Do You Really Surrender Your Priblemd To God?

 

“Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43:19 KJV

How many times have you tried to fix your problems yourself without waiting on God? I have many times. Results are not good. 

Waiting and surrendering are difficult. You sing the song “I surrender all” then the next day take everything back to your workshop to try to fix things yourself. Not only this shows you don’t trust God to handle it but messes things up. 

My friend I don’t know what is going on in your life that you need to trust God for but hang on. Stay in the word. Don’t entertain ‘stinking thinking’ as Bible teacher Joyce Meyer calls it. Talk to God in prayer. Hang on help is coming! 

PRAYER: This is the day you have made and I know good things are in store. Help me as I seek to not fix things or entertain negativity. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Trickery In The Beginning

”Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”‭‭Genesis‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Yesterday I wrote about the Adam Syndrome and today we will go further with this deception brought on by Satan. At the start of mankind on Earth there was the devil, the serpent, questioning God and consequently getting Eve to question Him. 

John 10:10 says “the thief comes to kill, steal, and destroy.” He the devil is a liar, deceiver, excuse giver, manipulator, and everything evil and bad he is behind the scenes captivating his minions to believe lies. 

If you have friends or family members caught in his trap continue praying for their eyes and ears to be opened to the truth found in the Bible. Don’t try to reason with them just pray. The devil hates that. 

PRAYER: Lord God your word is true and it has been since the beginning yet when people want to think their sin is justified they will stay away from the truth. I pray for blinders to come off my family members and friends not believing the truth or not wanting to get serious about a relationship with you Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

The Adam Syndrome

 

”The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”‭‭Genesis‬ ‭3‬:‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Ever since the beginning of mankind when God created man and woman people messed up and consequently there is rampant sin today one of the biggest is gender changing. Man was created and woman was created that’s it. Pretty simple. 

Then there is the blaming others for something you don’t want to be responsible for which also is known as deception and lies. Bingo,  Satan’s big deal to intervene and make Eve believe she wouldn’t die for eating the fruit so she consumed it and gave some to Adam and bingo again. God appears, “what have you done Adam” and his response which I like to call the Adam Syndrome was to shift the blame to Eve. “That woman you gave me….” Still happens today.

Anyway each person needs to be honest in conversations, be aware of when Satan is trying to pull one over on you too. Walk in love and tell the devil to shut up, hands off, you aren’t going to listen to him. 

PRAYER: As I go into a new year it is a perfect time to decide I am not going to allow the enemy to trick me. Help me Lord see good and evil and help me not stumble into a pit. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Any Resolutions Broken Already?

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.James 1:22-24 NIV Bible Gateway

The start of a new year is always a good time to resolve to do something new or do it better. Suggestions are weight loss, be positive, be kinder, take a trip, read through the Bible, do something scary like Zip lining. Whatever it is it is hard to stick with it without an accountability partner. 

New beginnings are great. Ending bad habits,  resolving to exercise and many such things help you improve. A good starting point always seems to be on January 1st. 

If it is reading through the Bible, the You Version Bible app has ways to do that and simplify it within their app. I recommend everyone download the You Version App. If you are at a church that doesn’t encourage reading the Bible change churches because it is your guide to life and inspired by the Holy Spirit. Check out the App Store picture of what it looks like. Now go and enjoy the rest of your year. 

PRAYER: Lord I need your guidance to stay on track with changes I want to make in my life. Help bring to mind those areas that I need you to be right there with me. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Unmet Expectations And Comparisons

Don’t compare yourself with others. Just look at your own work to see if you have done anything to be proud of. You must each accept the responsibilities that are yours.Galatians 6:4-5NIV Bible Gateway 

One of the problems with Facebook and other social media it puts the best foot forward and makes you feel you are inadequate if you are not measuring up to some hypothetical standard on vacations, birthdays, anniversaries.Compare yourself only to God. 

Why is it necessary to flaunt our personal feelings on social media?  I feel bad for children growing up in this generation with the form of communication that many times does not even speak face to face and feels bad when their life doesn’t look exciting.

Social media can be good to share about Jesus but why do we think everyone needs to know everything. I am talking to myself here too. Why not keep track in 2024 of how much time is wasted on social media and even try leaving your phone at home occasionally. How on earth did we ever survive doing that before, but we did. How much time will you devote to getting closer to God in 2024, not by Sunday church but on your own. Ponder that. If you need suggestions I can give you some. 

PRAYER: Lord I thank you so much for your patience with me and my shortcomings. Help me to treat others around me well even if they are not nice to me. Give me strength to back off social media too. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

#BG2

Church-Your Boot Camp

We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant ,is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. Hebrews 5:11-14 

 

In the military you go through rigorous training most commonly known as boot camp. Here you face all sorts of scenarios to prepare you for the possibility of combat. Training is essential to survive. 

In your spiritual life your church experience should be your boot camp and not a fluffy feel good punch my Sunday attendance card sort of thing. In this ‘training center’ you should be preparing for spiritual warfare and learn the Bible in order to quote powerful scriptures to protect you from Satan’s attacks. 

Going to church is fine but you need to be going where you are armed for battle against Satan. Singing, visiting , drinking coffee all fine but make sure you are planted where you grow in Christ and where the Bible is being taught and the opportunity to accept Christ and repent is given. 

PRAYER: Give me strength each day Lord to trample on evil and recognize it. I pray for those I know and love to desire being saved. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

New Year-New Attitude

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?”Matthew 7:3 NIV Bible Gateway

Have you ever speculated about or judged another? I have and I am ashamed I did. You and I are not the Holy Spirit and don’t know the whole story behind a person’s life so what right do we have to pick them apart. 

If this is an area you have struggled with I suggest first ask God to forgive you and set you free from a judgmental condemning spirit. Focusing on things above helps. (Philippians 4:8).

An attitude check up is in order. Similarly as you get your car prepared for a long road trip prepare your heart by spending time in the Word. Might I suggest downloading the You Version Bible App which is filled with of tremendously good things to help you grow in Christ. 

PRAYER: Fill me Lord to overflowing with your love and kindness to others. Help me when tempted to form a wrong opinion to pray instead. In Jesus’ name. Amen.