Can you rejoice in the middle of disaster?

"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior" (Habakkuk 3:17-18 NIV).

The prophet Habakkuk knew what to do when things seemed completely hopeless. His world was literally falling apart. In fact, the situation was so bad it seemed trouble was bursting through the seams of his life. So what did Habakkuk do? He rejoiced and praised the Lord in spite of everything! That may seem contrary to you and even silly. But you have probably lost something or someone who is very dear to you, so you can know how Habakkuk was feeling. But follow the prophet's example. When something bad happens to you, thank God - not because you're suffering, but because you know He is still faithful and loving. God wants to bless you, and He can lift your head above any problem!

Prayer, God, I need Your strength to stand up in the midst of troubled times and say, "Thank you, Lord" despite what is happening around me. Help me to learn this lesson from Your prophet Habakkuk and apply it to my life today and every day. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

JOEL OSTEEN MINISTRIES © 2007. All rights reserved. (Please include this line to forward the message).

The Secret to Dealing with the Pressures of Life

The average person today faces a myriad of different pressures. For some, I'm sure, it feels like they are living in a pressure cooker. Whether it is economic pressure, or family pressure, or pressure somehow related to our jobs, we all know what the stresses of daily life can be like.

Maybe you are in a battle for your health today. Or maybe you're feeling the pressure of not getting anywhere in your life. You wonder why you aren't at a different level of life… why you don't seem to have any sense of direction… why you feel like that tiny hamster running around the little wheel!

Whatever it is, feeling the pressure of life is something you and I have in common. And what I want to share with you today is a word in season for those like you and me who have to deal with various pressures.

First, feeling the crunch can actually be a good thing. Why? Because it will often drive you to your knees. And one thing God has taught me when the pressures of life have driven me to my knees is this:

I must learn to be content where I am and grateful for what I have

Now, you might think this sounds like a weird — and almost impossible — response when you're feeling the heat in life. But think with me for a moment about the apostle Paul. He wrote the book of Philippians shackled to a guard in a Roman prison cell. In fact, let's look at what he says in Philippians 4:11-13: Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned (literally, I know the secret) both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. (Here's the secret:) I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

What Paul is saying is this: full or hungry, with much or little, God is our source. It doesn't matter what we're going through. When we're going through a temporary rough patch or a temporary lean time, God is our source. If we're going through a season of abundance, God is our source.

Contentment is only found when we're plugged into God. And no matter what's going on around us, we can face anything through Christ who infuses inner strength into us!

This is the kind of attitude Paul had when he was in prison! He was locked up in awful conditions, yet he wrote about being content! How did he do this? By looking for the good and being thankful in the midst of his current situation.

To some people, that wouldn't make sense at all because Paul wasn't free to go about… he wasn't free to preach. All he could do was write letters! How's that going to  influence the world? Yet in the midst of his circumstances, Paul was thankful.

First, he was thankful he had the chance to witness to and impact the most elite Roman troops in the entire empire (Phil. 1:13). Second, he was thankful that others were encouraged to preach because he could stay true to God in prison (Phil. 1:14). And, third… think about this… Paul was even thankful for others who were preaching the Gospel with impure motives (because even if their motives weren't right, the message was!).

Look what he says in Philippians 1:18. "Whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice." Paul found so many things to be grateful for, even in that prison cell!

The problem with us is that, I believe, we take a lot for granted today… from the food we eat, to the roofs over our heads, to the transportation we have. We have an abundance far beyond our needs, for which we ought to give thanks daily!

I think even waking up in your right mind is worth being thankful for. If your brain works fairly well, you ought to thank God for that! You and I really do have a lot to be thankful for. And when you live a life filled with gratitude, there's a huge benefit:

The seeds of depression and bitterness will never grow in a thankful heart.

In the first chapter of the book of Romans, Paul talks about people who are depraved. If you read carefully what he lists, you realize that Paul is really giving the steps to becoming a depraved person. And he says it begins with ingratitude.

Bitter and depressed people don't thank God for who He is or for the things He has done… and it leads to their minds being darkened. That sin leads to another sin and to another sin until they end up in an absolutely depraved state!

My brother or sister, you and I have a lot to be thankful for! So fill your heart today - and every day - with the peace of contentment and with the joy of gratitude. If you do, you will learn the secret to living abundantly in our pressure-filled world.

ANSWERS WITH BAYLESS CONLEY © 2006. All rights reserved. (Please include this line to forward the message).

