In Everything Give Thanks!

1 Thessalonians 5:18 -“in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” NKJV

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This has been a challenging week. Getting back into the swing of teaching, add to that all of the challenges of virtual teaching, and the sum total is that I can truly say, blogging isn’t at the top of my list. Just as I was about to turn in, without a blog that I was pleased with, I remembered this post from 2018, so I am revising and reposting!

I think it is interesting to note that Paul didn’t say that we are to give thanks for everything that happens to us. Religion has taught people to give thanks for being in all kinds of devastating situations, believing that it is God’s will for them to do so. But even common sense would say to us that when a loved one dies, only an insensitive individual will tell the grieving family that it was the will of God. When a child is born blind, or an accident leaves you maimed, or you lose your home, or your spouse walks out on you, is not anything to give anyone thanks for. And Paul understood better than most that things could be really tough.

That’s why I believe Paul didn’t say, “For all things give thanks,” but in all things. And that’s a huge different!

To give thanks to God the Father in all things, means to say, “Father, I don’t know why this is happening, but I do know that I can trust you! And I’m so thankful that I can.” The word of God is filled with scriptures on the blessings and the need to give thanks.

Psalm 107:8- “Oh that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness.”

The psalmist understood that God’s goodness is reason enough to give thanks. As a matter of fact, he went on to say that He satisfies the longing soul and fill the hungry soul with goodness. Even in a dark place, a troubled place, a place of despair, when you give Him thanks, He will satisfy the longing of your soul!

Religious people believe, that because God is sovereign, He either does these bad things or He allow these bad things to happen. I cannot get in agreement with this line of teaching. I remember when my mother died and I was a little girl. Someone approached me and told that God needed my mother more than I did. Seriously??? How can anyone form their lips to tell a little girl something like that? All that kind of talk will do is make a person hate God. Let me just assure you, those are not encouraging words!

If we will learn to trust God, then we will be able to say like David, when grief is trying to overwhelm us:

You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever. Psalm 30:11-12 -NKJV

Jesus said, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. (John 10:10) I like to think of it like this: If the thing going on is stealing from me, killing something in my life, or bringing destruction, then Satan is directly or indirectly involved in it. Also, we do still live in this earth realm and since Satan is the prince of this world, bad things do happen. And lastly, this one is tough but I have to mention it, some things happen because of the bad choices that we make. But, having said that, we have got to stop blaming God for all the bad things that happen in our lives. “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever!”

Paul wrote, “in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God, in Christ Jesus, concerning you”. That’s it in a nutshell. God’s will for my life, for all of us, is that we learn to be a people with a grateful heart. I get that there are some things going on right now that are heartbreaking. I get that the challenges of life are difficult, that’s why they are called challenges. But God’s will for those in Christ Jesus is that we give thanks in everything!

In the midst of this pandemic, instead of whining about our limitations, we are to give thanks to God for being with us during this pandemic. It’s bad, but it could be so much worst. We give thanks because there are more people recovering than there who are dying. We give thanks because He said for us to give thanks. He desires His people to be a people with a heart of gratitude. It’s His will for us!

So we, Your people and sheep of Your pasture, Will give You thanks forever; We will show forth Your praise to all generations. Psalm 79:13 -NKJV

In the midst of this civil unrest, we are to be thankful! Despite the few who are looting, and the occasional violence, I’m thankful that the overall process is peaceful. I’m thankful that people of every nationality have joined together which demonstrates there is hope for us being united. In this, I can give thanks!

In everything, I endeavor to give Him thanks! Not for what is going on, but because of His never failing love towards me. I want to encourage you to try giving Him thanks if you are in a difficult place right now. Not for the situation, but because you have access to an amazing God! He still heals, He still delivers, and His ear is still bent towards the righteous! He is still good! He is still amazing! He is still the Resurrection and the Life! He is still the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world! He is still God! Good times, bad times, challenging times, any time, is the right time to give thanks to God. It’s His will for you if you are in Christ Jesus! Wonderful Jesus!

Don’t Be a Hater!

1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 – “Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. NKJV

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I don’t usually skip over a part of a verse, but today, in obedience to the Spirit of God, I must! We are living in a day and time when our trust factor isn’t very high. People can be very smooth and deceptive in the way they operate, and we may have fallen prey to some of their many tactics, causing us to have a negative response to prophecies. But God is still God, and if we will learn to trust Him, we will find ourselves encouraged and strengthen to continue in the race!

In both the Old and New Testaments, God spoke to His people through the prophets. Daniel, Jeremiah, Isaiah, and Ezekiel in the Old Testament; Peter, Paul, John, Barnabas, Agabus, and Silas in the New Testament. And in 2020, God is still using prophecies to encourage His people

Unfortunately, because there have been false prophets in our day, just as in Biblical times, many have grown weary and suspicious about modern day prophets. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, “do not despise prophecies,” and that can be translated, that we are not to despise His prophets! It’s okay to try the prophet by the word of God, and to even come to the conclusion that something isn’t right about an individual, but the prophetic is beautiful when God is in it! I’ve experienced it many times!

However, today, God is not just using the prophet to prophesy, He is using His people. I want to share some prophecies that I have received and some that I have given.

Years ago, when I was about 18, a minister I knew visited Israel. He brought back with him some water from the Holy Land. One day, in his home, he took the water, poured some over my hand, and spoke to me about my hands be healing hands. At the time, I didn’t place any faith in that because I had little understanding of the prophetic, but today, I can tell you, that was a word from God. I have laid my hands on many and they have recovered. Not all! Not from everything! But those words came to pass as surely as I sit here.

God made a believer out of me, for I was one who despised prophesying. I was even embarrassed by it, thinking that people should be ashamed of themselves telling others that God said this, or God said that! Yet, God has used me to do the same thing. I thought that the prophetic was always about God, and what He was saying, or going to do in the church! I didn’t realize at that time that God would really give a “prophetic” word to an individual, for someone else. So I thought those people who did so were unbiblical. But I was wrong, and I am so delighted today that God has delivered me from myself, from wrong teaching, and from wrong thinking!

