Tag: dispair

Not Crushed

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.”

“For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,”

“We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair;  persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed”

 

Psalms 34:15  The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry.

Psalms 34:17  When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.

Isaiah 65:24   Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear.

Acts 12:5  So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.  Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison.  And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands.  And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.”  And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.  When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel left him.  When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”

Hebrews 11:33  who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,  quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.  Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life.  Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.  They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—  of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear. God is ever present in the lives of those who seek Him.  He hears their cry for help.  He heals their broken heart.  He delivers them out of their troubles.  Know how much God loves us and how much He wants to direct our path and how His path is perfect for us, why do we keep Him at arms length.  Why do we keep our focus on only what we can see in this world?  Why is our heart, eyes and ears so easily turned away from God?  If His word is not present in our lives everyday it is easy to lose connection.  It is like having a new puppy that every shinny thing captures it’s attention.  We seem to find the shinny things of our busy lives more important than the peace, rest, joy, hope, love, strength, and power of God.  Spend time in His word today for 5 minutes.  Spend 5 more minutes thinking about what you just read.  I think you will find that God will call these into your mind through out the day as your focus turns from temporary to that which is eternal.

 

Overcoming the overwhelming

“Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth. ’ “

Judges 7:1
Early in the morning, Jerub- Baal (that is, Gideon) and all his men camped at the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh. The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me. ’ Now announce to the army, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead. ’” So twenty- two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.
But the Lord said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will thin them out for you there. If I say, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go; but if I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.”
So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the Lord told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink.” Three hundred of them drank from cupped hands, lapping like dogs. All the rest got down on their knees to drink.
The Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.” So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites home but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others

Deuteronomy 8:17
Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth. ’ You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day. And if you forget the Lord your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I solemnly warn you today that you shall surely perish

2 Corinthians 4:7
But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed

Deuteronomy 9:4
“Do not say in your heart, after the Lord your God has thrust them out before you, ‘It is because of my righteousness that the Lord has brought me in to possess this land,’ whereas it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is driving them out before you. Not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart are you going in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations the Lord your God is driving them out from before you

God knows our heart all so clear.  He did not want to leave any doubt in the Israelites minds.  They went out with 31,000 men to fight.  God knew the heart of man and that they would think it was in there power and might – not in the power of God.  God took this number not to 10% but rather down to less than 1% – 300 men.   Imagine if you were one of the 300.  Many times in our life we come up against something and we want to throw tons of effort, people and resources at it when in fact we should fall on our knees and seek His divine intervention.  It seems natural to try to do it on our own and in our own power doesn’t it?  Just think back at how many times have you heard people say “there goes a self made man or woman”?  or “It is because of how hard they worked” or “It is because of how smart they are” or “It is because of luck”……  I have no clue what you are facing but I do know that our God is more than able to take on whatever it is your are trying to face alone.  Humbly take it to Him and leave it in His hands.  There are issues that only He alone can change.  There are others that He will speak to your heart and guide you on what to do.  Either way the the first move for you is to bow before Him.  Trust in His power, strength, and love.  With it in His hands all things are possible.