Welcome to my blog. Here I will share with you some treasures that God gives me during my morning prayer times. I hope it speaks to your heart and feeds your soul.
I am a home maker and part time missionary that loves God. I am executive director to Hope Ambassadors Inc. A small non profit that reaches out to the poor throughout the world.
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
Hebrews 12:7-11
I know that it would be good if God said, "Yes," to all my requests. It would be good if God did everything in my life in a way that I envision it. Instead, he wants what is great. It was good that Jesus walked on this earth teaching and doing miracles. It was great that he died for the salvation of the whole world.
I sense a little sadness in God's heart because he is asking a great sacrifice of us. He is asking us to be led by his Spirit, rather than do all those things that look good in our eyes and the eyes of others. Then he can bring about what is great.
All around us voices are calling. It has caused a lot of confusion. God is asking us to keep our eyes on Jesus. These voices could distract us from the course that God has for us. Some are sins, but others are "good" things. God has great. We are going to have to trust his judgment because his ways don't always make sense to us. We can't trust our own understanding. We need to trust God. (Proverbs 3:5-6) We serve a GREAT GOD.
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written, 'For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.' No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:35-39 NIV Bible
Last night I was really aware of things like unanswered prayers, difficult marriages, depression, unemployment, diseases, and earthquakes. There is so much suffering and so many disappointments. I guess I pondered this because some of the most Godly people I know are going through some of the hardest trials.
I remember when Job was losing everything, some of his friends had decided that it must be because Job did something wrong. If he would only get his act together, then everything would be O.K. Wow, they were so wrong! The devil specifically chose to pick on Job because he was so Godly.
So let's look at the facts and go from there. Suffering,temptation,disappointment, and even death are a reality no matter who you are. When I pondered this, a scripture came to mind, "We are more than conquerors through him who loved us."
Corey Ten Boom lived in a concentration camp. People she loved died. Yet, she came out loving God and knowing she is his beloved. Job, in his worst pain declared, "I know that my redeemer lives." Stephen, when being stoned, could look up and see the glory of God and Jesus.
We are victorious because we can go through all of this, sheltered in God's love. These things cannot conquer us. God's kingdom is here now. We are not of this world. Jesus said, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart, I have overcome the world" (John 16:33) God is calling us above the suffering. He is calling us to a place of hope and victory. You can't keep a good man down. God is winning and since we are on his team, we are winners. Look up. Hope in God. Know that your redeemer lives. You are more than a conqueror.
Here is a wonderful song that I heard on the radio that will be an encouragement to you.
"Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you." Isaiah 60:1-2 NIV Bible You are the light of the world. Wherever you go you take the glory of God. I woke up in the night thinking about the people that have gone to Haiti to help and then have returned to a prosperous nation. Believe it or not, this is very difficult. You reconsider your whole existence. Here you are in a comfortable home with a full stomach. Out there people are suffering horribly. It isn't fair. How should you live in this world of contrasts? Walk in the truth. Your light has come. The glory of the Lord has risen upon you. This light is needed everywhere. God may send you somewhere foreign to serve temporarily or permanently. On the other hand, he may call you to be a typical citizen with a typical job. The light of God is needed in both places. Give where God leads you. Serve where God calls you. Be who God made you. Keep your eyes on God, the source of your light. You will shine. The lives of the people around you will be better because you are in their midst. Look up. God is smiling at you. Receive his smile and walk in dignity.
