Christian Living

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Deuteronomy 26:11
You shall rejoice in every good thing which the Lord thy God has given thee.

Many times we have heard it said, be joyful in all circumstances, pray without ceasing, and if you are blessed enough to have had a Pastor as my old Pastor.. you would have heard we rejoice in our circumstances… good or bad. We do not rejoice BECAUSE of our circumstances! This hit home for me this past week in a very big way. I have learned much through the peaks and valleys of my life;
One… God has a sense of humor,
Two.. What we intend or plan is not always in line with God’s will at that time, no amount of bribing will do!

As I studied and prepared what I would share at the prison this past week many topics stood out. I decided I would speak on forgiveness, self-forgiveness and seeking God’s forgiveness in all our short comings. A topic many, including myself, need to be reminded of.

I began as always in prayer, asking God to use me as His vessel, to give me words to speak, words that would bless and glorify Him. Everything seemed to be as before…. UNTIL I started to speak!

Nothing I prepared for that service was spoken, instead God used me to deliver a needed message, a message I myself gained so much from. I would like to share a little of this service with you…….

To be thankful in all circumstances requires just one key factor, FAITH! Believing that God is with you in every thing you are going through. His word tells us that He will never leave us or forsake us no matter what we have done. We may often feel separated and not feel His presence as strong at different times of our lives, the blessing comes from the knowledge that all we have to do is ASK! Ask God for forgiveness for anything we have done to separate ourselves from Him, ask Him to reveal Himself to us! He is Faithful and He is Love!

For most of us love has always been given with conditions and to understand that all we must do is believe and this love is eternal, is far beyond our understanding. Often after we have done something so wrong and in some cases so wrong that we have ended up incarcerated and or separated from loved ones, we stop believing God could love us. We let the world label us as bad, evil and not worth while. I can tell you that God NEVER looks at us that way! He may be disappointed in the choices we have made, the way we talk, the way we place money and possessions above humanity but He never gives up on us. He is available to each and every one of us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and NO APPOINTMENT needed.

The past cannot be changed, the future, however, is still in your power! God gave his Son, His One and Only Son for each and everyone of us. He knew we would sin and accepted the Perfect Sacrifice for each and everyone of us! We love Him because He first loved us. He knows our every thought and He loves us despite ourselves.

My grandma was always speaking wise statements growing up, at the time I always thought old age has set in and she was just rambling. NOW I KNOW BETTER!!! She used to say, if you feel far from God, guess who moved? And her favorite was
One Christian PRACTICING is better than 1,000 preaching. How true…..

God loves us through all our circumstances, He is waiting to help us all we have to do is turn to Him, seek forgiveness and grab a hold of His promises. Rejoice in all your circumstances because He loves you, He forgives you and He has a plan for you.

Father,
Thank You for loving me when I do not deserve it, thank You for loving me the same as when I do deserve it. You humble me each day when I approach Your Throne with so many struggles, You show me to rejoice because I am not alone. May I always offer love and forgiveness to others who have hurt me and may they in return forgive and love me when I have hurt them. May I focus on You in the midst of trials, may I see the light, and the plan you have for me. Thank You for forgiving me, for loving me and for changing me. I rejoice in today’s circumstances because You go with me!
It is only in the Perfect Precious Name of Jesus I pray, Amen!

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