God Has Only Called You To Be Faithful, God Did Not Call You To Be Crazy!

                                       When The Door Slams  

            Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kind, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you (James 1:2-5). Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you (1 Peter 5:6-7). 

            God can take your trouble and change it into treasure. Your sorrow can be exchanged for joy, not just a momentary smile, but a deep new joy. It will be a spiritual experience of new hope that brings brightness to your eyes and a song to  your heart. In the midst of the darkness, you will learn lessons you might never have learned in the day. We all have seen dreams turn to ashes--they are ugly things, hopeless and heartbreaking.

            Tears and sorrow come, but each time God will be there to remind you that He cares. Romans 8:28 means that God causes all things in our lives to work together for His good. Flowers can even grow on dung hills, and compost makes great gardens. God is offering Himself to you daily, and the rate of exchange is fixed. It is your sins for His forgiveness, your tragedy and hurt for His merciful healing, and Your sorrow for His joy. 

            Give God your pain and sorrow; give Him the guilt you feel. Tears and heartaches come to us all. Leaning on your own understanding is crazy. Remember, you are not alone; many are in God's waiting room for what seems like forever, learning lessons, suffering pain and growing. But the fertilizer that helps us grow is in those valleys of darkness and pain, not on the mountaintops.

            Think about this: The painful crown of suffering precedes the golden crown of glory...So keep this in mind that you are not responsible for what you cannot control and that God has only called you to be faithful. He did not call you to be crazy.

            Real genuine spiritual healing is a process. It takes a long, long time for the deep hurts to be resolved. Sometimes it seems that they will be with us forever, but understanding them helps dissipate their pain. Life isn't always what you want, but it is what you got; so, with God's help, choose to be happy in faith--and God will see you and your loved ones home self.

            Renewal: Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil (Proverbs 3:3-7 NIV).

 Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness.

                                                                Never Rest Ministries 

                    

             

The Mission Of The Government's Power, To Serve All People

                                                 When The Door Slams

Blessed is the one who always trembles before God, but whoever hardens their heart falls into trouble. Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked ruler over a helpless people. A tyrannical ruler practices extortion, but one who hates ill-gotten gain will enjoy a long reign.                                                             Proverbs 28:14-16 NIV 

            Government is given to us not as an idea or task to be fulfilled, but as a reality and as something which "is" (Romans 13:1-4). It exist as a divine office. The existing of government is linked with a divine commission. Its existing is fulfilled only in the fulfillment of the commission...Consequently, whether or not government is aware of its own true basis, its task consists in maintaining by the power of the sword an outward justice in which life is preserved and thus held open for Christ.  

            The mission of government to serve Christ no matter whether it is conscious or unconscious of this mission which, cannot destroy the close relation of government to Christ. It cannot in either case evade it task of serving Christ people. It will serves Christ by its very existence. 

            There are very few Christians in America who have an intelligent concept of citizenship or of the way that God would have us interrelate to the body of politic. So we have allowed politician ideologies to fill the vacuum in America, so much so that Christian values have virtually been crowded out.

            Think about this: The reason why God wanted to have government: that life in the world might go on in an orderly manner. A government is controlled either by a few or by many; and yet if God does not control it, it is not administered well either by a few or by many. Government is instituted, not in order to seek its own profit at the expense of the people and to exercise its self-will on them but in order to provide for the best interests of its people. 

            Affirmation: Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not covet," and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law (Romans 13:8-10 NIV). 

 Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness.    

                                                      Never Rest Ministries

 

Is Man Making Himself God.

                                                  When The Door Slam

The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. The LORD regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled.                                                                 (Genesis 6:5-6 NIV)

            What an incredible temptation: to be like God, to enjoy God power--man making himself God. It is explicit in everything our culture take seriously. Whether the power is technological, social, political, military, financial, administrative, religious, or personal, it is assumed to be the key, one way or another, to achievement, fulfillment, human destiny.

