god
A Real Friend
God said, “Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do?”
Jesus said, “I call you not servants, for the servant knows not what his lord does, but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.”
God never wants us to second guess. He doesn’t want us to always try to figure things out on our own. He wants us to be sure. He wants us to know what He knows. He wants to share with you what is going to happen before it happens so you can intercept and cancel the enemy’s plan. He wants to share what He knows because He doesn’t want you to be ignorant. He wants to share what He knows because He loves you. He wants to share what He knows to protect you and your household.
God shared with Abraham that He was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. He couldn’t keep this a secret because Lot was living in Sodom at that time and He promised Abraham that in him, all families of the earth would be blessed. That promise included Lot. He also shared this information with Abraham because he knew he would intercede.
I remember when God revealed to me in a dream something that was about to happen to my family. I told someone about it, but I didn’t pray against it nor did I ask God for clarity. And it happened. Had I taken action, the plan would have failed.
Some years ago, I got into this one relationship, and the Lord told me that this man didn’t love me. I entered into the relationship anyway and when I was finally able to break free from it, the consequences from disobeying God was not pleasant, but by His grace and by prayer and fasting, He healed me.
I shared those two examples to let you know that God does speak and He will forewarn you. Some of the hurt and disappointments we faced were a result of not obeying our Father. While I agree that we are not exempt from hard times or difficulties, there were some things that we could have avoided had we listened and obeyed. Thank God for His grace, His new mercies and His unconditional love for us.
If you are Christ’s, you are Abraham’s seed. If God didn’t hide His plan from Abraham, He will not hide His plan (or the enemy’s plan) from you. Just be sure that you not only hear God, but that you do whatever He tells you to do. If He says don’t call or text that person, don’t call or text person. If He says don’t go, don’t go.
God doesn’t always tell you why He’s telling you to do something or not to do something, but it’s important that you just obey what He told you now and He will reveal “the why” later. God isn’t just your Father, but He is also your Friend. And a good Friend will not hide the truth from you because a friend loves at all times.
Now that’s a real Friend.
[References: Genesis 12:3, 18:17; Proverbs 17:17; John 15:15]
Don’t Forget the Lord
idol = a false god; an image or anything used as an object of worship in place of the true God; anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God; anything that you seek to give you only what God can give you.
“When the Israelites were leaving Egypt, God blessed them with gold and wealth.
It was this same gold they brought together to make the golden calf to worship.
When God finally gives you the blessing, make sure to not turn it into an idol.”
I saw the above post the other day and I was reminded of a time when I really wanted God to give me something that I was praying for. I wanted it so bad that I began to worship it more than I worshipped God. It consumed me. It became an idol. And when I didn’t get the thing I prayed for, I was angry with God.
If I focused more on this god than on Jehovah God and I hadn’t even received the thing I prayed for yet, what would I be like once I got the thing I prayed for? If I forgot about God and who He says He is before I got it, then I’ll forget about Him once I get it.
This is probably why the answer to my prayer has been delayed. God doesn’t want us to have any other gods before Him (Exodus 20:3).
Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God…lest when you have eaten and are full, and has built goodly houses…and your gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God (Deuteronomy 8:11-14).
Trusted With Little
Some months ago, I heard a message at church and I told the Lord, Trust me with that. Give me that. Try me.
Months later, I felt a tug to do something, but I didn’t do it because I was afraid. If I give this, what would be left for me?
I was approached like the woman who was told (not asked) by the prophet, Make me a little cake first (1 Kings 17:13).
All God asked for was a little, but because I really didn’t want to give it, I felt like He was asking for much.
I had no idea that when I asked Him to do something for me that He would ask something of me.
This woman was afraid, too. Fear not, go and do as you’ve said. It wasn’t until she made the man of God a cake first that she was able to make a cake for her and her son. Because of her obedience, they ate for a full year. If she hadn’t done this thing first, then that meal would have been her last. I am gathering two sticks that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it and die.
All she had was a handful of meal, a little oil and two sticks, but she trusted this strange man. Once she gave what she had, she never had a little of anything again.
This woman obeyed a man that she didn’t know yet we struggle to obey the Son of man that we say we do know.
Unlike this woman, I talked myself out of doing what was asked of me.
Then, I heard these words so clearly: How do you expect me to trust you when you refuse to trust Me?
Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.
Luke 16:10, NIV
Waiting on God
Jesus told the disciples to get into the ship and go to the other side while he went up into the mountain to pray. Once the ship reached the middle of the sea, the wind began to blow against it and the waves were tossing it. When Jesus walked towards the disciples on the sea, they began to cry out in fear because they didn’t recognize who he was.
