Romans 8:28 in the Word of God says, "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.
Everyone, of course, is not called. As my Pastor said this past Sunday, he knows that he was called to preach the Word of God.
The rest of us must be called and when we are called, we are called for God's purpose and plan.
I came across this prayer and would like to share it with you.
"Father, I'm so delighted that You are both loving and sovereign, and that You cause all things to work together for good to those who love You, to those who are called according to Your purpose. So I thank You for each disturbing or humbling situation in my life, for each breaking or cleansing process You are allowing, for each problem or hindrance, for each thing that triggers in me anxiety or pain. And I thank You in advance for each disappointment, each demanding duty, each pressure, each interruption that may arise in the coming hours and days."
Could you pray this prayer? A prayer thanking God for things you don't want and yet you may be subjected in the course of a day or a week or month. Funny, how we are thank God for both good and bad things that come into our lives.
When we thank God for each difficulty in our lives, we get an opportunity to see Him work. When God exposes our weaknesses and needs, and hidden sins, our self-centeredness, and especially our pride, we see how God uses trials to humble us and perfect our faith. An opportunity in endurance that is preparing us for a fresh new growth in godliness.
God sees past our superficial desire for a trouble free life, and instead we can fulfill a desire to please and glorify God for all that He has done in our lives. A life that says to God, "thank you in spite of my trials and tests. James 1:2-4 says, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." Our faith in God is being tested, not just our lives here on earth, but our faith! We can't really see the depth of our character until we see how we react under pressure.
God is awesome. He is the creator of all things living and breathing on this earth. All we have to do is to worship and give Him the glory. His mercy and grace overflows. Each day we wake up, it is because of God's grace and mercy. Not because of anything that we, ourselves, did. Sometimes we can't see it because we are only focus on ourselves instead of being focus on God.
Thought for Today: Live your life for God, in way that will please Him.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Why Is Having Faith Important?
Hebrews 11:1 tells us that faith is "being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." There is no other component of the Christian life that is more important than faith.
The Holy Spirit continues to bring this issue of faith to me, even today, it keeps presenting itself. So I will talk a little about faith and why it is so very important.
First, of all, we cannot purchase it, or sell it or give it to our family or friends. The dictionary defines faith as "belief in, devotion to, or trust in somebody or something, especially without logical proof. It also defines faith as "belief in and devotion to God."
The Bible has a lot to say about faith and how important it is. It is so important that without faith we have no place with God, and it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6).
Faith is belief in the one, true God without actually seeing Him. I will say that again, "faith is belief in the one, true God without actually seeing Him."
So while we are walking on this earthly plane, we must be all our hope and trust in the one true and living God. The only time we will actually see God is when we die.
Faith is a gift from God, not because we deserve it or have earned it, or are even worthy to have it. It is not from ourselves. It is from God. It is not obtained by our power or our free will. It is simply given to us by God, along with His grace and mercy, according to His holy plan and purpose, and because of that, He gets all the glory.
Failure to have faith means we don't trust God and we don't believe that He is who He says He is, nor do we believe that He will do all that He has promised in His holy Word.
Without demonstrating faith and trust in God, we have no place with Him. We believe in God's existence by faith.
How do we have faith? Romans 10:17 says that "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.
You can only hear the Word of God if you study the Bible or attend a church that teaches the Bible. The careful study of God's Word is of primary importance in developing a strong faith. God wants us to know Him and completely rely on His direction in ours lives. It is through the hearing, reading and meditation on the Scriptures that we begin to experience a strong confident faith that excludes worry and fear.
God wants and desires a relationship with Him. It is not our religion that strengthens our faith but a relationship with God!
There was a woman who had suffered from hemorrhages for twelve years. She had sought physicians and she had money but could not get cured. She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in a crowd and touched his cloak, for she said, "If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well." Immediately her hemorrhage stopped and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. Jesus turned about in the crowd and asked who had touched him and the woman responded that it was she. Christ said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace , and be healed of your disease." (Mark 5:25-34)
This is a lesson in approaching God with humility and putting our confidence and trust in Him instead of of in worldly things. Our faith will enable our spiritual healing and salvation.
I could continue on and on about examples in the Bible of those whose faith was so strong and how they relied on God to fulfill all His promises. You will have to read it for yourself..
