WWIII The Beginning of the End. What happened to hope and a future?

WWIII The Beginning of the End. What happened to hope and a future?

Terrorists are attacking around the world, including places we would not have thought of before caused by suicide bombers, as well as people using makeshift weapons. There's conflict over religions: Muslim vs Christian and Jew; Islamic and Judaeo Christian ideals. The influx of immigrants feared to have been infiltrated by terrorists are creating suspicion and unrest. World wide travel alerts are declared and, military as well as passenger planes around the world getting blown out of the sky. There are countries in financial crisis. Security is the biggest concern  and yet, questionable actions are being taken by world leaders including the U.S. President. It doesn't seem to be a matter of if, but when more terrorist attacks on a large scale will occur  on American soil. Rumors of the beginning of WWIII circulate, and it feels like our world is in chaos. Where is our hope and future?

I can't imagine people in this world reading the headlines and going through their daily lives in this chaotic world we live in, with out trusting in the God who created the beginning and holds the future. How could they live with out having hope in something greater than themselves?! 

There have been times in my life where I have felt that there is no way I could take another breath or survive another second living in the space of time I was living in if it weren't for my Father God, Jehovah Rapha (God who heals), Jehovah Jireah (God who provides), Jesus Christ to hold on to. How do people go on with out knowing a God who heals the broken and provides for the weak in desperate times? The times today feel desperate. 

As I was telling a friend the other day, "Part of me really feels like time is speeding up to an end and I'm not prepared enough to go into the battle before the end comes. Imagined or real, I don't know." The book of Ezekiel seems to be unfolding, people are missing it. I think the unseen spiritual battle that rages around us in the unseen world is becoming more visible. I think it is more important now for believers to hold on to what they know is true and start really walking in it! Walk in the truth you've known all along. The truth is that there is power in prayer,  there is a God who has called us into action to live in His will, not our own, and that same God IS coming again. Are you ready? 

 There are those who have turned from the truth or who have allowed the world to blind them from it. It's no longer safe to sit on the fence in your beliefs. As I type this, I know, God is speaking this to me as well, especially to me. I've let fear of the future rather than the hope of the future rule me for too long!

I believe people today have taken sides and are unmoveable in their beliefs and ideas. God has allowed their hearts to be hardened. For this reason, I feel focusing on or speaking to followers of Christ or those who have the ears to hear, and choose to listen, is becoming more important. They are the ones who should be willing to take a stand. Too many have chosen to bury their head in the sand and not see or hear the truth that is around them. It's time to stand and be prepared for anything that comes our way.

Romans 8:27 says, "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." Everything is everything. This verse is a promise to those who love God. Hold on to it and know it will all work out for good. We can be thankful in these desperate times knowing we have a God who not only is aware of what is going on, but who will use it for good!  Be thankful we have hope! Again, I repeat the key verse of my blog,  "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11"(NIV). The NLT version's wording is great for these times, "For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." God does not plan out disaster for believers, His plans are always good! I am so thankful to be serving a God who has my best interests in mind not his own, because He loves me. He loves all of His children who have answered His call! 

Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. (Colossians 4:2)

We need to stay alert and mindful of the God who holds our future. We need to stay thankful for the hope and provisions seen and unseen. Where are you Christian? Where are you standing as the unseen battle rages on? Where will you be standing when the invisible becomes visible? Where do your hope and future lie? 

*** Funny how this is not the Blog post I set out to write today. It must have been God's intention, not mine. It was going to be on warm fuzzy feelings of thankfulness. Thankfulness is in there though.

Blessings, on this time of Thanksgiving in the USA..***

Falling Apart or Falling Into Place?

Falling apart or falling into place? 

2 Chronicles 15:44 But in their distress they turned to the Lord, the God of Israel, and sought him, and he was found by them. When things are falling a part it is good to know we have a God greater than ourselves we can turn to. He can give us peace, comfort, understanding, and wisdom in the middle of our distress.

For Christians, I believe it is safe to say the following verse would be one that would bring a feeling of comfort. Psalm 50:15 states, "and call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.” Although, I've noticed among certain social circles lately, after recent tragedies around the world, many are saying prayer doesn't work.  Bad things still happen. Sadly, those who believe that, are missing out on so much. They completely miss the point of prayer and the power it holds. 

How many wait until tragedy strikes before they call out to the Lord? How many already live a life honoring God and have the right to call out to the Lord? Does everyone have the right to call out to God the Father, Jesus Christ, The Holy Spirit, in a time of need? The Lord is not a genie. He is not there at our beckoning and call. In fact if you haven't accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior it's like God never knew you at all. 

