Sunday, August 2, 2015

Feeling a bit better; to those that offered prayer, I appreciate it, greatly.
Another hot day today, but seriously overcast.  We may be in for some thunder storms, which could prove deadly in our forests and plains. 
Not a lot happening right now, just taking it easy and letting the body settle down.
Psalm 61:2 From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
Only through the leading of the Holy Spirit can we attain growth in God.  We cannot do it on our own, we can strive, pray, work and think we are doing well, but until our heart is turned over to God can we raise above where we are now.
Sometimes that raising comes from the stress and torment of life.  We may have an injury that is life threatening, we may have an illness that is terminal or at the least a burden to live with.
We may have those about us that try to bring us down, who use words and deeds to make life harder on us.  They can be a colleague, a boss or just someone who doesn’t want to see Christians succeed so will do all within their power to try and destroy us.
But God will never leave us, He will strengthen us and use our trials to make us stronger in Him.
We should look at our trials and tribulations as an opportunity to grow closer to God.  We will always have them, if we are not being tried by the enemy; we are not doing what we are supposed to do.  We are not allowing Christ within us to shine through us.
He looks at us as a non-combatant, why should he waste time on us when we are already neutralized?  Just better to leave us alone and not stir anything up within us.
But our role as a Christian is not to take a back seat and watch.  There are times when we must rest, ask God to revive us, heal wounds and prepare us for the battles to come.  While for each Christian that will be determined between him and God, it must be understood that we are resting to get ready to once again join the fray, not to give up.
Once we are reinvigorated we can rejoice with Paul that we have been tested and that through that experience we will become stronger servants for God to use.
Romans 5:2-6 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

When we take our stand for Christ, it should be firm and without doubt, but that doesn’t mean we cannot show love and mercy towards others.  We want to draw men to God, not push them away.  When we are in tune with the Holy Spirit not only will our faith in Him stand out, but so will the Love He has given us be shown.
We need to realize that we cannot do battle for Christ on our own.  No matter how good an orator or how strong we are when we face trials, if we try and do it without God I will drain us to the point that we need a longer recovery time once we realize we cannot do it on our own.
It is best to come to acceptance that through Christ we can do things that within ourselves we would accomplish.
faith into this grace wherein we stand
Faith in God and His direction for our life we what we must allow our soul and mind to accept.
Once we have come to the conclusion that only in God can we succeed, we will see God’s Hand moving in our life.
There is no other, and in Him we know that we are on solid footing to encounter the enemy.
Psalm 62:6  He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved.
We strive for independence from the time we are able to voice our opinions – even as a baby just starting to move about.  We want to be able to do things on our own without depending on others to help us.  We want to feel we don’t need their help.
But when it comes to serving God, we DO need His help, but fortunately for us, He is our rock and our foundation, we shall not be moved.
Later, Art :-)
From the ColumbiaRiverGorgeous
May Our Good Lord Bless and Keep YOU....’til we meet again

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