God is in Control - The Storms of Life

 

When we first come to Christ for salvation, we still feel like we need to maintain control of our life in case He messes something up for us. Life careens out of control sometimes, does not seem fair and is confusing at best.

God's plans do not always fit into our goals and we think He just does not understand us. His purpose for us does not feel right and often goes against what our heart is telling us to do.

What we do not realize at first is that our heart is desperately wicked and cannot tell what is truly best for us (Jeremiah 17:9). We often get into more trouble following our heart than when we follow what our head tells us to do.

We only need a small amount of faith to please God (Matthew 17:20); and we can even admit that we need help in our unbelief (Mark 9:23-25). God truly cares and will never ever leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).

God does not always calm the storm (Mark 4:35-41), but He fills us with His presence within and guides us through the raging upheaval one step at a time. When skies are clear, we often forget all about God, taking credit for avoiding the rain.

Trials reveal the amount of carnality still lingering in our soul. We succumb to the tests of life when we trust our self rather than God. We struggle through trouble and trials and are buffeted by the storms inherent in life on this earth.

However, if we determine to believe God, to hold His hand during the valleys and to maintain our faith in His faithfulness, we discover that tribulation is simply an adventure and that God has everything in His control.

Prayer:

Father God, You cause our guardian angels to camp out around us in order to deliver us whenever we trust in You (Psalm 34:7). Even if we end up suffering for doing what is right, You lavish us with rewards; therefore, we never need to worry or be afraid of life's insecurities and dangers (1 Peter 3:14).

You are the first and the last, and You hold all the issues of life and death in Your hands (Revelation 1:17; Mark 5:36; Romans 8:2). You answer us when we pray and believe, and You fight for us as You rid us of all of our fears (Psalm 34:4; Deuteronomy 3:22). We praise You and give You all of the honor and glory that is due to Your name.

Thought for the Day:

I was young, and now I am old, and I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love, not even death or life, angels or demons, fears of the present, worries about tomorrow or the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. - Romans 8:38-39

 

God's Ultimate Plan

Through Adam, God formed humanity in His image and likeness, as His ultimate creation in the Garden of Eden. Sin cast us down from our lofty position; and instead, required that we toil in the earth for our sustenance. However, the divine Christ took the form of a human being to redeem mankind for eternity. Now, He works in our life until we willingly surrender our carnal flesh for mortification by His Spirit, until we realize that we are dead, and our life is now hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3).

When we consider Jesus’ prayer in the Garden, prior to Judas’ betrayal, we can assume that He dreaded the horrendous coming events, which God required of Him. He begged God multiple times to allow the cup to pass from Him. Whether He feared the torture and crucifixion, or the bounty of God’s wrath, the debt of our sin or His separation from our Father for that period of time, we do not know. However, it is clear that Jesus felt apprehensive and craved His disciples’ support and prayer at that time.

We all know the end of the story. Jesus triumphed over sin and death. This same powerful Christ lives within us, with all the dynamic authority of His resurrection. He delivers every authentic Born Again Believer from any situation, which life throws at us, even death (Roman 8:11-23). Once the dynamite power of Christ moves into our spirit, we connect to the victory of the perfect union with Christ in us. We are now heirs with Jesus of all the glory due to Him, not because we are worthy, but because of what He did for us through Calvary’s cross (Romans 6:5).

Our humanity is dead, because we are crucified with Christ; yet Christ lives in and through us (Galatians 2:20). We are conformed to the likeness of His death through baptism, and then raised to walk in the freshness of new life in Him. We excel in His Kingdom work through His divine life within us. As Christ consecrates our spirit, soul and body to His service, we abide in Him as our righteousness, our salvation, our sanctification, our serenity, our sanctuary and our sufficiency.

Although all of creation awaits the revelation of the sons of God for its redemption (Romans 8:19), we currently abide in Christ with all the power of the triune Godhead residing within us. Yet, we live as prisoners to our negative emotions, our fleshly lusts, the lure of the world and the wiles of Satan and his minions. The reality of Jesus as the Lord of our life needs to sink into our soul until we eat, sleep, breathe and see it more clearly than any truth we have ever learned. Then we will walk in this reality with all the power of the triune Godhead within us (Mark 16:17-18).

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, You draw us into a closer union and fellowship with You through each passing day. We yield in unconditional surrender in order to partake of Your divine nature, unconditional salvation and victorious life. We desire nothing less then perfect conformity to Your nature and to be filled through all of our being with all the fullness of Your spiritual power (Ephesians 3:19). We rely on You to bring us into a deeper and more intimate abiding in Your presence within us, until we lay down our will and walk in Your will instead.

Thought for the Day:

When the storms of life shake our peace and our faith in our Rock, Jesus Christ, we can blame our self-efforts for this malady; however, we find abundant faith to meet any turmoil, when we trust only in our Savior and Lord. – Galatians 3:1-3

Foundations of the Faith

Read: 2 Peter 1:5-8

“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness.” - 2 Peter 1:3

As a new Christian, I wanted to skip the milk of God's Word (Hebrews 5:12) and to move right along to the meat. I wanted to hurry through the first principles of truth, so that I could wade into the deeper truths of the Kingdom of God. God slowed me down, however. He showed me that I had to grow in grace and wisdom by first getting a good, solid spiritual foundation based on the basic doctrines of our faith (Colossians 1:9).

In these studies, I learned that I secured my salvation by repenting of the dead works of sin and putting all of my trust in Christ. I made a public profession of what happened in my heart by getting baptized. I started the discipline of daily Bible reading and prayer. I found a church in which to learn and to grow and to fellowship with other Believers. Then I started telling others about what Christ did for me. I also learned how much God loves me and that He has a perfect plan for my life. Little did I know that these simple truths would see me through some rough times ahead.

After this, I started listening to the Holy Spirit's promptings on a daily basis. I learned to discern which thoughts He planted in my mind, and which came from Satan or human reasoning. I started teaching little children the truths of God Word. Then, years later, God started using me to mentor younger women and to encourage people in all walks of life.

Now, I thank God for that solid foundation. It saw me through the trials of losing all of my worldly goods more times than I care to count, of being rejected by my husband and daughter, of having to support myself after 22 years of marriage, of meeting a new husband with young children, and of changing ministries and homes twice since then. No matter what life throws at me, the storms never affect my spiritual house, however, because it was built long ago upon the bedrock of Jesus Christ.

Prayer:
Lord, help me to continue to grow in Your grace and to never fail to show love to those You bring my way. Help me to ensure that new Believers receive the same solid footing in the doctrines of our faith that I did, so that they too may withstand any storm life brings their way.

 
Thought for the Day:
Salvation is just the beginning of a wondrous journey with God.