Religion Deceit
Today is Monday July 27, 209 and we are completing our studies on the book of Proverbs, please read chapters 27-31 in your Bible or Click Here to read them. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Prove rbs" title="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Prove rbs" target="_blank"http://www.biblegateway.com/p...%2027-31&version=9
Today's Message: Religion Deceit
Many people, including Christian's, fall into the deceitfulness of religion, God wants nothing to do with religion, yet that's all He seems to be associated with.
If we love someone, we want to be with them and know what pleases them so that we can develop a lasting relationship. We also want to know what they dislike so that we can avoid words or actions that would displease them. Our relationship with God should be the desire to love Him just as we would our loved ones and to learn of the things that displease Him so we can receive the blessings that He intended for us to have. God warns us, once again to stay away from wicked people and things that they use to persuade us. “They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them. Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD understand all things. Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich. Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son: but he that is a companion of riotous men shameth his father. He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor. He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination. Whoso causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way, he shall fall himself into his own pit: but the upright shall have good things in possession.” - Proverbs 28:4-10. We need to be very careful of false Christian's, they are very good at persuading true Christian's to follow them.
I really had no intention of writing a message about false religion today, but for some reason the Holy Spirit directed me to it. I have been doing a lot of research about it previously, which is so mind boggling. It's amazing that many will criticize me for my beliefs, yet at least mine conforms to the actual King James Bible while theirs conforms to man made beliefs. God warns us about following those whom are in authority, “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn..............Scornful men bring a city into a snare: but wise men turn away wrath. If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest. The bloodthirsty hate the upright: but the just seek his soul. A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards. If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked. The poor and the deceitful man meet together: the LORD lighteneth both their eyes.” - Proverbs 29:2,8-13. Sadly, there are many false religions out there that mimic Jesus, yet deep down they are deceiving and bringing millions of people down with them. In order to overcome that we need to read God's Word, all of it and study it too.
Religion is deceitful, no where in the Bible is it ever referenced as anything of good, in fact it was religion that killed Jesus. Many people are unaware of the difference between the two, religion has nothing to do with God, oh they might give the impression that their religion is about God, but in reality they have no clue who God is. “For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” - James 1:23-27. True Christian's do not put themselves on a pedestal for being a particular religion, they do not use that as the basis of knowing God and heaven. There is only one way to heaven and that is by knowing Jesus Christ, and the exact truth about Jesus Christ. That He is the only begotten Son of God, whom is God in the flesh, that died for all of our sins, was buried in a tomb for three days, then arose and is alive today through all believers in the form of the Holy Spirit. Religion should not be what people follow, that is not God, if a church does not follow the true doctrine of Christ than it is a false religion.
Today's Prayer:
Dear God,
Lord, we confess that we are weak and fearful people, apart from Your Holy Spirit that makes us strong as we stand up for Your righteousness. The conflicting philosophies, the indulgent sinful behaviors of humanity, the worship of creatures rather than our Creator, and the false religions that abound require us to be equipped daily in Your spiritual armor. Our struggle is not physical, but spiritual in nature as the powers of this dark world and the spiritual forces in the heavenly world battle for our souls. This conflict will not end until we unite with You in heaven, so keep us vigilant and trusting as we do battle with our enemy. You are the captain of our army and we will be victorious as we follow Your every command. In Jesus' Name...........Amen.
Have a wonderful and blessed day/night and enjoy your week.
God Bless You,
Christina
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Wait on Him
Hello My Friend/Guest,
Today is Thursday July 16, 2009 and we are continuing our studies in the book of Psalm, please read chapters 120-131 in your Bible or Click Here to read them online. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm " title="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm " target="_blank"http://www.biblegateway.com/p...%20120-131&version=9
Today's Message: Wait on Him
Patience is one thing that we all lack especially when we want something to happen, but it becomes easier to be patient when we fully realize God never goes back on His Word and all we have do is to wait on Him.
