Dear Friends,
Have you ever felt like a failure? Have you ever been discouraged? Did you ever want to quit? Oh how the evil one knows our buttons and loves to push them. I had just finished typing and printing the words below that come from a book entitled: The Saving Life of Christ by Major W. Ian Thomas. It is a book full of truth and life for those who believe! I got a call from a Christian sister who was crying due to a battle she had just endured. She felt she had sinned as she lost control of her temper. Ever been there? Well the beauty of the situation was that she had cried out to Jesus to forgive her but the evil one was still yelling of her failure! She called just as I was about to put this printed paper in my purse. Wow! Does God see your pain? Does He care? Eternity past He saw this sister in distress and had the paper in my hand when she called. Don't tell me He isn't a God who acts on our behalf. First I assured her that she was forgiven 1 John 1:9 and that sin was actually in her past as we spoke, covered by the righteousness of Christ to be rememberd no more as far as the east is from the west. We began praising Jesus for His great love poured out for us. Then I said you must listen to what I have in my hand. It is the greatest truth that has hit my heart in a very long time. I was somewhat down in my Spirit as I began to read this book and God showed me His great love toward me. Please read the following with a believing heart and rejoice in Jesus!
You compromise with Amalek ( your flesh) at your peril! In your flesh dwells no good thing. Spare it if you will but it will never spare you! Presume to find something good in it, when God has wholly condemned it, and the day will come when it will destroy you and rob you of your crown! God says that no flesh will ever glory in His presence. It can only make your body the devil’s plaything, so that he can be incarnate in all you say and do, robbing Christ of His rightful sovereignty in your humanity, whose life alone constitutes the true and only source of genuine righteousness.
Are you still offering to God the best of what God has condemned?
Do not be deceived by Amalek! Resist him with the rod of God held high, appropriating the victory already won. Carve your way through his ranks, for this is your victory, even your faith! Go on and go in, thanking the Lord JESUS for His life, as you have learned to thank Him for His DEATH—for what He is, as you have learned to thank Him for what He DID! Christ is your VICTORY!
Thank you for reading and my prayer for you is that you will find victory for each day in Jesus!
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
When Life is Uncertain
Dear Ones,
How we must react to God's will? Our SS lesson this week is on the time in Jesus' life that He must face the wrath of God against sin and know the terror of the full power of satan. He had just finished having the passover meal with His disciples where He had told them the bread was a symbol of His body which is broken for them and the wine was a symbol of His blood that would be shed for them. The disciples didn't fully understand but led by Peter they all said they would die with Jesus. Jesus quouted the old testment saying the sheperd would be stiked and the sheep would scatter. Yet even Jesus has been tempted in every way that you and I are tempted. He knew God's will yet He was afraid. He knew He would suffer yet He wanted this cup to pass from Him. This is where the road met the rubber! Jesus surrendered His will to God's. He knew the imediate future looked bleak yet He said "Not my will but Yours be done." It was sacrificing His will to do the will of the Father.
When life overwhelms us we must remember to go to the Father God. Jesus went into the garden of Gethseme and fell on the ground in great sorrow. Yet as He prayed to the Father three different times He surrendered His will to Abba Father.
What could this mean for us? When we are faced with difficult decisons we must go to the One who holds us by His mighty hand. We must surrender our will to His. It is not easy in fact it is very difficult.
I can give you an example. I of late have been praying that God would help me to be obedient in the little things that He might use me in a greater way for His kingdom. There is a section of our city called Rice and Mann and much evil is done in this neighborhood. Murders and rapes and beatings are common day. Yet my heart has been drawn to this neighborhood. A girl who sells her body in order to survive asked Jesus to come into her heart at God's Provisions (clothes closet). The change in her countance was miracouly beautiful. Then a small five year old little girl was at AWANA last week whom I helped to understand the difference between God and Jesus. She was so precious and I pray I will have many more opportunities to work with her. She couldn't say her address but she said I stay at Rice and Mann. God is opening a door and I want to be obedient. It is a difficult way but I know God will go with me and before me to make my path smooth as I trust in Him.
That is what Jesus ultimately did. He trusted the Father and went through much suffering to be raised to the glory of God. He sits at the right hand of the Father praying for you and me. What a comfort!
Keep the faith,
Opal
How we must react to God's will? Our SS lesson this week is on the time in Jesus' life that He must face the wrath of God against sin and know the terror of the full power of satan. He had just finished having the passover meal with His disciples where He had told them the bread was a symbol of His body which is broken for them and the wine was a symbol of His blood that would be shed for them. The disciples didn't fully understand but led by Peter they all said they would die with Jesus. Jesus quouted the old testment saying the sheperd would be stiked and the sheep would scatter. Yet even Jesus has been tempted in every way that you and I are tempted. He knew God's will yet He was afraid. He knew He would suffer yet He wanted this cup to pass from Him. This is where the road met the rubber! Jesus surrendered His will to God's. He knew the imediate future looked bleak yet He said "Not my will but Yours be done." It was sacrificing His will to do the will of the Father.
When life overwhelms us we must remember to go to the Father God. Jesus went into the garden of Gethseme and fell on the ground in great sorrow. Yet as He prayed to the Father three different times He surrendered His will to Abba Father.
What could this mean for us? When we are faced with difficult decisons we must go to the One who holds us by His mighty hand. We must surrender our will to His. It is not easy in fact it is very difficult.
I can give you an example. I of late have been praying that God would help me to be obedient in the little things that He might use me in a greater way for His kingdom. There is a section of our city called Rice and Mann and much evil is done in this neighborhood. Murders and rapes and beatings are common day. Yet my heart has been drawn to this neighborhood. A girl who sells her body in order to survive asked Jesus to come into her heart at God's Provisions (clothes closet). The change in her countance was miracouly beautiful. Then a small five year old little girl was at AWANA last week whom I helped to understand the difference between God and Jesus. She was so precious and I pray I will have many more opportunities to work with her. She couldn't say her address but she said I stay at Rice and Mann. God is opening a door and I want to be obedient. It is a difficult way but I know God will go with me and before me to make my path smooth as I trust in Him.
That is what Jesus ultimately did. He trusted the Father and went through much suffering to be raised to the glory of God. He sits at the right hand of the Father praying for you and me. What a comfort!
Keep the faith,
Opal
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