When I woke up this morning, one of my first thoughts was of a prophetic word that God had sent to me. We were attending a bible class at Living Word Christian Center in Oak Park, Illinois. Can I be honest and say I don’t remember what the class was about? I do remember that I went to turn in my assignment, and as the instructor took my work, he began to prophesy to me. He said something like this, “I see money all over you. There’s money in your purse, and in your right pocket, and your left. Every where you turn there is money.” At that time, I was so far from “money everywhere” it was almost laughable. Recently, I went to the grocery store, and as I was looking for money to pay the cashier, I took money out of my purse, my left pocket, and my right pocket, and I heard his words. Another day, I was at home cleaning, and there was money in my laundry room, money in my living room, money in my bedroom, and money in my family room. And again, those words came to my mind. Don’t start thinking I’m a millionaire! The point is, I was concerned about finances, and God sent me a word of what my future finances looked like, that He already saw!

Another prophetic word, that came from a neighbor, and not a “prophet” surely came to pass. My husband and I wanted to add a second floor to our home. We hired an architect, went through all of the paperwork, then ran into a snag and wasn’t able to start the project. One day, I was in the yard, when a neighbor (whom I was discipling) came outside to talk with me. She said something like this, “I saw your second floor on your home, and I just had to come out and get a better look at it”! I looked at the house and I thought, “What second floor”? I’m sitting in my second floor bedroom right now! God sent her to encourage me. It was many years later for both prophecies to come to pass, but they came to pass! God is awesome like that!

Why does God even use people to prophesy one to another? He tells us in His word:

“But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men.” 1 Corinthians 14:3

One day a young lady came to our church. She was looking for a prophetic word as she was making a decision about her life. She was told that I could prophesy into her life, but I didn’t think that at all. According to the word, I should have been thinking that, for the Bible states:

“For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged.” 1 Corinthians 14:31

As I listened to her, I sensed by the Spirit, that she was looking for validation to do what she wanted to do, in spite of the counsel her parents had given her. So I talked to her as a “wise woman” instead of as a prophet. Later on, the words of wisdom I had given her turned out to be truly prophetic. She learned some things, but I’m sure at the time, she wasn’t encouraged! But God loved her, and wanted her to know that. Even though I didn’t think I was prophesying and she didn’t like what I shared, it was still God! He supernaturally overrode my thinking and spoke to this young lady! She went contrary to all advice given to her, and later, she didn’t even want to acknowledge that time in her life. Hearing a word from God, and receiving a word from God is two totally different things.

God doesn’t use the prophetic to control us. He uses it to encourage us to keep trusting Him and His word! He uses the prophetic to comfort us when we are in need of comfort! And He uses it to exhort (strongly encourage us, or push us) into being the best that we can be. That reminds me of a minister who came to our church to do a worship conference. He had just had death in the family. We were told to pray for him. As I was praying, I heard a word from God. Really, and truly, it’s not my favorite thing to do, telling someone that God told me to share something with them! I can be wrong!!! It’s a fear I am constantly overcoming! As I watched him in rehearsal, that word came strongly back to me, so I went over and shared it. He confirmed it to be a word from God! It truly touched his heart and encouraged him, and he encouraged me! Had I disobeyed, there’s no telling how that grief would have affected him!

Everyone is not a prophet! But everyone can prophesy because the word tells us that God says:

“And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy.” Acts 2:18

As believers, we should endeavor to cooperate with what God is doing! Whether God use us to prophesy to someone, or use an individual to prophesy to us, we should not be despisers, haters of what is happening! Are their false prophets and people who taint this supernatural form of communication from heaven? Yes! But there are people who taint every area and experience of life, from marriage, to employment, to raising kids, and yes, to the things of God!

Don’t walk away thinking that I’m trying to promote myself as a prophet! Far from it! However, He supernaturally interrupts my life to bless those around me, and interrupts others to bless me! Time and time again! God placed this on my heart this morning, and I just knew that I needed to share it. If you’ve been despising the prophetic, simply because you have not understood it, or seen it misused and abused, then this word is for you. Don’t continue to despise a way that God Himself has designed to bless your life! He wants to encourage you, to comfort you, and push you to winning in this life! And He chooses to do so through prophesying! Not only that, it’s His will for you life!! Start receiving today! Wonderful Jesus!

Pray Without Ceasing!

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” NKJV

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Praying without ceasing! I was a member of a Baptist Church when I first learned this scripture. Over the years, I have tried to be this person who pray without ceasing. I’m pretty sure that I haven’t arrived yet, but I believe sincerely in the discipline of praying without ceasing.

There used to be a time in my life when I would get some really bad news and I would say, “All I can do is pray” as if every possible avenue had been tried and I was now left with trying prayer. I truly believe this attitude of, I guess I now have to pray, is the root behind many unanswered prayer.

I spend a lot of time reading and studying about prayer, people who pray, and the impact of a life of prayer. I want to pray more effectively, I want to see my prayers answered instantly, I want to see God move in people lives and situations, and sometimes, I just want to deepen my communion with the Father!

The phrase, “praying without ceasing” causes me to infer some things about prayer that will break through our traditions on how to pray: our posture, our voice, our place.

If I am truly to pray without ceasing, then the posture of prayer doesn’t matter to God. Some people think that prayers must be prayed on bended knees, because it demonstrates humility, and it does. Some people think standing is the position of prayer, because Jesus said “when you stand praying”! These are certainly postures of prayer. However, you can also pray sitting in a chair, riding in your car, walking down the street (I love to prayer walk), or laying out before the Lord, just to name a few! And whichever posture you happen to be in when you pray, God will hear you!

