Waiting for my change
Change can best be described as making something different from what it is or from what it would be if left alone. Ovid states: All things change, nothing is extinguished. There is nothing in the whole world which is permanent. Everything flows onward; all things are brought into being with a changing nature; the ages themselves glide by in constant movement.
Job 14:13-14 O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me! If a man dies, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.
Job’s three friends came to comfort him, but they ended up criticizing him. Mortal human beings are far too ignorant to understand fully the ways of God. For us to fit God into our own little “theological boxes” is to limit Him and make Him less than God.
Job appeals for sympathy. His friends did not show love and understanding; to them Job was a theological problem, not a suffering saint. Job then appeals for a chance to confront God. Job appeals to his basic integrity. He denies that he is secretly a sinner. He knows his own heart. He appeals to his faith in God. Yet God seemed to have abandoned Job. He then appeals to die. He asks God to hide him in a grave; a place where he can find rest until the situation had past and that God would remember him.
Today you might be in the midst of some of life’s unfortunate storms. Like Job the storms may not be a result of anything you have done or even brought upon yourself. Maybe you have sought help, counsel or support from friends and can’t find any love or understanding. As we read in Job some events in life are for an appointed time. In other words trouble will not last always. Job realized that even in death there is a change. All the days of our life are in God’s hand and when we are facing the storms of life, whether physical, spiritual, mental, emotional or even financial.
One of the most inspiring individuals I have read about is Theodore Roosevelt, our 26th President. He was the youngest president in U.S. History. As a child he was weak and sickly for many years. While being confined to the indoors he developed a love for reading and learning. Upon entering the presidency, Roosevelt had established a style of his own that he retained throughout his life. He was a reformer. He challenged convention to achieve what he believed to be morally right. He handled controversy well, a trait essential for someone with his thirst for quick action. He had learned to adapt to change.
Franklin Roosevelt says “When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on. Today if you are suffering any hardship, be encouraged this too (name it) shall pass. And like Job, wait for your change to come. I’m waiting for my change !! So let’s wait together. Be Blessed. God loves you and so do I….Pastor Tammy
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Saturday, June 20, 2009
The Next Step
The Next Step
(Where do I go from here?)
Ps 16:11- Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
Job loss, foreclosure, health crisis, can leave us wondering where we go from here. Maybe you have been putting in job applications and you have not received a call for an interview, what do you do to try and support your family? The path of life referenced above denotes variety abundance and immortal blessedness. If you are experiencing tough times, you may be asking yourself, "What does God want me to do next?" Perhaps you're pondering your future, uncertain of your plans, unsure of your next step. But even if you don't have a clear plan for the next step of your life's journey, you may rest assured that God does.
Jer 29:11-13 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
God has a plan for the universe, and He has a plan for you. He understands that plan as thoroughly and completely as He knows you. If you seek God's will earnestly and prayerfully, He will make His plans known to you in His own time and in His own way. God makes His plans for His people, and they are good plans that ultimately bring hope and peace. Therefore, there is no need to be afraid or discouraged. In every situation, however, God’s people have the responsibility to seek the Lord, pray, and ask Him to fulfill His promises, for the Word and prayer go together.
Perhaps your vision of God's purpose for your life has been clouded by a wish list that you have expected God to dutifully fulfill. Perhaps, you have fervently hoped that God would create a world that unfolds according to your wishes, not His. If so, you have probably experienced more disappointment than satisfaction and more frustration than peace. A better strategy is to surrender your will for God’s will (and not to struggle vainly in an attempt to conform His will to yours).
Sometimes, God's plans and purposes may seem unmistakably clear to you. If so, push ahead. But other times, He may lead you through the wilderness before He directs you to the Promised Land. So be patient and keep seeking His will for your life. When you do, you'll be amazed at the marvelous things that an all-powerful, all-knowing God can do.
My next step is to wait on the Lord, be of good courage and he will strengthen thine heart, wait I say on the Lord. Don’t be anxious for anything, but by prayer and supplication make your request known to God…...God Loves you and So do I…….Pastor Tammy
(Where do I go from here?)
Ps 16:11- Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
Job loss, foreclosure, health crisis, can leave us wondering where we go from here. Maybe you have been putting in job applications and you have not received a call for an interview, what do you do to try and support your family? The path of life referenced above denotes variety abundance and immortal blessedness. If you are experiencing tough times, you may be asking yourself, "What does God want me to do next?" Perhaps you're pondering your future, uncertain of your plans, unsure of your next step. But even if you don't have a clear plan for the next step of your life's journey, you may rest assured that God does.
Jer 29:11-13 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
God has a plan for the universe, and He has a plan for you. He understands that plan as thoroughly and completely as He knows you. If you seek God's will earnestly and prayerfully, He will make His plans known to you in His own time and in His own way. God makes His plans for His people, and they are good plans that ultimately bring hope and peace. Therefore, there is no need to be afraid or discouraged. In every situation, however, God’s people have the responsibility to seek the Lord, pray, and ask Him to fulfill His promises, for the Word and prayer go together.
