Comfort!

Are you feeling the weight of some crushing burden or heartache? Job’s words speak immeasurable comfort in the midst of any trial.

“But he knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold. “Job 23:10

First, remember “he knows where I am going.” God is not unaware of your difficulty, nor is he insensitive to the pain you are feeling. He knows. He is intimately acquainted with your situation and your condition.

And if the all-wise, all-powerful, loving God is allowing one of his people to pass through affliction, you can rest assured that there is a purpose behind it. You may not as yet see it; you may not now even agree with it. But rest assured that when he has tried you, you will come out of the trial as refined, pure as gold.

“When He test me”.The source of the fire may be cruel or malicious intentions on the part of others, but ultimately God is the one who is controlling the temperature and allowing you to pass through it. In Job’s case, the Bible reveals that the devil himself was the author of his sufferings; and yet Job correctly affirmed that the trial was coming through the hand of the Lord (2:10).

My friends, rest in this wonderful assurance, that God is at once next to you in your trial and on his throne in heaven. He knows the way you are taking, and is ruling over every detail of your difficulty until you are sanctified to his glory.

Have a wonderful day trusting that when God tests you, you will cone out as pure as gold. Please share this blog with another and share the Love of Jesus with them as well!

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WHERE ARE YOU LORD?

When the Lord is silent, you have only one reasonable option: trust Him. Hang in there, and wait on Him. He may be quiet, but He has not quit on you. Even through your greatest adversity, He’s working to develop your character and accomplish His will for your life.

 

The Lord’s silence during our trials raises two basic questions. First, what in the world is God up to when we are hurting so desperately and need to hear from Him?

 

God’s silence in no way indicates a lack of divine activity in our lives. We are often guilty of judging our Father’s concern for us by how favorable or unfavorable our circumstances are. When adversity comes, we think, Lord, where are You? Why don’t You do something?

 

God’s involvement must be measured by two things: the development of our character and the fulfillment of His plan. God uses adversity to accomplish His will in our lives.

 

So what are we to do in the meantime? The answer to that is simple, though not always easy: Trust God. If you will not trust Him, that means you’ll take matters into your own hands—and then you run the risk of making things worse.

 

Are you thinking, But you don’t understand my circumstances? If so, you may be right. But think about Joseph, who was sold as a slave and then thrown into prison unfairly. No friends, no family, no church, no freedom, no money, no Bible, no apparent answers from God. Yet he remained faithful—and so did his Heavenly Father, and He will do the same for you and I, as He is no respecter of persons.” Acts 10:34. What He does for one, He‘ll do for all.

 

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God is Still Good!

This message is for everyone to reflect on…

At some point in life we all face hardships. It may be something physically or emotionally challenging. Or it may be a dream or an opportunity that we missed out on. Whatever your difficulty is, don’t let it discourage you from believing in God’s best. The enemy wants to keep you focused on everything negative that’s happened, but don’t let him steal the dreams God has given you. He knows that if he can deceive you into thinking things won’t get better, you’ll lose hope and give up. There will always be obstacles trying to keep you from becoming all God’s created you to be, but God has given you a promise for good and not harm. He has plans for better things ahead. It’s important to believe God and keep an attitude of faith despite your circumstances. Choose today to hold on to God’s promises no matter what your situation looks like. Refuse to give up on the plans He has made for your life. God knows what challenges you’ve faced, and He has a way to turn things around for your good. Start thanking and praising Him for what He’s already done and what He will do.

Strength for the Storm

No matter what storm rages in your life today no matter how fierce the winds or how high the waves may be – where you are is no surprise to God. Heaven is not in a panic. Keep your gaze on Him and your glance on the raging waters. “Lash yourself” to Him and He will supply everything you need to stand firm in the storm.

 

 Romans 5:3-5 (NLT) “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us–they help us learn to endure. Endurance then develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation.”

Life is filled with storms of one kind or another. In the midst of those storms, we tend to respond as if God has somehow been caught off guard. The storm makes no sense. We can’t explain why terminal illness strikes godly people. We don’t understand how our strongest friends can become our fiercest critics. The anguish of a broken marriage or the overwhelming heartbreak of a prodigal child drives us to doubt God’s purpose, plan and provision. The fear of financial ruin paralyzes us. God understands. 

 

God uses our trials and storms as tools of refinement to build in us endurance. The word “endure” comes from two Greek words that when combined, give the meaning “to remain under.”  It is the capacity to stay under the load, to remain in the circumstances without running away or looking for the easy way out.

 

The purpose of every storm is to purify and cultivate endurance. Like Paul, we may sometimes feel as if we are being torn to pieces under the pressure of circumstances. But his challenge to the Romans compels us to re-examine our perspective and response to each storm we face. “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us–they help us learn to endure. Endurance then develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation” (Romans 5:3-5 NLT).

 

Endurance is never passive. It is the picture of a soldier staying in the heat of the battle under terrible opposition but still pressing forward to gain the victory.

 

There are few things that we can count on in this unpredictable life – but we can count on storms to come. We can also count on God’s continual and unfailing strength for those storms. When the hard times come, when bad things happen, we do not have to wonder where God is. Instead we can hold on to the promise that is found in Jeremiah 16:19, “Lord, you are my strength, and my protection. You are a safe place for me to run in times of trouble” (NLT).

 

An old seaman once said, “In fierce storms we can do but one thing. There is only one way to survive. We must put the ship in a certain position and keep her there.”

 

“This, my friends is what you must do. Sometimes, like Paul, you can see neither sun nor stars, and no small tempest lies on you. Reason cannot help you. Past experiences give you no light. Only a single course is left. You must stay upon the Lord; and come what may — winds, waves, cross seas, thunder, lightning, frowning rocks, roaring breakers — no matter what, you must lash yourself to the helm and hold fast your confidence in God’s faithfulness and his everlasting love in Christ Jesus.

Stand firm, knowing that God is Lord of every storm you will ever face.