FACING TRIALS

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” - James 1:2-4 ^(NIV)

     Did you know that the trials you go through are pre-ordained and orchestrated by God? Now to be fair, there are some trials that we bring on ourselves as a direct consequence of our actions and while God may not have orchestrated that, He will allow it as a means to an end. You’ve perhaps heard the phrase “everything happens for a reason”. Let’s face it, everything in existence falls under His control. So all the things that happen to you on any given day are no surprise to the Lord. He knows your every thought, your desires, your deepest most intimate secrets and he knows what you need.

     We have many lessons to learn from with each trial and it is incumbent upon us to ask the Lord what he’d like us to learn each time. Whining and complaining provides no positive results. God knows what he’s doing and will lead you to where you can be the best ‘you’ you can be if you let him. I’ve been known to pray: ‘Lord, I am trusting you to see me through this. Teach me what you want me to know.’ 
     So when you face a trial, strap yourself to the mast of the master’s ship and ride it out. He will provide for and sustain you and if you are attentive to His voice, will teach you marvelous things that you would never have known if you had stayed on dry land. Don’t be afraid of your trials, embrace them as learning tools and you will come out of it better than when you first started. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller

Quote from Joyce Meyer

“I believe that a trusting attitude and a patient attitude go hand in hand. You see, when you let go and learn to trust God, it releases joy in your life. And when you trust God, you're able to be more patient. Patience is not just about waiting for something... 

it's about how you wait, or your attitude while waiting.”

Joyce Meyer

THE SAME IN GOD’S EYES

“There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.” – Galatians 3:28 New Living Translation

     Paul’s letter to the church in Galatia was meant to refute a group known as the Judaizers, who taught Gentile believers that they must obey Jewish Law to be saved. Paul also let the Galatians know that they were free in Christ and not bound to the Old Testament Law. Christ sacrificial death ended the need for the Law as a requirement to receive forgiveness.

     It can be difficult to mingle with those who are different than us. It makes us uncomfortable. We naturally gravitate towards folks that are like us. This goes against biblical teaching. We all tend to have a problem judging others by their appearance or by the way they act or speak.  We have a very nice comfort zone that we normally do not feel compelled to move away from. It’s something we all need to make a matter of prayer. I really struggle with this aspect of my walk very much. It’s easy to saddle up next to someone who seems to be similar to you. We are being asked to do the opposite.

     Ask the Lord to help you go out of your way to interact with those you normally wouldn’t go near. God loves them too, just as much as he loves you. Maybe they’ve brothers or sisters in Christ, maybe not, but that should be irrelevant. Show people you care by stepping out of your comfort zone. Love is an action verb, not a passive one. Put feet to your faith and be Jesus to those you encounter each day. Be real, not fake. People see right thru fake. Be yourself. It’s good enough for God and it will be good enough for others too. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible.

FOCUS ON THE LORD

“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” - Isaiah 26:3 New Living Translation

     I can relate to Peter. He stepped out of the boat on the Sea of Galilee at the Lord’s bidding, yet eventually succumbed to the situations that surrounded him. I do that all the time. Since I know Peter wasn’t a failure in God’s eyes, which helps me know that I am not a failure either.

     Peace can be difficult to attain at times. We all seem so bound and determined to focus on the circumstances we find ourselves in rather than the God of all creation. Nothing can destroy us and God is aware of everything that is coming down our path at us. If we trust in him and him alone we shall be victorious, no matter what the world may say or the situation may suggest. There is nothing this side of heaven that can defeat us. To say something is impossible is simply giving yourself a reason not to try. NOTHING is impossible for our God to accomplish on our behalf!

     Do you fix your thoughts on the Lord continually? Is he more important to you than anything else in your life? He needs to be. No one else could pay the price needed to free you of your sin. We need to focus squarely on Christ and know that he will not forsake or fail us. If you are a  believer then whatever takes place in your life must transpire to fulfill God’s perfect will for your life. Understand that and submit to God’s will for your life. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

rlkeller

THE IMPORTANCE OF PRAYER

“I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!” – Psalm 116:1-2 New Living Translation

     Prayer is not meant for God’s benefit, but for our own. He knows what we will pray before the thoughts ever enter our mind. Answered prayer is a faith booster. The more we pray the more examples of God’s willingness and ability to answer our prayers. Sometimes the answer doesn’t come right away. It may even take years. If our foundation is the Word of God and the structure we are building is based on that, we will slowly grow into the individual the Lord knows you were born to be.

     The mental image we get from the words “he bends down to listen” is crystal clear. God bends down not because he is hard of hearing, but because your relationship with him is designed to be very intimate. Giving human characteristics to God is very commonplace in scripture. He doesn’t literally bend down to hear us, but it is said that way to grasp the type of Lord we serve. He cares for us and wishes only the best for us. His arm is never too short to help us when we are in need.

     Praying was important to the Psalmist and it needs to be important to us as well. Who else can do what God can do? He has never failed us and will see us thru to the very end of this life if we allow him to. We will only benefit from that which we receive from him. Living for self negates blessings meant to straighten the path you are on. Live with Christ as the primary influence in your life and you will live in peace and contentment. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing!

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible

OUR IMPENETRABLE GOD

“… the Lord is my fortress; my God is the mighty rock where I hide.” – Psalm 94:22 New Living Translation

     This anonymously written Psalm reveals to the reader that God will keep his people from severe punishment at the hands of the wicked. We mustn’t be concerned about the when, only that retribution is coming. It’s a reckoning of sorts, a settling of accounts. It may take the rest of our lives, but God will address the wicked ones in his time and in his way.

     Fortress is a very descriptive word for our Lord. The Theodosian Walls of Constantinople, built in the 5^th Century, had an outer wall that was 7 feet thick at its base and an inner wall that was 15 feet thick at its base. It had a moat around it that was 61 feet across and 25 feet deep. This was a formidable obstacle for any enemy who had designed on making an attack. Think of these dimensions when you think of the fact that the Lord is our fortress. The protection around us is impenetrable.

     Our God is also a mighty rock that we can hide behind. The Lord will protect his own without question or hesitation. Sure, bad things often happen to good people, but we can know that the Lord is on our side and surrounds us with forces that cannot be breached. No matter what you may be going thru right now, know that your God is standing up for you and will not let you fall. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Resource: The Life Application Study Bible.