Many of the Psalms were sung by men as they journeyed toward Jerusalem, Law required all male Jews physically able and ceremonially clean to go to Jerusalem three times a year to participate in the seven feasts. “Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year. Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:) And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field. Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the LORD God.” - Exodus 23:14-17. Even though some may have had to travel as much as one to three weeks to arrive in Jerusalem, these were to be journeys of great joy. They sang with assurance that the Lord would protect their homes and possessions during their absence.
With confidence in the Lord's protection on the journeys, the Israelite worshipers would sing, “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.” - Psalm 121. The Israelite's were taught to trust in the Lord for provisions and protection. We are all on a journey, the things we do in life make or break us depending on whether or not we let God be with us on that journey. He is our guide, our shade, our protector, and all who trust Him on their journey will reach each destination with joy and perseverance.
Christian's have frustrations and fears and it is of utmost importance that we know how to resolve these emotional problems. God led the psalmist to reveal the true source of help, “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD. Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem...............Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces. For my brethren and companions' sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee. Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek thy good.” - Psalm 122:1,2,7-9. Our help comes from God, when we surround ourselves within His walls we find peace and the patience we need to wait for things to come to pass.
Patience is essential as we wait on God, it is only by waiting on Him will we find redemption and hope. “I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning. Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.” - Psalm 130:5-8. Redemption from what you may ask? Impatience and all the frustrations that go along with it. Getting impatient with the Lord's delay may forfeit His fulfilling your heart's desire. Just rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him. Waiting for the Lord is the expression of our faith in Him and allows God to deal with us in such a way and time as He thinks best.
We have one great thing going for us that the Israelite's did not have, Jesus. Before Jesus, God only dwelt above the mercy seat in the Tabernacle in Jerusalem and the only way the people could get even get close to God was by going there. Can you imagine what it would be like today if we all had to travel to Jerusalem in order to feel the presence of God? Even then, we could not talk to Him face to face unless we were blessed to be a priest or prophet. Today, through Jesus we now have the presence of God indwelling within us every day. Now, we are God's Temple, therefore, His walls surround us all day long. “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” - I Corinthians 3:16,17. Praise the Lord!
Today's Prayer:
Lord, all my frustrations and all my fears I bring to the mercy seat and leave them there. You demonstrate mercy and compassion as You become strength in place of my weakness, wisdom in place of my lack of understanding and patience in my impatient heart. I look to You, not myself or to others, for the answers to my troubles and for Spirit-directed perspective in knowing how to deal with them. I choose to trust in You, Lord and wait patiently for the things I desire. I know that You are preparing the way for me and when the time is right You will give me all the things I am in need of. In Jesus' Name.........Amen.
Have a wonderful and blessed day/night and enjoy the rest of you week.
God Bless You,
Christina
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Way of Life
Hello My Friend/Guest,
Today is Wednesday July 15, 2009 and we are continuing our studies in the book of Psalm, please read chapter 119 in your Bible or Click Here to read it. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm " title="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm " target="_blank"http://www.biblegateway.com/p...%20119&version=9
Today's Message: Way of Life
Is one truly happy with a worldly life? Happiness is the outcome of a right relationship with God and living according to the way of life taught by His Word.
I forgot to mention that Psalm 107 begins part five of the book of Psalm which centers around the Word of God. Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the entire Bible and the entire Psalm is dedicated to God's Word, we are to delight in it and in His commands. “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently. O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes! Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments. I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.” - Psalm 119:1-7. The word undefiled means that we are to keep our thoughts and body pure and uncorrupted. The psalmist is saying that all who walk with God become blessed as they learn to keep their thoughts and body from being corrupted. Let's face it, there is a difference between doing something unknowingly and doing something intentionally, we all know when our thoughts and actions do not line up with God's Word. However, if we wholeheartedly seek God we are a testimony of the wonderful life that can be lived by following Him diligently.
