Time for Some Good News??!!

It drives me nuts! You turn on the local news channel and what do you hear? Bad news after bad news after bad news. Oh wait, there was one happy story, I remember there being one, but when was it?? And everyday we hear by word of mouth more bad news. Anyway, I REFUSE to make my mind susceptible to the gloom and doom! If you are in search of some good Christian reading that will encourage you, you are not alone! I am too. Here is some of my findings this week!

NOW I Get It !!!!!!

I just love when you have heard a Bible verse over and over and over again but then one day it speaks to you in a whole new way. It is almost like a huge light bulb goes off and you all but shout "I get it!!" I guess a better word is revelation! Well I had one of those last night. I was laying in bed reading Emotions by Charles Stanley, (This is on my must read list by the way) when I read this:

"....every person and trial the Lord allows into your life- including the one you're struggling with right now- presents an opportunity for Him to demonstrate His love, character, and faithfulness to you and to others through your testimony. If you hate someone because of what the Father is trying to teach you through him, then, in reality, you despise God and the purpose He has for your life."  ( "Emotions" Stanley, Charles F.: Howard Books (New York, NY: 2013) P. 196 )

WOW!!!! Did you just get that??? Perhaps you have heard this verse all of your life, "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you." (Matt. 5:44)

Did you have an "ah ha" moment??? I sure did! In case you did not, let me bring another verse to your attention. "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." (James 1:2-4)

Did you have the "ah ha" moment yet?? Okay, for real- one more verse- just to be sure you did! "In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thess. 5:18)

ALL my life I have heard these verse and thought, "Okay, so you want me to be thankful for my enemies and in things- but WHY?"  25 3/4 years of being saved I have wondered these things!!! And there it was.........

"You give thanks Child because I have allowed it because I am growing YOU!"

We don't hate our enemies or situations or circumstances because they are there to teach us! If we hate our enemies, situations or circumstances we are hating God and His will for our life. (Lord forgive me for ever hating enemies, situations or circumstances. The last thing I wanted to do was communicate to you that I hated you or your plan for my life!)

AMEN!!!!! In this case, Praise His HOLY NAME-

Thank you God for all my enemies, failures, difficulties, trials, circumstances, situations and Lord BLESS them all!!! Thank you Lord for loving me enough to allow this person, circumstance, and/ or situation to work on my life!! I pray that I will learn what you want me to learn, stop doing what you want me to stop doing, or start doing what you want me to start doing so I do not have to keep going through this same kind of trial to figure out what you are telling me! I am ready and willing to submit to your plan God, whatever that plan may be!! It is in and through your son, Jesus Christ I pray, Amen!!!!!!

(P.S. I just feel that I should add this for clarification- nothing evil comes from God. That is not how God is: "Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed." (James 1:13-14) Rather God will allow us to fall into various situations. Instead of Him keeping us from the situation He allows us to deal with it so we learn. The book of Job in the Old Testament will clarify this more- read it if you have any questions. Or you can comment below and I will get back with you. :)