Lightfoot, a well-known commentator to many theologians, wrote that it’s not possible for us to spend all of our time with words of prayer on our lips; but, we can remain in the spirit of prayer, recognizing that we are dependent on God for everything! This leads to my second point. Some believe you are not praying, if you are not opening your mouth, for when Jesus taught the disciples to pray He said, “And when you pray, say…” While using your words are an important part of praying, your heart’s cry or desire, can get the job done! After all, if you go about praying out loud all day, you’ll look like a crazy person! I have prayed many prayers in my heart that I have seen God answer! Do I pray out loud? Most definitely! But, there have been times that words could not express what was in my heart, or I wasn’t where I could pray them, and yet God heard, understood, and responded!

Praying without ceasing keeps us from being locked down to a location. My sister-in-law, Pastor Caren, teaches on “The Secret Place”. Whenever she does, it causes me to want to pray even more. Even still, you don’t have to be confined to praying in one place. Jesus’ instructions to us to pray in the secret place is vital in developing a personal prayer life. However, if that was the only place we could pray, we could not pray always. The car, the church, the bank, the restaurant, the shower, the garden, the beach, are all great locations for prayer. Any place, is a great place, to talk with God. Enjoy the secret place, but if you find yourself in the bathroom and someone is crying their heart out, it’s okay to stop and pray. God is in the bathroom!

Smith Wigglesworth, an evangelist in the early part of the 20th century, walked in supernatural miracles which included the raising of the dead, and creative miracles of body parts being restored. Once he was asked how long did he pray? Here’s the discourse from a book written about him:

“Tell us, how long do you pray every day?  “Well, the apostle replied, “I don’t ever pray any longer than twenty minutes.” What?” his questioners exclaimed. After pausing for effect, Smith Wigglesworth continued, “Yes, but I never go twenty minutes without praying”.

I think we can all agree that Wigglesworth was a man who prayed without ceasing! It is even said, about his prayer life, that people couldn’t take being in the room with him when he prayed, because of the presence of God! That’s powerful!

We should get to a place where we are talking to God about everything that is happening in our day. He wants to be involved in every part of our lives. Some say, it would be ridiculous to ask God what to wear! I have heard more than one testimony of someone asking, of Him answering, and of it being a benefit in more ways than one. But it’s not necessary to ask Him what to wear, He gives us free choice. However, throughout the day, there will be many times when talking softly to the Lord will make things go so much better!

Is there a reason to pray continuously?

  • Luke 18:1-Jesus Himself said that if we are always praying, we won’t faint! That means constant communication with God, through prayer, gives us the strength to make it through the tough times in life!
  • Luke 21:36- Jesus says that we should not allow our hearts to be weighed down with the cares of this life to the point that we will miss His return! However, if we are praying continuously, we will not be drinking and carousing, but watching for His return and will not be caught unaware!
  • Ephesians 6:18 -Paul talked about the armor of God, then he said that we are to pray with all kinds of prayer! It is a strategic weapon against our enemy and his attacks, and praying always enables us to be watchful for all the saints! Have you ever been praying about one thing, when God interrupts your prayer, bring someone to your heart or mind, and you begin to pray? Then you find out that it was at a crucial moment that had a major impact on their life? Wow!

I know some prayer warriors. They can be in the middle of a celebration, hear of a need, and go into serious combative prayer. My mother-in-law wouldn’t let you out of her sight without her praying for you. It’s a beautiful thing to have so many people in your life who can pray at the drop of a hat, because they live a life of prayer. I thank God for them! The word of God tells us to pray without ceasing, for this is the will of God concerning us! Let’s get started today! Wonderful Jesus!!

Rejoice Always!

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. NKJV

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If you’ve been following my blogs, you know that I have been writing on the requirements that God has for us. In the following blogs, I would like to write about some of the things that we are encouraged to do as believers. For this blog, I will focus on rejoicing!

I found the Webster’s 1828 Dictionary listening to Pastor Bill Winston, of Living Word Christian Center. He said it was a favorite of his and I have been using it lately. According to this edition of the Webster’s Dictionary, rejoice means to experience joy and gladness in a high degree; to be exhilarated with lively and pleasurable sensations; to exult.”

Typically people rejoice at weddings. When we attend a wedding of a family member or a friend and we like the dynamics of the couple, we rejoice with them because we are happy for them! When a baby is born to someone we love, we rejoice with them at the birth of the baby; even at the news that a baby is about to be born. We rejoice at birthdays, and graduations, and some times at home goings, even when we are sad, because we know that person has transitioned to be with Jesus! Sometimes it is easier to rejoice then it is at other times.

I’m amazed at how many people are struggling at this time. I know it isn’t easy, but some are finding it especially difficult to find any type of joy, let alone joy to a high degree. I have even heard pastors speak of the challenge they are having to not to become discouraged. Well, God saw this day afar off and His word to us is to “rejoice always”!

Who better to write words of encouragement, then Paul? Paul wrote this letter to a group of saints in a city he was thrown out of! You’d think he would tell them to leave that place or even that he was sure they were struggling with their faith in such a sin filled city. But that’s not what he said to them. He told them “rejoice always”!

Paul learned in the course of his ministry that his joy didn’t come from the situations and circumstances that he continually found himself in. They came from the Lord! He understood that even when there was nothing outwardly to find joy in, we could find joy in Christ.

Paul was shipwrecked on several occasions, stoned, whipped, lied on, thrown out of cities, left for dead, and persecuted throughout his ministry! Yet Paul said, “rejoice always”!

We used to sing a chorus with these words in it:

This joy I have, the world didn’t give it to me,
This joy I have, the world didn’t give it to me,
This joy I have, the world didn’t give it to me,
O, the world didn’t give it and the world can’t take it away!

But all too often in life, we live as though this is not a truth found in Jesus, and the world and its events really do take our joy away!