In His Word, God has provided everything we need to be the person He planned for us to be and to accomplish the purpose for which He created us. We are to delight in His Word and long to understand it so we know exactly what God's Will for our lives are. “Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart. Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight. Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness...............And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved. My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes. Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope. This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.” - Psalm 119:33-36,47-50. Those who learn and study God's Word begin to understand what God's Will for their lives are. The once corrupted life turns to a more fulfilled life that gives one hope and comfort through all circumstances.
I truly believe that the majority of those who do not follow God do so because they know their lives will change dramatically. Time and time again I hear people say, “I am going to live my life the way I want because it is the only life I have”. It is sad to hear those words because people with that attitude have no idea what they are missing and what is waiting for them after this temporal life on earth is over. Can you honestly say that you are truly happy doing things you really do not want to do because it is what your friends are doing? Look around, are any of the people you hang around truly your friends? Is going out every weekend drinking and partying truly the life to life? Does giving yourself to every person that looks at you really make you feel as though you are someone special? Do you really think that your soul mate can be found in a bar? “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” - I John 2:15-17. It is much harder and unsatisfying to try and fit in with the world than to just live for God. The world can care less about us, but God loves us and wants to see us truly happy and successful.
Trust me, I have lived in the world, I thought that I had a boring life and was missing something, boy was I missing something and it was not anything that the world had to offer. I was missing Jesus and in the process defiled my thoughts and body in order to seek something I had all along and that was God's Word. All I had to do to find it was call on Jesus and all my past and everything I did in it was redeemed. I thank Jesus every morning for taking me out of the wasteful life that I lived when all I did was search for things that had no meaning. Praise God! We can not change the past, but we can change today, when we call on Jesus He gives us new meaning of what life truly is about and I pray that all will see this before it is too late. “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.” - Philippians 4:4-9.
Today's Prayer:
Dear God,
Lord, it is Your desire that we stay faithful to Your teachings. Scripture gives many examples of those who knew to do right, but instead yielded to temptation. The consequences of their wrong actions inflicted a great deal of loss, life-long regret and emotional pain. Help us to avoid the traps Satan has set for the believers by not only reading Your Word, but applying its truth to our lives, and standing firm when the temptation to do wrong is ever before us. In Jesus' Name...........Amen.
Have a wonderful and blessed day/night and enjoy the rest of your week.
God Bless You,
Christina
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God's Instructions
Hello My Friend/Guest,
Today is Saturday July 11, 2009 and we are continuing our studies in the book of Psalm, please read chapters 92-100 in your Bible or Click Here to read them. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm " title="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm " target="_blank"http://www.biblegateway.com/p...%2092-100&version=9
Today's Message: God's Instructions
As Christian's, we long for a deep relationship with God, but in order to have that we must know the steps we need to take. God gives us all the instructions we need to enjoy a wonderful and lasting relationship with Him here on earth and through eternity.
An amazing thing begins to happen when one praises God through difficulties, all the frustration, restlessness, sleeplessness, and other effects brought on by our motions seems to disappear. “IT IS A GOOD THING TO GIVE THANKS UNTO THE LORD, AND TO SING PRAISES UNTO THY NAME, O MOST HIGH: To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night, Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound. For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands. O LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep. A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this. When the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they shall be destroyed for ever: But thou, LORD, art most high for evermore.” - Psalm 92:1-8. The Psalmist is telling us that no matter what we are going through we need to thank God and praise Him through it all. Put on some uplifting music and sing to God, it does not matter if you can not sing, it's beautiful music to Him. If you play an instrument, praise Him by playing music for Him, as you do these things your mood and your attitude begins to change, you no longer feel hopeless, confused, or frustrated, but feel a great sense of relief.
