Worried? Try Worship for the Cure!

When we worship, we connect with our God personally. Sometimes, when you're at church on Sundays or Wednesdays or whatever day you attend, it is often easy to sneak out just as the worship team comes out for the final song, so you won't have to face any delay trying to get your car out of the parking lot. But what you fail to understand is that you are walking out on worship! It has to begin to start being a priority in our lives.  Nothing in this life is certain and sure, but worship is. Most fail to understand what a true privilege worship is.

There is something about this human life of ours, that the blackness and loneliness of the struggles and difficulties, the nagging pain and the sorrows, will someday be pressed into the Diamond of Glory. Deliverance from this world's troubles will cause us to sing. The moon can't sing God a song. Jupiter in all its splendor can't write Him a word of praise. Pluto can't pray to God. When we worship, we connect with our God personally!

It's not just about the singing. It's about having an object that is worthy to sing to. You have to, you must, you will. There will come a day, you will see the glories of God and you will want to break out in song and worship. One day every single knee will bow willingly and say that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior. But there will be no second chances after you die to make that choice to choose Jesus today. 

Psalm 100:4 ~ "Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name."

That's a command. When's the last time we told God thank You. There is always something to thank God for. No matter how much pain and suffering we might find ourselves in, there is always something to be thankful for.

Psalm 9:1 ~ "I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders."

That's a Christian. I am deficient in this area and I need to start thanking God more. Because He is on the throne and He loves me no matter what, good days or bad days.

Psalm 35:18 ~ "I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among throngs of people I will praise you."

Psalm 52:9 ~ "I will praise you forever for what you have done; in your name I will hope, for your name is good. I will praise you in the presence of your saints."

Psalm 57:9 ~ "I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples."

Psalm 118:21 ~ "I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation."

Psalm 138:1-2 ~ "I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; before the "gods" I will sing your praise. I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things you name and your word."

Do you notice the repetition in these Psalms? 

1. You are worthy.
2. to take the scroll.
3. to open its seals.
4. for you were slain.
5. you have redeemed us to God.
6. by your blood.
7. out of every tribe.
8. tongue.
9. people and.
10. nation.

Peeking ahead to verse 12...

Revelation 5:12 ~ "In a loud voice they sang: "Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and  honor and glory and praise!"

"Mark" - the things of heaven in your sights, Jesus Christ is returning to this earth. The song keeps going.

Revelation 5:10 ~ "You have made them to be a kingdom and priest to serve our God and they will reign on the earth."

They sang this song and it keeps on going. Some ancient scholars have said that a better understanding of this reads, "You have made us (a kingdom) , (priests we are) to our God. And we shall reign on earth. Regardless it's all about the divine government to come. "Kings and Priests" the reign of Christ and His government for a thousand years from Jerusalem, Israel. I really like that when you think that Christians really have no place in this world. We as Christians, as just pilgrims, just passing through. Our goal is to bring as many people to heaven with us.

Don't let the world determine what you need to become worthy in the eyes of those here, Jesus is what we should be focusing on. We shall reign on the earth with Jesus. The people in authority in our government will never work right, even though God has placed those people where they are at this time. Government only works when God rules. Until that time, human government is in power. There are men and women dying to establish government in their country, just to have the right to have a say so. To exercise their freedom. We as Americans, we have grown tired of freedom. We don't fight for it or defend it as much anymore. We fought for the right at one time to worship freely.

This year when you have the opportunity to vote will you do it? Will you understand the blood that was shed for that right to do so. In the end, in glory, the real Christians will stand before the throne of God. The Lord is saying the hour is late, it's time to worship Me and put Me first.It's time to rededicate our lives to Jesus once again and to be His will before our own.

Help us to search our hearts Lord and restore those broken places where we can learn to feel again. To understand what it is to feel You again in our lives. To come before His throne and read His Word like never before. We ask You Lord, that all we have we dedicate it all to You. Lead us and drive us like a ship across the sea and guide us with Your Spirit.  You've lost the sight of heaven and Jesus has been cursed more than praised and you're getting weaker by the day. It may be the very thing that brought you here today. He brought you here to bring this to your attention. It's time to come home to Him again. It's time to ask for His forgiveness and ask for His restoration. It's time to let Him take control of Your life again. God stores our tears in a bottle for us.

If you've never asked Jesus into your heart and want to do so now, simply pray this prayer and mean it from your heart. He will hear you right where you are at. He won't force His way in, you need to invite Him in today to your life and let Him change you.

Dear Lord Jesus, 

Forgive me of my sins. Write my name in Your Lamb's Book of Life. Receive me today. I believe You died and rose again, and I receive You now, as my Lord and Savior. In Jesus Name, I thank You, AMEN!!!

We need to live our lives on the mark because Jesus is come back. Time is running out and night is coming. Jesus is the most influential person who ever lived and has lived and continues to live. In just 3 1/2 years, He impacted the world like never before. Time is running out for us to minister for Jesus before eternity comes and we hear the final trumpet blast.

Life Sucks!

Sometimes I think that being a Christian can be a whole lot more difficult than it is to simply be part of the world. When tragic things happen, people expect us to act and behave a certain way. They often look to us to see how we will weather the storms of life that truly seek not only to drown us but to overtake and kill us.

Just this week, while browsing my growing Facebook feed, trust me it takes awhile, I notice two very significant prayer requests. One was from a blogging friend I met a few years ago who is still struggling with the loss of her husband just a few months ago, and the other from a woman facing a cancer scare.

Both are Christians.

Both are dealing with something most of us pray never crosses our path.

Both are struggling and finding it beyond difficult some days to even catch a breath.

It feels like someone has let all the air out of their balloon or worse has popped it. 

And life sucks for them. It sucks because no other words seems to justify how they can feel during this time.

They don't always feel that way. It's just the way it is today!

But why as Christians, believers in Jesus Christ, who know that one day, none of these things will matter. Death will no longer be an issue. We will never have to attend a funeral or cry over anything in life again. Cancer will be defeated once and for all and we will be forever healthy.

Perfectly!

Forever!

Because we are still living in a sin-filled world, dealing with the effects of sin, grief, emotions, loneliness, pain, fear, insecurity, depression, while still believing in God.

Being a Christian doesn't mean we won't have to deal with these or even walk through them multiple times.

The things that bother me, is people often times want to band aid things. They tell us stuff like it will be okay, in time, things will get easier; that what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger; that God must have a purpose in all of this; God wanted to take this person home; or my favorite, they are another angel in heaven now.