Let’s look at a few scriptures about rejoicing:

But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You. For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield. Psalm 5:11-12

That I may tell of all Your praise In the gates of the daughter of Zion. I will rejoice in Your salvation. Psalm 9:14

But I have trusted in Your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, Because He has dealt bountifully with me. Psalm 13:5-6

I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy, For You have considered my trouble; You have known my soul in adversities, Psalm 31:7

Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful. Psalm 33:1

Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; Let such as love Your salvation say continually, “The Lord be magnified!” Psalm 40:16

Are you getting the message? I had another post scheduled to come out today, but as I was lying in bed thinking on the Lord and quoting scriptures in my spirit, this one resonated with me and I felt that I was to get up and change my blog. It’s one o’clock in the morning, my time, and I have to get up soon for work, but I had to obey the prompting in my spirit!

The numbers for the virus is escalating. Politics are getting nerve wrecking. Jobs are being lost and loved ones are dying. If we are not careful, we will become complainers, but God is saying, Rejoice always!

Rejoice in your salvation! Rejoice because God is magnified over all of this stuff! Rejoice because He is mindful of you and all your adversities! Rejoice because He favors you! Rejoice because you can trust Him! Rejoice because from His vantage point, your praise is beautiful! Rejoice because He loves you! And rejoice because it is His will for you! Wonderful Jesus!

God’s Requirements – Part 3

Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? NKJV

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I have truly enjoyed studying this verse. Micah is not typically a book of the Bible that I spend time “deep diving” into, but I may have to change that! Micah wrote that God has shown us what is good, letting us know that He is our example. He went on to share what God requires of us. We’ve already looked at the first two: to act justly and to love mercy. In this blog, I will address the last phrase of this verse, “and to walk humbly with your God”.

In the Message Bible, this portion of the verse is rendered, “and don’t take yourself too seriously-take God seriously!” As I was meditating on this verse, preparing to write this last blog, God brought King Nebuchadnezzar to my mind. King Nebuchadnezzar was a king that took himself too seriously.

In the book of Daniel, King Nebuchadnezzar had two dreams. In the first dream God revealed to the king that his kingdom would be a strong and prosperous kingdom. God used the imagery of a statue, and the king was represented by a golden head. Somewhere in the course of his days, he thought it a great idea to build a gold statue of himself for everyone to bow down to. When the Hebrew boys refused to bow, the king had the furnace heated up and then had them thrown into it. However, God stepped in and saved the young men, causing Nebuchadnezzar to acknowledge that He is the Most High God!

The next dream we read about, the king himself wrote, in a letter. He had a dream about a tree that reached to the heavens and covered the world. Then one day, holy beings cut the tree down, leaving a stump, while the tree turns into an animal for 7 seasons. When Daniel was called to interpret the dream, Daniel didn’t want to tell the king that this tree represented him, and that God would cut him down, he would lose his mind, and he would live like an animal for a season of times. But Daniel told him and tried to encourage him to turn from his prideful ways. However, the king did not. And so, the dream came to pass. At the end of the letter, it is obvious that the king has been restored to his right mind, and has come to understand that there is no God like the Most High God. You should read the book to understand the depth of his pride, but suffice it to say, with all that God had done for him, he thought that he had done it; and his pride got him in trouble with God.

Nebuchadnezzar had this to say about the true and living God:

Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down. Daniel 4:37 NKJV

When God said that He requires of us to walk humbly before Him, that’s what He meant! Unfortunately for the king, he had to lose his mind before he could truly understand that because of his pride, God had to take him down a few notches. Is that what you or I need to realize that we are to walk humbly before our God? I certainly hope not!

In the book of psalms, it is written:

The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts. Psalm 10:4

How plain is that? When pride enters our heart, we feel we have no need for God, His word, or His counsel. He is not a part of our thinking, even to the point that we feel above the need to have to seek Him. What a sad state of affairs for an individual to find himself in!

A well known proverb about pride states:

Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18

Isn’t that what happened to King Nebuchadnezzar? Before his destruction, we saw his pride! First, with the golden statue and the decree to throw people in the fiery furnace if they didn’t bow at the sound of the music. And then, we saw it with the warning of the tree. Although warned to deal with the pride in his life, or face being humiliated before his people, Nebuchadnezzar hung on to his pride!

When pride comes, then come shame… Proverbs 11:2a

Nebuchadnezzar had to learn this lesson the hard way! But not just King Nebuchadnezzar, many men and women have to learn this lesson the hard way. My mama used to say, “The bigger they are, the harder they fall!” Isn’t that so true? The greater the power a person has, the harder their fall, the greater their humiliation! We see it on a regular basis these days. Politicians, corporate leaders, pastors, church leaders, CEOs, celebrities, principals, billionaires, millionaires, and the common person too! Success, money, and power, in every arena of life, causes that demonic spirit to rise on the attack! And if it isn’t dealt with in private, it will humiliate and bring shame in the public!

Here’s what God has to say about the humble:

The humble He guides in justice, and the humble He teaches His way. Psalm 25:9

It’s quite obvious that the prideful person can’t hear from God, because he doesn’t seek God. Yet, God guides the humble person in justice. He’s there to assist the humble person in “acting justly”. And He teaches the humble person how to walk and live in His way! What a comfort and a blessing to know! The word also tells us this:

The Lord lifts up the humble; He casts the wicked down to the ground. Psalm 147:6

We don’t have to get ahead in life by mistreating people and forgetting God. He clearly lifts up the humble person, and he clearly casts down the wicked. Someone might say, “It doesn’t look like it”! Well, as believers, we don’t walk by what we see, but by what we believe. And if we learn to trust God and His word, we will see the humble lifted, and the wicked cast down to the ground! Didn’t Jesus say that He saw Lucifer cast down from heaven? Lucifer’s pride got in his way! Didn’t the same word of God say that Jesus, who humbled Himself, was given a name above all names, and was highly exalted? We must begin to accept God’s word as the truth that it is!

I leave you with this word, from the word:

A man’s pride will bring him low, but the humble in spirit will retain honor. Proverbs 29:23

It’s been a real blessing to look closely at this verse. I want to live a life that honors God, and this verse has helped to identify some ways in which I can do that! Act justly-do the right thing where people are concerned; love mercy-stop hating, forgiving one another, and demonstrate kindness to others; and walk humbly before our God-understanding that He exalts the humble and brings down the proud! Wonderful Jesus!!

