Date:
Tuesday,
June 30, 2015
Chapters: Psalms 105-106
Message Title: When God Becomes Stagnant
Hello My Friend,
When a saved person begins walking with Christ something amazing happens, Christ literally transforms us into something even we would not recognize. He takes us, who were weighed down by sin, guilt, and shame and makes us better than we ever were. Now, this takes some time, but the closer we get to Him the more He shines through us. Now, there comes a time in every Christians life when things kind of get stagnant in our walk with Christ, we just don't feel Him with us. Oh, we may still do everything we always do, go to church, pray, read the Bible, and live a pretty moral life, but something is amiss, we do not have that connection we use to, and life seems to be at a pause. When things seem to be standing still, that is when we need a little revival of our spirit. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” - Colossians 3:16,17.
Life has a way of bringing our spirit down, we try to keep up a good front, but deep down we are drowning with things like financial burdens, depression, sickness, loneliness, or discontent. Sometimes the best thing we can do to lift up our spirits is to read the Psalms, sing spiritual songs, or even encourage others through testimonies of what Christ has done in our lives. “O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works. Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD. Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore. Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth; O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen. He is the LORD our God: his judgments are in all the earth.” - Psalms 105:1-7.
We must remember that whatever we are going through has an expected end, and that God has something great in store for us when we get there. When we get stuck in the same routines and it seems like we are never going to go anywhere, keep in mind what God is doing while He has us waiting, He's preparing us for something great. “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” - Romans 8:24-26.
Life also has a way of making us forget all that God has done for us, it's not that we intentionally forget, it's that we somehow lose that gratitude we once had and that is when things kind of stop for us. Instead of forcing ourselves to pick up His Word or praying, God wants us to willingly come to Him, and we can do that by praising Him and thanking Him for what He has done for us. “Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD? who can shew forth all his praise? Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times. Remember me, O LORD, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation; That I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance. We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly. Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea. Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.” - Psalms 106:1-8.
Sometimes we just do not know how to talk to God and that may be why things get stagnant. Of course, God knows our needs, desires, and burdens, but He wants us to talk to Him like we did before. We must not forget His blessing, the good, bad, and ugly times that He got us through, and must always have hope in those yet to come. “Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” - 2 Corinthians 4:14-18.
It may be possible that things become stagnant if we are allowing things in our lives, not necessarily sin, but those who are living in sin. We like to think that we are capable of handling those who are living morally or corrupt lives, but we cannot, and they will draw us away from God if we continue to allow them to remain a part of our lives. “Because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips. They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the LORD commanded them: But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works. Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions. Therefore was the wrath of the LORD kindled against his people, insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance. And he gave them into the hand of the heathen; and they that hated them ruled over them. Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praise. Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the LORD.” - Psalms 106:33-35,39-41,47,48.
I will admit that there was a time in my life when I allowed a man to come and go in my life, he was not good for me at all, but I continued helping him even though I knew God did not want me to. I made the false assumption that if I kept helping him that maybe he would change his ways, in fact, all he was doing was trying to change mine. It was not until I said goodbye to him for good that I saw my relationship with God improve and those around me as well, He even brought a new man in my life. When we hinder God, He cannot work, but when we trust Him and praise Him, even when we are stuck, He does a mighty work. We must also realize that while we may be stuck, God is protecting us, He lets us move when He knows we are going to be safe. “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” - 1 Peter 5:6-10.
