When you’re troubled and distressed, it’s time to pray.
When you’re confused, it’s time to pray.
When you have a challenge and don’t know how to manage it, it’s time to pray.
When you’re in a dilemma and find it hard to make a good decision, pray.
And when everything seems alright, it’s time to pray.
Matthew 26:36-38
36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”
37 He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and became anguished and distressed.
38 Then he said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, even to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake with me.”
Romans 12:3-8 Humility and Focus
The ability to think of other people more important than you is humility. This definition demonstrates that today’s society differs.
It is easy to shun other people.
We often disregard little ones, those we think are beneath us.
We shun the younger ones and think they’re not smart, forgetting that God can use them to perform great wonders.
We think of “what is in it for me” instead of “what is in it for others.
Today’s society exalts pride, arrogance, and self-praise.
Those who boast of things unreal try to impress people who don’t care about them.
“Jas 4:6, But he gives more grace. So that the Writings say, God is against the men of pride, but he gives grace to those who make themselves low before him.”
Different people work on a project, but they all work for the same purpose. If they are in conflict, achieving a successful completion is defeated.
We all have different body parts, but they all function to keep us alive and healthy. Imagine that the eyes are angry with the legs. How will the legs get to a place without the eyes to guide them, and how will the eyes see places without the legs’ assistance?
Be focused on your calling! Mind your business and excel at what you do.
Respect others and live a fulfilled life by doing what you have the strength to do, not what others are doing.
Be focused and mind your business!
Romans 12:2
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2
Conformity with the world is an enmity to God.
That is, if you’re going to satisfy the world, you’ll likely displease God.
You cannot do God’s will and balance your life with the world’s standards at same time. It is nearly impossible!
You must constantly think and work on your mind to do the right thing. Through this, you will be able to determine the will of God for your life.
Your renewed mind will be mindful of the things of God, and how to please Him will be a priority.
Ironically, you cannot satisfy this world (friends, colleagues, social media, trends, and even loved ones). They are more focused on your shortcomings than your positive vibes.
Expending your energy to serve God is better than trying to please this world.
Guide your heart!
Romans 12:1
Rom 12:1 NET Therefore I exhort you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice – alive, holy, and pleasing to God – which is your reasonable service.
Paul begged the people in this conversation to live their lives in a way pleasing to God. That is, in a way that makes God smile.
Your bodies mean your will, choices, decision-making, and how you use your physical body.
All the above must align together to do what is acceptable to God. What is acceptable to God is to do the right thing and serve God and humanity.
It’s not complicated! The God-Man relationship is not a Master-Servant type of relationship. Paul said that if we live for God like this, we will fulfill God’s divine purpose on earth.
This is the life God wants everyone to live, the kind of life that makes the world a better place.
Don’t forget God
Ecc 12:1 NET So remember your Creator in the days of your youth – before the difficult days come, and the years draw near when you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”
The busyness of this life and all the quest to become a success or achieve greatness makes it easy to forget God.
It makes it easier to forget about our creator than it is to forget our names.
Don’t forget God!
You’ll answer to Him eventually whether you believe it or not.
Seek Him and follow Him.
1 Samuel 12:24 NIV
But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you.
God is in it all
Ecc 3:14 NET I also know that whatever God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it, and nothing taken away from it. God has made it this way, so that men will fear him.
It is because of bible verse like the one above that I believe God is in control of everything even if the situation says otherwise.
God holds it all together and He is in it all so that nothing happens outside of His limitless, sovereign power.
We may not understand many things, but God understands all things, and He’s in control of everything.
So, what do we do in this type of situation?
I understand that the best thing to do when you don’t know where you’re going is to ask for direction, and when direction is not provided, you simply follow the lead of the person leading you, or the lead of the person who knows the way.
God knows the way, and Jesus said, “I am the way.”
Therefore, follow Him even when things look blurring and confusing.
We shall not miss it in Jesus mighty name,
Amen!
The quiet day
So, Jesus died on the cross on Friday.
There was a lot of chaos and talking about Jesus leading to His death.
Then came Saturday, and everything was quiet. No one is saying anything.
The quiet day.
But it seems that the quiet day was the most active day for Jesus.
He was busy fighting on our behalf, fighting against death, Satan, and our sin.
He fought and defeated all our enemies.
This is the only reason we claim victory even before we fight any battle because Jesus won it all for us.
I’m confident that Sunday’s coming, and there will resume talking and, of course, some great things.
The quiet day was the day Jesus conquered all. Amen!
Savior God
Whatever “that day” is, we can rest assured in the saving hands of our God.
Zechariah 9:16 NIV
The Lord their God will save his people on that day as a shepherd saves his flock. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown.
Save us oh God!
God’s got this madness under control
I was talking with someone about whether one man can single-handedly determine the fate of the world.
I remembered how God used Pharaoh for His end purpose.
Pharaoh thought he was doing the right thing. No, he was inadvertently doing God’s will.
Proverbs 21:1 says that the king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, and He directs it where He pleases.
God knows every decision of man, and He gives the final verdict.
So this makes me think that no action of (any) man in history can effectively alter God’s purpose in any way.
God still controls the affairs of the world he created regardless of how we feel about what’s happening, or whatever is going on around in the world.
Psalm 33:11 NIV
But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.
The Believer’s anchor
The only hope of any believer is in the infallible nature of God to fail.
Discouragement is possible and happens.
Life’s event turns unpalatable, and Christians get discouraged.
Your anchor is God.
“The love of many will grow cold as a result of problems and troubles all around. Remember, Jesus mentioned this.
So, hang onto nothing else except hope in God.
He’s capable of saving to the very end.
Your hope in God will not and cannot fail you.
This world will definitely pass away with everything in it, but those who put their trust in God will abide forever.
The Lord is able to save to the very end.