Scripturally that last one doesn't even wash. Angels are beings created by God and when we die, we don't get wings and join the flock.

We, as believers in Jesus, will join all the other believers who have died and will step into God's presence in Heaven. No wings for us.

Yet, as believers, we know all the other statements, but at those low points, we don't want to hear them. We want people to understand we have need to grieve, to fear, to worry, and at times when no words will do, cry til there is literally nothing left inside of us. We may have those days quite a bit, and there might be days where everything is fine and then we relapse again.

We need to be able to vent what we are feeling and to be able to say, this sucks! It's not fair! Why me?!!!

We aren't looking for explanations, it's just a part of dealing with these things. We will get better at handling them at some point in the future, however long that may be. It will never be the same for everyone.

What I believe we need to understand is that we can pray for them. We can pray for comfort, for people to give up their time, and if they can let them know they are not alone. To run errands, send cards, help out around the house, bring things like their favorite dessert or coffee, just to let them know they are NOT alone in this life, even if they feel like the walls are closing in. Like they are out of strength to try to hold on any longer.

Prayer is the thing that we need to employ more than ever in this life. It is definitely more powerful than you think and the last thing the enemy wants us to do. So will you do me a favor today and add these two very admirable and strong women who are dealing with the worst life has to offer? Pray for encouragement, courage to get through this day, to find joy in the small things and for God to reveal to them in mighty ways, that they are NOT alone in this struggle. We all need friends and neighbors who can come alongside us and help us get through these dark days.

Let us help them find ways to put air back into their balloon or better yet buy them a bunch!

Proverbs 11:25, "He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed."

How to Get Through A Bad Day!

Just as you were headed to work today, you step outside to another cold, dreary and gray day. Rain is coming down in sheets and as you walk out to your car, you notice a flat tire. You shake your head wishing you would have taken the time to get your spare fixed so this wouldn't be an issue today and you could simply change the tire. As you step back inside the house to call for an emergency call to have someone help you, your phone rings. It's your boss telling you that you've been laid off due to the recent economic down turn in the company and hopefully in a few months they might be able to hire you back. How will you deal with things? Why does it always seem just when bad things happen, they come at your like a tidal wave? Where do you go from here?

Sometimes we wonder just why bad things happen to good people. Why, as believers in Jesus Christ, are we living a blessed life without all the tribulation and trials that should fall on the people who are walking around, shaking their fist at God, and moving ahead in the company with yet another undeserved promotion.

"In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived." ~ 2 Timothy 3:12

The Bible makes it quite clear that we aren't out of the woods just because we are believers in Christ. Just the other day, I was talking to my brother and telling him I know God will be working on me til the very end of my life to control my words and thoughts. It's a struggle to not unleash on those that deserve my words especially when I feel wronged. It's hard to turn the other cheek at times, especially when other people seem oblivious to what they say that impacts us, hurts us, wounds us deeply.

So how can we move on? How can we simply put all that stuff that is happening on the back burner and not let it hinder our walk of faith?

First of all I believe we need to understand as humans living in a sin-filled world we are in a daily battle. It will never let up until we reach our heavenly home. Emotions are funny things and too often we let them rule us instead of taking back the control we let them have on our situation. You might need to take a few moments or longer to process what is going on. It's easier to do when the situation isn't happening to you personally but to someone else who is simply sharing their struggle. We can see things differently because we aren't in the heat of the moment like they are, filled with all the emotions and feelings running around like caffeinated children in a china store unrestrained.

But we can take those thoughts captive. We can control them. Think you can't? Just imagine this situation happening and then someone showing up at your door unexpectedly whom you wanted to impress. The one you hope will NEVER see you sweat. Your pastor, your parents, someone you are hoping to impress with your calm, cool manner. Let me tell you, you'd be able to put that on the back burner in a second, paste on a happy face and get through your moment. That's how I can tell we can control our emotions and feelings.

Now we just need to put that into action. The enemy loves to torment us and replay the situation over and over again in our mind, on a never-ending loop. I believe the first thing we need to do is drop to our knees and pray. Ask God to help you deal with what's happening. To help you control your emotions, feelings, thoughts, words and actions and help them fall in line with His word. Ask God to show you what to do and to help you see things through His eyes and not your own.

Then I recommend, putting on some praise and worship music and thank God for what is happening. The Bible says we are to thank God in ALL things, not just the ones we'd love to thank Him for. We might not know what good is coming from where we are at in this moment, but God does. Will He share that with you, perhaps, but we shouldn't expect it. God knows when the timing will be right. We need to praise Him in our storm. Oh, it really upsets the enemy when we won't fall apart, wail and throw a fit. Nope, not going to give him the pleasure, going to go to God who can deal with it better than we can.

When you have calmed down, and feel God's peace come upon you, then I recommend, you go to His Word and see if you can gain insight or perspective in what is happening. Let's look at the situation above from a different perspective.

The rainy day in itself isn't so bad, it prevents you from having to turn on the water and water your plants. It's vital for life to grow in your yard and the sound alone if we simply stop at listen is soothing. It is washing away the dirt and pollutants in the air. That flat tire you got this morning, was meant to prevent you from heading into work because you were facing a lay off anyway. You wouldn't have dealt with it well if you had been in the office. Not only that, the flat tire prevented you from being in a huge accident that would have totaled your car and set you back even more financially. The job you just got laid off, was taking time away from your family and your commitment to your marriage. You were working so many hours just to make ends meet and you hated going in every single day. Now you can find something that works along the lines of what God has in store for you. That job is waiting for you to simply apply for it and it will bring you much more joy and happiness.

Changes how we view things right?

Why is it when tend to dwell on what isn't going right instead of what God has in mind instead?

You might try it next time trials, storms and life happens. God has something better just around the corner. I know you can't see it, but He can. Trust me, it's worth it! Are you willing to change your perspective, trust Him, surrender your situation to Him, and thank Him while you are waiting?

Would love to know how you handle difficult days and storms when they happen?

God is Able ~ Review and Giveaway

"No matter who you are, however old or young, there's always at least one thing. That thing in your life you can't seem to - you know, escape or fix or solve. It's just...it's ...(Sigh.)

It's always there. Just when you think you've maybe figured out a little piece of it - how you might be able to handle it better, manage it, work around it, or get out ahead of it - it always seems to end up beating you, or at least keeping you awake in the wee hours of the night.

