God has a plan...: January 2012

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Well it's a new year and as happy as I am to see the last year put behind us I am almost terrified of the year to come. We need a miracle, I have friends that need miracles. These aren't small little glitches we are facing, these are life altering mountains and deep, black valleys we are going through. I have a dear friend that has had to deal with the recurrence of cancer in her son, I have talked about the Everaards before, they are dealing with a double dose of sickness. Doug's mom had breast cancer several yrs ago and it is back and metastasized to her liver, and Gray has had to go back in for a surgery and we are all pleading with God to let it be nothing. My step dads mom had a kidney removed last yr because of cancer and it is back, it is every where, they think even in her bones, they have given her 6 months to a year. I have another friend that had to have surgery awhile back and then had to have tests right before Christmas, I don't know yet how that went. Then there is this hideous disease that Scott is fighting, so you see what I mean when I say we need miracles. Earlier I got a message from a friend that said she can't quit crying, that she is tired of her friends hurting, I told her I know, I am worn out and a scripture ran through my mind... it is the second one in the list but I couldn't remember exactly where it was in Psalms so I just searched for worn out and got all 3...

Job 16:7
Surely, God, you have worn me out; you have devastated my entire household.
Psalm 6:6
I am worn out from my groaning. All night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears.
Psalm 69:3
I am worn out calling for help; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God.

Now I read those and I thought about this, no matter what is going on, no matter how bad it has gotten or how bad it gets, God is still God, I know this to the core of my being! There are people that will blame God for all of these things and people that don't believe, or will stop believing but I will NOT stop, I will not give up, I will not cave in to the lie satan tries to make us believe... I may be worn out and cry all night long, but joy comes in the morning! Ps 30:5 ...weeping may remain for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
Is 43:18,19 ¹⁸ “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.
¹⁹ See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

I have used that last scripture before, if you have followed the blog you may remember it.
I have said before that I don't know how people survive these kinds of things without a relationship with Christ, without Christ there is no hope... without Jesus I am empty, I couldn't survive a day without Him and I've tried, believe me, I tried hard. So I guess what I'm saying is that as hard as all of this is, without Jesus I think I would give up and die, period.
So, for this moment my throat may be parched from groaning but I refuse to stop believing in and waiting for miracles!!! I will shout unto the Lord!!! I will sing a new song!!! My joy WILL come!!! My God shall supply ALL my needs!!! No matter what life throws at me I will with Christ's help overcome ALL adversity!!!

Casting your cares

"Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall." Psalm 55:22 (NIV)

How many times do I worry for days or try to solve a problem on my own? When I finally release it to Him, I think, Why didn't I turn it over to Him a long time ago?

God's Word tells us to "cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall" (Psalm 55:22). It also reads, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God" (Philippians 4:6).

We aren't supposed to fix ourselves. We aren't supposed to worry and fret. We are supposed to "cast" and "present." Cast our cares and burdens to God, and present our requests to Him. When we do what His Word tells us to do, we can then experience peace and comfort (Philippians 4:7).

Joy

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
Thoughts on today's verse
Where does your heart live? That's what these verses are all about. Is there a constant awareness in your life that God is present? Is he the unseen but always present companion in all your ups and downs? Or is God here when it is convenient and gone when things are busy? Joy comes from knowing we are never alone. Prayer is the ongoing conversation we have, Spirit to Spirit, with God. Thanksgiving is the great reminder that we have been blessed no matter what the circumstances may suggest.

Had to share this...

Matthew 9:36And seeing the multitudes, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and downcast like sheep without a shepherd.
I struggle as much as anyone with turning a conversation to spiritual things. However, I can't escape a few truths that lead me to step out by faith:
First, I am compelled by the realization that without Christ all men are lost and without hope. Sure, there are good people that do good things, but that doesn't change the fact that we all sin naturally. I've never taught a single one of my children how to steal a cookie, yet they all have done it. It's part of their natures. And it's because of sin all men are lost.
Second, I'm compelled to share Christ with others because of the reality of hell. Thinking about hell is not in vogue today. But Christ spoke of hell as a real place of eternal judgment and torment & there is only one way to avoid it.
Third, I want to share the good news because it is the very reason for which Christ came to the planet Earth. Jesus Christ didn't go to the cross just so we could have happy homes. He came "to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10). He is our only hope and the only thing that brings true joy.