No one of the world and even some who call themselves Christian's can not understand how one can be so happy when things look so bad. They will never know because they never took or take the time to know God personally, only relying on things that have been told to them rather than seeking to know Him personally. Take for instance someone who is a faithful servant, although he is faithful, he is still human and will make mistakes. Does God cast us away? Absolutely not. He may correct us, but He will never cast us away. “The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity. Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law; That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked. For the LORD will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance. But judgment shall return unto righteousness: and all the upright in heart shall follow it.” - Psalm 94:11-15. God knows our heart and also knows that we are going to get into trouble from time to time, but regardless He will not cast us away, making sure that we return to righteousness. What a wonderful thought to know that no matter how many mistakes we make God will get us back on the right path. The world will never understand what that means, but we can thank God and sing praise to Him knowing that He is teaching us to be the best that we can be.
Praising God will lift worship far beyond the level of just seeking instruction in order to help with our personal needs, it also teaches us how to have a personal relationship with our Savior Jesus Christ as well and the indwelling Holy Spirit, without knowing these two we can never have a personal relationship with God. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.” - John 14:6,7. Worship becomes more meaningful when it is preceded by our heartfelt expressions of praise and adoration for our Heavenly Father, our Lord Jesus, and the guiding Holy Spirit. A "self-centered" person assumes the "worship" service was meant for his personal satisfaction. Consequently, we hear some say: "I didn't get much out of the service." The reason is clear, they didn't put much into it in order to get anything our of it. Incidentally, the faithful Israelite's had one thing going for them that got them to heaven. The listened to God's instructions and too believed in Jesus, known by them as the Messiah. If one truly wants a relationship with God, every message that has been given comes with some meaning. Praise God!
Today's Prayer:
Dear God,
Lord, You do the impossible and provide for our every need. You divided the sea and led the Israelite's through to safety. You guided them with the cloud by day and the fire by night. You split rocks in the desert and gave water in abundance. You rained down manna and gave them more than they could eat. And yet in spite of all this they kept on sinning; in spite of Your miraculous wonders they did not believe. What a picture this is for us today when we put You to the test, when we rebel against Your statutes, when we abandon Your truths. Father, search our hearts today and see if there be unbelief or wickedness within. Cleanse us by the fire of Your Holy Spirit so that we may be renewed in spirit and resolved in our absolute commitment to be faithful in our walk. No matter the wilderness ahead we are guided by You to safety and we are consoled by the fact that the Promised Land awaits those who endure to the end. In Jesus' Name........Amen.
Have a wonderful and blessed day/night and weekend.
God Bless,
Christina
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Count Your Blessings
Today is Wednesday July 08, 2009 and we are continuing our studies in the book of Psalm, please read chapters 78-80 in your Bible or Click Here to read them online, http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm " title="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm " target="_blank"http://www.biblegateway.com/p...%2078-80&version=9
Today's Message: Count Your Blessings
When times of discouragement come, then is the best time to count our blessings and remember where the Lord brought us from.
God had chosen Israel to be His witness to the world, they were to be an example of how He would bless all who honored Him and His Word. The psalmist Asaph, reminded the new generation of Israelite's of how God they were to praise and honor God and be a testimony for future generations, not be as their fathers whom were rebellious. “Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done. For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments: And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.” - Psalm 78:1-8. We are blessed to know the truth, therefore we too are to teach our children to honor and obey God. Though we may have had rebellious parents, it is up to us to be an example to all future generations. If our heart is right with God than it will reflect onto our children and they too will honor and obey God and His Word.
Asaph also reminded them of the heartbreak and horror that was felt following the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem. The sad thing was that these people assumed that since they were God's chosen there were free to do whatever they please and still receive the blessings of God. Asaph, pleads with God, “How long, LORD? wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire? Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name. For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling place. O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name's sake.” - Psalm 79:5-9. We all need to be reminded that although we are saved by the blood of Jesus we are not exempt from following His commands. Of course we will go to heaven, but we will face judgment for the things we could have, but failed to do.