God’s Requirements!- Part 2

Micah 6:8 – “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” NKJV

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In my previous post, I left out a very important insight. Micah starts this verse by writing, “He has shown you, O man, what is good”. This is really key and should not have been overlooked. I apologize. For the thing that God is requiring of us, He has already demonstrated it to us. My last post referenced how God requires that we act justly. The thing I forgot to mention is that He requires it because He is a just God. He gave us laws, judgements, testimonies, statutes, or whatever you choose to call them; in which we are to live by. He added blessings and consequences to those. He demonstrated how He is just, and then He required it of us. That brings us to tonight!

His second requirement is that we are “to love mercy”! This is pretty easy to receive, but often times harder to give. Yet, He, being our first example, is the God of mercy. I like the song Alvin Slaughter sang years ago, “Mercy Refused”, written by David Baroni. In the song it states:

Justice demanded satisfaction, the law had been broken again and again. Judgement required immediate action, death wanted payment for sin. Mercy refused, and love took my place; there on the cross, where justice met grace. Mercy refused to let me die, Jesus the Lamb was crucified, though rightfully, death wanted me, Mercy refused!

How adequate the words of this song describes the mercy of God towards mankind! In explaining the difference between grace and mercy to my children, or in a Bible class, I like to say that “grace is getting what we don’t deserve, while mercy is not getting what we do deserve”.

Just recently, someone called me from her job. She had forgotten to pay the meter and had been at work for almost the entire shift when she realized it. As she went between worry over a ticket and praying she didn’t get one, I just came in agreement with her that she wouldn’t get it. I stayed on the phone with her as she walked back to her car. When she arrived at the car, the ticket that should have been on it, wasn’t there! Was she ever grateful and excited! God’s mercy! It could have even been His mercy through an individual. Nonetheless, that person, by law, deserved a ticket, but received mercy instead!

As I laid in bed the other night, thinking about the first blog on God’s requirement, the Spirit whispered this word to me, “chesed”. I am not a student of the Hebrew or the Greek language, but I knew that was the word for mercy. It was as if He was approving my topic, and leading me. The word “chesed” is not only translated to mean mercy, but it also means steadfast love, kindness, faithfulness, and loyalty. God makes it plain to us that He requires that we demonstrate kindness, mercy, steadfast love, faithfulness, and loyalty one to another.

In the book of Zechariah 7:9, it is written,

“Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Execute true justice, show mercy and compassion, everyone to his brother.”

This verse is similar to Micah, in that it mentions both justice and mercy are to be shown to everyone. In the Message Bible it reads like this:

“Well, the message hasn’t changed. God -of-the-Angel-Armies said then and says now: “‘Treat one another justly. Love your neighbors. Be compassionate with each other. Don’t take advantage of widows, orphans, visitors, and the poor. Don’t plot and scheme against one another—that’s evil.’

Isn’t that it in a nutshell? We are not to take advantage of one another, we are not to scheme against one another, it’s not right! It’s not godly! It doesn’t get any plainer than that! We are to treat one another right! We are to treat one another with love and demonstrate compassion. In our present climate in America, it won’t always be easy, but it is the right thing to do, because God requires it of us!

I couldn’t help but think of David and Saul. In 1 Samuel 24, David is in a cave with his men when Saul goes in to relieve himself. David’s men tell him that God had delivered his enemy, Saul, into his hands. David cuts off a corner of Saul’s robe, and then he gets a check in his spirit, that let’s him know he is not to touch Saul, nor allow his men to touch Saul. After Saul leaves the cave, David comes out of the cave and let’s Saul know that if he wanted to kill him, as some said, he had the perfect opportunity to do so. David would have been justified in killing Saul, since Saul pursued him so diligently for that same reason. But the case of justice and mercy once again clashed. While it may have been okay to kill Saul, since “all is fair in war”, so to speak; it wasn’t God’s heart. God required of David, to extend mercy. Was it easy? Maybe not! Yet, in doing so, David pleased God!

Proverbs 3:3-4 – Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart, and so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man. NKJV

Are you looking for favor and high esteem? The Bible tells us not to forsake mercy and truth. As a matter of fact, we are to wrap it around our neck and write them in our heart. In other words, they are to be important to us! Living God’s truth and walking in mercy pays greater dividends, then trying to please man. That’s what David did. He had hidden the truth of God’s word in his heart and knew mercy was required of him. Just because we have a right to be angry, or a right to get somebody back, doesn’t mean we should. Do what God requires by extending mercy, and He will give you both favor and high esteem with Him and with man!

One last important verse on mercy that I just have to share:

He who follows righteousness and mercy, finds life, righteousness, and honor. Proverbs 21:21 NKJV

Wow! Isn’t that something to ponder on? When we are kind and show mercy as a way of life, we find life, right standing with God, and honor! We shouldn’t just be following facebook, Twitter and Instagram! We should be following righteousness and mercy! Then we will find life! I don’t know about you, but I am going to do a better job with acting justly and showing mercy. In one scripture, the Bible says that it is good for us! Aren’t you ready for some good in your life? I just told you how to get! Fall in love with demonstrating mercy to others! Stay tuned for what God has to say to us about this last requirement! Wonderful Jesus!

God’s Requirements

Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God? NKJV

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This verse keeps popping up, which leads me to believe that I am supposed to blog about it. If you’ve been following my blogs for a while, you already know this happens to me occasionally.

God is upset with His people in this chapter of Micah. He tells them that He is bringing charges against them and building a case against them. God asks them, how has He done them wrong? He goes on to remind them of how He brought them out of Egypt and paid a great price to get them out of slavery. He sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to lead them. He reminds them that when Balak wanted to curse them, He wouldn’t allow it. And He reminds them of other victories won on their behalf.

