Posts
Proverbs 13What I find comical is most people will place their faith on things that don't matter, like I know a man who spends $300.00 per month buying lottery tickets. He's been doing this for over 10 years. Yet he complains to his family that they don't have any money and accuses family members of mismanaging money. if you do the math, $300/month x 12 months x 10 years=$36,000. - if he placed this in an investor checking/savings account there would have been interest added to that amount. Another person I know seeks out psychics (I'm guilty of that,too but that is whole another story) all to learn whether there will be a love in her life, money or a new job. Yet her life hasn't changed one bit, because she is waiting for the psychic's predictions to come true.
12Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
I have more examples of the "type of faith" people place in the wrong areas. As my brother Mario stated to me once, "you're spinning your wheels, mud is going everywhere, yet you're not going anywhere". Forwarding chain emails to all your friends and friends of friends is the same thing as going out to buy $300 worth of lottery tickets for 10 years. You hope that this one time, it's going to happen.
It would make sense to examine your reasoning skills and start writing goals and action plans to attain those goals. You are spinning your wheels if you hoping in a chain email to answer your deepest need. In the 40 something years of my life, I have yet to see something grand come from a chain email. Whenever I get a chain email, I delete it. I know that whatever does happen to me (whether good or bad) that it was not because I failed to send off a chain email. I believe God is sovereign and things happen as part of life and as part of God's plan. But I do understand that people need to hang onto something that gives them hope, that soothes their aches and pains.
I know and understand this too well, but as I said, I will write more about my experiences with psychics another time. My focus on today's writing is about placing our faith, trust and hope in things that only lead to despair, and limits your experience with a true and living God who wants to change things in you and your life. Now I know that most people say they believe in God,but they don't really KNOW WHO God is, and therefore have a shallow relationship with Him. They only pray to God when they are in need, and when things are fine, they put him on the shelf, like a book collecting dust. Now, I also want to reiterate, that the chosen people of Israel were all grumblers when Moses led them out of Egypt, so this isn't new to God. He made us, he knows that we are made of dust. I say this with a smile.
We must make God laugh (a lot) when He watches us do things in our little small minded ways. I am sure we also have broken his heart, too when he watches us experience the choices we make and that our dreams went away like a puff of smoke. God encourages us not to worship false gods or idols (worshiping the created rather than the created). If you read Proverbs, much is said about using common sense and applying God's word to your lives.
One of the best lessons I’ve learned about God is His immeasurable grace and how it’s not based on anything we “do” but on “who” God is. While I think it is wonderful to send a chain letter that is based on angels and Jesus, I do believe that "sending it off is fear based, that if a person “doesn’t “ send it off to 7 people, that something bad is going to happen or that God will withhold something good from you. Well, I have great news for you. If you believe in God and his son Jesus Christ, then there is NO condemnation in Christ, the past is gone, and you are a new creation in Christ Jesus.
All good things come from the Father of Lights
James 1:17 (New International Version)God doesn’t withhold anything from his children, if he says no, it’s because it’s not part of his plan and he has something much more wonderful to give you, just accept his will as your own, and trust him for his plans for your life. God sometimes says “wait”, it’s all about His timing, not yours.
17Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
Matthew 7:7-11 (New International Version) -Ask, Seek, Knock
7"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. 9"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
Jeremiah 29:11 (New International Version)
11 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.
God made the angels and everything on this earth, it is better to worship the Creator rather than the created. Otherwise, we are worshiping a false god and placing our faith in a thing, on an action, on a human. It is God who has the power, not a chain letter or person, place or thing. God made it all, and all belongs to him. Let’s not give God a reason to laugh!
Romans 1:25 (New International Version)
25They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.
Isaiah 40:28 (New International Version)
28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
Deuteronomy 4:19
And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars—all the heavenly array—do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the LORD your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven.
When you pray to God, use scripture, because God's word is active & operative (alive). If we pray for God's will to be done in our life, we are placing our trust, hope and faith in God who is good, and has great plans for you. Watch, wait and see. God has amazing ways to bring about changes in your life that will impact others and glorify Him.
Jesus' Teaching on Prayer
1One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples." 2He said to them, "When you pray, say:
" 'Father,[a]
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come.[b]
3Give us each day our daily bread.
4Forgive us our sins,
for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.[c]
And lead us not into temptation.[d]' " 5Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.' 7"Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' 8I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness[e] he will get up and give him as much as he needs. 9"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. 11"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for[f] a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
It very important that when you approach the throne of Grace through Jesus Christ, that you first confess your sins against God and ACCEPT his forgiveness, then as you pray and petition Him, keep in mind that God requires us to forgive others who have hurt us or sinned against us. This doesn’t mean they get away with it, it means that it’s off your hook and onto God’s hook.
Your relationship with God will be intact because of peace (you are not retaliating nor sinning) as God said that he contends with those that contend with you. Romans 12:19 (New International Version) 19Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay,"a]">[a]says the Lord.
Keep in mind God’s word in the bible:
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Philippians 4:4-9Now this is much more powerful than a chain letter. No offense, but when I pray to God – things happen, not over night in some cases, but things happen inside of me, around me and within others.
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. And the God of peace will be with you
A chain letter might “offer hope” but you are placing a hope in a thing that is not of God. You place your hope and faith in a God (WHO made the heavens and the earth and everything in it, who is THE SAME GOD of Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham, WHO gave us Jesus so we can have a personal relationship with God WITHOUT having to do GOOD works and feel guilty all the time. We will never be enough or good enough BUT through Jesus, He is GOOD enough and THROUGH HIM we can approach the throne of GRACE BOLDLY and ASK God!
It’s an exciting journey getting to know God personally and experiencing his grace, love, compassion, kindness and MIRACLES. Easter is about Hope. Jesus was resurrected on the 3rd day. God can resurrect your life, your marriage and relationships!
Happy EASTER!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment