"He Persevered and so Must We"

DAY #18 - 'A Woman of Faith' Devotional
Verse: "If you do nothing in a difficult time, your strength is limited." Proverbs 24:10 HCSB

WOW! What an eye-opener... doing nothing limits your strength... I had to read this verse in other translations and in the context of the chapter to really understand this verse. I really like it in the MESSAGE version... whoa! "If you fall to pieces in a crisis, there wasn't much to you in the first place."

NIV: "If you falter in a time of trouble, how small is your strength!"
KJV: "If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small."
NLT: "If you fail under pressure, your strength is too small."

Wow! Jesus Himself persevered under all the trials He had to face for us. He is the perfect example for us to follow. How well do we handle crisis', pressures, times of trouble or adversity? Technically our strength is small anyway, as it is His strength that sustains us. I do not want to be seen as one who 'faltered, fainted, or failed', yet I really don't want to be seen as one who 'did nothing'. I do not want to limit my strength or the Father's strength in me. What about YOU? Have you spent a lot of time 'faltering, fainting or failing'? Well get back up, and pray for added strength and a renewal from the Father! He wants us all to be a part of the impossible. He wants us to showcase His strength, to show Him off to the world. Nothing exciting can be done in our own strength anyway. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13)

Sometimes however, we sit back and do nothing, and think God will do it if we just ask. All we need is faith after all. Well I was reading my 'card-making' magazine and in the back in the fun quotes section was a great quote (I used it as my facebook status this AM too) - "Faith can move mountains, but don't be surprised if God hands you a shovel." ~ Author Unknown. This statement is super true. We cannot just sit back and watch God be God and expect BIG miracles in our lives... we sometimes need to dig in and 'get a little dirty'. I still think back to the quote from 'Faith Like Potatoes' too... when I think about miracles and impossibilities. "Condition for a miracle is difficulty; condition for a GREAT miracle is impossibility!" (~Faith Like Potatoes 'Angus Buchan')

The verse above in the MESSAGE translation is still ringing in my ear... "If you fall to pieces in a crisis, there wasn't much to you in the first place." There wasn't much to you in the first place? That's a hard hit... We need to persevere all the more in times of trouble and despair.

According to dictionary.com, the definition of 'PERSEVERANCE' is:
–noun

1. steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., esp. in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.
2. Theology . continuance in a state of grace to the end, leading to eternal salvation.

I would have to be led to say that perseverance itself is not a noun, yet is an ACTION verb. The 'steady persistance' sounds pretty active to me. So c'mon, get off your butt and get into action!! Persevere and Pray hard, and DO SOMETHING. Whether you fail the first time you try, or whether you get a great outcome, keep going! Try, try and try again. If you fall, get back up. If you falter, get your balance and keep going. If you faint, allow God to bring you back to your senses and strengthen you to KEEP GOING!

Just like yesterday's message (found here), if you are tired, weary, discouraged, disheartened or if you are one from today's message, that is faltering, fainting or failing... Look to God! Don't have that relationship with God... it's as simple as A,B,C to get on the right track! DO IT TODAY!

1. ADMIT you are a sinner. (Romans 3:23 - "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God") Tell God that you are not perfect, that you are struggling, that you are a sinner. ('Cause yep, we all are.) You also have to repent of that sin... be sorry for it, and TRY not to do it again. (But when you do, 'cause yep we all are tempted to, just repent again.)



2. BELIEVE in your heart that God is real, and that He sent His Son to die for YOU. (His Son now does live again, as He was raised from the dead by His Father) Sin is only punishable by death... Jesus has come to make a way. (Romans 6:23 - "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.") Don't be afraid to ask God if He is real, He wants you to seek Him from your heart. Allow the Holy Spirit to show you, and guide you into the truth. We all know, but do not truly understand the full meaning of John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him, shall not perish but have everlasting life."


3. CONFESS your faith in Jesus as your Saviour and Lord. ("If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved." Romans 10:9-10 NLT) Let God know that you want to change, you want Him to fill the voids or holes in your heart that you tried to fill yourself with things of the world. Some of you have tried drugs, alcohol, sex, work, etc to fill that void in your life... but it can only be filled by LOVE! The Love that the Father has for each one of us.


When God hears you pray this pray with your own words, from your own heart, He is blessed. The angels in Heaven rejoice when a sinner repents. "I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent... In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15: 7 & 10) When you pray this prayer, and allow God to move by the power of His Holy Spirit, you will NEVER BE THE SAME! (Let me know if you've prayed this prayer... for the first time or for the 101st time... just send me a comment, I won't post it if you don't want me too. I'd love to pray alongside you. Even if you just write your name. Thanks!)


Press in, and press on!

BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING!

December 5th, 2009 -- The Gate to Forgiveness

“POINTS TO PONDER” – December 5th
Written by M. Hall
Please feel free to agree or disagree with points made, and feel free to comment if so desired. If you would like, you could write your own thoughts on the verse of the day, and include that in your own blog or comments below. Thank you and may you be blessed!! =)

WHICH GATE HAVE YOU CHOSEN TO ENTER??


“Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”- John 10:7, 9-10


According to WIKIPEDIA.com, a gate is a point of entry to a space enclosed by walls, or an opening in a fence. Gates may prevent or control entry or exit, or they may be merely decorative. Other terms for gate include yett and port. Larger gates can be used for a whole building, such as a castle or fortified town, or the actual doors that block entry through the gatehouse. Today many gate doors are opened by an automated gate operator.


The Bible tells us that the only way to get to Heaven or to God is through Jesus (God’s Son). This is why Jesus is considered the gate. We can only enter through Him because of His blood. Jesus is also our Good Shepherd, and we are safe in Him and with Him. However, when we choose to take paths that God does not want us to take, or try to go off in our own will and way, we may get roughed up a little, but Jesus is always there to save us. The road to Heaven is like the road less travelled, in the poem ‘The Road Not Taken’ by Robert Frost. (Words below…)


Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
two roads diverged in a wood, and I --
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

There is another verse in the Bible that states, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Matthew 7:13-14

Which road or gate have you chosen to walk on or through??

The narrow gate and the narrow road lead to life, and life more abundantly. (As stated in another translation of the Key Verse, John 10:10 – “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” NKJV) No matter what decision you make… you are in fact in charge of that decision. God gave us the willpower to choose. He offered us two main choices… well, actually He offered one choice, and it was a sacrifice on His part. The devil offered the other one, and it is sad to see that more people are choosing that way of life. It seems to be the easier route, so people are quick to jump through the wide gate, and take the broad road. But in the end of that road is destruction. There is a BIG ‘Road Ends’ or 'Bridge Out' sign at the end and in the end is a lake of fire. But thankfully, God has placed ‘U-turn’ signs along the broad path, that allow you to u-turn and come back to the narrow path. There is no end to the narrow path, but eventually the road beneath your feet turns to gold. What a great deal that is! We have all sinned, so none of us deserve to take the narrow path, yet Christ (the gate) died for us, and removed our sins from us, as far as the East is from the West. So through the grace and mercy of God, we are all able to choose to take the narrow path that leads to abundant life. It doesn’t matter what you have done, God can love you no less. He loves us all the same, and that makes it great. God can and will still forgive you from your sins, if you choose to repent!

“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart, that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” Romans 10:9&10 NIV (Ten, Nine & Ten - this verse as seen as T.N.T. the dynamite verse of the Bible) There is so much truth in this one verse alone, that you can study it further for yourself.

Choosing to take the ‘road less travelled’ starts with a single step, make that choice today!

Prayer: Father God, we thank you for giving Your Son as a WAY for us. We would die in our sins, and be lost eternally if it wasn’t for Your sacrifice of love. We thank You for Your love and mercy, and grace that allows us to enter through the narrow gate, and to travel along the narrow path that leads to abundant life. As it says in Your word, whoever enters that gate of life, through Your Son will be saved. You lead us on paths of righteousness, and we thank You for that as well. What a privilege it is to be called the ‘children of God’. We thank you as well that You accept all of us, no matter what we have done, as long as we take the time to repent. We take the time right now to ask for your forgiveness for things we have done in thought, word and deed; intentionally and unintentionally, that have gone against Your Word and Your ways. Please forgive us, and allow us to step boldly into Your throne-room, so that You will indeed hear our prayers, and that we may walk that narrow road that leads to You in Heaven one day where we will rejoice around your throne! God, we also pray for those who may be reading this, or are a part of our family and friends, who have not made this awesome decision yet. We pray for them, that You will allow Your love and forgiveness to just overflow their spirit, and that Your Spirit will convict their spirits, and reveal the truths from Your Word to them. Help them choose the narrow gate, through Your Son Jesus. Praise You Lord, and thank You for Your many benefits. We ask all these things in the powerful name of Jesus, AMEN!