Thought for Today: Keep Christ as the Center of your Life; trust God to do what He says He is going to do.
The Holy Spirit continues to bring this issue of faith to me, even today, it keeps presenting itself. So I will talk a little about faith and why it is so very important.
First, of all, we cannot purchase it, or sell it or give it to our family or friends. The dictionary defines faith as "belief in, devotion to, or trust in somebody or something, especially without logical proof. It also defines faith as "belief in and devotion to God."
The Bible has a lot to say about faith and how important it is. It is so important that without faith we have no place with God, and it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6).
Faith is belief in the one, true God without actually seeing Him. I will say that again, "faith is belief in the one, true God without actually seeing Him."
So while we are walking on this earthly plane, we must be all our hope and trust in the one true and living God. The only time we will actually see God is when we die.
Faith is a gift from God, not because we deserve it or have earned it, or are even worthy to have it. It is not from ourselves. It is from God. It is not obtained by our power or our free will. It is simply given to us by God, along with His grace and mercy, according to His holy plan and purpose, and because of that, He gets all the glory.
Failure to have faith means we don't trust God and we don't believe that He is who He says He is, nor do we believe that He will do all that He has promised in His holy Word.
Without demonstrating faith and trust in God, we have no place with Him. We believe in God's existence by faith.
How do we have faith? Romans 10:17 says that "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.
You can only hear the Word of God if you study the Bible or attend a church that teaches the Bible. The careful study of God's Word is of primary importance in developing a strong faith. God wants us to know Him and completely rely on His direction in ours lives. It is through the hearing, reading and meditation on the Scriptures that we begin to experience a strong confident faith that excludes worry and fear.
God wants and desires a relationship with Him. It is not our religion that strengthens our faith but a relationship with God!
There was a woman who had suffered from hemorrhages for twelve years. She had sought physicians and she had money but could not get cured. She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in a crowd and touched his cloak, for she said, "If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well." Immediately her hemorrhage stopped and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. Jesus turned about in the crowd and asked who had touched him and the woman responded that it was she. Christ said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace , and be healed of your disease." (Mark 5:25-34)
This is a lesson in approaching God with humility and putting our confidence and trust in Him instead of of in worldly things. Our faith will enable our spiritual healing and salvation.
I could continue on and on about examples in the Bible of those whose faith was so strong and how they relied on God to fulfill all His promises. You will have to read it for yourself..
Thought for Today: Keep Christ as the Center of your Life; trust God to do what He says He is going to do.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
What is a Forgiving Spirit?
I want to talk a little about forgiveness. Most times, however, forgiveness is a slow process. We are a sensitive people with a lot of pride and when we forgive, we let our guard down so we think. Actually, when we forgive, we are doing what God commands. What God wants from us is obedience.
A forgiving spirit is not just a person who says I forgive you for the sake of saying I forgive you, but a forgiving spirit is a person who lets the incident go. It is a person who trusts God to handle the situation.
The best reason to forgive is because Jesus commanded us to forgive. We learn from the Scripture, if we don't forgive, neither will we be forgiven. Matthew 6:14-16 says, "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father (God) will not forgive your sins."
Maybe we don't care if our sins are forgiven. For me, I do care. I guess I am blessed that I don't hold grudges. I may get upset for a couple of days, but I am fortunate that I can let it go. Letting go is crucial because when you can't forgive, you harbor bitterness and anger. Both are very bad for you. It not only offends God, but it will make you sick!
When you can't forgive, you might try praying for that person you need to forgive. We can pray for God to deal with the injustices, for God to judge the person's life, and then we can leave that prayer at the altar.
For almost forty years of my life, I could not forgive a person for what they had done to me. I stayed very sick and had nightmares. I just couldn't let it go, but when Jesus came into my life, I gave it to him because He said I could.
Luke 6:37 says "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven." The Scriptures are replete with wisdom about the necessity of forgiveness.
Even though forgiveness is not easy for us, it is good for us. It's not a one time choice and then we automatically live in a state of forgiveness. Forgiveness may require a lifetime of forgiving, but it is important to the Lord. We must continue forgiving until the matter is settled in our heart.
Thought for Today: God knows our heart. Forgive and mean it! Live it.
