Friday, June 19, 2015

Sticking With Jesus

Date: Friday, June 19, 2015
Chapters: Psalms 59-63
Message Title: Sticking With Jesus

Hello My Friend,

Every morning is seems I am waking up to see yet another tragic event involving someone shooting at or killing people in numbers. We do not have to worry about the wars in other countries because there is a war in our very own. People are lost, confused, and corrupted by lies passed down through media, society, and even our own government. It's going to get a lot worse before it gets better, and no one can blame God for this because they are doing it to themselves. While we cannot control society, we can control what we do, and we can make sure that the lost, confused, and corrupted hear the truth from us before it's too late. “And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” - Matthew 24:6-8,13.

David was a man of war, in fact, the majority of his reign as king and even before he became king he was out there fighting for his country. Perhaps his most constant and never ending war was the one that Saul made with him. It wasn't uncommon for him to go to God with his problems, in fact, he often asks God to just get rid of them. “Behold, they belch out with their mouth: swords are in their lips: for who, say they, doth hear? But thou, O LORD, shalt laugh at them; thou shalt have all the heathen in derision. Because of his strength will I wait upon thee: for God is my defence. The God of my mercy shall prevent me: God shall let me see my desire upon mine enemies. Slay them not, lest my people forget: scatter them by thy power; and bring them down, O Lord our shield. For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips let them even be taken in their pride: and for cursing and lying which they speak. Consume them in wrath, consume them, that they may not be: and let them know that God ruleth in Jacob unto the ends of the earth. Selah.” - Psalms 59:7-13.

We must face the fact that because we are Christians we are going to be stuck in the middle of all this war. We may have heaven and the Kingdom of God to look forward to, but we still have to deal with things until God brings us home or Jesus returns. It's important that we tell the truth about Jesus, and yes, we are going to be persecuted for our faith, but we have God to help us through it, just as David did. “Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.” - Psalms 61:1-4.

There is something comforting about knowing that God is with you when you are just overwhelmed with burdens. We cannot always avoid problems that come, but we can find shelter in the wings of God. “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” - Isaiah 40:31.

David might not have known Jesus during his time, but he did know that Jesus would come and that He would come in the flesh from his very own seed. He knew that salvation alone came from Him and that He would deliver him from all evil. “My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah. Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity. Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them. God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.” - Psalms 62:5-11.

We cannot trust in riches or wealth, we cannot worry about oppression or poverty, why God allows any of His people to live in poverty is His choice and we are not to question why. Jesus Himself lived in poverty while He was here, He didn't do it to mock us or make us feel less of a person than the rich. He did it to prove to all that God does not look at our wealth to determine how rich we are, He looks at our heart. “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” - Matthew 6:19-21.

God has put in in a position the last few years to where I literally have to ask Him daily for my bread. I do not know why or how long I have to go through this trial, but what I do know is that He never stops supplying me with what I need. Of course, He loves to take me to the point that it's always at the last minute, but that is when He gets the most glory. Let me tell you, while He has no problem filling us with riches of the world, He's gonna make sure that He gets the glory if He does. To see God do some amazing things in our lives we must give Him the glory for everything, even the food and water we got to consume this morning. “O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name. Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.” - Psalms 63:1-4,7.

As Christians, the hardest part of our journey is the affliction we face simply for being a Christian. It's not going to change until Jesus returns, we are going to be tempted, tried, afflicted, and persecuted for loving and trusting Him. We must never give up the fight because we have much more than those who try us will ever have, we have Jesus. And who knows, we may just get one of them converted, which is God's purpose for allowing us to go through all this in the first place. “And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.” - Mark 4:11,12.

Today's Prayer: God, It seems the more time goes by the closer it is to Your Son returning to claim all of us before the destruction of the world and in the midst of this crazy world our only refuge is You. Lord, lead us and guide us, keep us safe from those who want to hurt us and give us the strength to endure anything that comes our way. You are our power, our strength, and our protection when everything in this world is falling apart. Thank You for not leaving us nor forsaking us no matter what we go through, and for giving us true treasures to look forward to. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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