Trust God

 

God's love does not always keep us from trials, but it is a love that always keeps us through trials.

Got Troubles?

Everyone experiences situations or circumstances that are less than ideal, or that you have to struggle with or rise above on a daily basis.

There are all kinds of tests and trials that come as a part of life.

It teaches you to see things positively even when you feel like things are hopeless, to choose to love and share and sacrifice even when you don't have enough, to choose to do the right thing even when everything around you is wrong.

Life on Earth is a training and testing ground, one which teaches you to make the right decisions despite the hardships.

The difficulties that you face in life are what shape character. These are the tools that God uses to make you into the men and women that He needs you to be.

Without the tests, there would be no testimony.

Without these nagging weaknesses, these annoyances, these besetting sins‚ these embarrassing problems and obstacles, your faith would not be tested.

Only in the hot furnace of affliction do we as Christians let go of the dross to which, in our foolishness, we ardently cling.

He promises, "ALL things work together for GOOD to them that love the Lord!" (Romans 8:28) He is not going to allow ANYTHING to happen to you, His child, except what is for your GOOD!

Of course, we often feel like, "My goodness! A LOT of things happen that don't look very good to ME!" But sooner or later you will find out that somehow or another they WERE good for you!

So even if you don't always understand WHY you're going through tests, trials, hardships and breakings, remember, GOD knows what He's doing! He knows all the purposes and reasons behind each test, trial or trouble.

EVERYONE who has ever been of any real use to the Lord, had to first be broken, humbled and brought virtually to the END of THEMSELVES.

Otherwise, they would be too proud and self-confident in their own fleshly talents and natural abilities, and would take the glory to THEMSELVES if God were to use them.

This is why He chooses to use the WEAK things and the FOOLISH things, "that NO FLESH should glory in His presence!" (1Corinthians 1:25-29)

A bar of steel worth $5 ºº

When wrought into horseshoes, is worth $10 ºº

If made into needles, it is worth $350 ºº

If into penknife blades, it is worth $32,000 ºº

If into springs for watches, it is worth $250,000 ºº

What a drilling the poor bar must undergo to be worth this!

But the more it is manipulated‚ the more it is hammered, and passed through the fire, and beaten and pounded and polished, the greater the value.

—Sir Henry Bessemer (1813–1898), British inventor and engineer

The diamond cannot be polished without friction, nor the man perfected without trials.

That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perish, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise & honor & glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.

1Peter 1:7

Butterfly & Flower

Once there was a man who asked God for a flower....

....and a butterfly.

But instead God gave him a cactus....

....and a caterpillar.

The man was sad, he didn’t understand why his request was mistaken. Then he thought:

Oh well, God has too many people to care for...

And decided not to question.

After some time, the man went to check up on his request that he had left forgotten.

To his surprise, from the thorny & ugly cactus a beautiful flower had grown.

And the unsightly caterpillar had been transformed into the most beautiful butterfly.

GOD always does things right!

His way is ALWAYS the best way, even if to us it seems all wrong.

If you asked God for one thing & received another, TRUST.

You can be sure that He will always give you what you need at the appropriate time.

What you want...

....is not always what you need!

God never fails to grant our petitions, so keep on going for Him without doubting or murmuring.

Today’s THORN...

Is tomorrow’s FLOWER!

GOD GIVES THE VERY BEST TO THOSE WHO LEAVE THE CHOICES UP TO HIM! GOD BLESS YOU!

Storm Clouds

“If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth.”

Ecclesiastes 11:3

True, for a while they hide the sun, but the sun is not quenched; it will be out again before long.

Why, then, do we dread the clouds which now darken our sky?

Meanwhile those black clouds are filled with rain; and the blacker they are, the more likely they will yield plentiful showers.

How can we have rain without clouds?

Our troubles have always brought us blessings, and they always will.

They are the dark chariots of bright grace!

These clouds will empty themselves before long, and every tender herb will be gladder for the shower.

Our God may drench us with grief, but He will refresh us with mercy!