You've tried. (Oh, Lord, how you've tried.) You've prayed. You've asked. You've begged. You've fretted. You've calculated. You've eaten better. You've exercised more.

You've tried being gentler, then firmer. Louder, then more quieter. More assertive, then more submissive. You've admitted where you went wrong and refused to gloat when you were right. You feel like you've done everything you can think of. And honestly, you're starting to seriously wonder now if God can do this, if He can do...It.

You'd still like to think He can. And if you were to spout all your churchy rhetoric, it'd sure sound like you believe He can. But deep down - down where you soul pulses with doubt and uneasiness - you wonder about that circumstance, that life issue, that dilemma you're facing. God may be able to keep the stars in the sky, the earth tilted on its axis, and the heavens hung in glorious array. But can He do this?  It?"(pg 1-3)

In her latest book, God Is Able, Priscilla Shirer takes the reader into a look at what God is capable of through a personal look at her own doubts and unbeliefs when she was struggling. That no one has it all together no matter how famous or close to God they appear to be. She shows us that no matter how difficult our situations may be or how caught off guard they may have found you, they can carve out a deep foothold where doubt could settle in. But if you and I don't turn to face these things, we'd never come face to face with Him. And our God's not having any of that. She write is such a way you feel as if you're having a one on one conversation with a close personal friend, something I love when reading non fiction books.

I received God is Able by Priscilla Shirer compliments of B and H Publishers and Icon Media Group for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed in this review are my own. This is such an exciting book because as believers, we all find ourselves struggling to keep our head above the storm waters that threaten to consume us. Yet even in the heart of the storm, Priscilla showcases how God is Able to do the Impossible through her own personal experiences and using the scripture reference of "Now to him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all we ask or think according the power that works within us to Him be the glory" found in Ephesians 3:20-21. She pulls apart those verses to encourage readers to see what God can do in their lives, in their situations to not only answer their prayers if it His will but more importantly to see God in what is happening. This is such a great resource for anyone who has ever struggled and wondered where God was in their life. For that reason I give this a perfect 5 out of 5 stars and this is one I plan on referring to quite a bit whenever doubt tends to creep back into my life about what God is able to do!

You can find out more information about God is Able, Priscilla Shirer, or where to pick up a copy of this book today, by clicking on the links below:

God is Able by Priscilla Shirer

You can find Priscilla Shirer on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest books.

Thanks to the generous folks at B and H Publishers and Icon Media Group, they are providing a copy of this book to one lucky follower of my blog Reviews From The Heart. Here are your guidelines to enter:

1. Be a follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart. 

2. "Like" my Facebook page, Reviews From The Heart. If you have already "Liked" it, simply leave me a comment telling me you stopped by as part of this giveaway.

3. Be a resident of the US or have a US Shipping address. Please No P.O. Boxes.

4. Leave me a comment below telling me why you would LOVE to win a copy of this book. Don't forget to include your email address. You can use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols.

I will notify the winner by email when the giveaway ends on December 27th, so be sure to include your email address with your comment.

Worry Got You Down Today?

Worries, everyone has them. We worry about whether or not today will be a good day or a bad day, whether that choice is the right one to make or the wrong one, we worry about our jobs, our financial situations, our families, our children, our health, the weather. As you can see, we almost worry every single day. Yet, is it possible to go without worry for a day? Just how do you weather the storm when worry begins to rear it's ugly head?

Let's define worry: To torment one's own self.

Hmmm, kinda harsh to hear huh? I bet when people call you on that bad day when worry is running rampant all over your day, they didn't expect to hear that you're tormenting yourself did they? Yet if you really think long and hard about it, that is just what worry is. We are imagining all the horrible outcomes of any particular situation we find ourselves dealing with. The doctor called and left us a message to call us right away about the results of a test. What do we do immediately? We start the worry game. What if it's bad? I mean if it was good, wouldn't they just say so? What if I am going to die? What if ....what if.....what if.... Oh I am sure you can fill in the blank with any number of things.

What worry really is, is making a down payment on a problem we may never have. It never solves anything, it just sets out to torture and torment us. It has absolutely nothing to do with faith. Want to know the real reason we worry?

We worry because we actually think WE can solve our problems. We can fix it. We can solve it.

Let's look at the story of Mark 4:35 - 40 to see how we can win against worry.

"That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"

This portion of scripture deals with telling us how to deal with storms and what we need to be doing in the middle of them. We know how it all turns out. Mark 5:1, "They went across the lake..."

They didn't get stuck in the middle with no way out. Jesus took them through the storm and out the other side. He wasn't worried what was going to happen, because His confidence, and trust was with His Father. He knew He would take care of them all.

Yet how often in the middle of the storm do we feel like the disciples, calling out to Jesus and asking Him, "God! Don't you care?" Doesn't it feel like a silence has settled in our lives at that moment in time, no matter how much we pray it often feels like God is asleep, like He isn't at work in our lives???

So what do we do when we don't feel like God is listening or working on things? We worry! We ask advice from others, who often times, don't know how to solve their own problems.

We need to run to the throne and not to the phone!!! It's one thing to believe in Jesus, but it's another thing to put our faith to work. We need to believe the best in all our circumstances. God has wonderful things for us. We need to start living like we believe it and start accepting it.

God has given us peace, we just need to thank Him for it. Ask Him to show you what's getting in the way of receiving it. God wants us to lean on Him. When we try to tackle our problems ourselves, we get frustrated.

Now it's time to win. Starting today, make a declaration that you will not worry! No matter how many times the enemy throws more stuff at us to worry about. Instead of spending time worrying about things, start spending time in God's word and learning about His promises for you as His child, and His heir. Read it out loud to quiet those thoughts we are having on the inside.

Humans are the only species that worry. Pigs don't worry, trees don't worry, fish don't worry, birds don't worry. Yet we are the most intelligent species and we torment ourselves by worrying.

Matthew 6:25, "Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?" Do not, can be translated as STOP!

When you begin to worry, tell yourself out loud, STOP IT! I'm not going to waste my energy on that!! Go and pray and lay it at God's feet and then go do something that will take your mind off it and makes you feel better.

Remember how long we remain in the storm is up to us, what we chose to do while in the middle of it. No matter how long it takes, God will bring us through it. We are one day, one minute, one second closer to getting to the top of our mountain then where we were one day, one minute, one second ago. He will never leave us or forsake us. Turn to Him! Remember the promises of Galatians 6:9 - "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up!"

We are all co-dependent!