Day after day He carries our burdens

 

The trip to the office that day was extremely hard. The thin fog along the road decorating the green trees that used to make a lovely view doesn't capture the imagination any more. Starting the day really was difficult, considering the unsettling news of last night. My father who had been suffering from hypertension had suddenly felt dizzy and then collapsed; perhaps his blood pressure wasn't normal. All kinds of feelings stirred inside my heart, "Don't take my father yet, Lord!" I whispered. This heavy feeling suddenly changed and my heart was filled with heavenly joy when I read the Scripture before me, "Praise the Lord, who carries our burdens day after day; He is the God who saves us" (Psalms 68:19). With this Scripture in mind, I resumed the day with a light heart. God carried my burden that day, and changed it to joy.

 

Every new day is a gift from the Father. It starts when we open our eyes in the morning, then through our activities in the day until we close our eyes again to rest at night. There are many things that we will be doing during the day; there are routine tasks, targets to be achieved, stacks of work in the office to be tackled, meetings, vacations, prayer meetings, and a whole lot of other activities that will sap our energy and mental power. All of which seem too difficult, particularly when the day is highlighted with problems surrounding our lives that need our attention.

 

But did you know that every day God carries our burdens for us? Did you realize that no matter how heavy the burden, it wouldn't make a difference in the mighty hands of the Lord who carries it for us? Often, when we go through tough times, we feel we are carrying the heavy load alone, when in fact the Lord is carrying it for us in His most amazing way. Everything that happens in the lives of God's children is not a coincidence. There are many ways for God to prove to us that day after day He is the one who is actually carrying all our burdens for us.

 

If every day God carries our burdens for us, this means we don't need to concern ourselves with what might happen, what we might face during the day. Because whatever form it takes, God will carry the burden for us, we only need to let Him take over all of our days. You'll see that your days will be more wonderful.

 

GOTN MINISTRY by John Hartman © 2006. All rights reserved. (Please include this line to forward the message).

The Secret to Knowing God

"Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight." (Exodus 33:13)

 

I truly believe every Christian wants to experience a deeply personal and intimate relationship with God. And I also believe each and every believer in Christ can have this kind of relationship with their Creator. But there is often a problem in how we approach God. We often go to Him looking for rewards... or we're constantly asking Him for things. Now, I'm not saying that we shouldn't go to God with our cares and burdens. In fact, He tells us in 1 Peter 5:7 to tell Him about our concerns because He cares so much for us.

But if you want to know God... I mean, "really know Him"... there is another prayer He wants to hear from you. It's a prayer like the one we hear Moses pray in Exodus 33:13. In my mind, this is one of the greatest prayers in all of Scripture: "Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight." Moses didn't just say, "Come with us, God" but he said, Show me Your way because, God, I want to know You." And then Moses added to it in verse 18, when He said, "Please, show me Your glory." The Hebrew word for "glory" literally means "weight, mass, or substance." So in essence Moses is saying, "God, I want to know what You're made of. I don't just want to know about You. I want to know You. I want to know who You are." The word that Moses used when he said he wanted to know God is the same word that's used in Genesis 4:1 where it says, "Adam knew Eve his wife." Moses is requesting to have the most personal, intimate relationship with God. He wants to draw close to God. Friend, prayers like that touch the heart of God because not too many people pray them!

I read a story about Abraham Lincoln that took place during the Civil War. A woman actually came to the White House and somehow got in with a plate full of cookies. When she finally got through to the president, she said, Mr. President, I don't want anything at all. I was just thinking about you today and the load that you are carrying... and I just thought maybe some cookies would brighten up your day." Lincoln began to weep and said, "Madam, I see a great many people every day, and they want a great many things from me. But of all the people I've seen since being in office, you are the first one that has ever come not asking something of me but wanting to bring something to me."

While God delights in answering our prayer, He also desires for us to bring something to Him. But how often do we... do you... come just to bring Him something? It's the kind of prayer that says, "God, I want to know You. I just want to hang out. I want to find out who You are. Show me what You are made of." Friend, I think we can all know God in a personal and intimate way... just like Moses did... the way Paul did... even the way Abraham did. Paul cried out in Philippians 3:10, "that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection." And Abraham discovered what God meant when He said in Genesis 15:1, "I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward." Life is about knowing God!

So let me challenge you today to pray a prayer like this: God, show me who You are. I'm not coming with a request. I've got a long list, but I'll leave it outside the door for now. God, I'm just coming to You because I want to know You. I just want to make Your heart happy. I want to make You smile. God, show me Your ways. Doing this will delight the heart of God! And you'll be surprised at some of the things that begin to happen within your life when you pray this prayer. Because I truly believe God is crying out, saying "Oh, that they walk in My ways!"