A forgiving spirit is not just a person who says I forgive you for the sake of saying I forgive you, but a forgiving spirit is a person who lets the incident go. It is a person who trusts God to handle the situation.
The best reason to forgive is because Jesus commanded us to forgive. We learn from the Scripture, if we don't forgive, neither will we be forgiven. Matthew 6:14-16 says, "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father (God) will not forgive your sins."
Maybe we don't care if our sins are forgiven. For me, I do care. I guess I am blessed that I don't hold grudges. I may get upset for a couple of days, but I am fortunate that I can let it go. Letting go is crucial because when you can't forgive, you harbor bitterness and anger. Both are very bad for you. It not only offends God, but it will make you sick!
When you can't forgive, you might try praying for that person you need to forgive. We can pray for God to deal with the injustices, for God to judge the person's life, and then we can leave that prayer at the altar.
For almost forty years of my life, I could not forgive a person for what they had done to me. I stayed very sick and had nightmares. I just couldn't let it go, but when Jesus came into my life, I gave it to him because He said I could.
Luke 6:37 says "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven." The Scriptures are replete with wisdom about the necessity of forgiveness.
Even though forgiveness is not easy for us, it is good for us. It's not a one time choice and then we automatically live in a state of forgiveness. Forgiveness may require a lifetime of forgiving, but it is important to the Lord. We must continue forgiving until the matter is settled in our heart.
Thought for Today: God knows our heart. Forgive and mean it! Live it.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Make God the Center of Your Life
I have been reading a column by the Evangelist, Billy Graham lately, a man of great wisdom. A question was posed of him about is it wrong to want to be rich and successful.
I found his answer interesting and I believe this is true. In the book of Jeremiah, chapter 29, verse 11 (Jeremiah 29:11), God says this: "For I know the plans I have you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." What an awesome promise of God. And we know that God does not lie, so if He promises it, He will have to deliver it!
Mr. Graham's response to the question asked of him, was this: "No, God is not necessarily opposed to wealth or financial success; some of the most outstanding and godly people in the bible were also people of great wealth, men like Abraham or Job in the Old Testament. But the Bible does warn us about the dangers of wealth.
First, I want to point out that God does want for us to prosper in life, but the word of God does not tell you that it is material wealth, He promises that He has plans for us to prosper. The problem with desiring wealth can take the place of God in our lives. Instead of loving the one who provides for us and putting Him first in our life, we lust for money and all that it stands for --- usually greed, and more greed, envy, selfishness, only thinking about making more money until we live a life that is void of compassion for others.
In Matthew 6:24, the word of God makes it clear that "No one can serve two masters...You cannot serve both God and Money."
The second problem is we try to make money our goal instead of serving God.
When this happens, we lose sight of the desires of God and the needs of others.
Money then becomes our master instead of our servant, and we begin using people for our own selfish ends. This is how slavery started. Men believed that their money entitled them to enslave other people. They were only concerned with their power and the privileges they derived from that power. Money, in America, does give some people standing and it makes them feel more superior to others. It also makes than think they are superior to God.
God is the author of money and all wealth comes from God! 1 Timothy 6:10 warns that "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil." I have already mentioned what kind of evil that is. Don't allow this to happen to you, but instead keep your focus on God, making Christ the center and foundation of your life.
From God comes peace and security, things that money cannot buy. If God gives you wealth, commit it to Him to help others because He has blessed you and expects you to bless others.
Thought for Today: Use your life to be a blessing to other! Remember that keeps his promise of prospering you.
I found his answer interesting and I believe this is true. In the book of Jeremiah, chapter 29, verse 11 (Jeremiah 29:11), God says this: "For I know the plans I have you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." What an awesome promise of God. And we know that God does not lie, so if He promises it, He will have to deliver it!
Mr. Graham's response to the question asked of him, was this: "No, God is not necessarily opposed to wealth or financial success; some of the most outstanding and godly people in the bible were also people of great wealth, men like Abraham or Job in the Old Testament. But the Bible does warn us about the dangers of wealth.
First, I want to point out that God does want for us to prosper in life, but the word of God does not tell you that it is material wealth, He promises that He has plans for us to prosper. The problem with desiring wealth can take the place of God in our lives. Instead of loving the one who provides for us and putting Him first in our life, we lust for money and all that it stands for --- usually greed, and more greed, envy, selfishness, only thinking about making more money until we live a life that is void of compassion for others.