He asks them another question. How can you show God the respect due Him? What are you going to do, bring me a bunch of offerings? Would he be impressed with thousands of rams or the sacrifice of your children to cancel your sin?No! It’s already been made plain in the law of how God wants His people to live. This includes, to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly before their God. Today, I want to look at the first part, to act justly.

Let’s define the word justly. In the Webster’s Dictionary of 1828, justly is defined as “honestly, fairly, with integrity, properly, accurately, and exactly”. This isn’t the comprehensive definition, but it will work for my purposes.

Justice can be seen in a lot of ways. I think about where we are today and wonder when did justice get so many definitions. In the word, wrong is wrong and right is right. But in today’s society, wrong can be right, and right can be wrong depending on who you are talking to. That’s man’s way, not God’s. When God says that He requires of us to act justly, He meant what He said.

No matter how many laws are written based on our Constitution, laws that are contrary to the word of God are not just laws. At one time, the law said that my ancestors were not people, but property. That was an unjust law, and I am grateful it is not in the books any longer. But the spirit of superiority it instilled in many whites couldn’t be removed with the ink of the pen. It has to be removed with prayer and the following of God’s example of what is just.

When I think of acting justly in today’s society I think of the LGBQT community. Do I agree with the laws written about their rights to marriage and all of that? No! But I do agree that they are human beings and they should not be attacked, mistreated, or abused because of their sexual orientation. Neither do I believe that they are second class citizens. As Christians, I believe we really need to be more Christ-like and hate the sin, and love the sinner! How can we win them over to our loving savior, when we are critical, judgmental, and even hateful when dealing with them.

I was sitting in a bible study one night when the issue of abortion came up. I made a comment about abortion not being the will of God because a life is taken. One of the young ladies, who was already a professing Christian, jumped up and ran out of the room. I knew my comment had upset her. I went to her and talked with her and prayed with her. After our conversation, she was able to go on without the guilt of having had an abortion. I hate the sin, but I am learning to love those who commit the sin, whether it was before Christ came into their life, or after.

There are all kinds of ways to act justly. I think of the daughters of Zelophehad in Joshua 17. They had addressed an issue with Moses about inheriting their father’s part in the promised land. Moses thought their “argument” was a good case, and granted them their desire. When Joshua and Eleazar were giving out the land, they approached them. Joshua demonstrated his ability to act justly by fulfilling the promise that Moses had made them, and that actually God had already said yes to. No one pretended that they didn’t know what the women were talking about, or that Moses didn’t realize the thing he had said yes to would be unfair because they couldn’t go to war. No! They acted justly in regards of the daughters of Zelophehad and in giving them the land.

We are the only Christ, that some people will see. If we can ignore injustice, participate in sin, excuse sin, and live deceitfully before people, why would we think that would attract them to our Heavenly Father? Let me assure you, it doesn’t.

God requires, expects us, to act justly. He expects us to do the right thing in every situation and at all times. When we don’t, He expects us to own up to it, repent of it, and fix it, or do better the next time.

Can I just say it plainly, in case it was missed, I am against sin, just like God is. I have the same opinion about it that He has, whether that sin is committed by someone I know or someone I don’t know. However, in acting justly, we have to separate the sin from the sinner and learn to love the people that Jesus gave His life for.

Lastly, God chose Abraham and had this to say about him:

Genesis 18:19- “For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.”

God said of Abraham that He knew Abraham, and He knew that Abraham would be just and teach his children to be just. The phrase “justice and judgement” is the same Hebrew word for “act justly”. God is watching us. He is delighted when we “do the right thing” even when it is unpopular, unusual, and considered to be wrong.

Make a point to act justly. It matters in the big things and in the little things. Not only does it matter, but God requires it of us! Wonderful Jesus!

From Bitter to Victory

Exodus 15:25 – “So he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet…”

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I’ve been writing about bitterness. The bitter water of Marah, and the bitterness of Naomi’s soul, and today I want to talk a little bit about the path to victory.

In this chapter in Exodus, we read how the children of Israel were three days in the wilderness looking for water when they came to Marah. It was called Marah because of the bitter waters. After they discovered the bitter water they began to complain against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink”? I’m pretty sure they said more than that!

In the verse above, Moses cried out to the Lord. That is key to getting the victory. Crying out to the Lord is a form a prayer. ( See Numbers 20:16, 1 Kings 17:21, Psalm 18:6). Getting the victory over bitterness will involve crying out to God! He is the only one who truly understands the circumstances and root of the problem; and He is the only one who can effectively deal with it. He doesn’t need a list of all the things that happened, He doesn’t have to be reminded of all the pain experienced to get to this place, He was there! The place of prayer should never become the place of complaining! This time can be better spent asking Him for forgiveness, acknowledging the need to be made free, and receiving healing!

I know people just like Naomi. They may not ask to be called Mara, but their actions and attitude certainly make you want to call them that. Men and women alike who feel they have been dealt a bad hand by society, by their family members, by their boss, by the Lord. There seems to be nothing that you can say to help them to see that they have become embittered and they need to let this stuff go. Trust me when I say, I can understand a lot of these feelings. But when we allow bitterness’ roots to take over our life, they choke the life out of us. It’s time to be free!

After Moses cried out to the Lord, the Lord showed him a tree. And when he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet. Before Moses cried out, God had already prepared the answer! A tree! God’s purification system for the bitter waters was a tree! Simplistic, yet just what they needed for their miracle! When Moses prayed (cried out) to the Lord, He was able to hear from God and to see the provision.

As He had provided for the children of Israel, He had done the same thing for Naomi. She was complaining about her situation, and how bitter she was because of it, and God had already provided for her. Ruth! Ruth served Naomi by going out and reaping in the fields in order for them to have food. She catches the eye of the owner, Boaz, who just happens to be a relative of Naomi’s. Naomi decided that Ruth needed to marry Boaz, her kinsman redeemer, and tells Ruth how to make it happen. He marries Ruth, and then they have a son! Look at God, providing a family for Naomi!

