We sang this last Sunday at church last Sunday. The congregation liked it so well that the praise band director chose to include it in today's service.
But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31(NKJV)
Lately, I have been plagued with a circumstance in my life. When I realized the issue was going to bring harm to me, I prayed and kept on praying. The circumstance does not seem to bother me at this moment.
Should it creep back into my life, I know I can ask for the Lord to guide me through the particulars and bring me through to solid ground. I believe I have been able to surmount the issue.
God has helped me through this. I am thankful He did. I will always be thankful to Him for his help and his protection.
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| The Apostle Paul Teaching- Pinterest |
For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, not things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:28-29 (NKJV)
Words of Paul
Have you ever felt cut off from Jesus, from the love of God? According to the Apostle Paul, when we ask Jesus into hearts, we are never away from that love.
He tells us that the love of God comes to us through Jesus our Lord. We can feel that love at different times in our lives.
* When we are ill.
* When we receive upsetting news about our health or the health of a loved one.
* When we hear of a tragedy in our communities.
* When we become victims of tragedy.
God’s love surrounds each of His children as they go through their day. He makes it easy for us feel that love.
God gives us peace when we are in the midst of a circumstance the world finds stressful.
He gives us strength when we face the most dreaded outcome of those circumstances.
God helps us find joy in everyday events.
* Did the sun shine today?
* Was the sky bright?
* Did your area get much needed rain?
* Did you hear from a friend that you haven’t heard from for a while?
* Will your area soon experience warm-up from an extended cold spell?
Each follower of Christ will have times where the will not feel as close to Jesus as the once were. We can remedy that feeling by prayer and Bible and devotional reading.
Please do not misunderstand me, I have times where I feel not as close to God as I should be. A friend told at prayer meeting a long time ago about a sign on a church board. “Do you feel you are not as close to God as you once were? Guess who moved!” This gives me a lot to think about.
It is easy to find ourselves wrapped up in day-to-day activities and let other things slide. We must make time daily for our devotions and Bible reading.
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| clipartbest.com |
I chose you for my word this year, not knowing what to expect. You have taught me so much. Here are just a few lessons I learned.
* I need to ask God’s forgiveness throughout each day. Sometimes immediately after I mess up.
* I need to let go of hurts, present and past, in order to grow closer to God.
* I discovered that the dysfunction in families could be dealt with by people forgiving one another.
* I have come to believe that friendships might not end if the people involved would forgive each other.
* We are to “forgive one another as God in Christ forgave you”. Ephesians 4:32 (This scripture always makes me stop and think.)
This has been an exciting adventure learning about forgiveness. I believe studying this word and applying those lessons to my life has made me grow closer to God. These lessons will be with me always.
Those who are well have no need for a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Matthew 9:12-13 (NKJV)
Words of Jesus
Our Lord has been criticized for eating with tax collectors and sinners. His accusers, the Pharisees, did not accuse Jesus to his face. They asked the disciples.
The disciples approached the Master, He told them that He was here to minister to those who were sin-sick, not those who were living rightly.
In today’s world, it seems those who recognize their sinfulness are the ones who listen to Jesus and His Father. Conversely, those who believe they have done nothing wrong are the hardest to reach for Christ.
Just today, I heard of a young teenage girl who has been "grounded" by her parents. They did this to protect her. Later, I realized that a lot of what we see going on in this world has resulted from a lack of discipline in the families. I can only pray that more parents see the need to discipline their children.
As Christians, we have to pray for guidance from the Holy Spirit and let Him lead us in the way we should approach those in our world when we see they are hurting, have done wrong, and guide them if that is how God directs us.
But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. Romans 6:17-18 (NKJV)
Paul tells the believers at Rome that God is to be thanked that they were delivered from sin. Those who had been slaves to sin. God enlightened them, they were freed from sinful ways and then started closely followed God and His teachings.
As a modern-day believer, I sometimes find it difficult to honor God by honoring His day and refraining from unnecessary purchases. I sometimes finding myself passing on information that might be considered gossip.(Do prayer needs and requests fall into this category?) Sometimes I find myself so frustrated about something that I misuse certain phrases, you know what I mean. I am not perfect. I have been enlightened and immediately seek God’s forgiveness for these transgressions.
As believers we all must (me included) strive to please Him in all we do. A friend of mine volunteers at a local nursing home. She calls bingo for the residents. She was informed that the activity budget was cut, leaving no funds for bingo prizes. She felt free to tell the church about need. In this month’s newsletter is a blurb for people of the church to donate toiletry items, clothes, and possibly candy to help the residents enjoy playing bingo. I believe my friend is striving to please God and I know she will be rewarded for her efforts.
Read John 15:4-10 Abide in me and I in you. As th e branch cannot b ear fr u it of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither c...
