Hold On

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“When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved." – Acts 27:20

  I’ve heard a story of a lab experiment in which 2 sets of rats were each lowered into separate tubs of water.  The first set drowned within an hour.  The other set of rats were taken from the water periodically and then placed back in.  They swam for over 24 hours to survive.  Why?  Because there was hope that they might be saved.  (Today in the Word, May 1990)

Often times hope is all we have to hold onto when troubles and storms come up in our life.  Financial difficulties, death of a loved one, loss of a job, raising teenagers are all examples of life events that can spin you into a tumultuous storm where it often feels like you are swimming for your very life.  So many times we can’t see the ending, there is no light to guide our way and it seems as though our prayers are falling on deaf ears.  This is a classic tool of Satan to bring doubt into your relationship with God the Father.

Is there an limit to the amount of grace and mercy that God will provide?  Is there a breaking point at which God says, “That’s it, I’ve tried to be reasonable, I’m done with you.”?  The answer is no.  God’s love is immutable and unchanging.  He cannot love you one day and not the next.  His grace is not something that is available to you today, but tomorrow it’s taken away.  These characteristics of the Lord are infinitely available to you and can be trusted even in the most difficult of times.

Hope in the Lord is based solely on the belief that His promises are true, despite what the world has placed before you.  It is the faith in Jesus Christ redeeming blood and His promise to return one day to bring us to heaven.  Life for a non-believer is absolutely hopeless.  For where do they turn when life takes a turn for the worst.  When strife and trouble are piled all around and there is no avenue of escape – whom do they turn to? 

In Acts 27 Paul’s voyage and shipwreck is described in great detail.  Paul’s strict confidence, hope and trust in the Lord’s promise that he would stand before Caesar in Rome kept him focused on the end game.  When other’s on the ship were ready to abandon ship and take their chances against the storm alone it was because they had no faith in the Lord and no hope of salvation.  Paul ends up in Rome months later safe and sound and spent 2 years there.  In this time he wrote Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon while under house arrest.  His hope in God’s faithfulness brought forth some of the greatest writings in the New Testament.  Millions of people have since come to a relationship and deeper understanding of Jesus Christ love and grace because of this storm in Paul’s life.  What does God have in store for you after the storms in your life?  Hold onto the hope of His love and grace and let’s find out.

Prayer:Almighty God,
You have given us hope in Your word and through the death and resurrection of Your Son – Jesus Christ.  Hope for our future, hope for eternity and hope for all of mankind to rest in.  Give us the determination and confidence to hold true to Your promises and Your love that we might endure the hardships in life to come out the other side stronger and more capable to serve You.  In Your name we pray - Amen.

             

© Sondove Enterprises, 2013
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://sondove.blogspot.com
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When You Don't Believe

You ought to be sharing this.

“Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief.”   - Mark 9:24

Have you ever found yourself applying human limitations on the Creator of the Universe?  Seriously, we think about problems in our life and immediately think about how difficult these problems are and how unachievable they might be.  We look at our own personal experiences and then try to determine how we will solve the difficult circumstance.  Often times, we go days, weeks and even months without looking to God for help.

The man in this scripture brought his demon possessed son before Christ to be healed.  In vs. 21 the man states to Christ, “IF You can do anything, …”  Seriously.  To stand before the Son of God and ask Him if He can do something.  This man was grasping at every straw, taking every opportunity to rid his son of these demons.  He came to the disciples first, and they were unable to cast out the demon, so then he comes to Christ.  Where was his faith?  Where was his confidence in the authority and power of God and His Son?  Are there circumstances when you really question whether God can or will participate in a situation.  Are there times in your life when everything you know about the character of God tells you that He loves you and will help you through all circumstances, yet you look at the situation in front of you and are convinced that despite all of this knowledge, you really don’t trust that He can or will help?

We all come to this reality check at some point in our life.  The enemy plants a seed in our mind that God doesn’t really love us, or that He won’t forgive this sin or that sin, or that we aren’t good enough to deserve His love and grace.  The enemy will use these worldly thoughts to create areas of “unbelief” in your life and weaken your faith in the power and authority of God the Father.  Not one of us are worthy or deserving of God’s love, no not one.  But, in our filth and unrighteousness He provides us mercy and grace, forgiveness and love.  He stands beside us when we are weak and hopeless, to give us strength, courage and wisdom in times of need.  God is never turning from you or pulling away.  If you are feeling distant from God, you are the one who moved and chose not to believe with the full conviction of what He has done for you.  Trust in the Word, which tells us in Hebrews 13:5; “. . . because God has said,“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”  You have His promise, and you have His grace for all circumstances.  The first one you should turn to in every situation or circumstance is God the Father, and lay out your fears, concerns and worries before Him.  He will see you through it.


             

© Sondove Enterprises, 2012
For more Daily Thoughts go to: http://sondove.blogspot.com