The other day I was sitting in my recliner letting the worries of the week fill me with dread again. Yes, I was falling victim to listening to how I felt and not how I should be. I looked at my cats lounging in front of the doorway that was open letting in the cool morning breezes, the birds chirping on the lawn and thinking to myself, "Wow! I'd love to live the life of a cat. Just taking long naps whenever I felt like it, lounging in the warm sun and just having no worries about anything."

Then I heard God speak to my heart. He reminded me that living the life of a cat is not worry-free. It just looks that way from the outside. He asked me to think what would happen if I didn't remember to fill their bowls with food or water. What would they do? I think they might just get a tad bit concerned if I failed to meet their needs. Yet I do every single day without fail. Whether it's first thing in the morning or at the close of my day, I refill their water with fresh, clean water and add more cat food that I know is good for them so they don't have to worry about anything.

God reminded me that despite how many times people tell us we need to be more independent, the fact of the matter remains that we are all co-dependent on someone.Even if we are financially sound, we have to depend on the banking institution where we place our money that it will be there when we need it. We are dependent on customers to buy our products; for employers to provide us a paycheck and a job; for grocery stores to stock food for us to buy. The need to depend on people is always there. Life is never worry free even if it appears that way. What we need to remember is that God understands those concerns and will address them one day at a time.

He never overfills us beyond what we can manage. Looking back at the Old Testament when the Israelites were wandering around in the desert, God provided them with daily manna. The only day He provided them with more was on Saturday evening because He didn't want them working to gather food on the Sabbath, so He provided an extra supply. He is reminding us to take things one day at a time for a reason. He didn't die that we would live our lives in despair and worry over things we can't change today. He wants us to enjoy each day with an expectation of hope for something good to happen.

When I find myself spiraling out of control, and it does happen with greater frequency than I would like, I have to remind myself of the same advice I dole out to everyone else. Can worry change your circumstances today? Do you have enough food to meet your families needs today? Do you have a place to sleep tonight? Do you have clothing to get you through today? Then anything else above and beyond that is a BONUS!

Everything we have today is based on God's blessings. We are given everything from our family, our spouses, our children, our personal belongings as gifts to use while we are here and nothing more. How often do we take these things for granted thinking we will have them all tomorrow? Because we believe and have hope we will be here tomorrow. We don't know for sure but we believe. That is the difference between the lifes of believers and nonbelievers. We walk by faith not by sight. Nonbelivers walk by sight, not by faith. Let us make sure we remind ourselves of that daily when worry and anxiety weigh heavy on our shoulders. God is simply standing there with the ultimate strength to take it from us if we would only let Him.

Let us make sure that the one thing we are today is completely co-dependent on God. He alone can provide ALL our needs.

"Therefore I tell you, stop being perpetually uneasy (anxious and worried) about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink; or about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life greater (in quality) than food, and the body (far above and more excellent) than clothing.

Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father keeps feeding them. Are you not worth much more than they?

And who of you by worrying and being anxious can add one unit of measure (cubit) to his stature or to the span of his life? (Psalm 39: 5-7)

And why should you be anxious about clothes? Consider the lilies of the field and learn thoroughly how they grow; they neither toil or spin.

Yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his magnificence (excellence, dignity, and grace) was not arrayed like one of these (1 Kings 10:4-7)

But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and green and tomorrow is tossed into the furnace, will He not much more surely clothe you, O you of little faith?

Therefore do not worry and be anxious, saying, 'What are we going to have to eat? or, What are we going to have to drink? or What are we going to have to wear?

For the Gentiles (heathen) wish for and crave and diligently seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows well that you need them all.

But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides.

So do not worry or be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have worries and anxieties of its own. Sufficient for each day is its own trouble." ~ Matthew 6: 25-34 Amplified Bible

Sunbathing on the Sea of Dread

Ever planned a vacation for you, your family or just you and your hubby? I know I have and the reason for planning one usually comes because I am way too stressed out, we haven’t had a vacation in who knows how long, or we just need to get away from life. Sound like your reasons?

When you think about it those reasons, it sounds pretty valid. The real thing is for me, based on those reasons alone, would cause me to take daily vacations if you knew my life and the things that go on in it daily. However let’s really break it down and see just how “relaxing” it is.

We have to decide first of all where we are headed, that could take weeks for some. Once you decide on a location, you have to check the weather, locate a family friendly hotel, book the hotel, book any activities that you may need to, pack for the vacation, get airline tickets, or car rentals or even pack the family truckster up. Then you have to get to the airport, get through security, locate food since airlines stopped serving food except the prepackaged peanuts of approximately 7 inside, and wait in line for your flight. Then you have to deal with any potential delays of your flight, connecting flights, lost luggage, bathroom breaks, and locating a rental car or airport shuttle after picking up your luggage from a never ending pile from baggage claim. Then it’s off to navigate some foreign roads you never have driven; deal with toll roads, and since you never have correct change since most people ATM it lately; check into your hotel, deal with not enough pillows, bad smelling room, uncomfortable beds, and the noisy neighbors just on the other side of your paper thin room. Sounding relaxing yet? Yeah right….

If you’re like me, you need a vacation from your vacation when you get back. Isn’t that what your original design for a vacation was supposed to be? If you are like me, what you were expecting was lots of sleep in a luxury room, with a feather bed, tons of super soft pillows, no noise whatsoever, being waited on hand and foot, all your meals are prepared with just the touch of a few buttons on the phone, no worries right?

We worry about everything and anything! We live in a worry-filled society in a worry-filled world with lots of other worriers like ourselves. The truth is however that worrying changes nothing. “Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?” Matthew 6:25

There are a wealth of opportunities to be anxious about everyday and it’s never ending. Take for example, the stimulus bill, our states budget crisis, layoffs from every company you know, foreclosures at an all time high, late notices of every utility bill and credit card, deaths of loved ones, family members, friends and even perfect strangers, abortions, problems with our cars, divorce, marriage, gay issues, stem cell research, wars and never ending natural disasters. Got a lot on your plate at night??? How about popping a pill for that? Valium, Xanax, sleep aids, you name it, you can be assured you can locate a doctor willing to listen to just a sample of the issues I mentioned above, and you’ve got yourself a personalized autograph prescription. Yet, it doesn’t take the worry away. It only puts it off, it’s right there where you left it once you wake up or the drugs where off.

“Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of it’s own.” Matthew 6:34

The things I have listed that we worry about are the same things our parents and grandparents worried about, but worrying about them did nothing to prevent them from happening. Worry ruins our health, robs us of any joy and changes nothing. Worrying about something does nothing to change the thing we are worrying about. Sometimes worrying about those things makes things worse than they were before.

One simple sentence unveils God’s provision plan: “Live One Day At A Time”. God disclosed this same strategy to Moses and the Israelites in the wilderness. He provided manna daily, one day at a time, not monthly or weekly. Even on the day prior to the Sabbath, God knew what He was doing. He told them not to gather it on the Sabbath, but the day before. He provided twice as much for them because He wanted them to keep the Sabbath holy and do no work, including the gathering of food. Did the Israelites worry? Yup, even after witnessing all God’s miracles, they worried constantly up to the point of wishing they were back in Egypt where they had plenty of food, water and a place to sleep at night. They grumbled about it daily and constantly.

But weren’t they complaining during their time in Egypt for God to free them from their bondage as slaves to the Egyptians? God answered their prayers, but He never promised them that everything would be a perfect “stress free vacation” of sorts. But He did answer their prayers, just not the way they had hoped.

What they saw as problems, God saw as provisions. Imagine quail in the desert, so numerous that each family had so much that they complained that they were sick of eating it. More grumbling, more worrying!

Worry splits up our thoughts into today and tomorrow. So why don’t we worry about yesterday? Because we know that nothing we can do today will change what happened yesterday. Worrying about tomorrow’s problems today, takes away the strength God gives us to get through today’s worries. This leaves us with not enough resources to deal with today because we borrowed on it to fix tomorrow’s worries. Now we are in debt with worry. No wonder we feel like we can’t deal with just today. We are too busy tackling tomorrows, next weeks, next months and sometimes even next year’s worries. No wonder we are stressed out, sick physically, tired, run down, and at the end of our rope or even all of the above. God never planned on us dealing with things that way. “One day at a time.” Hear the voice of God?

If you are like me, we worry so much about something that has yet to happen, but most of the time, what we worry about never really happens. Worry gives small problems, big shadows. Corrie Ten Bloom said, “Worry does not empty tomorrow of it’s sorrows, it empties today of it’s strength.” “God will take care of everything you need.” (Phillippians 4:19)

So what can you do to eliminate this worry and stress from your life?

1. Pray More!!! You can’t worry while your praying and you can’t pray when you are worrying. In my case, this means I need to pray most of my day. I worry a lot. The average person prays about 8 minutes a day when the average pastor only prays about 10 minutes. Shouldn’t that tell us something? Imagine how different our lives might be if we just prayed a little bit more? Couldn’t hurt right? No where in the Bible does it say to pray a little or to put limits on our prayer time right?


2. Want Less! I tell my daughters this daily when it comes to buying things, especially in this economy where the average family is barely making ends meet while paying more for groceries, gas, bills, and everything else while our income goes down or stay the same as it was before. So I have to ask them, “Is this a want or a need?” Sometimes I have to remind them of the definitions of each. Charles Spurgeon wrote, “Enough for today is all we can enjoy. We cannot eat or drink or wear more than today’s supply of food and clothing. The surplus gives us the care of storing it and the anxiety that someone may steal it. Enough is all we should expect, but a craving for more is ungratefulness. When our Father does not give you more, be content with your daily allowance.” (The NIV Worship Bible, New International Version, Dana Point, CA: Maranatha 2000, 1302)


3. Live for Today. “Who of you by worrying, can add a single hour to his life?” Matthew 6:27. God will take care of things in His time, not in our time. He sends help at the hour we need it. You don’t have the wisdom for tomorrow’s problems, but we will tomorrow. You don’t have the resources for tomorrows needs, but you will tomorrow. You don’t have the courage for tomorrow’s challenges, but you will when tomorrow comes.

God will meet our needs daily. He did then, he still does, and he will continue to do for you always. Trust in Him, and wait! Don’t worry.

A Test of Faith

We've all heard the say, "Our faith is being tested" or "It's only through tests, that we are strengthen in our faith!" but what does that really mean? How do we know when to take a step of faith or what to do while we are in the midst of the storms?

My husband and I are in the midst of our own personal storm. While it is not a raging tempests or maelstrom, it is one of the biggest of our lives. We are waiting to learn the outcome of our home loan modification since our loan was sold to another mortgage company. Our old mortgage company wouldn't work with us, and we are hopeful, change is a sign of great things to come. We should learn something within the next few weeks and I believe it will be a great thing. I am putting my faith that God will not forsake us and willing to put my Trust in Him and not in anything less.

So how do I manage through my day? What am I doing differently that I wasn't doing before? Well since we found ourselves being tossed about in our storm, we remember the story of Peter in the Bible. As long as Peter believed and was willing to keep His eyes on Jesus, during his own storm, he was fine. But what I realized is that the devil was probably whispering into his ear, that he isn't supposed to be able to do this, no one walks on water, look at the water, anything to get his mind, focus and eyes off of Jesus. Even for just a split second, when we do, we put our faith in the enemy. We fail, we fall, we sinks and we are immediately stricken with fear and panic. So there is a lesson in this. Don't take your eyes off of God no matter what the enemy or the world says. There only goal isn't to try and help us, help ourselves, it's to try and take our focus, our thoughts and our eyes off of God.

When we maintain that focus on a daily basis, we are strengthen!

Did you catch that?

Yup, it was daily! Not worrying about some deadline, sitting on someone's calendar somewhere. Not some notice we received in the mail, not a phone call with less than pleasing results, not even a well meaning but disheartening comment from a family member or friend. If you can answer yes to this questions today, then God has blessed you and you need to be thankful to Him through prayer today. It's what I call and have learned is planting today seeds.

Do you have enough food today?

Do you have clothing to wear today?

Do you have a roof over your head today?

Do you have enough money to cover your needs today?

If the answer is yes, thank God right now! He has blessed you and have promised to provide your daily needs. We aren't supposed to worry about tomorrow because the only guarantee we have is today. Known of us knows what will happen tomorrow, but today, if you're still here, then focus only on today and praise God for all the things going right today.

But what about tomorrow? What is something goes wrong tomorrow? What if I lose my job or house tomorrow? What if the diagnosis is bad tomorrow? What if something tragic happens tomorrow?

