may seem like a bold statement, but it's true!

Prayer opens the door for God to work. It is the activity that you and I can engage in on earth when we need the power of heaven to come into our lives and bring wisdom, direction, encouragement or a miraculous breakthrough. Prayer connects us to the power of God, and that is why it is a greater force than anything else we can ever imagine. Even Jesus needed to pray and receive this power when He was on earth.

Only God's power can bring peace, instill joy, grant wisdom, impart a sense of value and purpose to a person who doesn't know what to do in life, and work every kind of miracle.

Do you want to see that power work in your life? Then make prayer a priority.

Sunday Blessings

Seeking Approval

II Corinthians 10:17-18  NKJV 

"But “he who glories, let him glory in the Lord .” For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends"

When we do something well, we want to tell others and be recognized. But recognition is dangerous - it can lead to inflated pride.

How much better it is to seek the praise of God rather than the praise of people. Then, when we receive praise, we will be free to give God the credit.

What should you change about the way you live in order to receive God's commendation?

Something to think about; isn't it?

New Day

Have a Blessed Sunday!

‘Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up’
Galatians 6:9

Loved

Cast Out Fear

2 Timothy 1:7  NIV 

"For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline".


F alse
E vidence
A ppearing
R eal

Pray for Strength

Matthew 26:41  NIV 

 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Precious God, I thank You for the strength You give me when I pray. I know that without You, I am weak, so I choose to continually come to You in prayer, knowing that Your strength is more than enough for me. Amen!

Peace

2 Corinthians 13:11  "Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you"