Ruth 4:14-15- “Then the women said to Naomi, ‘Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a close relative; and may his name be famous in Israel! And may he be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age; for your daughter -in-law, who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has borne him.’”

These were probably the same women who asked, “Is this Naomi?” They watched, along with everyone else, as Ruth took care of Naomi. When Obed was born, they proclaimed to Naomi that Ruth’s love was better than seven sons. That’s some kind of love! Not only that, they spoke into Naomi’s life in regards to Obed, that he would be to her “a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age”. God placed Ruth in her life, led Ruth to her kinsman redeemer, and blessed them with a son. Look at God!

Naomi didn’t recognize this when she was filled with bitterness. As a matter of fact, it is as if the women had to point it out to her! In other words, there’s no more reason to be bitter Naomi, look at all that God has provided for you! What a blessing Ruth was to Naomi, but what a blessing to have people around you who can help you see life through a clearer set of lens. Don’t rebuff them, for in doing so you might miss God!

After God brings healing to the waters of Marah, He establishes a statue with the children of Israel that He is Jehovah Rapha the God that heals. He healed bitter water and He heals bitterness of the soul! He heals physically, emotionally, and mentally; and He evens heals nature when He needs to.

In verse 27, they arrive at a place called Elim. In this place they discover twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees. Just as Naomi’s story ends on a high, the children of Israel’s story ends on a high. God provided them with more than enough! He led them to a place with plenty of water, and plenty of shade; an oasis.

When we allow God, to “sweeten the water” of our lives, our future will be much brighter than our current situation. The tree of life still cleanses and purifies bitterness. That tree of life is Jesus!

Don’t wait another day to cry out to the Lord. Then look for His provision in the situation. Whatever He shows you, whatever He asks of you, grab hold to it as your provision, and get the victory over bitterness! Let the rest of your life be the best of your life! Wonderful Jesus!!

Proud to Be Bitter!

Ruth 1:19-20 – Now the two of them went until they came to Bethlehem. And it happened, when they had come to Bethlehem, that all the city was excited because of them; and the women said, “ Is this Naomi?” But she said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.” NKJV

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In my last post, I wrote about the children of Israel stopping at a place called Marah. Today I want to continue my discussion of the sin of bitterness. I sensed a need to “update” this “series” from my first year of blogging.

Naomi and her husband went to the land of Moab with their sons to avoid the famine in Bethlehem. After they got to Moab, her husband died. Her two sons had married Moabite women and after a time, her sons died. Around this time, Naomi hears that there is food in Bethlehem, and she decides to return to the land that she had come from. Her daughters-in-law wanted to go with her; but in the end, Ruth was the only one to travel with her to Bethlehem.

It’s been at least 10 years since Naomi and her family departed from Bethlehem, maybe longer. For some reason, the women of Bethlehem ask “Is this Naomi?” It could have been the shock of seeing her again, or of seeing her alone, or she could have changed in some way. Whatever the reason, they were unsure that it was her.

Naomi immediately tells the women that they are not to call her Naomi, which means pleasant, but they are to call her Mara which means bitter. She continues to explain why she wants to change her name:

• The Lord has dealt very bitterly with me, she said!

• I went out full (with a husband and two sons).

• And the Lord has brought me home again empty; which wasn’t completely true, because she had a daughter in Ruth!

I’m not judging Naomi, but it’s pretty obvious here that she is making it plain that she is bitter and has a right to be bitter. She is so bitter, that she believes the Lord has dealt very bitterly with her. I can only imagine the devastating heartache that would accompany the loss of both a husband and your children. So I get that she is hurting! What I don’t understand is why she feels she has a right to be bitter!

In Naomi telling the women, “Call me Mara” she sounds as if being bitter is a badge of honor. It is not! Then she goes on to list all of her issues as if she has earned the right to be bitter. She has not! God wasn’t responsible for the things that caused her bitterness, and He isn’t responsible for any bitterness that we may harbor in our heart.

The Bible doesn’t elaborate on how her husband and sons perished, but whatever caused their deaths, she laid the blame at God’s door, and that’s not where it belongs!

In Jeremiah 4:18, God shares insight into bitterness:

“It’s the way you’ve lived that’s brought all this on you. The bitter taste is from your evil life. That’s what’s piercing your heart.” Jeremiah 4:18 MSG

In other words, God is saying that the bitterness isn’t from His hand. He wasn’t piercing Naomi’s heart, life was! He isn’t piercing your heart, life is! Maybe not your life, but maybe the life of a loved one lived without God, and your heart is pierced. It’s not His fault! Things happen to the just and the unjust! When stuff happens to the just, we are not to react like the unjust. The unjust have no hope for they are without God; but we have the promise of deliverance, from the Great Deliverer!

Peter, in addressing Simon the diviner realized that he was a bitter man and said this:

For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.” Acts 8:23 NKJV

Bitterness is poison to the soul. It is deadly and capable of causing many physical issues in your life. It’s not worth holding on to!

In the book of Hebrews, it is written:

“Looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;” Hebrews 12:15 NKJV

The writer of Hebrews encourages us to be careful unless we allow a root of bitterness to spring up and bring trouble in our lives and cause many people to be defiled. When we are bitter we have a tendency of defiling ourselves and others. Our bitterness becomes the lens in which life and relationships are processed.

When I got married, several divorced women told me that all men were dogs. Others told me to watch out for the seven year itch. These things were said by women who had become embittered towards the institution of marriage and men. Probably with great cause! These words could have defiled me and my marriage had I listened to them! But I didn’t! I considered my source!

James said:

But if you have bitter, envy, and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. James 3:14 NKJV

James is letting us know that there is nothing to boast about when we are bitter. As a matter of fact when we boast, we lie against the truth! Our situations, our pain, and eventually our bitterness makes us feel like we have a right to feel the way we feel, and say the things we say, which results in us lying against the truth of God’s word!