            Even when power's capacity to corrupt and destroy is acknowledged, the acceptable remedy is power that can control power which only compounds and complicates the syndrome. This is not a new phenomenon peculiar to the twentieth century. Throughout history, the ways of change have been the ways of power, violent or nonviolent. Kingdoms have risen and fallen, national boundaries have been altered or obliterated, races expanded or extinguished, cultures and societies built up or destroyed...by power.

            Think about this: The unique Christian insight comes at the point of the definition and understanding of power. The world pictures force, brute strength, money, muscle, tanks, bombs, tyranny, monopolies the list goes on and on. The Christian pictures the cross. In the "foolishness" of this symbol of power the Christian senses a radically different kind of power. It is a new way of being "capable." A picture of this different definition would be Jesus standing in front of Pilate. Pilate represents all the power of the great empire of Rome. Jesus appears to be one lonely, solitary, impotent man. It is clear through the eyes of faith, however, that the real power is incarnate in the solitary figure.

            The consequences of that transaction in Eden: all subsequent evil, with it destructive power visited upon humanity generation by generation, century by century, millennium by millennium. The process is described in detail in Romans 1:18-32. Continually since his original test, man keeps attempting to be his own god, deciding what is good or evil, generally determining both to be relative, and not uncommonly inverting both. 

            Petition: Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived (Colossians 3:5-7). You are the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is Your flesh, which You have given for the life of the world (John 6:51). You are the light of the world. He who follows You will not walk in the darkness but will have the light of life (John 8:12).  

Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness.                                  

                              Never Rest Ministries  

When Life's Not Fair, Try Prayer.

                                         When The Door Slams 

"For the Bread of God is He who comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world." Then they said to Him, "Lord, always give us this bread." Jesus replied to them, "I am the Bread of Life. The one who comes to Me will never be hungry, and the one who believes in Me [as Savior] will never be thirsty [for that one will be sustained spiritually]. "But as I told you, you have seen Me and still you do not believe. "All that My Father gives Me will come to Me; and the one who comes to Me I will most certainly not cast out [I will never, never reject anyone who follows Me].                                                                          John 6:33-37 AMP 

            When life's not fair, which way do you turn? try prayer. Prayer is a universal practice. The human being is by nature a spirit. We all yearn to reach out with our souls. We all attempt to transcend our humanity through prayer. The human being was created in the image of God. We are, therefore, innately, instinctively, incurably spiritual. Even those who have had no exposure to religious philosophy or doctrine or teaching whatever still feel that natural impulse within the breast which calls them to communicate with their Creator.

            So no matter what your religious background, when life's not fair, turn to prayer. It can be the key to unlocking a tremendous healing force in yourself and in others. I've seen it happen, time after time, people healed--some physically, some spiritually, all emotionally. As a minister I have prayed with hundreds of people, from CEO's to peasants, from saints to professed atheists. No matter whom I prayed with, I have never failed to see the power of Positive prayer. I cannot say the same about negative prayer. 

            There is a difference between negative prayer and positive prayer. Negative praying is akin to complaining. Positive prayer is akin to Faith! The Bible substantiates this, "Without faith no one can please God. Anyone who comes to God must believe that he is real and that he rewards those who truly want to find him" (Hebrews 11:6). 

            Think about this: I am only one of so many millions of millions of people who for two thousand years claim to know and to have met, and claim to have a positive relationship through faith and prayer with [the] living human/divine person, name Jesus Christ. He is alive. He's the same, yesterday, today, and forever. Occasionally my LORD breaks through dramatically and crunches and crashes into people's lives and performs dramatic miracles. Other times my LORD supports quietly, leading, walking silently along, giving the courage to carve a new life. 

            Renewal: He who heeds the word prospers, And blessed is he who trusts in the Lord (Proverbs 16:20). With regard to my former way of life, may I put off my old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires, and be renewed in the spirit of my mind; and may I put on the new self, which was created according to God in righteousness and true holiness (Ephesians 4:22-24). May I be diligent to add to my faith, virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are mine in increasing measure, they will keep me from being barren and unfruitful in the full knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:5-8). 

 Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for his forgiveness.

                                        Never Rest Ministries