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The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him. Nahum 1:7
Where do you turn when trouble comes? Who do you call on for help?
When relationships go south, some turned to new relationships, hoping to find relief.
When finances are hard, some borrow money which only increases their debt load and anxiety.
Loss of a loved one can lead to years of grief, depression, and mental health issues.
God has never promised that life will be easy. In fact, He promises us that we will have troubles. He also promises us that he will always be there to work with us through every storm we encounter.
The closer you draw to him, less impact the storms in life will have on you. You can trust in him in whatever storm comes your way!
What storm are you in today? What struggle is keeping you from seeing the good things in life? Lean heavily on God and he will bring you a peace that passes all understanding.
This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. John 15:12
The legalists of Jesus day (like the ones in our day) overloaded people with a bunch of do’s and don’ts. Not Jesus. He had one command. Just one rule to live by that can change the world, at least the one you live in. Love like he loved.
How did Jesus love? He saw people not problems. He saw opportunities not obstacles. He valued others not vilified them. He was passionate yet purposeful. He remained true to himself rather than losing himself. He remained faithful to Gods word, not fickle by following culture. His true identity didn’t hinder his sociability.
Loving like Jesus did is impossible without the Spirit within Him, the same Spirit that lives within every believer. Love like Jesus did in the power of the Spirit Jesus had.
Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Philippians 2:6
You walk into your bosses office one day. He tells you he has an amazing opportunity for you. It’s something he knows you will love! It doesn’t involve a raise in pay. It doesn’t come with more status or stature. In fact, some would call it a demotion. But he promises you a retirement plan out of this world. Would you take the job?
That’s what Jesus did for you. He had a corner office. He had all eternity in front of Him. He was Lord of the universe. There was nothing He could not have.
But He gave it all up for you. Most would consider what He did a demotion. Going from living as a king to being a despised pauper. But not Jesus!
Jesus didn’t take the demotion because he wanted to feel the rejection of his creation. Jesus do not step down because he look forward to being ridiculed. Jesus did what he did for you. He did it for live. A live he knows could not be returned at the level He gave it.
He knew the only way for you to experience forgiveness was by his sacrifice. He know the only way for you to see how much he loved you was for him to live among us. He knew the only way that he could experience eternity with you was to die for you.
Jesus also knew another thing. Between his birth, and offering you eternal life, was the cross. The painful, shameful, despised cross. But he did it for you.
He did it because he loves you. He did it because he knew you would fail. He did it because he knew you could not do what needed to be done on your own. What an amazing Savior!
Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:11
Remember the “Where’s Waldo” pictures? It was quite a fad for a while. You would be looking for Waldo, in the midst of a bunch of other very similar looking people or backgrounds. Sometimes it is almost impossible to find Waldo.
When the apostle Paul was writing to the church in Corinth, he had a few things to talk to them about. While they were very strong in some areas. They were very weak in others.
One of the ways that they had become weak was in taking on the attitudes, and sometimes actions of the surrounding culture. In fact, sometimes the church in Corinth was actually worse in their morality than the culture around them!
Paul reminds them of two things. First of all, he reminds them of the life that they used to live. Lives marked by immorality, partying, and lies. Then he reminds them of how life should be different for those who follow Christ.
We are called to be different than the world. To stick out, to stand alone, to rise above the chaos. We are not called to be chameleons, camouflaged by current trends.
The Old Testament tells the story of three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were their names, who were commanded to bow down to an idol when the trumpets blew.
Everyone bowed down to the idol except these three guys. Imagine how they stuck out from the crowd. It may be hard to find Waldo in some pictures, but it was easy to find those three!
Yet they took a stand and God delivered them. The same is true for us. Don’t be a chameleon. Stand above the rest. Be excellent in your words, actions and attitudes. Be Jesus in skin. That way, when people say, ‘where is Jesus’, they will be able to look to you and know exactly where he is.
But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! John 15:7
“Prayer Doesn’t Work! I prayed for my grandma and she died anyway.”
“I prayed about that job but didn’t get it”
“I prayed that relationship would work but it didn’t.”
One of the reasons many leave the faith, doubt God, or fail to believe in the power of prayer in their lives is because of “unanswered prayer” and God’s seeming inability to fulfill his promises.
John 15:7 is often quoted, or should I say MISquoted, as proof. However, if you read the whole verse in its context you’ll see that the emphasis isn’t on getting what we want at all! The emphasis is on abiding.
Charles Spurgeon writes, “If you want that splendid power in prayer, you must remain in loving, living, lasting, conscious, practical, abiding union with the Lord Jesus Christ.”
When we are one in heart and mind with Jesus our desires become his desires. Our ‘wants’ become His wants. Our focus is on the Kingdom not on earthly passions.
Does that mean that God is not interested in providing us with good relationships, good jobs, and a happy life? Of course not! Jeremiah tells us he has a wonderful plan for our life. But it’s a matter of priorities. Jesus says “seek first, the kingdom of God, and then all these things will be added to us.”
I dare say many if not all of our “unanswered prayers” are self-focused prayers, not abiding prayers.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I confess to you that often my prayers are for my own good, and not for the good of the kingdom. I don’t see things as you see them. My ways are not your ways. Help me to learn to abide in you so that when I pray, my prayers are kingdom-focused and not self-focused. In your name I pray, amen.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 