In my opinion, bitterness short-circuits a heart of gratefulness. Naomi was still alive! Ruth had come with her to help provide for her and to take care of her. They had made it back to Bethlehem without any trouble. She had much to be thankful for. But she wasn’t concerned about anything except the fact that she had loss so much! Ruth was also a widow and we don’t get any vibes that she was bitter. Naomi’s bitterness was so deep that she could only see her pain and her losses, and was blind to the goodness of God. Rightly she said that she should be called bitter because she was a very bitter woman.

But Naomi had a loving Father. One who doesn’t easily offend. One who knows we are imperfect beings. One who understands. And even though she couldn’t see Him working things out to bless her, He was doing exactly that! And thankfully, if you are born again, your Heavenly Father is wanting you free of bitterness because the poison is destroying the blessings He is bringing in your life!

Life is tough! For some it seems to be down right unbearable. But, it is not an excuse for bitterness, or a need to boast in it! Bitterness says I will never do this, or I will never do that, because of what happened to me! Bitterness says that no one has the right to tell me how to feel until they have walked in my shoes! Bitterness says I will never trust another person as long as I live! All these emotional statements stem from a root of bitterness!

Stop boasting in your bitterness! Get rid of it! A willing and repentant heart is all God needs to start the process of healing! Instead of blaming Him, try trusting Him! Instead of living with bitterness, try living without it! Let it go! It’s only making you sick! Wonderful Jesus!

It’s Not For Drinking!

Exodus 15:23 -Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah.

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The children of Israel found themselves in an unwelcome place. They had been wandering in the desert for three days unable to find water. And when they finally find water, it is undrinkable! It’s bitter! Can you imagine how frustrating this could be? Maybe you haven’t been looking for water, but maybe you have been looking for something else, and when you found it, it was not what you expected! Some women spend a lot of time looking for a husband, and in desperation they find one, but it wasn’t what they were expecting. Some look for a high paying job, and when they get it, it wasn’t what they were expecting! It happens to the best of us!

If you read the fourteen chapters before this verse, you can well understand that for the people of Israel, this is just another disappointment in a whole list of disappointments. Have you ever been there? Have you ever felt this way?

They were slaves for over 400 years under Egyptian rule and hard taskmasters. When Moses came to deliver them, instead of things getting better, they got worst. When they got to the Red Sea, the Egyptians came up behind them and they were sure they would be slaughtered. And typical of human nature, they were probably feeling “If it’s not one thing, it’s another”. Can you relate? I’m sure that you can! I know I can relate to this on a couple levels!

But God! In the midst of their situations, God was mindful of them and working things out for their good. They couldn’t see it at the time, but it was happening nevertheless. And guess what, I can testify to that truth, that in those frustrating moments, those times of disappointment, He was working on my behalf, and He is probably working on yours!

While they were in bondage, Moses was born. And even though it took him 80 years to get to the place where God could use him, God was still working on the deliverance of His people! They didn’t see it! They didn’t know freedom was on the way, but God was working towards their deliverance!

While Pharaoh was constantly saying no to Moses and God; God was demonstrating His power to deliver; and when He did, they came out of Egypt with great wealth. The tables had turned. The ones who had mistreated them so severely was severely dealt with by God! The ones who had labored and received no wages in return, left with the spoils of Egypt. When I read the Word of God and see this type of thing, I am encouraged, because I know that if I trust Him with my disappointments, He will turn them around for my benefit!

When they got to the Red Sea, (after having been led by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night) God parted the Red Sea and they crossed over on dry land. How spectacular is that! I can’t help but think that at this point they should have been fully persuaded that God was on their side. At this point, after being led by a cloud by day, fire by night, and having the Red Sea opened for them, they should have been able to trust Him for something as simple as water. But that was not the case!

When they arrived in the Wilderness of Shur, and for three days they couldn’t find water, they were not happy! They were upset!! Doesn’t that just sound like people. No matter what God does for us, if He doesn’t do that “one” thing, we can get an attitude with Him real quick!! Instead of remembering His goodness towards us, we can only concentrate on our disappointments and hurts, just like the people of Israel!

Exodus 15:24 – And the people complained against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?”

Wouldn’t you think that after all of the miracles before the Exodus and the latest miracle of crossing the Red Sea, that coming to bitter water would cause them to look forward to what God was about to do instead of complaining? Hind sight is twenty twenty!

How many times have you and I seen the hand of God move on our behalf? For me, I have been healed of paralysis, one of our daughters was healed of abnormal seizure activity, another was healed of larynx Malaysia, while yet another was healed of “the issue of blood”, to name a few. Many times He has provided finances, jobs at just the right time, favor in a situation, protection from an incident or accident… and the list of His faithfulness to us can go on and on! How about you? What has He done for you through the years? Any healings? Any financial breakthroughs? Any protections?

And yet, just like the children of Israel, when something happens contrary to what we expect, we find ourselves dealing with bitter waters. I know, we don’t like to admit that we can become bitter with the Heavenly Father, but it happens all too frequently.

Bitterness is a terrible place to camp out at. The bitter water was good for nothing, and so are bitter people. Life can at times be filled with disappointments, setbacks, and even heartaches. God knows this! And so does Jesus. Didn’t He say in John 16:33-“ In this world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world”? Jesus didn’t say, we would have tribulations and at this time He understands how we can become embittered. Nope! He said, “be of good cheer”! What kind of advice is that? That’s the kind of advice One gives when He knows the Father!

In other words, we are not to allow these things to stump us, to cause us to become bitter. We are to understand that He overcame that we might overcome! We are to realize that the One who delivered us before can deliver us again. We are to trust that the One who provided will provide again! There is no situation that is too big for the God we serve. There is no problem that He cannot solve! There is no circumstance that He cannot overcome! He is God! He has not lost His ability to bring about a miracle in our life!

If you are stuck at the waters of Marah, feeling bitter about life, it is time to change your location. Time to move from this place of bitterness to your oasis. Bitter water is not for drinking, so don’t drink it! Repent of your bitterness and ask God to give you life giving water, so you’ll never thirst again! Then watch Him do it! Wonderful Jesus!