Gleaning Nuggets of Gold

Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own

understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make

your paths straight.

The above verse is fairly easy to do when your life is smooth sailing. If the trials you face are only involving you then this can be doable, hard, but doable. But, bring other people into the equation like your loved ones and this can be very difficult especially if there is a life threatening situation at hand. 

God asks us to trust Him and His wisdom even when we can't see the rationale behind it. He wants us to recognize Him in every situation that we come across, not just the easy stuff but the really hard, tough stuff, like the sickness or death of a dear loved one.

When we trust and acknowledge His presence and divine, perfect ways, then we realize that our paths are straighter and our destination one of peace, joy and pure bliss even when the outcome is not favourable.

Jeremiah 17:7 NIV
But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him.


Blessed in Dictionary.com

1. consecrated; sacred; holy; sanctified: the Blessed Sacrament.
2. worthy of adoration, reverence, or worship: the Blessed Trinity.
3. divinely or supremely favoured; fortunate: to be blessed with a strong, healthy body; blessed with an ability to find friends.
4. blissfully happy or contented.

If we trust in the Lord we are considered by Him consecrated, scantified, supremely favoured, sacred and holy. When we trust in the Lord we are sanctified with Jesus Christ and become one with Him. Jesus is holy and through His sacrifice we too are holy.

Painful trials like the loss and sickness of a loved one are very hard to go through, but if we go through it trusting in God and His ways then we will come out on the plus side. We may not understand the reasons why this side of life but He does assure us that we will understand. Then we will see His plan and all things will fall into perfect perspective.

Psalm 125:1 NIV
Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever.

Although sometimes very painful, God's ways are always perfect and right. Trust in Him, He will provide the explanation eventually. The lessons and gold nuggets we gain through the trials of life are precious and worth the pain we go through, but only if we keep our eyes on Jesus and look through His window and not ours.

Father,
What I intend for good can be flawed and lack wholeness. Please help me to trust in You and Your perfect ways even when it looks like my whole world is falling apart. Even when I am in amongst pain and suffering, help me to keep my eyes on You and trust that You do indeed know what is right and good will come out of any situation that I give fully into Your capable hands. I trust You Lord, help me in this I pray. In Jesus name, amen.





Blessings,
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Is God Moving You?

Acts 7:9-10 NIV

“Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him  and rescued him from all his troubles. He gave Joseph wisdom and enabled him to gain the goodwill of Pharaoh king of Egypt. So Pharaoh made him ruler over Egypt and all his palace.

Sometimes we suffer because God is moving us from where we are to where He wants us to be. Instead of being negative and depressed over a seemingly 'bad' situation, choose to follow God. God enabled Joseph with the good will of Pharaoh and gave him wisdom where he needed.

Are you in a situation where you are suffering? Maybe God is moving you into the place where He wants to use you. Give glory to God, praise and worship Him. Ask Him what He is requiring of you and then wait patiently, He will reveal it to you in His perfect timing.

Habakkuk 2:3 NIV

     For the revelation awaits an appointed time; 

   it speaks of the end 

   and will not prove false. 

Though it linger, wait for it; 

   it will certainly come 

   and will not delay.

Keep yourself open to the new opportunities that God has in store for you. Only good things will come when God is involved.

Blessings,
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When Trouble Comes

2 Corinthians 1:8-11 CEV

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My friends, I want you to know what a hard time we had in Asia. Our sufferings were so horrible and so unbearable that death seemed certain. In fact, we felt sure that we were going to die. But this made us stop trusting in ourselves and start trusting God, who raises the dead to life. God saved us from the threat of death, Please help us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks for the blessings we receive in answer to all these prayers. and we are sure that he will do it again and again. 

When life is smooth and things are going good it is so easy to forget God. Why should we seek Him out when we have everything in front of us. Finances are flowing in, family and friends around to keep us company and we feel loved and our health does not even cross our mind. It is when these things are stripped away from us that our floor drops out from under our feet and we find ourselves falling and suffering. It is during these times that we realize we need more than just our self or family and friends, money or food. None of these things can provide us the comfort we need it is then that we seek out God or He reaches us by seeking us out that we can find the all surpassing comfort we need. 

If our lives were so smooth that we never had any troubles we would never search God out. God uses these problems to reach and shape us into the people He wants us to be. It is when we turn away from self and focus on Him that things become better. He may not restore the materialistic things to us or even our health back but He will give us a all surpassing comfort that goes beyond understanding and He shapes us into the person He wants us to be to serve Him and others who maybe need to learn from the experiences we have gone through.

I have found that during these times of pain and sorrow I will turn to God for comfort and answers but I noticed that as soon a things are moving along smoothly I tend to stop focusing on Him and go back to life as it was. Then trouble comes back in and I look to Him again. This is not what God wants of us, He wants us to keep Him in the center of our lives praising and glorifying Him in good times and in bad. He wants us to take our focus off of self and put it on Him because it is in Him that we find our greatest pleasure. 

I have heard stories of people suffering in prison for their faith. They are being beaten and tortured but their faith in God increases. The Holy Spirit comes in and fills the deep need they have inside even through they are physically suffering, I want the Holy Spirit to fill me like this and the only way this can happen is by rejoicing in Him in all circumstances, taking our focus off of self and turning it on to God. Brother Yun author of  'The Heavenly Man' is one such story of faith and obedience to Jesus Christ, being empowered by the Holy Spirit through prayer from himself and family and friends who covered him during trial and persecution.

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Nobody likes trouble to come but it will come to all of us at one point in time or another. When it does come don't look inward but upward towards God and keep your eyes on Him who sent us the comforter to be with us empowering us with His Spirit, praying in all circumstances and singing praises to Him who created all.

Jesus thank you for giving us hope! For showing us a path when there is trouble all around us. Brother, I want to be like You so please forgive me when I have not looked to You during the good times in my life. You are my center and I want to revolve around You. Praise Your Holy Name!! Jesus Christ, in You I ask and pray. Amen.

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