He wants you to know Him today.

The Secret to Knowing God by Bayless Conley at christianity.com

Give Thanks!

"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (I Corinthians 15:57)

Today, take time to reflect on and give thanks to God for all of His blessings in your life. Whether you are eating turkey, playing games with your family, watching football or visiting a friend, remember to take time to focus on God's goodness. Count your blessings and notice all the grace, favor and love that God has given you. Psalm 95:2 says to "come before His presence with Thanksgiving...shout joyfully to Him with psalms." No matter the circumstances in your life, give thanks and praise to God for all that He has done. Remember how good He is and that His love will endure forever. The Bible says that you show your love for God through your actions towards other people. Reach out to those around you this holiday season and share His love and forgiveness with them. You are blessed to be a blessing to others!

Prayer,
God, no matter what the circumstances, I always give thanks to You for the blessings in my life. Help me find the time to serve others during this busy season and, in doing so, draw closer to You. In Jesus' name – Amen.

Taken from : Today's Word from Joel and Victoria

Gaining a Positive Attitude

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

I once counseled a young wife who had been sexually attacked when she was a young girl. I could see by the expression on her face that she was still discouraged and distressed about the incident and embarrassed to talk about it. Feeling she had been cheated in life, she was somewhat resentful that God had allowed such a horrible thing to happen. Still unable to eliminate her deep feeling of shame over the situation, she began to discuss how she felt about it now as an adult.

 

I began by telling her she would never be free from the resentment, shame, and negative attitude resulting from her experience unless she could first see the benefits which resulted from the attack. She looked at me like I was crazy and she asked, "What benefits?"

 

"I'm going to ask you a very difficult question based on two Scriptures—1 Thessalonians 5:18 and Romans 8:28. Do you think that right now you could thank God that this happened to you?"

 

"You've got to be kidding me," she said. "I could never thank God. The only thing I could ever by thankful for is that I didn't become mentally ill because of the attack. I'm thankful for that."

 

"I'm not asking you to be 'thankful' that it was a terrible experience. I'm just asking you to be willing to say, 'Thank you, God, for that attack because I know You can turn it into good. I just can't see the good now'" (Isaiah 61:3; Rom. 8:28).

 

She didn't think she could do that, which was understandable. However, I told her she could work through her feelings, and then I asked her if she would like my help. She responded, "By all means."

 

"First, let's look at your dating life before you got married. Did you ever let anyone take advantage of you sexually when you were dating?"

 

She replied, "Absolutely not! When that man did that to me, I said no other man would ever take advantage of me again."

 

"So in other words, because that happened to you as a child, you never got involved in any immorality in high school or college. Consequently, you have been spared the hurts that can come from an illicit relationship. It may have even saved you from the consequences of pregnancy before marriage. In essence, the man gave you a vaccination that may have saved you from worse problems," I said.

 

"Yeah, I never though of it like that, but that's exactly what happened," she replied.

 

"Now I'm going to show you the most important thing of all. You received a gift at the very time the attack took place. Do you know what I'm referring to?"

 

"No, what is it?"

 

"You received a priceless quality that will enable you to better love others in a genuine way. That is, greater sensitivity. How alert are you to your children's needs and your husband's needs?"

 

"Very alert!"

 

"I can believe that. It's only naturally that when something terrible happens to us, we become even more aware of and sensitive to the sufferings of those around us. Awareness and sensitivity then become the basis of genuine love—being able to detect another person's need and having the motivation to meet that need in an effective way."

 

I continued by asking what kind of man she had married. Was he calloused or gentle? She said her husband was a very loving, tender, gentle man. She considered him a wonderful husband. It became increasingly obvious to both of us that because she had been abused by a man, she had become more aware of her need for a gentle and compassionate husband. She realized how the experience had "sensitized" her to the type of husband she really needed.

 

By the time she left my office, she had all the reasons she needed to thank God for her past. After being in bondage to negative feelings for years, she was set free simply by thinking through the positive factors involved.

 

The first step to gaining a positive attitude is to discover the benefits of the negative situations. (Incidentally, I haven't heard of a situation yet that lacked positive benefits.) It often seems that more tragic the situation, the greater the positive consequences. I am not saying that as we recognize the positive side of a negative situation, we can be liberated from the chains that tie us to guilt, resentment, despair, and any other negative feeling which has held us captive.

 

With this principle, I must include two cautions: First, I am not providing an excuse to do something wrong, with the rationalization that something good will come of it. I believe that such reasoning is shallow and perverted in that the wrongdoer is always the loser (Luke 17:1-2). Second, people who are suffering from tragedy don't need a flippant statements such as, "I know you can find some good in this if you really try." So first be sensitive to their emotions and their immediate needs for comfort. When the time is right, after empathic comfort has been extended graciously and gently, then you can begin to help them see the benefits of their problems.

