Category: A Door of Hope

 

"There comes a crisis hour to each of us, if God has called us to the highest and best, when all resources fail; when we face either ruin or something higher than we ever dreamed; when we must have infinite help from God and yet, ere we can have it, we must let something go; we must surrender completely; we must cease from our own wisdom, strength, and righteousness, and become crucified with Christ and alive in Him.  God knows how to lead us up to this crises, and He knows how to lead us through it." ~Streams in the Desert

 

 Isaiah 43:1-3 "But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and
he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I
have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
 When thou
passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers,
they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou
shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour…"

 

I Kings 17:16 "And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail,
according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah."

 

I just want to encourage you today, my friend, to let go, step out and walk with the Lord through the crisis.

It is not easy, but it is the way to victory!

 

"The mighty God can make us stronger than our circumstances.  He can bend them all to our good…We can even take hold of a black disappointment, break it open, and extract some jewel of grace." ~Dr. Jowett

 

Psalm 11:5-7 "The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.
 Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.
 For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright."

 

"(God's) stillness is not acquiescence, His silence is not consent.  He is only biding His time, and will arise, in the most opportune moment, and when the designs of the wicked seem on the point of success, to overwhelm them with disaster." ~Streams in the Desert

 

Psalm 7:11b "…and God is angry with the wicked every day."

 

I know. 

We see so much wickedness every day, don't we?

We wonder if God is even aware…does He see what is happening to this world of ours?

Let me remind you, my friend:  God is still on the throne!

He has not forgotten and He will not remain silent forever.

There is coming a day when His rod of vengeance will strike out at the wicked.  He will destroy those who do not follow His ways.

Do not lose hope because of the present wickedness that surrounds you.

Your Rescuer is on His way!

 

Psalm 18:16 "He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.
 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.
 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.
 He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me."

 

 

 

 

II Corinthians 12:8-9 "For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

 

"Never turn God's facts into hopes, or prayers, but simply use them as realities and you will find them powerful as you believe them." ~H.W. Webb Peploe

 

Have you ever found yourself praying,

"Oh Lord, make Your grace sufficient for me!" or "Lord, please give me sufficient grace"?

Why do we ask God to do what He has already stated IS?

God's grace IS sufficient.  It is in full and ready supply.

We do not need to pray for it.

We simply need to BELIEVE it.

 

What is your greatest need today? 

Let go of your doubt.  Leave your cynicism behind.  Throw away every support you have created.

Put all your faith in Him alone.

His grace is sufficient for you!

God's grace is enough to meet that need!

 

 

 

Job 35:10 "But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night;"

 

"…If God would make manifest the fact that 'He giveth songs in the night,' He must first make it night." ~Streams in the Desert

 

Remember, even when the night is so incredibly dark that you cannot see to take your next step, the Lord God sees all.  Nothing is hid from Him. 

 

Psalm 139:12 "Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee."

 

"Passive faith but praises in the light,

When sun doth shine.

Active faith will praise in darkest night –

Which faith is thine?"

~Streams in the Desert

 

Cling to your Saviour in the darkness.  Lean on Him when your fear threatens to overwhelm you.  Allow Him to lead, step by step, and make no move without Him.

The Lord will guide you through the dark, teaching you to trust Him more, and giving you something to sing about as you journey together with Him.

 

Psalm 42:8 "Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life."

 

When it is too dark to see the next step, when you are frozen by fear and your heart is melting within you, lift up a song of praise to your God.

 

Acts 16:35 "And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them."

 

Your time of deliverance will come.  Dawn will eventually appear. 

Until then, keep singing in the dark.

 

 

Psalm 78:72 "So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands."

 

I am so grateful that my Lord takes care of me according to the integrity of His heart, not mine!

 

INTEGRITY n. [L. integritas, from integer.] 1. Wholeness; entireness; unbroken state. 2. The entire, unimpaired state of any thing, particularly of the mind; moral soundness or purity; incorruptness; uprightness; honesty. Integrity comprehends the whole moral character. 3. Purity; genuine, unadulterated, unimpaired state.

 

My soul may be saved, but it is housed in a body that is sinful and imperfect.  Often, my best intentions lead to wrong actions, in spite of my sincere desire to do right.

As Paul said,

 

Romans 7:18-19 "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do."

 

This is why I am so glad that the Lord meets my needs in harmony with His own pure heart.

My Saviour – always and only – has His best planned for me. 

I have a free will, and can choose my own way; but I choose to submit my will to Him…most of the time. ;) 

However, even when I walk in disobedience, I can trust my Heavenly Father.  He will do whatever is best for me, in the midst of my stubborness, in order to draw my heart back to Him.

 

Psalm 78:38 "But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath."

 

What an incredibly loving God!

His heart is pure.  It is "incorrupt", "upright", "morally sound" and "honest."

I know I can trust Him…with all my heart.

 

Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."

 

Do you want to walk in the right way? 

Then do not trust your own heart, but rather trust the good heart of your loving Heavenly Father!

 

"Trouble, after all, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder."
~ P.D. Wodehouse

 

Psalm 34:6-7 "This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.
 The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them."

 

Psalm 46:1-2 "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;"

 

Psalm 138:7 "Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me."

 

Our "troubles" can be deemed "blessings"
when viewed in the light
of the promises of God's Word!