Peace

Jesus is good to me. I've had this thought for quite awhile, and it has been one of great encouragement and strength to me. For those who are more aware of my personal life, they know I've faced some very difficult things this year. A lot of things have threatened to disturb my peace and cause me great heartache. Yet, those circumstances don't have a one-way effect. They can also be great stepping stones of faith and help me grow in the Lord. I'm very grateful to say that God has been right beside me the whole time and has worked these things for good in my life in some way.

God is faithful to the wanderer. There have certainly been times in my experience where I haven't felt as close to God as I know I should have been. Times like that are discouraging because you're never at total peace. Especially when situations come that rock the waters, your boat seems to be on the verge of sinking. I want to testify that God didn't let me stay in those places. As the lyrics of a song says: "He is with you in the valley of despair, and He won't leave you there." He rescued me, kept me safe, and encouraged my heart. It wasn't easy and it required surrendering, but He is faithful to help us in time of need when we humble ourselves.

I mentioned some in an earlier post about Bro. Michael Smith's message (Back to Bethel), so I won't talk about that, I'll just continue from there. It was a great encouragement to me, but we're never done learning. God showed me some areas in my life that were lacking, and with His help, I'm trying to work on those. He also spoke to me in a message Bro. Kenny Elwell preached at Monark this year. I highly recommend it to anyone who wasn't there to hear it (or just needs encouragement again!). It was such a great message and gave me some much-needed instruction. The world around us rages with problems, issues, and controversies. We don't live in a world of total peace. Yet, God has the power to deliver us from those things and carry us through them. He mentioned an example from the Bible that really stuck out to me. The glory belongs to God for the victory in our lives. At Jericho, the children of Israel came up against something they could not defeat themselves. God instructed them to march around the walls. They were obedient, and God brought down the walls. It's the same way in our own lives. God gives the instructions and tells us what He wants to us. It will never be outrageous or something we aren't capable of; it wasn't an incredibly difficult task for the children of Israel to march around the walls. The hardest part will be accomplished by God if we are faithful and obedient. It was such an encouragement to know He is with me and is an unfailing help when I can't do it on my own.

Another verse He has blessed me with is 2 Chronicles 20:15b:
"Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's."
God fights for us and doesn't leave us alone. The righteous have never been left forsaken (Psalm 37:25). In 2 Chronicles 20:17, God again gives instruction and promises to accomplish the feat.
"Ye shall not need to fight in this battle; set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you."
God gave simple instructions, things totally doable, and promised to take care of His children. All they had to do was obey. It's a wonderful peace to know that God will keep you secure if you trust Him with everything in your life. It's never easy to let go of the things we feel the need to control, fix, or handle ourselves... but God always blesses a willing, surrendering heart -- even if it's not immediately apparent.

God taught me in these things that I can't handle everything on my own. The greatest things I can do on my own will never be able to match some of the battles I will have to face. On my own, I'm fallible and incapable. Recognizing my shortcomings and acknowledging His omnipotence brings a great peace. It takes work on my part to keep things committed and my life submitted to Him, but it's really worth it. God is able to keep His children without spot and blameless. He will keep His holy remnant and turn away their captivity (Zephaniah 2:7) and restore the things in our life that have been taken by the enemy. When we are fully surrendered to God, He brings a calming peace to our soul. I'm very thankful for how far God has brought me this year, and I am expecting that He will continue to lead and teach me.

I would appreciate your prayers that I would stay faithful to Him and do what He wants me to do and that He would draw me closer to Him where I can better hear his voice. I'll be praying for all of you, too. It is important that we all pray for each other. These years in our lives are not easy ones, but we can make it!

Keep encouraged!

Mark 3

The gospels keep historical record of the events which took place while Jesus was on earth, but they also hold important spiritual truths and lessons. One such example is in the third chapter of Mark. The opening verse explains the obvious afflicted condition of a man seeking help.

Mark 3:1-6

1 And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand.

2 And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.

Verse two is interesting because it reveals two things: the Pharisees were actively observing Christ and they did not doubt his supernatural power of healing. They knew his abilities and only questioned whether he would exercise them on the sabbath or not. Their careful attention to Christ was not to heed instruction or experience the wonders of Jesus' time on earth. They sought only to find fault with the Savior. Yet, they knew the truth of His ability.

3 And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth.

4 And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? To save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.

Jesus openly and directly asked the Pharisees about the sabbath. He charged them with a question that would challenge their tolerance of Christ as King. They knew to save life was good and that to kill was bad, but thy weren't willing to accept that Jesus was not bound by the old law and could perform healing miracles at any time. In our human understanding, as did the Pharisees, we are tempted to stick too closely to earthly things and how we expect things to be done. The Pharisees knew their answer would not be acceptable to the Lord, so they kept quiet. Jesus speaks in the voice of truth. His speech cannot be argued.

5 And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored as whole as the other.

Mark is the only gospel that mentions Jesus' anger. The Pharisees' hearts were hardened to the point where they willfully rejected God's truth. Jesus was grieved by their outright rejection. Yet, despite people opposing the work, Jesus performed a miracle. The man's hand was made whole. God's power does not depend on the opinion of man. It is not bound by the old law. It is not limited by man's rejection of the truth. He is still able to work in divine ways for the restoration of the soul and body of those who are willing to accept His truth.

6 And the Pharisees went forth, and striaghtway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.

Without noting the miraculous work which had just been performed, the Pharisees instead moved right away to how they might get Jesus in trouble. The world won't always recognize the works of God for what they are, and will instead seek for ways to cause trouble. The enemy doesn't care how God works on the behalf of His children, they only desire to turn people away. Insterestingly, the Pharisees and Herodians had very different veiws on some things, but the gospel was a message which threatened them both. Even the most diverse political and religious factions were united in the cause of bringing to naught God's plan. Even when God's power is clearly manifested, it can be lost to those whose hearts are set against Him. That makes it all the more important for use to be instant in season and out of season (II Timothy 4:2) and live an example at all times.

We have to be careful ourselves not to neglect the dealings and workings of God. He has shown Himself powerful time and time again. To deny that power as the Pharisees did is grievous to God. Even if it doesn't make sense in the eyes of man, God's ways are best. The Pharisees rejectred the truth of God. We need to be careful not to reject the truth He presents to us still today.

Keep encouraged!