The more you discover the inherent benefits of your own problems, the more positive your attitude will become.

Gaining a Positive Attitude by Dr. Gary Smalley

Friend of God

"When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers – the moon and the stars that you have set in place – what are mortals that you should think of us, and mere humans that you should care for us?" (Psalm 8:3-4)

Worshiping God involves counting on him as your friend. This may be a new thought to some who are used to thinking of God as more aloof and distant when it comes to a personal relationship with any of us. It is much more common to think of God as high and lifted up than to think of him as a companion. That may be because he is high and lifted up, and his glory fills the whole earth. But the truly amazing thing about God is that he will relate to any of us as a friend. He meets us at our level, and in doing so, confirms both our intrinsic value and our value to him.

The Old Testament portrays God as a friend to Moses, Abraham, and David, often sparring with them in debate over his rule of the nation of Israel. Adam walked and talked with God in the Garden of Eden in the cool of the morning. Enoch walked so closely with God that one day, they simply walked right into heaven. And Jesus, as the embodiment of God in human form, was called a friend of sinners and had close relationships with his 12 disciples and a very special relationship with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus.

God is into being a friend to you and me. Not that he is a buddy or "one of the guys." Our access to him as a friend is a revered part of our worship. To worship God is to carry on a conversation with him – to talk with him, share our hopes and dreams and fears with him, and even our displeasure or impatience with the way things are going. He wants our honesty. (He knows us anyway, better than we know ourselves, so how foolish it is to try and be something we are not around God!)

In C.S. Lewis's beloved Chronicles of Narnia, the children have a special relationship with Aslan, the lion, who represents Christ in the story. They are allowed to share some intimate moments with him where they sink their hands into the deep fur of his golden mane or feel the warmth of his breath or ride on his back over the Narnian countryside. But Lewis is careful to remind us that Aslan, though warm to these friendly gestures, is not a tame lion.

God is still God and though he is our friend, we worship him as God and marvel that he would befriend us. And yet he does! And that is the greatest wonder of all.

______________________________________________________

Friend of God is written by John Fischer © 2006 Purpose Driven Life All rights reserved.
PurposeDrivenLife.com a division of Purpose Driven Ministries

Count Your Blessings

Think about this one!

I dreamt that I went to Heaven and an angel was showing me around. We walked side-by-side inside a large workroom filled with angels.

My angel guide stopped in front of the first section and said, "This is the Receiving Section. Here, all petitions to God said in prayer are received." I looked around in this area, and it was terribly busy with so many angels sorting out petitions written on voluminous paper sheets and scraps from people all over the world.

Then we moved on down a long corridor until we reached the second section. The angel then said to me, "This is the Packaging and Delivery Section. Here, the graces and blessings the people asked for are processed and delivered to the living persons who asked for them." I noticed again how busy it was there. There were many angels working hard at that station, since so many blessings had been requested and were being packaged for delivery to Earth.

Finally at the farthest end of the long corridor we stopped at the door of a very small station. To my great surprise, only one angel was seated there, idly doing nothing. "This is the Acknowledgment Section," my angel friend quietly admitted to me. He seemed embarrassed.

"How is it that? There's no work going on here?" I asked.

"So sad," the angel sighed. "After people receive the blessings that they asked for, very few send back acknowledgments.

"How does one acknowledge God's blessings?" I asked.

"Simple," the angel answered. "Just say, "Thank you, Lord."

"What blessings should they acknowledge?" I asked.

"If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep you are richer than 75% of this world. "If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy. And if you get this on your own computer, you are part of the 1% in the world who has that opportunity. Also ..... If you woke up this morning with more health than illness ... You are more blessed than the many who will not even survive this day. If you have never experienced the fear in battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation ... You are ahead of 700 million people in the world. If you can attend a church meeting without the fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death you are envied by, and more blessed than, three billion people in the world. If your parents are still alive and still married ... You are very rare. If you can hold your head up and smile, you are not the norm, you're unique to all those in doubt and despair."

Ok, what now? How can I start?

If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you as very special and you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all.

Have a good day, count your blessings, and if you want, pass this along to remind everyone else how blessed we all are.

Attn to Acknowledge Dept.:

Thank You Lord! "Thank you Lord, for giving me the ability to share this message and for giving me so many wonderful people to share it with."

visit Don's Ministry at http://www.rockymountainministries.org/