4GIVEN

My Lord, I wasn’t humble in the presence of Your mighty power. You cared for me but I refused to turn all my worries and weaknesses over to You. I failed to stay on guard and like the disciples in the Garden, I fell asleep knowing that our enemy, the devil, is like a roaring lion, sneaking around ready to attack me. I didn’t resist the devil and I failed to be strong in my faith. In all that Lord, I know Your forgiveness, mercy, and grace is bigger than my shortfalls and shortcomings. Father, I am thankful that you continue to show me undeserved kindness and love despite the times, I have ignored your voice and did what I wanted to do. I am humbled because Your word confirms though I suffer for a little while, You will make me steady, strong and firm. I am forever thankful because I am confident the good work You began in me, will come to completion. Thank You for unprecedented patience, in Jesus name, amen!

God doesn’t waste your suffering without purpose(2 Corinthians 1:4, 6). God uses the problems in your life to give you a ministry to others. In fact, the very thing you’re most ashamed of in your life and resent the most could become your greatest ministry in helping other people. 

I have her it said, “Your misery is your ministry!” This is considered redemptive suffering. Redemptive suffering is when you go through a problem or a pain for the benefit of others.This is what Jesus did. When Jesus died on the cross, he didn’t deserve to die. He went through all that pain and misery for our benefit to save us from going to hell. In a nut shell, God has a purpose for your pain, a season for your struggle, and a reward for your faithfulness! 

Most of us have a day off today because a few of them placed there lives in harms way to protect our freedom. John 15:13 says, “There is no greater love than than one who will lay their life down for there friends.” Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient and Prince look-a-like 1st Lieutenant John Robert Fox was directing artillery fire in the Italian town of Sommocolonia to stall a German advance. While Fox was directing fire, a large German force moved in on his position. Realizing that this force was a huge threat to his men, Fox called a final artillery strike—on himself. When his men eventually retook the position, Fox’s body was found next to approximately 100 dead German troops and a medal was placed neatly on his chest. This is one of many stories where people have subjected themselves to perilous danger for the benefit of others. This Decoration’s Day let’s be mindful and better yet prayerful for all the countless sacrifices those men and women in uniformed endured for the preservation of our peace and freedom. Thomas Jefferson said, “My God! How little do my countrymen know what precious blessings they are in possession of, and which no other people on earth enjoy! ”

James Dexter “Jim” Weatherly penned and Gladys Knight and the Pips sung the song entitled, “Best Thing That Ever Happen.” This R&B ballad was released in 1973 and it made it up to #3 on the US Billboard charts. The hook was off the chain, check it out; “If anyone should ever write my life story.For whatever reason there might be, you’ll be there between each line of pain and glory. Cause you’re the best thing that ever happened to me.” Let me lift it up! 

What is this pain and glory? I believe Paul gives us a clue in Romans 8:18, “[The pain we experience pain] is nothing compared to the glory He will reveal to us later.” C.S. Lewis said, “Jesus took away the only kind of suffering that can really destroy you: that is being cast away from God. He took so that now all suffering that comes into your life will only make you great.” Ok, let me answer the question; you’ll find that “Christ” is in between the pain and the glory in your life’s story! 

I have heard it said “Don’t tell God how big your problem is, tell your problem how big your God is.” This sounds good but, what’s the practical application? I have learned, God either causes or allows the problems we encounter throughout life. God has not chosen to spare even His children from the consequences of living in a fallen world. Living godly lives does enable the believer to avoid some of the unnecessary suffering that others bring upon themselves by ignoring God’s moral and spiritual laws. Yes, Christians do get sick and die. Christians are robbed and raped. They have accidents. They lose loved ones in fires, earthquakes and hurricanes. And it seems at times that believers suffer more than the wicked. (Psalm 73.) Why then would a loving God cause or allow us to suffer? We may never know the answer to this question. Remember Job? He could not see what was happening in heaven just before his suffering began and God never explained to Job why He was chosen one. My suggestion, don’t tell your problem how big your God is rather, remind your problem that God is using ‘IT’ to create in you a steadfast spirit and through ‘IT’ God will glorify Himself and He will use ‘IT’ to draw you closer to Him! 

People don’t trust God with their problems because they really have a problem with God. Look at it this way, would you go up to a complete stranger and tell them your addicted to porn, alcohol, drugs, gambling, food, and shopping? Taking your burdens to God requires humility and I Peter 5:7 encourages us to cast our anxieties/burdens to God because He cares about us. David put it this way, “Give your burdens to the Lord, and He will take care of you, He will not let the righteous be shaken (Psalm 55:22). In order to trust God with your pain, you must first believe in the One that invited you to exchange your pain for His yoke (Matt 11:29). Casting is nothing more than communicating. So, humbly seek God today through prayer and allow Him to empty your heart and fill you with His Holy Spirit!

How do we approach the God of the universes? The word in Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Why can we stand before the throne of God with confidence? Let’s look at vv. 15 and it says, “For we do not have a high priest (Jesus) who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin.” Whoop there it is. Jesus is our High Priest. our only High Priest. our only Mediator. He has bought us with an indescribable price. Through His sacrifice, He has given us the right to stand confidently before the throne of grace and obtain the mercy He has promised us and help in our time of need.

Lord Jesus, I come to you just as I am. Please forgive my sins as I am sorrowful and repentent. In Your Name and grace, I forgive all others of their sins against me. I have invited You to be Master of my life, to live in me, and I in You. Thank You for responding with the Gift of the Holy Spirit Who procedes from You and the Father. I empty myself today so Your Spirit can possess me all the more, transforming me, healing me, and strengthening me in body, soul and spirit. I love You, Lord Jesus! I praise You! As sheep follow their sheperd, I will follow You everyday of my life. I am gratefully Your servant because You gracefully allowed it and for that I say again thank You! In Jesus’ name, amen and amen!

Can God hear my prayers? This question is not uncommon to ponder. However, I was reminded during church service yesterday of the story about Cain and Able. So lets topically examine Genesis 4:10, “And the LORD said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground.” Did you hear that? Able’s blood cried out to God and yes, God heard it! Rhetorically speaking, if God can hear Able’s voice through his blood what makes you think He doesn’t hear your prayers? Able was a sinner from birth but he was the promised seed. He presented his offering to God in the spirit of humility, sincerity, and believing obedience. To answer the initial question; Yes, God is listening to your prayers. It doesn’t matter if you speak it, sing it, or think it. Psalm 34:15 reminds us, “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry.” 

No one loves you more than God! His love for us is incontestable, infallible, incomprehensible, and infatiguable.

 IOW, It can’t be challenged, it will never fail, it’s hard to explain, and it never grows weary. God never falls out of love! He keeps on loving us despite our ugliness and disobedience! Why? I John 4:8, “God is love!” Therefore, even if we deny him, He can never deny himself! The greatest expression of God’s love and promise of hope is found in John 3:16, ” “For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Were we really worth dying for? Well, in man’s eyes prolly not but thereto again, God’s love can’t be explained, only experienced!