Perhaps your vision of God's purpose for your life has been clouded by a wish list that you have expected God to dutifully fulfill. Perhaps, you have fervently hoped that God would create a world that unfolds according to your wishes, not His. If so, you have probably experienced more disappointment than satisfaction and more frustration than peace. A better strategy is to surrender your will for God’s will (and not to struggle vainly in an attempt to conform His will to yours).
Sometimes, God's plans and purposes may seem unmistakably clear to you. If so, push ahead. But other times, He may lead you through the wilderness before He directs you to the Promised Land. So be patient and keep seeking His will for your life. When you do, you'll be amazed at the marvelous things that an all-powerful, all-knowing God can do.
My next step is to wait on the Lord, be of good courage and he will strengthen thine heart, wait I say on the Lord. Don’t be anxious for anything, but by prayer and supplication make your request known to God…...God Loves you and So do I…….Pastor Tammy
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Drawing Close to God - The Necessity of Quality Time with God
Drawing Close to God
The necessity of Quiet Time with God
Where is God? There are times in our life when it seems as if we are waiting on God. Truth be told, God is waiting on us. I need quiet times because I need God. He is the one who makes sense of life for me, in times of crisis or calm. I came to realize that just as my body needs regular meals to be healthy and energetic, so my relationship with God also needs regular nourishment. Thinking about God is important, but it is not easy.
Because we live in a society influenced by secular culture, unless we take conscious precautions, we too can develop God-blindness. And like colorblind people, we go about our lives without realizing that something is wrong. When we practice quiet time, we counter the forces of God-blindness. Quiet time focuses our spiritual sight so that we can meet with God.
Ps 42:2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? (NIV)
Attending church and all sorts of religious activities can have the appearance of seeking God when in fact it is another means of avoidance. The compulsive busyness of our culture is also a means of avoiding God. Most of us spend forty to sixty hours a week at work. We have families, children with after school activities, bills to pay. Even as we maintain such a crazy pace, we lament it. If we ever slowed down, the presence of God might just begin to get through.
What is a quiet time? A quiet time is a meeting with God. The presence of God is the birthright of every believer. This is important to fix in your mind. It is always possible to know God better than we do. When we have a quiet time, we feed our souls. We lift our eyes beyond the here and now to the eternal. If we want to meet with God, we have to set aside time. This is not easy. Most of us feel that we have too much to do and not enough time.
How can we establish time patterns that will allow us to meet with God? We must choose to set aside holy time. We are busy people who live in a busy world. But if we are going to spend time with God, we will have to slow down our pace. We must create a space in our lives to be with God. Find a meeting place. We need special places for spiritual nourishment. We must practice Solitude. Solitude is being alone on purpose. Loneliness happens to you. Emotionally and mentally step out of all your personal connections, not because they aren’t important, but because you want to come back to them strengthened and refreshed from your time alone with God.
God creates time, meets us in time and orders time. Therefore the use of time is to revolve around him. Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you. God Loves You and so do I….Pastor Tammy
The necessity of Quiet Time with God
Where is God? There are times in our life when it seems as if we are waiting on God. Truth be told, God is waiting on us. I need quiet times because I need God. He is the one who makes sense of life for me, in times of crisis or calm. I came to realize that just as my body needs regular meals to be healthy and energetic, so my relationship with God also needs regular nourishment. Thinking about God is important, but it is not easy.
Because we live in a society influenced by secular culture, unless we take conscious precautions, we too can develop God-blindness. And like colorblind people, we go about our lives without realizing that something is wrong. When we practice quiet time, we counter the forces of God-blindness. Quiet time focuses our spiritual sight so that we can meet with God.
Ps 42:2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? (NIV)
Attending church and all sorts of religious activities can have the appearance of seeking God when in fact it is another means of avoidance. The compulsive busyness of our culture is also a means of avoiding God. Most of us spend forty to sixty hours a week at work. We have families, children with after school activities, bills to pay. Even as we maintain such a crazy pace, we lament it. If we ever slowed down, the presence of God might just begin to get through.
What is a quiet time? A quiet time is a meeting with God. The presence of God is the birthright of every believer. This is important to fix in your mind. It is always possible to know God better than we do. When we have a quiet time, we feed our souls. We lift our eyes beyond the here and now to the eternal. If we want to meet with God, we have to set aside time. This is not easy. Most of us feel that we have too much to do and not enough time.
How can we establish time patterns that will allow us to meet with God? We must choose to set aside holy time. We are busy people who live in a busy world. But if we are going to spend time with God, we will have to slow down our pace. We must create a space in our lives to be with God. Find a meeting place. We need special places for spiritual nourishment. We must practice Solitude. Solitude is being alone on purpose. Loneliness happens to you. Emotionally and mentally step out of all your personal connections, not because they aren’t important, but because you want to come back to them strengthened and refreshed from your time alone with God.
God creates time, meets us in time and orders time. Therefore the use of time is to revolve around him. Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you. God Loves You and so do I….Pastor Tammy
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