by Carol Roberts | Dec 10, 2018 | Hope
Imagine the exceeding joy the woman must have felt when she touched the hem of Jesus’ garment and received healing. What’s even more breath taking is Jesus made eye contact with her to tell her that her faith made her well.
Imagine Peter and the other eleven disciples who followed Jesus daily and watched Him perform many miracles. The most precious of these times were the ones Jesus spent alone with just them. He spoke to them like a father to a son or a brother to a brother. When deep dark secrets are shared we are trusted. Imagine being trusted by Jesus.
Nicodemus asked Jesus about salvation and what must he do. Jesus took time to sit with him personally and have an intimate conversation. Time alone with Jesus is one of the privileges of salvation. We may not see Him but He sent His Holy Spirit to abide in us.
Time alone discussing deep feelings creates a bond that cannot be described. While we wonder what it’s really like to share these times with Jesus in person and ponder those who actually saw Him, we can know our blessings are coming. We have not made eye contact with Him yet or held His hand but imagine the day we will. He has not left us out to come and rise before our time. Our first in person experience will be in the fullness of His glory.
John 20:29 New Living Translation
Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen Me. Blessed are those who believe with out seeing Me.”
by Carol Roberts | Dec 6, 2018 | Encouragement
It is shocking and disgraceful to learn someone is plotting our demise. Whether we overhear someone talking behind our back or someone tells us what is being planned, the shock is still the same. Many times we do not find out until we are served with a consequence for something we know nothing about.
We will be asked by a boss to train a new person and we have no clue the trainee is being poised to replace us. There are times when we do everything God leads us to yet some people are grooming others to join in with them to create our demise. Each of these situations leave us in a lurch. We have no idea what to do next or how to respond properly. While these consequences arranged by others hit us suddenly, the ones setting us up have planned for a long time.
The one thing that crosses our mind most of all is why would God allow such a painful and devastating heartbreak. Just remember, it’s ok to cry and express to God the gut wrenching shock we are left with to endure. We can also know that God had many reasons for allowing such hurt to come to us. Whether He is moving us on or making us stronger, He is still in total control.
Such evil and heartless plots against us never go unnoticed by God. He is watching their every move and in due time the demise will be on them. Isaiah stated that no weapon aimed at us will prosper. While it seems that evil won and we lost we can know that every set back for us is a set up for God. We may not see our prosperity right away but what replaces our losses are far greater than anything we lost.
As we remain focused on God and seek His face for what we are to do next He will raise us up. There is one warning and that is to not rejoice if these enemies meet with disappointments because God will surely quit punishing them. We never have to answer for what others do to us but we always have to give an account for our own selves. Remain true to God and honest with His will for our lives and He will protect us and bless us.
Psalm 31:19-20
How great is the goodness You have stored up for those who fear You. You lavish it on those who come to You for protection, blessing them before the watching world. You hide them in the shelter of Your presence, safe from those who conspire against them. You shelter them in Your presence, far from accusing tongues.
by Carol Roberts | Dec 5, 2018 | Love
We see undesirable habits of people every day, especially driving down the road. Someone passes us then cuts us off just to get one car length ahead then slows down to exit immediately afterwards. In our minds we are thinking all kinds of names to call these people but realistically it’s an opportunity to kindly forgive and make an allowance.
In our work place is an employee or boss who makes our day miserable on the job. We want another job for us or them but it doesn’t happen. We rehearse in our minds all types of cutting remarks to put them in their place. However a quick compliment to them about how they handled a particular client will create an opportunity for them to redirect their thinking, at least for a few moments.
Someone has a bad day and rakes us over the coals with a heated retort for no reason. We feel our anger starting at our feet quickly moving up to our lungs ready to retort. What if we responded with a simple smile and ask them will there be anything else? Usually this will quench the fire quickly.
We are instructed to love God and our neighbors as we love ourselves. Many times our show of love is challenged by strong opponents. These days people are unhappy, lonely and empty especially since God has been removed from public places. When they see peace and contentment in another person it’s a reminder to them of their emptiness so they lash out.
Loving unlovable people is a matter of being gentle and kind no matter what attitude they display. We do not have to spend a long time talking our point of view or showering them with praise. With most people it takes only a smile or a simple holding a door to allow them to go first.
Love comes from our hearts and touches the hearts of others. With the love of Jesus Christ living in us, He will do the talking for us as we display a humble kind spirit toward others.
Ephesians 4:1-3 New Living Translation
Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.
by Carol Roberts | Dec 3, 2018 | Grief
There are many older people who tell us that life is short and to make the most of our time. Time on earth is indeed very limited and the Bible speaks of even the earth itself slowly decaying. While this is true, how do we get beyond the grief we bear when a loved one’s place in heaven is ready while ours is still being prepared?
God speaks often about eternal life through Christ and heaven is where we spend eternity. Compared to eternity an entire lifetime on earth is only a grain of fine sand on a seashore of endless white sand. Even if Adam was still on earth today until the world ends as we know it his age doesn’t matter. Eternity is still the same for him and it lasts forever.
It’s heartbreaking to spend holidays without certain loved ones and grief is an outward display of affection toward that person. It’s normal to grieve and to miss these precious people but when we focus on their happiness in heaven it’s comforting to know they are pain free and trouble free. A day will come when our heavenly room will be finished and the doors to heaven will open to us where we will join them.
Knowing our own eternal future and the joy to come helps to promote us to encourage one another. During this separation we can know that God never leaves us and He also has not left our loved one. We still have God in common and He binds us to the unseen and to the things we will one day experience and understand.
We will see our loved ones again and there will be no more tears or separations. Keeping our focus on what is ahead helps with the sadness and is an encouragement to us while we are still here.
John 14:1-3 New Living
Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in Me. There is more than enough room in My Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with Me where I am.