Matthew 6:34 provides the answer:  "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Simply put, don't worry about it. But isn't that easier said then done? Yes, it is but I find if I remain focused on just today, my worries are less. When I hear the enemy trying to remind me about something else, I simply tell him to shut up. I boldly proclaim, that I believe that God is working in my life, on my behalf and that something good is coming! I keep saying it outloud, over and over until I believe it. Sometimes, in all honestly, I say it a lot. But it helps. 

I also remain focused on all the things that are going right in my day. So often we fail to miss all the things that are working and instead focus on those that aren't. This reminds me of the movie, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. One of the tasks Indiana Jones must accomplish to save his father's life and gain the Holy Grail is to forge across a deep crevasse but without any way to get there.  He reads that he must take a leap of faith to move forward and while it appears that he could fall to his death, he closes his eyes and takes a bold move. That's when an invisible bridge appears. 

God is like that in most ways. He is simply waiting for us to take that bold leap of faith in our daily walk with Him. It's keeping our focus, our thoughts and our eyes on Him and believing without a doubt that His perfect will, will be good enough for us. Now while we may not get what we ask for, are you willing to believe that whatever happens, you Trust God in it all. To bring about goodness for you? No matter what?

I wonder if we exhibited more faith like the ones we do on a daily basis without thinking how much our lives would change for the better. What if you simply trusted God to do what's best in your life, like you expect that when you put the key in your car it will start? Or that when you attempt to turn on your light switch the power will come on, or when you pay for something with your ATM or credit card, you won't be denied? Is your faith like that? 

I challenge you to stay within the boundaries of today and focus on what is going right. Pray and give God all the tomorrow seeds and lay them at His feet. Ask God what can you do today, to act according to His will in your life so you can plant seeds today for a harvest tomorrow. Then sit back and watch God work. He never fails and He's will is always perfect and it will always lead to what is best for you!

Dear Jesus, 


Too often I get ahead of myself in my attempts to handle my problems, when I should keep my focus, my thoughts and my eyes on you instead. I ask that Your will be done in my life today and not mine. Lord you know what is best for me, and no matter what happens, I know you have my best interests at heart. You remind us in your Word,  “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.” Hebrews 10:35-3. I believe that Lord. I believe that you are working in my life and even though I may not see it, you won't fail me. Help me stay in the boundaries of today because tomorrow isn't guaranteed. Reveal to me that seeds you want me to plant today that will lead to a bountiful harvest tomorrow. In Jesus Mighty Name, AMEN!

Winning Against Worry

Worries, everyone has them. We worry about whether or not today will be a good day or a bad day, whether that choice is the right one to make or the wrong one, we worry about our jobs, our financial situations, our families, our children, our health, the weather. As you can see, we almost worry every single day. Yet, is it possible to go without worry for a day? Just how do you weather the storm when worry begins to rear it's ugly head?

Let's define worry: To torment one's own self.

Hmmm, kinda harsh to hear huh? I bet when people call you on that bad day when worry is running rampant all over your day, they didn't expect to hear that you're tormenting yourself did they? Yet if you really think long and hard about it, that is just what worry is. We are imagining all the horrible outcomes of any particular situation we find ourselves dealing with. The doctor called and left us a message to call us right away about the results of a test. What do we do immediately? We start the worry game. What if it's bad? I mean if it was good, wouldn't they just say so? What if I am going to die? What if ....what if.....what if.... Oh I am sure you can fill in the blank with any number of things.

What worry really is, is making a down payment on a problem we may never have. It never solves anything, it just sets out to torture and torment us. It has absolutely nothing to do with faith. Want to know the real reason we worry?

We worry because we actually think WE can solve our problems. We can fix it. We can solve it.

Let's look at the story of Mark 4:35 - 40 to see how we can win against worry.

"That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"

This portion of scripture deals with telling us how to deal with storms and what we need to be doing in the middle of them. We know how it all turns out. Mark 5:1, "They went across the lake..."

They didn't get stuck in the middle with no way out. Jesus took them through the storm and out the other side. He wasn't worried what was going to happen, because His confidence, and trust was with His Father. He knew He would take care of them all.

Yet how often in the middle of the storm do we feel like the disciples, calling out to Jesus and asking Him, "God! Don't you care?" Doesn't it feel like a silence has settled in our lives at that moment in time, no matter how much we pray it often feels like God is asleep, like He isn't at work in our lives???

So what do we do when we don't feel like God is listening or working on things? We worry! We ask advice from others, who often times, don't know how to solve their own problems.

We need to run to the throne and not to the phone!!! It's one thing to believe in Jesus, but it's another thing to put our faith to work. We need to believe the best in all our circumstances. God has wonderful things for us. We need to start living like we believe it and start accepting it.

God has given us peace, we just need to thank Him for it. Ask Him to show you what's getting in the way of receiving it. God wants us to lean on Him. When we try to tackle our problems ourselves, we get frustrated.

Now it's time to win. Starting today, make a declaration that you will not worry! No matter how many times the enemy throws more stuff at us to worry about. Instead of spending time worrying about things, start spending time in God's word and learning about His promises for you as His child, and His heir. Read it out loud to quiet those thoughts we are having on the inside.

Humans are the only species that worry. Pigs don't worry, trees don't worry, fish don't worry, birds don't worry. Yet we are the most intelligent species and we torment ourselves by worrying.

Matthew 6:25, "Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?" Do not, can be translated as STOP!

When you begin to worry, tell yourself out loud, STOP IT! I'm not going to waste my energy on that!! Go and pray and lay it at God's feet and then go do something that will take your mind off it and makes you feel better.

Remember how long we remain in the storm is up to us, what we chose to do while in the middle of it. No matter how long it takes, God will bring us through it. We are one day, one minute, one second closer to getting to the top of our mountain then where we were one day, one minute, one second ago. He will never leave us or forsake us. Turn to Him! Remember the promises of Galatians 6:9 - "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up!"

Don't Worry. Be HAPPY!

Here we go again!

Another business trip is looming on the ever- nearing horizon.

Steve is being sent out again, last minute with no preparation to head to all places, Las Vegas, for a few weeks to complete a project.

I am struggling with finding the smallest bit of happiness with this bombshell after it was dropped on me last night.

Immediately my mood changed, not for the worse, but more melancholy.

Like the air was just let out of my balloon that I had just had blown up. Not popped thankfully, but like, the spitting sound that it makes when you let go of it, just after you got it blown up.

Then you watch it scatter all over the air and then land in a flop on the floor.

Yup, that’s me.

The balloon flopped on the floor.

God has been preparing me, often times in the harshest of ways for this time once again.