Jesus said, Be of good cheer. It is I. Be not afraid.
Peter said, If it be you, command me to come to you the water.
Jesus said, Come.
Peter was doing fine as long as he was looking at Jesus, but the moment he looked at the wind and not at the Son, he became afraid and stopped walking. He saw the effects of the wind. He heard the strong wind. When he stopped walking, he began to sink.
But what I want you to see in this passage of scripture is that Peter stepped out of the boat during the storm. Peter didn’t wait until the storm was over. He didn’t wait until there was favorable weather. He stepped out during a difficult time.
When he stepped out of the ship, he stepped out in faith. He didn’t use the wind as an excuse not to follow Jesus’ command. Solomon said, He that observe the wind shall not sow. There is a possibility that the wind will scatter the seed, but the farmer doesn’t withhold the seed because if he never sows, he will never reap a harvest. The farmer doesn’t worry about what may or may not happen. He sows in the morning and in the evening because he doesn’t know which seed will prosper.
Peter pursued Jesus while the other disciples waited on him. If you are always ‘waiting on God’, you will never write the book. You will never start the business. You will never own the home. You will never take that trip.
To receive the thing you’ve been desiring or praying for, you are going to have to do something. Peter stepped onto the water. He did something he had never done before and sometimes we have to do something that we’ve never done before.
Stepping out in faith does not mean that resistance won’t come. It doesn’t mean that fear won’t come. The wind comes to keep you from going to the other side. The wind will blow and the waves will toss, but decide today that you will step out of the ship anyway.
[Matthew 14:22-30; Ecclesiastes 11:4, 6]
When You Don’t Know What to Say
God didn’t give us His word so that we may just read it, but so that we may also speak it.
God said, Let there be light and there was light (Genesis 1:3).
By the word of the Lord were the heavens made (Psalm 33:6).
For He spake, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast (Psalm 33:9).
Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear (Hebrews 11:3).
The word of God in your mouth is truth (1 Kings 17:24).
HE has said…so that WE may boldly say (Hebrews 13:5-6).
When you don’t know what to say, say what He said.
Enjoy the Ride
I can’t wait til I turn 18.
I can’t wait til I graduate from school.
I can’t wait til I get marry.
I can’t wait til I have kids.
I can’t wait til these kids leave the house.
It seems like we’re always in a rush. We never learn to enjoy the moment we are in. We never fully enjoy the life God has given us.
For the past couple months, I had been getting up late, which meant I was rushing to get out of the house and speeding to get to work.
But now I’m taking my time. I leave the house on time and I drive the speed limit. There have been a few times where a group of cars have sped past me and I unconsciously increased my speed, but then I was reminded to slow down and take my time.
I was so focused on the cars that were passing me and now ahead of me that I lost focus of my journey. I felt like I had been left behind, but there was no need to feel that way because I didn’t know where those cars were going. Maybe they were going where I couldn’t go. Maybe they were going where God didn’t send me. So, I focused on the lane I was on and I prayed the rest of the way to work.
Wherever you go or wherever God is taking you, stop trying to rush God and learn to enjoy the ride.
It’s for God’s Glory
As I was praying for someone dear to me today, the Lord revealed to me that this person had to go through what they were going through. God was not the cause of it, but He was allowing it to happen. When Jesus heard that Lazarus was sick, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God. When the disciples saw the man who was blind from birth, they assumed he was in that condition because either he or his parents sinned, but Jesus said he was born that way so that they could see God perform a miracle in his life.
Maybe it’s not sickness that you are facing today, but I just want you to know that whatever it is that you’re facing, it is not going to kill you. It is not going to end in DEATH. It is going to be a testimony to others of what God can and will do. It is going to give hope to those who feel hopeless. It is going to bring them LIFE.
God is going to give you grace, strength and power to endure to the end of it.
Be encouraged. It is almost over.
You Don’t Need More Faith
When doubt and unbelief comes, I am reminded of what my pastor said a few weeks ago.
You don’t need more faith.
You just need to hear more of the word of God.
This is how faith comes.
So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17).
A God Question
Question: Why can’t I meet someone who has everything I want in a man?
Answer: If you meet a man that has everything you want, then you will never want or need ME.
The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.
Psalm 23:1
Remember What God Gave You
If you’ve been experiencing anxiety, panic, worry and fear, remember that those things did not come from God.
That’s not what God gave you.
God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but He gave us the Holy Spirit who gives us power, love and a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1:7
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