There are true and false disciples or believers who follow Jesus. Those who allow God to be Lord of their life and those who don't.  In Matthew 7 we're given an example of how we would be treated if we don't truly know the Lord and call out to Him. "21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’"

 Doing good things, being a good person won't get you to God. You have to let Him lead you to Him. Follow His lead, don't take the lead. Heaven isn't some far away place that we will one day experience, it is where ever God rules and reigns, where His presence is, He reigns. Through prayer you can be in His presence. You miss out on that if you aren't yielding your life to Him. That's a huge thing to miss out on!

If He never knew you, how could He hear and answer your prayer. 

We have our friend's phone numbers and we have our parents' phone number, right? If we were ever in trouble, we could call them because we love them and trust them to be there for us.  However, with out their number, we can't call them. With out knowing them, we'd never have their number. How much more would Jesus be able to do for us than our family and friends. He knows us and loves us more than our closest friends and family ever could. Can you call out to God? Do you have His tole free number; the salvation that connects you directly to Him?

There are also those other so called friends and family members in our lives.  Unlike those you have, who you can call and get great advice and support from, there are others you can't. Honestly, there are times, because you do know them so well, you wouldn't pick up the phone if they called because they are so needy and demanding. They only call when they need something. After a while that gets pretty old. 

How do you think God feels? He had so much love that he created us to have fellowship with Him. However, what if instead of fellowship, all we did was call  when we wanted Him, when it was convenient, or we needed something?  Why should He answer? When we fail to honor Him after a while He'll remove his hand of protection, let us go our own way, do our own thing, until we are ready to be in true fellowship with Him, not just spend time with Him when we want something.

Being out of fellowship with the Lord can be a scary place. As time passes you will feel like you're falling a part. You start getting attacked by the lies and fiery darts of Satan's wrath. Little things here and there start to build up: you're late for an appointment, you loose things, you're easily irritated or distracted, your thought life becomes negative or even dangerous and hopeless, and you have moments where nothing seems to be going right. It happens when you're feeling tired, low, it's late at night, or your  unprepared and unprotected. It's not all the time, it's when you least expect it, when your guard is down. I feel like that is where so many people are now. That's where our country is now. People are falling to pieces everywhere!  But, with God instead of just falling a part, those pieces could be falling into place, if we just give them over to Him. 

We can give the pieces of our broken life to the Lord just by praying to Him asking Him to put the pieces back together in the way He intended them to go, not how we thought they should fit. As many know from reading my past blog posts, I've had to do this more than once in my life. 

There have been too many times my life had began to fall a part, and each time I try on my own, to shove the pieces together and make them fit. The pieces become mangled and sometimes even more broken, some of the paint gets chopped off and some pieces seem to be lost forever. It isn't until I finally get tired of trying to force it all back together, making an ugly mess, give up, let go, and let God. Then, the pieces fit together effortlessly and the big picture takes shape. The light shines on it all and I begin to understand. One day I may learn to skip the mess of forcing the pieces to fit and just let God guide them to where they belong. 

What people need to understand about prayer is, praying is more than just giving all your worries and problems to the Lord, it's a way of communicating and having fellowship. It's something I'm still working on myself, and believe it will be a constant learning and growing process until I see the Lord face to face. It's not a one sided conversation, "thank you Lord for this, give me more of this, help me with that, bless those people..." If you can quiet the noise in your head and listen, really listen, seeking His will and guidance, His comfort and peace, you'll receive it. In Hebrews were told, to  come forward with boldness to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace for timely help.”  We can have such a relationships with the Lord as he is our heavily father, we can approach the throne. He knows us and loves us!

Colossians 3:16 reminds us that through prayer, His word will dwell in us. We will be able to better understand what His words in the Bible are telling us and how we are to apply it to our life, in order to keep the pieces from coming loose and falling out of place to begin with. It may not be in an audible voice, but you can receive feelings, impressions, and images. I can't say I understand how it all works, but I know it does from personal experience and the experience of fellow believers. We can hear and know what he wants for our lives. Not that I always get it, but as you (Or I ) grow in the Lord we'll hear and understand more.

When the world around you seems to be falling a part with an uncertain future. Your hope and peace can be found in the only one who can not only put the pieces in place, but hold them together. As you let go and let God the pieces of life will fall into place, your hope and future will be secure. Are you falling apart or into place?

Is Your Glove Spirit Filled?

Are you struggling a lot lately with being content?  I am. Even had  a few mini pity parties crying out to God about my discontent and wishing my heart felt different. I also started and deleted a few blog posts venting about being discontent. 

