Stop & Think

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens

 ~ Psalm 68:19 ~

Without God daily bearing our burdens, the weight would crush us. Psalm 62:5-8 tells us, and our hearts confirms it, "Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge

I'm an Atheist...

Ever been out witnessing and had someone say as a response to the Gospel message, "I'm an Atheist" An Atheist is not someone who denies God, it is someone who believes or at least claims, there is no God. Well the next time someone tells you they are an Atheist, ask this question, "So you believe There is no God?" When they answer yes you can tell them, "Did you know the words 'there is no God' is actually in the Bible?" Now that should get their attention and enable you to be engaged in a conversation, and it's true, just not quite in the context their speaking it. Psalm 53:1-3 tells us, "The fool says in his heart, There is no God, they are corrupt, and their ways are vile..."

  (Now before you get to prideful the rest of the verse says this)  there is no one who does good. God looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. Everyone has turned away, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one"

 

Remember, before God opened your eyes, you too were evil and wicked in His sight. As Christians we should not get into arguments over the Gospel, we are to love people and gently correct them, the purpose of this is not to prove we're right and their wrong but rather allow the word of God and the Holy Spirit to convict. 

 

A great follow up to Psalm 53:1-3 is 2 Corinthians 7:10 because it bring Hope as it tells us,

"Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret..."

This is what the Lord says...

He who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

 ~ Isaiah 43:1 ~

Stand firm knowing you are God's. You belong to God! He has redeemed you or saved you from a life separated from Himself. Fear not. If God is for you, who can possibly come against you? 

Do Not Be Afraid...

The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?

~Psalm 27:1 ~

Trust in the Lord in all things and He Himself will be your strong tower in times of trouble. 

God's Will...or...Your Will?

How are you fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how are you cut down to the ground, who did weaken the nations For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

~ Isaiah 14:12-14 ~

Five times Lucifer said ..."I will"

PRIDE

How many times per day do we say (not out loud but in our hearts), "I will" or in other words "No, I want to do it my way"

God says, "do no hate"...we say "No, they offended me, I will do it my way"

God says, "Spend time with me in prayer"...we say, "no, I want to watch T.V. I will do it my way"

God says, "Go talk to that person"...we say, "No, that would be uncomfortable, I will do it my way"

God says, "Go help that person"...we say, "No, that would inconvenience me, I will do it my way"

God says, "Be slow to speak & quick to listen"...we say, "No, I will do it my way"

Jesus said "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." Luke 22:42 And he said unto them, How is it that you sought me? knew you not that I must be about my Father's business? Luke 2:49 (Humility)

We see in Jesus that true humility is not just a reverence to God it is also obedience!
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Not my will...but Yours!

James 4:6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble...

Before you were even formed...

New International Version (©1984)
your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

 

New Living Translation (©2007)
You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed

 

Webster's Bible Translation
Thy eyes saw my substance, yet being imperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them

No matter how you look at it...God had a plan in place for your life before you were even born! More than that, God has every moment of your life planned out. If He knows the beginning and the end, if He not only sees it, but actually planned it, don't you think it would be wise to completely trust Him with your life?

 



God believes in You!

The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them. ~ Psalm 25:14 ~

God, the creator of all things, the one who breathes life into every living creature, the one who sustains the heavens and the earth, who keeps the sun and the moon and the stars in place, this God...wants to share His plans with YOU!

 

The word confide though means much more than just share it literally means "to entrust; to commit to the charge of, with a belief in the fidelity of the person entrusted; to deliver into possession of another, with assurance of safe keeping, or good management; to believe in, with assurance"

 

In other words, if you will humble yourself before God showing proper fear and respect, He in turn will make His plans for salvation know to you, but more than that, He will give you all the details and secrets of His plan, trusting and believing in you to carry them out. God is trusting you to keep safe His promises, to guard them, and to follow them. He is GIVING YOU his covenant. (deliver into possession of another) Guard it with all your heart!