Devotional-Trials

Tuesday, March 08, 2011

"We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." --Acts 14:22

God's people have their trials. It was never designed by God, when he chose his people, that they should be an untried people.  God- So many people see the Christian life as a way to feel good, to escape reality.  Lord, true followers of Christ know that the trials are many, but the Joy is abounding.   They were chosen in the furnace of affliction; they were never chosen to worldly peace and earthly joy.  I know Lord, that you have peace and joy for me, not of this world, not the fleeting joys of possesions or accomplishments.   Freedom from sickness and the pains of mortality was never promised them; but when their Lord drew up the charter of privileges, he included chastisements amongst the things to which they should inevitably be heirs.  In your chastisment of me, God produce a willing heart.  A heart that will suffer and be glad.   Trials are a part of our lot; they were predestinated for us in Christ's last legacy. So surely as the stars are fashioned by his hands, and their orbits fixed by him, so surely are our trials allotted to us: he has ordained their season and their place, their intensity and the effect they shall have upon us. Good men must never expect to escape troubles; if they do, they will be disappointed, for none of their predecessors have been without them. Mark the patience of Job; remember Abraham, for he had his trials, and by his faith under them, he became the "Father of the faithful."  I desire to have the faith that will surpass my trials, that will prove to last until you return.. God let me remain in you and know that nothing will overcome your power and might.   Note well the biographies of all the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, and martyrs, and you shall discover none of those whom God made vessels of mercy, who were not made to pass through the fire of affliction.  I know that by passing through the fires will be painful, but they will only refine me more.  Lord, with you I know that my trials will come, but they will not take my life.  They will not have power.  God I know that the sufferings will surely strike, but I know that you will not leave me alone.   It is ordained of old that the cross of trouble should be engraved on every vessel of mercy, as the royal mark whereby the King's vessels of honour are distinguished. But although tribulation is thus the path of God's children, they have the comfort of knowing that their Master has traversed it before them; they have his presence and sympathy to cheer them, his grace to support them, and his example to teach them how to endure; and when they reach "the kingdom", it will more than make amends for the "much tribulation" through which they passed to enter it.  Your promise of eternity will spur me on in weakness.  Your suffering for my sake will keep my heart pure.  Your love for me will brighten the darkness and I will press on knowing that your will is done.

My Strengths, My Weaknesses

A few years ago I took a personality and spiritual gifts test/seminar.  It was very insightful and did help me to understand myself better.  I found out what I already knew and then some.  I know that I am a feeler, emotional, think with my heart, and love to encourage.  My spiritual gifts were Exhortation and Teaching.  I did not find much conflict with that idea.  I still to this day believe that to be true.  While I know my gifts and strengths, some very concerning attributes accompany them as well.  I am indecisive, pretty much live in the moment and can't make plans, motivated by others and find it hard to stick with something, ...spaz! I find that dealing with my inconsistencies is quite inconsistent.  I do not know how to completely free myself of my faults, but I do see a way to live with them.  In surrendering myself to God, I find freedom.  I do not have to live up to the expectations of others.  I don't even have to live up to my expectations.  I simply have to let go.  This is extremely difficult for someone like me.  I am by no means an over-achiever, but I do find myself trying to adhere to some rules or guidelines.  God did not give us rules and regulations, instead-Jesus sacrificed His life so that we could continue to live in our flesh.  I am not saying that we should make excuses for our bad habits, but they are part of this world.  We won't fully escape them.  There is a way to overcome them, overcome their hold.  The only way to free ourselves completely is to abide in Christ.  Abiding in His thoughts, His Spirit, His words, His love.  We must be consumed by Him.  His ways must become ours.  This is such a fine line, but we are not saved by works.  Grace alone, through Christ, is our redeemption.  If we are trying to do it on our own, we just won't succeed.  I want to be free from the chains of bondage to this world, I want to be done with my sinful ways, I want to lead others to,instead of distract them from,the cross. I want to love and help and mend and do.. but I must want above all things to be in Christ.. or all those wants and desires are fruitless.  So God, today, please help me surrender.  It's the hardest thing, to lay down, to accept that it's all been done, to not try to do it on my own.. but it's the only way.  Please show me the way, please fix my heart on you, and please be my strength.. No weapons formed against me shall remain! Thank you God.  