Don't get me wrong, I have many blessings I am very thankful for, a long list, in fact! However, my heart struggles with being content. It's not about having things. It's more about being and doing more. More for the Lord and making an impact for the Kingdom of God. I feel have felt for most of my life I'm just lacking something most Christians who seem to have it together have. I don't know how to fill that empty space. Of course the "Christian" answer is God/Jesus. To that, in my humanness I say, "well duh." That's not exactly helpful.

So yesterday morning, I'm reading a devotional and what does it happen to be on? Being content. Isn't that just like God? In the devotional there was a statement that said, "People tend to think their circumstances determine their quality of life." It went on to remind me that it is possible to be content in any and all circumstances. How many times have I said that very thing to others? I do believe it to be true, but putting it into practice has been difficult lately. I'm either working one of my two jobs or sleeping during the week, same with my Amazing Man. On the weekend we love to go on some kind of mini driving "adventure" and attend church. It's all good, but there's still this part of me that wants more. More of God, but I've got all I'm going to get. (More about that later) I have learned that the key to being content is focusing more on God and enjoying His presence. But I just don't seem to be holding that key in my hand as much as I'd like.

I'm finding, that's where're my problem lies. Enjoying or experiencing God's presence. Not just enjoying the experience, but enjoying so much so that I can find contentment, even through the circumstances that surround me. There are times in my life when I have claimed Philippians 4:12 and felt, for me, it was true. However, now that I have seen and received many blessings, there are other circumstances that hinder me from enjoying them to the fullest. Mostly debt and not quite enough funds, even though we live on a tight budget. 

While I believe God will meet all of my needs, I find my self often questioning the things I desire for my life, "is it a need or a want?"

12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 

19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:12&19)

I believe God does fulfill his promises even if they take, what to us humans, seem like forever. Look how long Israel had to wait to return to their land! While we wait on His promises, God vows to be with us and watch over us. If He's with us, we must be in His presence. 

15 I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”(Genesis 28:15)

Last Sunday the pastor of the church I attend gave an illustration of of the Holy Spirit in us. He placed a closed hand inside of a glove and asked, "Can the glove get anymore of the hand in it?" The answer clearly was no, the whole hand is in there, the glove can't get more of the hand. Although, the hand can get more of the glove by opening up the fingers and stretching them out. We received all of the Holy Spirit we're going to receive when we were saved, just as the whole hand was in the glove, it didn't fill the glove. However, just like the hand,the Holy Spirit can and should get more of us. The Holy Spirit should fill all of us. As I've been chewing on this thought for almost a week now, I've come to realize, it isn't I who am missing out on more of God, it is God who is missing more of me. 

There are plenty of verses in the Bible that speak of God's presence and how He is with us. Verses like Isaiah 41:10, "10 

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." We're reminded that we can't be separated from Him. "38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,39 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 8:38-39)

So, if He is in us, how do we experience more of His presence? How do we/I receive the guidance, I'm seeking. I've been questioning this for weeks now. The other day, with out telling my husband these heavy thoughts on my heart and the devotional I just read, he proceeds to tell me how in this life, we're just going to have to work hard. True, or not, that's not what I want to hear. Then, later that morning I hear one co-worker say to another, "I hate my life, and roll her eyes." The other co-worker says, "we all do, except maybe Dee Dee." I'm glad people see that in me, but I'm sad I struggle with being discontent. It saddens me more thinking there are many people who feel the same way my co-workers do. Maybe that could have been a time I could witness, but I was too caught up in my own discontent and guilt of giving over to it so wholeheartedly.

Later at lunch, that same day, a student of mine ( I'm a teaching assistant in a special Ed. life skills class) gets upset about not being allowed to have the chips he wanted at lunch (it didn't go with the entrée he picked and he couldn't put back what he picked, because he already touched it). They were there, right in front of him, he almost grabbed them, it's what he wanted, but the lunch lady said he couldn't have them. He cried and cried big heaving sobs. Then, all of the sudden, he wipes his face off, looks up, and says, " it's a beautiful day." He smiled and laughed and started drinking his chocolate milk, just as content as can be. How quickly your perspective  can change your whole attitude! 

I don't know what it looks like yet, or how to walk it all out, but I know I need a change of perspective, maybe even a change of environment (career), in order to better seek and or experience God's presence. If I could experience more of His presence, my direction and contentment should become more clear and evident. In order to feel more of Him in me, I need to give more of me over to Him. I can't let my discontent in this life hinder my witnesses to others. It's all a work in progress! Even if I don't understand it all now.

 Do you have a spirit filled glove? Have you given God permission to stretch further into the fingers of your glove?