If you cant trace His Hand; just trust His Heart

I'll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen. "When you come looking for me, you'll find me. "Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I'll make sure you won't be disappointed." GOD's Decree. "I'll turn things around for you.(Jeremiah 29:10b-14-the msg)

Why is trusting God so difficult at times? The bible tells us to Trust in the Lord with all our hearts and lean not to our own understanding. (Prov 3:5) Still, most of us have difficulty trusting God at least at one point or another in our walk with Him. There are many reasons why we find trusting God difficult.

There are times in our life when things will happen and we wonder where is God? Does he not know or understand what is happening to us? As a pastor, I have experienced a mother whose only child was murdered. There was yet another family whose only child was about to be taken away from them because they had no place to stay. Both families found it difficult to trust God in their hour of greatest darkness. I remember standing outside of the location where the mother’s son was killed and we were praying to God. Our prayer was simple, God, we do not understand why you allowed this to happen, But we trust you. We know that you are too wise to make a mistake. You see we could not trace his hand in these events, but we trusted his heart.

Many of us want life to make sense. The truth is there will be times in your life when life makes no sense at all! How can a parent who has done all the right things still have a child who turns to drugs? What about the person who has dedicated 20 years to a company and one day unexpectedly this job is gone?

God works on a different timetable than our minds comprehend. Many of us want what we want, when we want it and most of the time that is NOW! It is difficult to trust in a plan that requires us to surrender all control. In order to trust in God, you must totally surrender your will, your ideas, your desires, and your future in to God's hands. If you don't believe that God loves you fully and really does have your best interests at heart and desires the very best for you, trusting Him is going to be extremely difficult. God is calling us to believe what seems impossible. Ask him to help you believe.

Most of us have a tendency to claim trust in God. However, at the first sign of any difficulty or trial, we think that God must not love us because He is allowing this difficulty to happen. The trial is exactly what God is using to test the level of trust that we have in Him. This is not for His benefit but for ours. This is to show us the true accuracy of our trust meter. Things are always the most difficult when we can't see the other side of our troubles

I received an email from a friend which simply said: "I will handle all your problems today. God" And here are a few reminders that if you can’t trace his hand, just trust His heart:

• Believe in God.

• Believe in God's abilities.

• Believe in God's willingness to help you through a tough time

• Believe God can and will work things out for good

The Scripture reminds us that God will show up and take care of us. He has a plan for our lives, plans to take care of you, not to abandon you, to give you the future you hope for. God encourages us to call on him and when we pray he will listen. When we come looking for Him, he promises we will find Him and we will not be disappointed. “Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. (1 Chronicles 28:20). If you can’t trace his hand; just trust his heart. God Loves You and so do I……Pastor Tammy

You Are Not Alone

2 Chronicles 32:7-8

7 Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him: With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

Assyria was a great empire by Hezekiah’s time, controlling most of the Middle East. Sennacherib, King of Assyria wanted to bring Judah, the Southern Kingdom under his control. Sennacherib wanted to win the kingdom for himself so he could force them to pay tribute. Sennacherib came against King Hezekiah with a multitude. King Hezekiah endeavored to help the people keep up their faith in order to silence and suppress their fears.

Sennacherib had a multitude with him, yet King Hezekiah told the people there were more with them than was with the enemy. For we have God with us, and if God be for us who can be against us? With our enemy is an arm of flesh, which he trusts to, but with us, is the Lord, whose power is omnipotent, a God to help us fight our battles.

Hezekiah could see with “eyes of faith”. The number of his opponents meant nothing as long as the Lord was on his side. Victory is “not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts” (Zech 4:6) Hezekiah could confidently encourage his men because he had no doubt about where he stood with God. Are you on the Lord’s side? You may never face an enemy army, but the battles you face very day can be won with God’s strength.

We have all had times where we felt all alone; times in which we felt that no one understood what we were going through or what we were feeling. Sometimes the battles of life are closing in on every side. There are times in life when we may have felt lonely or isolated. There is a difference between loneliness and isolation. Loneliness is something we try and run away from, while isolation is something we run to. When we are lonely we try to fill that void with many things; some of which are very harmful, physically, emotionally and mentally. When we need that quiet time or just some space, we go into isolation. After a hard day’s work, we look for a quite place to kick back and relax. This is a time that is purposeful and intentional. But regardless of where we find ourselves in life, we are never alone. We have a Father, who will fight for us. He is an awesome God, a Mighty God.

2 Chronicles 20:17 Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.

Be not afraid for the battle is not yours, but God’s. We may not fight an enemy army, but every day we battle temptation, pressures and rulers of the darkness of this world who want us to rebel against God. Remember as believers we have God’s Spirit in us. If we ask for God’s help when we face struggles God will fight for us. How do we let God fight for us?

• By realizing the battle is not ours but Gods

• By recognizing human limitations and allowing God’s strength to work through our fears and weaknesses

• By making sure we are pursuing God’s interests and just our own selfish desires

• By asking God to help in our daily battles

Prayer: Father, I know that you are concerned with the smallest detail that concerns me and that you are my help. Thank you for the angels who will accompany, defend and preserve me in all my ways. I am not alone. I know there is nothing that can separate me from your love, not pain, not stress or even persecution. In Jesus name! Amen. God Loves you and so do I…. Pastor Tammy

Letting Go Of Things

Phil 3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

You have too much stuff! Why don’t you get rid of some of these things? That was the words of one of my sisters to my mother who was in the midst of moving. In all honesty, my mom had accumulated a lot of things over the years. Some things were out dated; others she no longer used but held on to them anyway. In any event, my mother was not willing to let go of her “things”

We find the Apostle Paul focusing on an absolute willingness to let go of some things. He discarded his heritage, lineage, former legalism, past zeal and his self righteousness. Paul so narrowed his focus that he discarded not only the things he once counted for gain; but he counted everything as garbage for the sake of obtaining Christ.

Letting go is one of the hardest lessons in life. In life, there are many things that we need to let go of. We have to let go of situations, things, memories, and even ourselves. It's easy to form an attachment to people and things. When you've formed an attachment to people and things, it can be a very painful experience and feeling when you realized that it's time to let go. Even the mere thought of not having that person or thing in your life just squeezes your heart in pain.

However, there are times where you or that person has changed to the extent that it's necessary to let go of the relationship or friendship, so that each of you can fulfill your life path. Letting go of your past and memories are also extremely hard. Even though old memories can be tormenting, yet you might hold on to the past and refuse to move forward. However, by refusing to let go of the painful past, it'll serve as a roadblock to love.

Letting go of your old self and the process of letting the new you emerge can be one of the scariest experiences in your life. But by leaving behind your old self and taking a leap of faith into the unknown, it might just reveal what you are truly capable of becoming.

Ephesians 4:22-23 says: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind. Paul tells the Ephesians to leave behind the old life of sin now that they are followers of Christ. The Christian life is a process. Although we have a new nature, we don’t automatically have all good thoughts and attitudes when we become new people in Christ. Phil 4:13 says I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Today, if you find it difficult to let some things go, you might not be able to do it in your own strength, but the word states we can do all things through Christ. We can be content in all circumstances no matter how severe they are through Christ; but we cannot be content in any circumstance apart from Christ.

My mother eventually agreed with my sister and threw a lot of things away. In doing so she found that some of the things she initially thought she could not live without; really did not matter after all. Today, I encourage you to let go of all bitterness, anger, resentment, evil speaking and un-forgiveness.

Prayer: Dear Lord: Today, help me to let go and let God. Amen….. God Loves You and so do I…. Pastor Tammy