Our Lord’s love letters often come to us in black-edged envelopes.

His wagons rumble, but they are loaded with benefits.

Let us not worry about the clouds, but sing because May flowers are brought to us through the April clouds and showers.

His rod blossoms with sweet flowers and nourishing fruits!

O Lord, the clouds are the dust of Thy feet! How near Thou art in the cloudy and dark day!

Love beholds Thee, and is glad. Faith sees the clouds emptying themselves and making the little hills rejoice on every side.

The blue of heaven is larger than the clouds.

What seems so dark to thy dim sight
May be a shadow, seen aright
Making some brightness doubly bright.

The flash that struck thy tree
No more to shelter thee
Let heaven’s blue floor
Shine where it never shone before.

The cry wrung from thy spirit’s pain
May echo on some far-off plain,
And guide a wanderer home again.

TAKEN FROM AN ARTICLE BY C.H. SPURGEON

The Romans

UNDERSTANDING ROMANS 8 VERSES 28-29

Because God is sovereignly in control, accidents are just incidents in God’s good plan for you. Because every day of your life was written on God’s calender before you were born, everything that happens to you has spiritual significance. Everything!

Romans 8 28-29 explains why: “We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them. For God knew His people in advance, and He chose them to become like His Son.” (NLT)

This is one of the most misquoted and misunderstood passages in the Bible. It doesn’t say, “God causes everything to work out the way I want it to.” Obviously that’s not true. It also doesn’t say, “God causes everything to work out to have a happy ending on earth.” That is not true either. There are many unhappy endings on earth.

We live in a fallen world. Only in Heaven is everything done perfectly the way God intends. That is why we are told to pray, “Thy will be done on earth as it is done in Heaven.” To fully understand Romans 8 28-29 you must consider it phrase by phrase.

“We know”: Our hope in difficult times is not based on positive thinking, wishful thinking, or natural optimism. It is a certainty based on the truths that God is in complete control of our universe and that He loves us.

“that God causes” There’s a Grand Designer behind everything. Your life is not the result of random chance, fate or luck. There is a master plan. History is His story. God is pulling the strings. We make mistakes, but God never does. God cannot make a mistake – because He is God.

“everything”: God’s plan for your life involves all that happens to you – including your mistakes, your sins, and your hurts. It includes illness, debts, disasters, divorce, and death of loved ones. God can bring good out of the worst evil. He did at Calvary.

“to work together”: Not separately or independently. The events in your life work together in God’s plan. They are not isolated acts, but interdependent parts of the process to make you like Christ. To bake a cake you must use flour, salt, raw eggs, sugar, and oil. Eaten individually, each is pretty distatseful or even bitter. But bake them together and they become delicious. If you will give God all your distatseful, unpleasant experiences, He will blend them together for good.

“for the good”: This does not say that everything in life is good. Much of what happens in our world is evil and bad, but God specialises in bringing good out of it. In the official family tree of Jesus Christ, four women are listed: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth and Bathsheba. Tamar seduced her father-in-law to get pregnant. Rahab was a prostitute. Ruth was not even Jewish and broke the law by marrying a Jewish man. Bathsheba committed adultery with David, which resulted in her husband’s murder. These were not exactly sterling reputations, but God brought good out of bad, and Jesus came through their lineage. God’s purpose is greater than our problems, our pain, and even our sin.

“of those who love God and are called”: This promise is only for God’s children. It is not for everyone. All things work for bad for those living in opposition to God and insist on having their own way.

“according to His purpose”: What is that purpose? It is that we “become like His Son.” Everything God allows to happen in your life is permitted for that purpose!

Extract from The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. (Page 195)

A Master Piece

This is a master piece.  If you have not read it take the time to read it now.  If you have read it take time to read it again! Isn't it amazing that George Carlin - comedian of the 70's and 80's - could write something so very eloquent...and so very appropriate.

GEORGE CARLIN

 
A Message by George Carlin:

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways , but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.
We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes.

These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete...

Remember: Spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember, to say, 'I love you' to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember, to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

—George Carlin