by Carol Roberts | Aug 16, 2015 | Hope
The Bible beautifully explains things using examples we can all understand of how things work spiritually. Jesus illustrates the example of farmers and crops. A seed will not produce unless it first dies and then planted.
In life when we desire things to work out we turn those desires over to God and allow Him to work. Our desires are like seeds. We hold those desires in our hearts and ponder how things can all work out. However if we continue to ponder and dream about what we hold in our hearts, things will be no better than what they are. The darkest time is when things are first given over to God like planting a seed. The seed has not started to grow yet. It’s dark. It’s underground. It is totally out of our control but it is indeed in God’s control. Later we see a small sprout, a stem, a bud then whole crops. Unless the seed is planted it will not grow. Unless we allow God complete control we will not see our dreams unfold. God gives much more than we can expect. He is worthy of our trust.
Psalm 126:5-6
Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy.
They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest.
by Carol Roberts | Aug 15, 2015 | Salvation
There are ball games where each team has people to support them. No matter how great the support there is no guarantee that team will win each time. In the world today the hardest workers aren’t always the ones to be noticed. This is true of many things in life. With politics and favoritism and other deceptions the devil throws at us, it makes life challenging. The world is not always fair but God shows no favorites.
With focus placed on God and what He wants to accomplish through us, we can achieve His best. The battle between temptation and God’s will for our lives continues on. The winner between God’s will and temptation will be the one we support.
James 4:6-8a
But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
“God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you.
by Carol Roberts | Aug 14, 2015 | Salvation
It takes a mighty voice of God to place the stars an moon in space. With His voice he commanded night and day and all creation. It takes the gentle and loving touch of God to understand and accept us for who He made us to be. God can do all things. He is worthy of praise and worship.
Psalm 145:9-11
The Lord is good to all; He has compassion on all He has made.
All Your works praise you, Lord; Your faithful people extol You.
They tell of the glory of Your kingdom and speak of Your might.
by Carol Roberts | Aug 13, 2015 | Encouragement
God sends answers to prayer and blessings in ways we do not expect. Many times people pray then immediately get in touch with people and discuss ways to manipulate people, places and things to make it all happen. What if God has a way to bring about our blessings and answered prayers through totally different circumstances that we never consider.
What if the blind person mentioned in the book of Luke asked Jesus for the gift of eye sight then ran to numerous doctors for human solutions. What if he got sight through operations or some invention of special glasses. Who would get the praise for that? When trusting God for something and allowing Him to supply the circumstances, people, places and things, God gets the glory.
People, many times, are their own obstacle to seeing the best God brings. God’s answers encourage many people and bring the focus to God.
Luke 18:42-43
Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.
by Carol Roberts | Aug 12, 2015 | Salvation
The Bible speaks many times of walking in the ways of our Lord. During Jesus’ time on this earth He never ran. Jesus was always on the move ministering from one city to the next until His job on earth was fulfilled. He overcame even death and now sits at the right hand of our Father.
In order for us to achieve God’s purpose in our lives we must walk daily in obedience to Christ. If we try to run we will either get tired of serving or run past His will which the same as being out of His will. If we remain still we accomplish nothing and never grow into His likeness. The Bible instructs us to walk with Him daily.
1 John 1:7
But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.