by Carol Roberts | Jul 3, 2015 | Friendship
Our Lord loves us and shares His glory with us. When we stray from what is right there will be a gentle tugging in our hearts. The devil will present people, places and things to us that are too good to be true yet serious consequences follow. God knows the consequences that are coming if we continue to seek after the bliss and passing pleasures the devil offers. God will make all efforts to protect us from a disaster starting with a still voice that pricks our conscience that something is awry. The most painful truth is when a person we look up to and respect is the one to rebuke us. Love hurts. When someone cares enough to risk losing our friendship in order to make an eternal difference in our lives, they are our friends indeed. Their loving yet painful truth causes us to resent them and want to retaliate. Our biggest excuse is that we invested so much time and effort into these things and we deserve to get something back. Yes, we deserve to be set free.
These friends who pointed out the truth still wait with open arms for us to return to them. The painful truth hurts both the one receiving the truth and the one giving it. Jesus loves us and so do our true friends. Returning to the truth will open up new opportunities for peace, safety and comfort.
Psalm 119:74-76
May all who fear you find in me a cause for joy,
for I have put my hope in your word.
I know, O Lord, that your regulations are fair;
you disciplined me because I needed it.
Now let your unfailing love comfort me,
just as you promised me, your servant.
by Carol Roberts | Jul 3, 2015 | Salvation
When we don’t quite know how to handle things, He is our Counselor. If we don’t have the words to pray, He still knows our hearts. When we are alone and afraid, He is our comforter. When we need a shoulder to cry on, He is our Dad. When we don’t know where the next dollar is coming from, He is our Provider. When we just need to talk, He is our Friend who will sit and listen.
Praising God today because His possibilities are endless. There is no greater love than that.
Romans 5:10-11
For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.
by Carol Roberts | Jul 3, 2015 | Encouragement
There is an old story that says the richest gold mine was found only a few inches from where the previous prospectors gave up and walked away. When God calls us to pray for certain things and answers unfold immediately it’s encouraging. Other times God calls us to continue praying, sometimes years and not give up. God would never bring us to a situation if He didn’t have plans to bring us through to the other end in a beautiful way. When we see the results and all the unimaginable beauty it will have been worth twice the wait.
Galatians 6:9
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
by Carol Roberts | Jul 3, 2015 | Hope
Many times when praying for a situation to change, things may actually become worse. God is chipping away at all hindering spirits that need to be removed in order to make the change. Sometimes when people are involved it will create a stirring in their hearts to make changes. No one is exempt from wanting to remain in a comfort zone and when humans are spiritually shaken and become uncomfortable God is making His presence known. Many will display anger at every little thing, others will become silent and still others will totally rebel into stubborn attitudes.
This is never the time to give up praying for a situation. God is making corrections and it may not be pretty. God is also teaching us to remain strong and build our faith. A lot of times when God is sending heavenly answers to human situations we do not immediately see His answer. However the answer He gives will be an eternal blessing.
Ephesians 1:2-4
May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes.
by Carol Roberts | Jul 3, 2015 | Friendship
We all have them. There are people on the job who make the work day almost unbearable. There are people who are friends yet we hear rumors of bad things they say about us. There are people we lift up in prayer and work hard to get them through life’s hurdles yet when we need a prayer we are told too bad. Other times we try to understand people who have had situations that brought them to drugs and alcohol only to learn our efforts fell on deaf ears.
No effort is ever wasted and God blesses us when we represent Christ in situations where people are less than appreciative. God never intends for us to become best friends with everybody but instead we are to represent a Christian attitude before all people. Our representation of Christ is not dependent on other’s acceptance but instead on God’s pleasure with our obedience. It pleases God when we walk by faith that He will work all things out.
Matthew 5:43-45
“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For He gives His sunlight to both the evil and the good, and He sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.