Today's Prayer: God, As life pulls us in every direction, we can forget to praise You and thank You for all You have done and continue to do in our lives. Even if we go to church, read the Bible, and pray every day we can become stagnant in our walk with You because our we are so burdened with things. Lord, lift up our spirits, bring back the joy we had when we first began serving You, give us the strength and Your power to remove the people and things from our lives that keep us stuck. While we are stuck, let us never cease from praising You, keep us singing, and looking forward to the amazing things You have waiting for us when we are able to move forward. I ask these things in Jesus' name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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Chapters: Psalms 105-106
Message Title: When God Becomes Stagnant
Hello My Friend,
When a saved person begins walking with Christ something amazing happens, Christ literally transforms us into something even we would not recognize. He takes us, who were weighed down by sin, guilt, and shame and makes us better than we ever were. Now, this takes some time, but the closer we get to Him the more He shines through us. Now, there comes a time in every Christians life when things kind of get stagnant in our walk with Christ, we just don't feel Him with us. Oh, we may still do everything we always do, go to church, pray, read the Bible, and live a pretty moral life, but something is amiss, we do not have that connection we use to, and life seems to be at a pause. When things seem to be standing still, that is when we need a little revival of our spirit. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” - Colossians 3:16,17.
Life has a way of bringing our spirit down, we try to keep up a good front, but deep down we are drowning with things like financial burdens, depression, sickness, loneliness, or discontent. Sometimes the best thing we can do to lift up our spirits is to read the Psalms, sing spiritual songs, or even encourage others through testimonies of what Christ has done in our lives. “O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works. Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD. Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore. Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth; O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen. He is the LORD our God: his judgments are in all the earth.” - Psalms 105:1-7.
We must remember that whatever we are going through has an expected end, and that God has something great in store for us when we get there. When we get stuck in the same routines and it seems like we are never going to go anywhere, keep in mind what God is doing while He has us waiting, He's preparing us for something great. “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” - Romans 8:24-26.
Life also has a way of making us forget all that God has done for us, it's not that we intentionally forget, it's that we somehow lose that gratitude we once had and that is when things kind of stop for us. Instead of forcing ourselves to pick up His Word or praying, God wants us to willingly come to Him, and we can do that by praising Him and thanking Him for what He has done for us. “Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD? who can shew forth all his praise? Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times. Remember me, O LORD, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation; That I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance. We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly. Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea. Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.” - Psalms 106:1-8.
Sometimes we just do not know how to talk to God and that may be why things get stagnant. Of course, God knows our needs, desires, and burdens, but He wants us to talk to Him like we did before. We must not forget His blessing, the good, bad, and ugly times that He got us through, and must always have hope in those yet to come. “Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” - 2 Corinthians 4:14-18.
It may be possible that things become stagnant if we are allowing things in our lives, not necessarily sin, but those who are living in sin. We like to think that we are capable of handling those who are living morally or corrupt lives, but we cannot, and they will draw us away from God if we continue to allow them to remain a part of our lives. “Because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips. They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the LORD commanded them: But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works. Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions. Therefore was the wrath of the LORD kindled against his people, insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance. And he gave them into the hand of the heathen; and they that hated them ruled over them. Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praise. Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the LORD.” - Psalms 106:33-35,39-41,47,48.
I will admit that there was a time in my life when I allowed a man to come and go in my life, he was not good for me at all, but I continued helping him even though I knew God did not want me to. I made the false assumption that if I kept helping him that maybe he would change his ways, in fact, all he was doing was trying to change mine. It was not until I said goodbye to him for good that I saw my relationship with God improve and those around me as well, He even brought a new man in my life. When we hinder God, He cannot work, but when we trust Him and praise Him, even when we are stuck, He does a mighty work. We must also realize that while we may be stuck, God is protecting us, He lets us move when He knows we are going to be safe. “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” - 1 Peter 5:6-10.
Today's Prayer: God, As life pulls us in every direction, we can forget to praise You and thank You for all You have done and continue to do in our lives. Even if we go to church, read the Bible, and pray every day we can become stagnant in our walk with You because our we are so burdened with things. Lord, lift up our spirits, bring back the joy we had when we first began serving You, give us the strength and Your power to remove the people and things from our lives that keep us stuck. While we are stuck, let us never cease from praising You, keep us singing, and looking forward to the amazing things You have waiting for us when we are able to move forward. I ask these things in Jesus' name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Subscribe: Daily Devotion
Ready To Follow Jesus?: God's Price
Visit Our Website: I'm Following Jesus
Like Us On Facebook: I'm Following Jesus
Copyright © 2015 I'm Following Jesus, All rights reserved.
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