Home Sweet Home

God, tonight I sit and think about things.  I remember good times from my childhood.  Innocent times.  I remember learning, yet thinking I knew it all.  Now I feel as if I am starting from scratch.  Your ways are new.  They teach me of a completely counter-intuitive approach to life.  Lord, there were times in my past that I found comfort in things.  Maybe a blanket, a good movie or a cup of warm milk.  Those things now only bring me understanding that the temporary comforts of this world are of little worth.  Why is it God, that we feel so strongly about things?  I have wept over a love story, I shed tears when someone shares their heart with another, at weddings, on facebook, through a hug, definitley in movies.. I cry when I see babies love on moms.  There are countless beautiful moments that are truly a blessing in life.  The birth of a child.  The baptism of loved ones.  The marriage of two in love.  The redeeming power of family bonds. These are all sweet, heart-warming things, but even they will one day fade away.  I find happiness in them, yet I feel a strange homesickness in them as well.  A pit in my stomach forms when I take all the amazing moments in life into view.  I know you made that pit for a purpose.  That sinking, gut-wrenching feeling is there to remind me that this life is not the only life to consider.  Of course you want us to live joy-filled, vigourous and abundant lives, but what if our passion was turned to you?  I am beginning to see how amazing that can be.  I find myself looking to you for comfort.  Instead of the blanket, you surround me.  Instead of the farce portrayed on the tube, I read the stories of your chosen ones.  Instead of the soothing warm milk, I crave the pure spirtual milk that only you can provide.  I am not by any means perfecting this act of putting you first, but God I am craving it.  I am finally seeing the big picture.  The more I seek you, the more I find you.  The more I find you, the more I love you.. in the words of Kari Jobe.  Lord, the tears I've shed for all the love, lack of love, pain, distances, loss and confusion- You have kept them in your hands.  You have been holding them to wash me with.  Can I be a bit dramatic here?  Are my tears the summer rains that come to refresh the earth?  Are my tears the salty sea that I can watch with wonder and awe?  Do you recycle our tears to replenish the world and make it anew?  Even if none of that happens, you are at least holding them in your hands.  You must have extremely large hands.  One thing I remember vividly about my Dad is his hands.  They could hold my hands inside them.  His hands were big and he would always warn me about popping my knuckles, afraid that my hands would someday look like his.  Now my hands fit in the center of my husband's hands.  He can wrap them all the way around my entire fist.  This is the only picture I have of big hands.  God, Father God-  Your hands fit not only my tears, but all your children's tears.  What mighty hands!  One day maybe I will fit my fist in your hand too.  The love and pain of this world can sometimes tear my heart in two.  The injustice, the persecution, the bitterness, the immorality!  God I want to be home in your courts.  I want to see my Dad and hold his hand again.  I want him to meet my husband.  I want to sing praises to you with them both.  I don't want anymore of this cold and harsh world.  But God- I know you are not finished with me yet.  I know that the ones hurting need you.  I know that the mistreated would benefit from your healing.  I know the lost need to be found.  Please steady my heart to resist too much breakage.  It is not whole, but God I don't think it will be until it finds it's home in my heavenly body.  Jesus, be my strength to endure the unpleasantries of this brutal world.  When a tear wants to escape my eyes, may they fall directly into your hands.  If I am confused and scared, God feed me your truth.  When my weaknesses abound, I pray that my trembling hands would be raised to you.  As my knees shake and my heart pound, might I kneel and surrender it all.  I pray that by my voice, your name will be known.  That by my tears, hearts will be healed.  That by my prayers, the lost will be saved.  By your grace, I can be used.  Thank you for this life.  Though there are the times of heartache, for good or for bad, may my heart ever yearn for you.  And when I am blessed beyond measure to witness the good in people and in this life, God that I might praise you for all your greatness. 

To Go It Alone.. Never!

A Devotional from Spurgeon:

Tuesday, March 01, 2011

"He is precious." --1 Peter 2:7

As all the rivers run into the sea, so all delights centre in our Beloved.  How true this is.  Not all roads lead to God, but all delights center on you Oh God.  If anything is good, it is from you. The glances of his eyes outshine the sun: the beauties of his face are fairer than the choicest flowers: no fragrance is like the breath of his mouth.  How sweet and unrelenting are you God, you never fail and always draw us with love. Gems of the mine, and pearls from the sea, are worthless things when measured by his preciousness.  We put worth on things that you made!  How foolish are we.  All of your creation is priceless and beautiful.  Help me Jesus to never put anything above you.  Help me to also see the preciousness of your love and relationship to me.   Peter tells us that Jesus is precious, but he did not and could not tell us how precious, nor could any of us compute the value of God's unspeakable gift. Words cannot set forth the preciousness of the Lord Jesus to his people, nor fully tell how essential he is to their satisfaction and happiness.  God, as Peter could not speak of how unbelievable Jesus' worth was, neither can I.  I only know that my soul yearns for His presence and I am nothing without Him. Sometimes I think I am.  Sometimes I just go through life like it's mine to do whatever I want with.  At times I think my ways are best.  Please forgive me O Lord, I am young in Christ.  Help me to mature and see my dependence.  Believer, have you not found in the midst of plenty a sore famine if your Lord has been absent?   Oh yes I have.  The sun was shining, but Christ had hidden himself, and all the world was black to you; or it was night, and since the bright and morning star was gone, no other star could yield you so much as a ray of light.   I have felt the lonliness, the despair without God.  I have seen the life of meaninglessness.  I have felt the dark overwhelm me.  What a howling wilderness is this world without our Lord! If once he hideth himself from us, withered are the flowers of our garden; our pleasant fruits decay; the birds suspend their songs, and a tempest overturns our hopes.  Please never again.  I desire only to be in your presence.  I hate the moments that I push you away.  I despise those that pull me from you.  I love your truth and desire your light.   All earth's candles cannot make daylight if the Sun of Righteousness be eclipsed. He is the soul of our soul, the light of our light, the life of our life.  I have learned this truth, and God I pray I never forget it in fear, in madness, in despair or in anger.  Help me to draw near to you in times of need.  Cradle me as a child and show me how to depend on you for my life.   Dear reader, what wouldst thou do in the world without him, when thou wakest up and lookest forward to the day's battle?   I would perish.  I would look to other things.  I would crave that which only God can provide and I would waste my energy and love and heart and soul.  What wouldst thou do at night, when thou comest home jaded and weary, if there were no door of fellowship between thee and Christ?  How weary and jaded I can be.  My comforter and redeemer has to be there.  If He were not, I would be utterly lost.  My heart would break and yearn for Him.  What Hell that would be!  Blessed be his name, he will not suffer us to try our lot without him, for Jesus never forsakes his own.  Thank you Jesus.  Oh how I love your wings which protect and keep me.  I love your light and never want to be in the darkness.   Yet, let the thought of what life would be without him enhance his preciousness.  You are so precious, none can compare.  The thought of life without you is enough to revive my heart to worship you even more.  I love you and need you.  Be my King and my life.  For only what is done for you will last!