Call me co-dependent, but I honestly love having my husband home at the end of the workday.

I could live with a trip through the weekend, I am still OK. Missing him terribly but still OK.

Then God expanded that thinking for me. He stretched it out for two weeks.

Yikes, I often questioned God’s ability to know just how much I could take without popping. Exploding all over the first person who became my pin. Miraculously I dealt with it.

It wasn’t so hard and I loved the feeling of him coming home. Wait God isn’t finished yet.

Then Steve came home for 4 days only to leave again for three more weeks. Get out the padded cell, Mom’s going in!!!

Yet, I came out of it alive. I got phone calls daily and I think we as a family made it through a tough war, scarred but still intact. Time away changes things. You have to deal with all the little things alone.

You don’t have that extra pair of hands to help you when you need it.

You have to regroup and deal without dad. Everyone does. Until he comes home.

God eventually stretched this out to a full 5 weeks before we saw that it was straining our marriage a little too much and church counseling was necessary. Mostly because I couldn’t deal with the fact of talking to friends only to hear the same old excuses, “be happy your hubby is working when so many aren’t” “It’s just a few days away, others have done it.”, “at least it will pay your bills and you’ll still have a home?”

What we needed was our pastor to tell us that the sacrifices we were making for our marriage were too great.

It doesn’t really help. The excuses, part.

I already know all those things, it just doesn’t make it any easier to watch my hubby leave, and we aren’t sure exactly when he will be headed home.

So we prayed a lot! Daily, nightly, two or three times, or whenever we had a low moment. God answered and kept him home for a little bit.

Now we are at the crossroads again.

Just when things are starting to seem like a family again, we stand at the door and knock.

At this point, I believe I am pounding on the door, pleading and begging for God to tell us, what to do? Does my husband continue with this job and we trust God to know when enough is enough for our family? Or do we try and find something else that will pay the bills and still keep us together as a family?

I feel that we are to wait at this point. Wait for God to open that door for us, or to close it entirely.

So until that time, we wait.

I learn to deal with things.

I try hard to imitate the Proverbs 31 woman, and be all that I can be to him while he is home.

I lift him up in prayer and ask for God’s hand in dealing with this.

I trust.

I trust God knows what He is doing.

I trust that God will work this out for us.

I trust that all the temptations that may face him in Las Vegas, he will overcome thanks to God.

I pray that God will remove him from that situation as soon as he can, but for now I believe in God.

I believe in what is written, "that all things work for the good of those that love the Lord". I hold onto to that and trust God.

What else can I do? I believe it is enough for now.

Sunbathing on the Sea of Dread

Ever planned a vacation for you, your family or just you and your hubby? I know I have and the reason for planning one usually comes because I am way too stressed out, we haven’t had a vacation in who knows how long, or we just need to get away from life. Sound like your reasons?

When you think about it those reasons, it sounds pretty valid. The real thing is for me, based on those reasons alone, would cause me to take daily vacations if you knew my life and the things that go on in it daily. However let’s really break it down and see just how “relaxing” it is.

We have to decide first of all where we are headed, that could take weeks for some. Once you decide on a location, you have to check the weather, locate a family friendly hotel, book the hotel, book any activities that you may need to, pack for the vacation, get airline tickets, or car rentals or even pack the family truckster up. Then you have to get to the airport, get through security, locate food since airlines stopped serving food except the prepackaged peanuts of approximately 7 inside, and wait in line for your flight. Then you have to deal with any potential delays of your flight, connecting flights, lost luggage, bathroom breaks, and locating a rental car or airport shuttle after picking up your luggage from a never ending pile from baggage claim. Then it’s off to navigate some foreign roads you never have driven; deal with toll roads, and since you never have correct change since most people ATM it lately; check into your hotel, deal with not enough pillows, bad smelling room, uncomfortable beds, and the noisy neighbors just on the other side of your paper thin room. Sounding relaxing yet? Yeah right….

If you’re like me, you need a vacation from your vacation when you get back. Isn’t that what your original design for a vacation was supposed to be? If you are like me, what you were expecting was lots of sleep in a luxury room, with a feather bed, tons of super soft pillows, no noise whatsoever, being waited on hand and foot, all your meals are prepared with just the touch of a few buttons on the phone, no worries right?

We worry about everything and anything! We live in a worry-filled society in a worry-filled world with lots of other worriers like ourselves. The truth is however that worrying changes nothing. “Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?” Matthew 6:25

There are a wealth of opportunities to be anxious about everyday and it’s never ending. Take for example, the stimulus bill, our states budget crisis, layoffs from every company you know, foreclosures at an all time high, late notices of every utility bill and credit card, deaths of loved ones, family members, friends and even perfect strangers, abortions, problems with our cars, divorce, marriage, gay issues, stem cell research, wars and never ending natural disasters. Got a lot on your plate at night??? How about popping a pill for that? Valium, Xanax, sleep aids, you name it, you can be assured you can locate a doctor willing to listen to just a sample of the issues I mentioned above, and you’ve got yourself a personalized autograph prescription. Yet, it doesn’t take the worry away. It only puts it off, it’s right there where you left it once you wake up or the drugs where off.

“Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of it’s own.” Matthew 6:34

The things I have listed that we worry about are the same things our parents and grandparents worried about, but worrying about them did nothing to prevent them from happening. Worry ruins our health, robs us of any joy and changes nothing. Worrying about something does nothing to change the thing we are worrying about. Sometimes worrying about those things makes things worse than they were before.

One simple sentence unveils God’s provision plan: “Live One Day At A Time”. God disclosed this same strategy to Moses and the Israelites in the wilderness. He provided manna daily, one day at a time, not monthly or weekly. Even on the day prior to the Sabbath, God knew what He was doing. He told them not to gather it on the Sabbath, but the day before. He provided twice as much for them because He wanted them to keep the Sabbath holy and do no work, including the gathering of food. Did the Israelites worry? Yup, even after witnessing all God’s miracles, they worried constantly up to the point of wishing they were back in Egypt where they had plenty of food, water and a place to sleep at night. They grumbled about it daily and constantly.

But weren’t they complaining during their time in Egypt for God to free them from their bondage as slaves to the Egyptians? God answered their prayers, but He never promised them that everything would be a perfect “stress free vacation” of sorts. But He did answer their prayers, just not the way they had hoped.

What they saw as problems, God saw as provisions. Imagine quail in the desert, so numerous that each family had so much that they complained that they were sick of eating it. More grumbling, more worrying!

