Warning: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /home1/heartof6/public_html/blog/wp-content/themes/responsive-mobile/includes/functions-extentions.php on line 35

Are You Gonna Let This One Thing Stop You?

When I was tossing and turning in bed a while back my mind was brought to peace by a thought God was putting in my heart: “Are you gonna let this one thing stop you? Is your joy not worth more to you than this one thing?

In that moment in time when I heard that word everything that was trying to keep my mind racing was brought into peace. I realized how small that I was letting God be in the presence of my current distress. Looking back on it now I know that this was one of my burning bush moments with God.

Reading in 1 Peter 4 brought this out even further to me:

12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you:

13 But rejoice, inasmuch as you are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, you may be glad also with exceeding joy.

14 If you be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are you; for the spirit of glory and of God rests on you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.

So today I ask all of us who have those moments in our lives: Are we going to let one small thing take over our goals and ambitions in the grand scheme of our lives? Are we going to let the enemies around us take away from us the one thing that is essentially? Today I urge and encourage you to refuse to let the trials (though hard at times) overtake you. God’s peace and comfort is far greater than the pain of the trial. Never lose this revelation in your heart!

Where I am today is of far more worth to me than where I was yesterday. I cannot change yesterday and am not going to let the past attempt to rule the present! As a child of God we know that today is the day of salvation, or the day and time to use and redeem. Let your past stay behind you and only be a reminder of how that you have overcome trial after trial! And I say this in a very catchphrase way, but if God did it for you then God will do it for you again!

What’s Up With Prayer?

Here are some great scriptures that over time have came together and are all coinciding with prayer:

Who wants me to?

1 Corinthians 1:9

[9] God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

God desires your fellowship, just as you desire the fellowship and company of other people around you!

Revelation 3:20

[20] Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

God’s presence as it knocks on your heart wants to be ever-so involved in your life!

What does it do?

Jude 20-25

[20] But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
[21] Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
[22] And of some have compassion, making a difference:
[23] And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
[24] Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
[25] To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

It gives you strength, which in turn allows you to be of strength for others!

Luke 22:46

[46] And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.

It allows us to avoid temptation no matter what we would face! It is my honest belief that we can avoid more than what we face if we would simply pray more before we acted. To me, it is just a pretty good indicator that we use prayer for just “blessings” and not for “guidance”.

Ezekiel 22:29-31

[29] The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy: yea, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully.
[30] And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.
[31] Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord GOD.

God is looking for a people who are hungry and willing to stand in the gap for those in need! There are so many that are in great desperation that we must remember to set ourselves aside and pray for every day.

John 16:23-24

[23] And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.
[24] Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

In order to grow in God, we must not only believe but ask also. The church as a whole must strive to continue to keep prayer in their lives each and every moment they possibly can. And if you would like to take that a step further, I would go as far to say that prayer will make a difference no matter where you take it!

Mark 11:22-26

22] And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
[23] For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
[24] Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
[25] And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
[26] But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

We must break down, be humble and surrender our lives and sins to God to grow and have salvation! For if we do not learn to break down and acknowledge when we are in need, pride will eventually lead you into a slow and painful spiritual death and force you to endure heavy suffering of trials that were meant to be so light! I believe that with all my heart!

Finding Joy In The Fiery Trials

Click To Play     

1 Peter 4:1-19

[1] Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
[2] That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
[3] For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:
[4] Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:
[5] Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.
[6] For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
[7] But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
[8] And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
[9] Use hospitality one to another without grudging.
[10] As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
[11] If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
[12] Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
[13] But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
[14] If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
[15] But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters.
[16] Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
[17] For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
[18] And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
[19] Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

One of the toughest messages and principles to preach and apply is concerning the parts of life we go through that we consider to be of difficult magnitude. We have to stand tall and be proud of the God that we serve in this present day and show to the world who that it is that saved us and who can save them from destruction! How do we do that? Through the example that we show of course! How we live in love and fellowship with one another will begin to demonstrate through our acts of love and kindness just how much that God lives in us. And as we begin to let the fiery trials be put into the hands of God, we can begin to feel more strength as the weight is lifted, thus giving more ability to help others more!

The key part of it all is to learn to rejoice in the midst of the trial. The hardest part to accomplish but with the best reward is allowing trust to be established with God through prayer and faith in the things we cannot change or control. Turn it over to God and truly believe today and begin to see things move by His will to work for your good! It’s then we can stand and not be ashamed of the life that we live (being led by the spirit) and the life that we give (being led to help) to others!