In Matthew 6:24, the word of God makes it clear that "No one can serve two masters...You cannot serve both God and Money."
The second problem is we try to make money our goal instead of serving God.
When this happens, we lose sight of the desires of God and the needs of others.
Money then becomes our master instead of our servant, and we begin using people for our own selfish ends. This is how slavery started. Men believed that their money entitled them to enslave other people. They were only concerned with their power and the privileges they derived from that power. Money, in America, does give some people standing and it makes them feel more superior to others. It also makes than think they are superior to God.
God is the author of money and all wealth comes from God! 1 Timothy 6:10 warns that "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil." I have already mentioned what kind of evil that is. Don't allow this to happen to you, but instead keep your focus on God, making Christ the center and foundation of your life.
From God comes peace and security, things that money cannot buy. If God gives you wealth, commit it to Him to help others because He has blessed you and expects you to bless others.
Thought for Today: Use your life to be a blessing to other! Remember that keeps his promise of prospering you.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
The Faithfulness of God
I have been feeling a little despondent lately. It seems like the trials of this world are getting next to me. Too many ups and downs. Trying to figure out how to stop getting down and how to stay up more.
I am reminded of a traditional church hymn that says that God is faithful. Some of you might sing this song in your home church. The song is entitled Great Is Thy Faithfulness. This song really speaks to my spirit.
The first stanza goes like this:
"Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not.
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.
You know, God never changes, His position stays the same. We change our position often and move away from God, but God never moves away from us.
I guess I get low or down, when I change my position and move away from God.
1 Corinthians 1:9 tells me that, "God, who has called you into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, is faithful." This should be adequate enough, huh?
It is easy to fall out of fellowship with God when we get caught up in our own l problems and forgetting to let go of our problems and trust God.
I noticed that when I take my eyes off of Jesus and on to myself, I start doubting that God is faithful.
I know that God does not love me less today just because I may have step away today. The song says "thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not."
God's love is based on Himself. He is love. His love for me has nothing to do with me. That means I can depend on His love because it is based on Him.
We know that when we confess our sinfulness, admitting that we "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God, He is faithful and will forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
The Apostle Paul told the Thessalonians that "the very God of peace will santify you wholly, and that is His faithfulness, not ours, but the Lord is faithful to those who He calls.
I am thankful that He called me into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ, our Lord!
Thought for Today: God won't let us down. Pick yourself up!
I am reminded of a traditional church hymn that says that God is faithful. Some of you might sing this song in your home church. The song is entitled Great Is Thy Faithfulness. This song really speaks to my spirit.
The first stanza goes like this:
"Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not.
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.
You know, God never changes, His position stays the same. We change our position often and move away from God, but God never moves away from us.
I guess I get low or down, when I change my position and move away from God.
1 Corinthians 1:9 tells me that, "God, who has called you into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, is faithful." This should be adequate enough, huh?
It is easy to fall out of fellowship with God when we get caught up in our own l problems and forgetting to let go of our problems and trust God.
I noticed that when I take my eyes off of Jesus and on to myself, I start doubting that God is faithful.
I know that God does not love me less today just because I may have step away today. The song says "thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not."
God's love is based on Himself. He is love. His love for me has nothing to do with me. That means I can depend on His love because it is based on Him.
We know that when we confess our sinfulness, admitting that we "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God, He is faithful and will forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
The Apostle Paul told the Thessalonians that "the very God of peace will santify you wholly, and that is His faithfulness, not ours, but the Lord is faithful to those who He calls.
I am thankful that He called me into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ, our Lord!
Thought for Today: God won't let us down. Pick yourself up!
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Twisting the Word of God
The Evangelist, Billy Graham, has an interesting column in our local paper today and I am quoting some from it.
Many people twist the words of the Bible.
I had an interesting conversation with my son in law about this same subject.
He wondered how a person could know whose interpretation of the word of God was correct when so many people had their own interpretation.
I don't know if I had the right answer for him, but one thing I do know that God is light and when you are walking in the light, the Holy Spirit will guide you to the correct interpretation of the Bible.
You must study the Word of God to understand it. The truths of the Bible will be revealed to you with help of the Holy Spirit.