Worry splits up our thoughts into today and tomorrow. So why don’t we worry about yesterday? Because we know that nothing we can do today will change what happened yesterday. Worrying about tomorrow’s problems today, takes away the strength God gives us to get through today’s worries. This leaves us with not enough resources to deal with today because we borrowed on it to fix tomorrow’s worries. Now we are in debt with worry. No wonder we feel like we can’t deal with just today. We are too busy tackling tomorrows, next weeks, next months and sometimes even next year’s worries. No wonder we are stressed out, sick physically, tired, run down, and at the end of our rope or even all of the above. God never planned on us dealing with things that way. “One day at a time.” Hear the voice of God?

If you are like me, we worry so much about something that has yet to happen, but most of the time, what we worry about never really happens. Worry gives small problems, big shadows. Corrie Ten Bloom said, “Worry does not empty tomorrow of it’s sorrows, it empties today of it’s strength.” “God will take care of everything you need.” (Phillippians 4:19)

So what can you do to eliminate this worry and stress from your life?

1. Pray More!!! You can’t worry while your praying and you can’t pray when you are worrying. In my case, this means I need to pray most of my day. I worry a lot. The average person prays about 8 minutes a day when the average pastor only prays about 10 minutes. Shouldn’t that tell us something? Imagine how different our lives might be if we just prayed a little bit more? Couldn’t hurt right? No where in the Bible does it say to pray a little or to put limits on our prayer time right?


2. Want Less! I tell my daughters this daily when it comes to buying things, especially in this economy where the average family is barely making ends meet while paying more for groceries, gas, bills, and everything else while our income goes down or stay the same as it was before. So I have to ask them, “Is this a want or a need?” Sometimes I have to remind them of the definitions of each. Charles Spurgeon wrote, “Enough for today is all we can enjoy. We cannot eat or drink or wear more than today’s supply of food and clothing. The surplus gives us the care of storing it and the anxiety that someone may steal it. Enough is all we should expect, but a craving for more is ungratefulness. When our Father does not give you more, be content with your daily allowance.” (The NIV Worship Bible, New International Version, Dana Point, CA: Maranatha 2000, 1302)


3. Live for Today. “Who of you by worrying, can add a single hour to his life?” Matthew 6:27. God will take care of things in His time, not in our time. He sends help at the hour we need it. You don’t have the wisdom for tomorrow’s problems, but we will tomorrow. You don’t have the resources for tomorrows needs, but you will tomorrow. You don’t have the courage for tomorrow’s challenges, but you will when tomorrow comes.

God will meet our needs daily. He did then, he still does, and he will continue to do for you always. Trust in Him, and wait! Don’t worry.

If God Loves Us, Why Does He Allow Bad Things To Happen?

“Dear God….”
Why do you allow people to die before they should?

Someone died before his or her time. Don’t we assume that we have a timetable slated when we are supposed to live a full life, like into our older years like 70’s or 80’s? When does the Bible say that? It doesn’t. It states that there is “a time to be born and a time to die”. (Ecclesiastes 3:2) God is in charge of that. We don’t have a say about when we get to be born or when we get to die, but we have everything to do with the time in between and how we choose to live it. Psalm 90:12. “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” means to make the most of our time. Don’t take any of your loved ones for granted. Don’t put off telling someone in your life just how much they mean to you, because no one knows how much time you have left. You don’t have a guarantee on how much time you have left.

There is a book that tells you about “The Things You Must Do Before You Die”, with some of the examples such as going to the academy awards, or running with the Bulls? Running with the bulls? Isn’t that a way to die? Did you know that the author of this book died at the age of 47 after hitting his head after a fall in his home, and he only completed half of the things in his book. The goal isn’t to do all these things but to glorify God. Sure it’s ok to do some of things but they shouldn’t be our life’s focus.
God will give you a peace that passes all understand not give you an understanding.

Don’t worry about it, pray about it and he will give you enough strength to get you through it day by day.

Psalms 61: Here my cry of God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

No one ever said that you would live a trouble-free life in this world.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

Bad things happen to Christians as well, problems with our families, dying in unexpected accidents, getting cancer. No one is guaranteed a problem-free life.

Why is it that the words trial and problems occur in the same sentence. Why doesn’t God remove my problems if He loves me? Because God loves you, it’s your definition of how He should show that love that is our mistake and what we think good means in our life. No pain, no suffering, no death, a problem free life with the sun shining and birds singing. Doesn’t that sound appealing?

John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Our definition of good is what benefits us in the here and now and not in the by and by. We are interested in what will benefit us temporarily while God is interested in our eternal benefit.

We are interested in what will make us happy, while God is interested in what will make us holy.

He doesn’t always remove suffering because it makes us stronger and keeps us closer to Him. We can also be used in our situations to glorify Him and bring others to Him through our problems.

Why does God allow it?

1. Adversity levels us and keeps us humble. Prosperity has a tendency to make us proud. We don’t need God when things are going smoothly, the bills are paid, we have a great job, family life is incredible and there is money in the bank. Hopefully however, when adversity comes, we turn to God and see what really matters. It is during times of prosperity we will forget God. When tragedy and adversity hits, we pray and pray a lot.

2. Adversity teaches us eternal truths we would not learn on our own. Our basic objective is to avoid pain at all costs. We want to be comfortable. We want to look good, but we don’t want to sweat, we don’t want the muscle aches and pain, but pain reminds us of a deeper need. Hunger pains, birth pains, back pains, you get it.

God teaches us lessons in those pain filled valleys we wouldn’t have learned on the mountaintops of our life. Things we need to know, things we need to share while we are passing through this life into our eternal one.

3. God allows us to go through these adversities so we will have compassion for others in pain. Never minimalize someone’s pain, but reach out for him or her.
Success builds walls but failures build bridges. When things are going well for you, you got that promotion, you kids got all A’s again, you just bought a new house, paid off all your debt, and you’re sharing that with someone whose life isn’t going well. They are losing their home, they don’t have enough money to put groceries in their home, and their kids are failing in school, it puts up a wall between you and them.

But what happens when a friend comes to you and tells you that they need prayer, that they were just diagnosed with cancer. You care and you want to help them. You should. When we go through adversity, we can help others.

2 Corinthians 1: 4-5 “ who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.”

It was only through the death of Stephen that the worst Christian killer, Saul of Tarsus, was brought to God and became Paul. So sometimes good comes from adversity and tragedy. We just need to look for it and seek God every minute of every day.