GOD CAN STABILISE YOUR LIFE

Instability, constantly changing scenarios, a kaleidoscope of experiences - this is what life is like for many people. There is nothing they can be sure of. Good things are here one moment, gone the next. A seemingly perfect marriage ends in bitter separation and court battles, a business that was about picking up sinks due to unforeseen factors, one health challenge is replaced by another with tiny reprieves in between.

This is the life that sin in the Garden of Eden plunged humanity into. It wasn't meant to be so at first. But we can have some assurance in life when we come to the One who created all things and they were certified good.

"And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good ..." - Genesis 1:31.

We call Him the Rock of Ages because nothing can move Him and the Bible says the same of the world we live in.

"Tremble before him, all the earth! The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved." - 1 Chronicles 16:30 (NIV)

He can bring the same stability to our lives and give us an immutable testimony. We have clear promises in His word on this:

"They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever." - Psalm 125:1

Contemporary English translations say they shall not be "moved" or "shaken". 

"The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms ..." - Deuteronomy 33:27

The arms referred to above are God's. Visualise Him holding you and tell me what can toss you about. 

"1. Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.

6. Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. 

7. He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord." - Psalm 112:1, 6-7 

Faith in God is a source of confidence in life. Like Job, we have a hedge about our lives and are not open to every vicissitude.

"Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land." - Job 1:10 

I want to add this scripture from the most popular psalm in the Bible:

"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever." - Psalm 23:6 (KJV) [emphasis mine]

Some people say Old Testament scriptures don't apply to us today. I say they do because God has not changed and His word abides forever. Our circumstances are not different from those of the Israelites. When we accept God through Jesus, we become Abraham's children entitled to the same promises and blessings.

"89. For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven. 90. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth. 91. They continue this day according to thine ordinances: for all are thy servants." - Psalm 119:89-91

"26. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 29. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." - Galatians 3:26-29  

We need not live our lives like yo-yos. We can enjoy stability: stability in our faith, in our health, in material blessings, in fruitfulness and success. As Isaiah 37:31 says, God's people whom He has delivered (in this context you and I that are saved) shall "take root downward, and bear fruit upward", not for a season but all through the rest of our days. 

Let us appropriate this in prayer by refusing the contrary and agreeing with God's word in every circumstance. God shall uphold His word in our lives to the glory of His name. But this does not mean that trials shall not come. If indeed they are trials sent by God, He will grant us the grace to endure. Otherwise, everything in our lives that opposes the will and good purpose of God should be made to bow to the name of Jesus. 

We need a stable life, especially in our faith. We can't keep moving from sin to sin with little or no fruit of the Spirit in our lives when we have been saved. We should agree with God on this and He will make it happen, not only with respect to our spiritual walk but in every other area of our lives as well. 

Amen in Jesus' name.

If you have not accepted Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, pray this short prayer:

PRAYER FOR SALVATION

Almighty God, I repent of my sins and ask you to forgive me. I receive the work Jesus did for me by shedding His blood for my sins. Write my name in the Lamb's Book of Life and send your Spirit to live in my heart and teach me your word. I receive the grace to live a life that honours you henceforth in Jesus' name. Amen.

Now, you are born again. Join a Bible-bleleving group of believers to help you learn, through studying the word of God and prayer, how to live and practise your faith. You are blessed in Jesus' name. 

You may also like these popular encouraging posts:

http://edithohaja.com/the-anchor-holds/

http://edithohaja.com/gods-word-never-fails/

http://edithohaja.com/you-will-ascend-to-your-throne-of-glory/

3 ENCOURAGING TRUTHS FROM GOD'S DEALINGS WITH ISRAEL

A glance at God's relationship with Israel

The nation of Israel grew from the descendants of Abraham, whom God had called out of his native land, Ur of the Chaldees, to move to a land He would show him. During a time of famine in Canaan, Abraham's grandson Jacob carried his entire family to live in Egypt on the invitation of one of his sons, Joseph, who,had become the prime minister there. 

After the death of Joseph, the tables were turned and the Israelites went from being favoured to being enslaved by the Pharaoh. They suffered this servitude in Egypt for centuries. As far back as many of them and their grandparents remembered, they had been second-class and oppressed residents of Egypt. But they heard that God would someday take them out of Egypt to the land he had promised their forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. That land was so beautiful and rich it was called the land of milk and honey. Besides, everything was readymade there. This is how Moses described it to them:

"... great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not, And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not" - Deuteronomy 6:10-11

But generations lived and died without any change in their situation. And even when Moses came with the claim that he had met with God and was about to lead them out of bondage, it only made Pharaoh furious and he tightened his grip on the Israelites.