Many people twist the words of the Bible to suit their own needs. Often people try to make the Bible say things that it doesn't really say, according to Mr. Graham. However, they can only do this because they have a tendency to look at just a small part of it and ignore the rest.
One woman wrote about her friend, who told her that the Bible even said "there was no God. What actual happened was that her friend only read part of the scripture which states in Psalm 14:1 which says "the fool says in his heart, there is no God."
Many people do this because if they had read the entire verse, they would not be able to twist the words to fit their needs.
Perhaps had the lady read the entire verse she would understood that only a fool believes there is no God. Evidence of God is all around us!
Some people twist the Bible to make it say what they want it to say, not what it really says. Another reason for doing this is people don't want to believe what the Bible clearly teaches: that we all are sinners and short of the glory of God. WE need Christ to cleanse us from our sins.
If a person were to admit they need Jesus, then that person would have to yield their life to Jesus Christ, and in the lady's case, she didn't want to do it obviously.
It is easy to find fault or to twist the Word of God because if ever gave our life to Christ, we would be new creatures, doing the will of God.
Praying that God is blessing you and that you are sharing your blessing with others.
Thought for Today: The Word of God was designed to help the people of God have the right interpretation. Yield to the Master!
Many people twist the words of the Bible.
I had an interesting conversation with my son in law about this same subject.
He wondered how a person could know whose interpretation of the word of God was correct when so many people had their own interpretation.
I don't know if I had the right answer for him, but one thing I do know that God is light and when you are walking in the light, the Holy Spirit will guide you to the correct interpretation of the Bible.
You must study the Word of God to understand it. The truths of the Bible will be revealed to you with help of the Holy Spirit.
Many people twist the words of the Bible to suit their own needs. Often people try to make the Bible say things that it doesn't really say, according to Mr. Graham. However, they can only do this because they have a tendency to look at just a small part of it and ignore the rest.
One woman wrote about her friend, who told her that the Bible even said "there was no God. What actual happened was that her friend only read part of the scripture which states in Psalm 14:1 which says "the fool says in his heart, there is no God."
Many people do this because if they had read the entire verse, they would not be able to twist the words to fit their needs.
Perhaps had the lady read the entire verse she would understood that only a fool believes there is no God. Evidence of God is all around us!
Some people twist the Bible to make it say what they want it to say, not what it really says. Another reason for doing this is people don't want to believe what the Bible clearly teaches: that we all are sinners and short of the glory of God. WE need Christ to cleanse us from our sins.
If a person were to admit they need Jesus, then that person would have to yield their life to Jesus Christ, and in the lady's case, she didn't want to do it obviously.
It is easy to find fault or to twist the Word of God because if ever gave our life to Christ, we would be new creatures, doing the will of God.
Praying that God is blessing you and that you are sharing your blessing with others.
Thought for Today: The Word of God was designed to help the people of God have the right interpretation. Yield to the Master!
Thursday, April 29, 2010
A Time To Endure Trials
The Lord molds His children in proportion to their willingness to be shaped for divinely appointed work.
The only evidence of a sovereign, loving God was that we consistently prospered even during times of trouble.
We can look at the life of Joseph who was sold into slavery by his brothers and eventually became the second highest ranking official next to the Pharaoh of Egypt. How does one go from being a free man to a slave, to being jailed and then being the Prime Minister? God placed these circumstances on Joseph in order to save his chosen people, the Israelites. Had God not molded Joseph through all these periods of slavery and confinement, he may have missed the opportunities God had for him and for God's chosen people. (Genesis, chapters 30-45)
We too have to forsake our human pride because pride can lead us to our downfall. In Joseph's case, his brothers were extremely jealous of him because of a dream he had. They did not appreciate their father's favoritism towards Joseph. His brothers did not like what they believed to be Joseph's arrogance. Even in slavery and in prison, Joseph humbled himself before His God, having faith and trusting that God would eventually deliver him. Faith is the most important thing.
We cannot rely on our strength to get us through tough times. Human pride is a potent force that must be uprooted before we can be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. Asking God to carry you through a situation or trial, may appear as a weakness, but relying on your own strength is an admission that you can do it without God's help.