Believe it or not, our children mimic us and if we have no interest in God and His Word, they will not either, and will probably know less about God than we do, leaving it up to them to figure it out. Sadly, they will fall into the hands of the false prophets and sooner or later, just like Jerusalem was destroyed, our nation too will be destroyed.
Today's Prayer:
Dear God,
We trust You for You are worthy of implicit confidence. No problem is too difficult for You since Your power is supernatural and unlimited in strength. There is no prayer request that we bring to You that is too perplexing or hard for You to answer, no need too great for You to supply, no misdirected passion too strong for You to restrain; no temptation too powerful for You to deliver us from, and no misery too deep for You to relieve us from, for You are the Strength of our lives. And when we rest on these truths we are confident and trusting and there is no enemy force of which we should be afraid. In Jesus' Name.........Amen.
Have a wonderful and blessed day/night and enjoy the rest of your week.
God bless,
Christina
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We Can Survive
Today is Sunday July 05, 2009 and we are continuing our studies on the book of Psalm, please read chapters 60-66 in your Bible or Click Here to read them. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm " title="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm " target="_blank"http://www.biblegateway.com/p...%2060-66&version=9
Today's Message: We Can Survive
We will face many unpleasant circumstances in our lives, but no matter how hopeless it looks we can not cease from singing and praising God through it all. He is our Salvation, our Rock, and our Refuge, with Him We Can Survive!
David was forced to leave the promised land to escape from Saul, exiled from his loved ones and the physical comforts of the palace, he wrote this Psalm, “Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah. For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name. Thou wilt prolong the king's life: and his years as many generations. He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him. So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows.” - Psalm 61. David was overwhelmed with sorrow and loneliness, he prayed intensely, asking God to hear his prayer. He confessed his distress, but also his confidence in God whom was the Rock that was higher than him. He knew that God was his shelter and the strength he needed to fight the enemy. He vowed to abide with God forever, singing praises to Him and spending time with Him daily, knowing that God would save him. We too have been in David's shoes, sometimes it feels as though the more we seek God the more trouble we face, but that is just Satan telling us that. We can not let Satan control us, we must seek God in all that we do and never cease from singing praises and spending time with Him in prayer and reading His Word.
Although David's difficult circumstances remained the same for many years, he never stopped waiting on God. “Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved. How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence. They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah. My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.” - Psalm 62:1-8. David put his trust in God, knowing that eventually he would deliver him, declaring that He would wait on God, whom was his salvation, his rock, and his defense (safeguard). David then turned his thoughts to others who faced trials and suffering, urging them to take refuge in God as well. Once we place our trust in God, knowing that He will save us, we can put our focus on others and not worry about ourselves. God truly is our refuge and He alone will take care of us.
God really does not want to see us suffer, but He knows that suffering not only brings us closer to Him, it also takes us one step closer to becoming more like Jesus. We can only imagine the pain that Jesus went through as He was mocked, beaten , and tortured, then forced to carry the wooden cross that He would be nailed to and hung on until He died. “Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.” - John 19:29-36.
Although He suffered for a time He was delivered from His pain, and got the victory because three days later He rose from the dead. “But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my LORD, and I know not where they have laid him. And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.” - John 20:11-16. Jesus is a testimony to all who suffer that we can survive! When you feel as though everything is hopeless seek God in everything, sing to Him, Praise Him, Read His Word, and Talk to Him, He is there and will help you and deliver you from all your pain and suffering.
Today's Prayer:
Dear God,
We want to trust You at all times, in the good times and in the troubled times. Thank You for Your promise that You will not let us drown when we pass through the deep waters. We will not be burned nor will the flames hurt us when we walk through the raging fires that seek to engulf us. We don’t have to be afraid because You have saved us and called us by name. You are truly our Refuge and we pour out our hearts to You for all that we have need of. May our faith increase and our devotion deepen as we seek You and Praise You in all that we do. In Jesus' Name............Amen.
Have a wonderful and blessed day/night and week.
God Bless,
Christina
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