Notwithstanding, they eventually left Egypt and after mistakes that lengthened their stay in the desert, they overthrew the nations in Canaan and took possession of the land. Everything was as fabulous as God had promised. They only needed to exercise faith to get them.

Unfortunately, when their circumstances became easy, they forgot God and enemies overran them and sent them into exile away from the promised land. Seventy years later, as prophecy predicted, they were restored to the land. 

3 ENCOURAGING TRUTHS FROM GOD'S DEALINGS WITH ISRAEL

1. Some of the promises that God makes to us are almost incredible. They seem way beyond our reach and our station. That was how David felt when God promised in 1 Chronicles 17:7-14 to make him very great and establish his dynasty over Israel. But in His faithfulness, God fulfills His words. In the case of the Israelites, they went from being brutally oppressed migrants to having a nation of their own. 

What has God promised you? Do not look at your own abilities or the enormity of the task involved in appropriating it. Just trust God and He will do it. Pharaoh absolutely refused to let Israel go, Canaan had fortified cities and giant inhabitants but God defeated them for Israel.

"Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?" - Jeremiah 32:27 

2. God never forgets His promises. Neither should you. From the time, God led Abraham to Canaan, He would often come to remind him of His promise to make his descendants like the stars in the sky and the sand on the sea shore. Even when it seems delayed, remember that God never forgets His promise.

"He remembers his covenant forever, the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations" - Psalm 105:8 (ESV).

Be assured that God remembers you and your condition.

"14.But Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. 

15. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.

16. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me." - Isaiah 49:14-16 

3. God will not forsake you when you err. Rather, He will punish and restore you if you repent and fulfill His word to you. Israel messed up in the desert and in Canaan. Their biggest problem was idolatry copied from Egypt and the earlier inhabitants of Canaan. But every time they repented, God sent relief. God is a merciful Father. He punishes sin but He also restores the sinner.

"Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." - Isaiah 55:7

God sometimes shows us what's ahead and warns us to help us escape sin and its disastrous consequences as He did for Israel through the song of Moses in Deuteronomy, chapter 32. If we heed the warning, we spare ourselves much pain. But even if we fail, we should pick ourselves up and come back to God. He will forgive and build us up again. 

I hope you have been encouraged by these truths about the mercy and faithfulness of God. You are lifted in Jesus' name.

+++++++

The scriptures used in this post are from the King James Version of the Holy Bible except where otherwise stated.

+++++++

You may also like these popular encouraging posts:

http://auntyedith.blogspot.com.ng/2017/12/keep-praying-god-is-hearing-you.html?m=0

http://edithohaja.com/do-not-be-discouraged-poem-and-bible-verses/

http://edithohaja.com/gods-word-never-fails/

GOD IS OUR PROVIDER

There is a beautiful verse in the Bible that brings a smile to my face whenever I remember it. It is Psalm 68:19.

"Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation."

We have needs, all kinds of needs. Sometimes, our earnings are not enough to meet these needs. We may feel harassed and overwhelmed. We may feel desperate. But let us remember we have a Father who cares for us. Let us lay those needs before Him as He has asked us to in His word and believe that He will meet them for us.

"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." - Philippians 4:6

"Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you." - 1 Peter 5:7 

"... my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:19

King David understood God's role as our provider so well he wrote a special song about it. The first verse says:

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." - Psalm 23:1 

David knew the special relationship between a shepherd and his sheep. He knew the shepherd will go to any length to find good pasture for his sheep. He himself was such a shepherd and because he had that sort of heart, God appointed him the shepherd of His people.

"He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds: From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance. So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands." - Psalm 78:70-72

If David, a mere man, could get such a commendation from God for how he cared for Israel, how much more will God care for us, the apple of His eye? This position is clearly stated in these words of the Lord Jesus.

"7. Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 
8. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 
9. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? 
10. Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? 
11. If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" - Matthew 7:7-11 (emphasis mine)

To ensure that the devil does not claim rights over you and frustrate your blessings, make Jesus your Lord and Saviour today. That way, you can confidently call God Father and enjoy His gracious provision. 

"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name" - John 1:12.

PRAYER:
Almighty God, I put my trust in You. You are my Jehovah Jireh. Provide for me according to the promise of Your word. Open doors of favour to me. May I not live my life in debt and destitution. And as you bless me, dear Lord, help me to always remember to extend the same kindness to others. This I pray in Jesus' name.

+++++++
The scriptures used in this post are from the King James Version of the Holy Bible.
+++++++

You may also like these popular posts on God's loving care:

http://edithohaja.com/do-not-be-anxious/

http://edithohaja.com/god-will-see-you-through-today/

http://edithohaja.com/our-god-is-faithful/