I think also of three young men mentioned in the book of Daniel, Chapter 3. They held very prominent positions within the Babylonian government. All three young men refused to bow down to an image of gold they King had made, and they were condemned to a fiery death by fire. But God intervened and spared their lives. What I learned new was that God was in that fire with them! I had never recognized this before.
King Nebuchadnezzar had thrown them into a heated furnace, heated seven times hotter than usual had them tied up, and thrown in the furnace with all their clothes on. The King's command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who threw the three men into the fire
Suddenly the King looked up and asked his advisers, "Weren't there three men that we tied up and threw in the first?' (Daniel 3:24) They agreed with the King. The King then said, "Look, I see four men walking around in the first, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods." There was God right in the midst of the fire!
King Nebuchadnezzar than approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!" They came out of the fire and the fire had not harmed their bodies or their clothes or hair and no smell of fire was on them. (v.26)
The Most High God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego honored His servants by protecting them. They refused to submit to golden images and even though they had lost their prominent positions and the prestige that goes with it, their God was still with them. In the fire. God is with us also as we go through our sufferings, trials, lost of jobs, lost of prestige. The one thing to remember is He is in the first with us.
We are just going through, it will not last forever. He is preparing us for something greater, something divine, something for which he will receive the glory, not man.
The stories of both Joseph and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego continue to be favorites of mine because God has brought me through many trials and tribulations. For that, I am thankful. Trials strengthen us. We know we are not alone in our trials. God is always in the midst and he wants the glory for helping us get through our trials.
Thought for Today: Thank God that He is in the fire with you! You are not alone.
The only evidence of a sovereign, loving God was that we consistently prospered even during times of trouble.
We can look at the life of Joseph who was sold into slavery by his brothers and eventually became the second highest ranking official next to the Pharaoh of Egypt. How does one go from being a free man to a slave, to being jailed and then being the Prime Minister? God placed these circumstances on Joseph in order to save his chosen people, the Israelites. Had God not molded Joseph through all these periods of slavery and confinement, he may have missed the opportunities God had for him and for God's chosen people. (Genesis, chapters 30-45)
We too have to forsake our human pride because pride can lead us to our downfall. In Joseph's case, his brothers were extremely jealous of him because of a dream he had. They did not appreciate their father's favoritism towards Joseph. His brothers did not like what they believed to be Joseph's arrogance. Even in slavery and in prison, Joseph humbled himself before His God, having faith and trusting that God would eventually deliver him. Faith is the most important thing.
We cannot rely on our strength to get us through tough times. Human pride is a potent force that must be uprooted before we can be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. Asking God to carry you through a situation or trial, may appear as a weakness, but relying on your own strength is an admission that you can do it without God's help.
I think also of three young men mentioned in the book of Daniel, Chapter 3. They held very prominent positions within the Babylonian government. All three young men refused to bow down to an image of gold they King had made, and they were condemned to a fiery death by fire. But God intervened and spared their lives. What I learned new was that God was in that fire with them! I had never recognized this before.
King Nebuchadnezzar had thrown them into a heated furnace, heated seven times hotter than usual had them tied up, and thrown in the furnace with all their clothes on. The King's command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who threw the three men into the fire
Suddenly the King looked up and asked his advisers, "Weren't there three men that we tied up and threw in the first?' (Daniel 3:24) They agreed with the King. The King then said, "Look, I see four men walking around in the first, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods." There was God right in the midst of the fire!
King Nebuchadnezzar than approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!" They came out of the fire and the fire had not harmed their bodies or their clothes or hair and no smell of fire was on them. (v.26)
The Most High God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego honored His servants by protecting them. They refused to submit to golden images and even though they had lost their prominent positions and the prestige that goes with it, their God was still with them. In the fire. God is with us also as we go through our sufferings, trials, lost of jobs, lost of prestige. The one thing to remember is He is in the first with us.
We are just going through, it will not last forever. He is preparing us for something greater, something divine, something for which he will receive the glory, not man.
The stories of both Joseph and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego continue to be favorites of mine because God has brought me through many trials and tribulations. For that, I am thankful. Trials strengthen us. We know we are not alone in our trials. God is always in the midst and he wants the glory for helping us get through our trials.
Thought for Today: Thank God that He is in the fire with you! You are not alone.
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