Category: A Door of Hope

 

 

"Out of the spoils won in battles did they dedicate to maintain the house of the LORD." I Chronicles 26:27

 

You know the Israelites must have grown so tired of war; but from the spoils of those battles they were able to keep up and preserve the tabernacle.

 

"Let us never forget that the source of helping other people must be victorious suffering…Spiritual force is stored in the depths of our being, through the very pain which we cannot understand." ~from Days of Heaven Upon Earth

 

As you emerge victorious from your God-ordained trials and battles, you will be in possession of the very riches that will allow you to minister to others.

 

"Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all." Philippians 2:17

 

Let us not despise our battles. 

Rather let us stand and fight valiantly, knowing that our suffering will lead to great reward.

 

 

"The hardest ingredient in suffering is often time. 

"A short, sharp pang is easily born, but when a sorrow drags its weary way through long, monotonous years…

and day after day returns with the same dull routine of hopeless agony…

the heart loses its strength…

and without the grace of God, is sure to sink into the very sullenness of despair." ~Streams in the Desert

 

Do you find yourself sinking into despair, due to a sorrow that just won't end?

So did the Psalmist David.

Psalm 38 is made up of verse after verse listing the many trials, pains and sorrows of King David.

But this chapter also shows us where he placed his trust, and where he eventually gained his strength.

 

[6] I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.

[9] Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee.

[10] My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me.

[15] For in thee, O LORD, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.

[21] Forsake me not, O LORD: O my God, be not far from me.

[22] Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.

Psalm 38:6,9-10,15,21-22

We can trust the same God David trusted.  We can place our faith in His plan and His working in our life. 

No matter how long the trial may last, our God, and His grace and mercy to us, endures forever!

We can Hope in Him continually.

 

 And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us.
 And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord.
 Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you." Matthew 9:27-29

 

"Let us remember that no earthly circumstances can hinder the fulfillment of His Word…

if we look steadfastly at the immutability of that Word, not at the uncertainty of this everchanging world. 

God would have us believe His Word withouth other confirmation…

and then He is ready to give us "according to our faith." ~Sir R. Anderson

 

There is much to be said for clinging persistently to the belief that God will answer our prayers.

So, believe on, my friend! 

Hold fast to the hope that is anchored in your heart by His Word.

He will answer.  We can depend on that.

 

 

God doesn't have a problem with our tears.

 

Crying helps us physically as well as emotionally.

"The researchers found that…emotional tears contained far more toxic biological byproducts. Weeping, they concluded, is an excretory process which removes toxic substances that normally build up during emotional stress."

 

"The simple act of crying also reduces the body’s manganese level, a mineral which affects mood…"

 

"The researchers concluded that chemicals built up by the body during stress were removed by tears, which actually lowered stress." ~The Miracle of Tears – Answers in Genesis

 

Crying does not make us weak.  Crying makes us human.

"Emotional tears are a response which only humans have, for only people can weep. All animals that live in air produce tears to lubricate their eyes. But only people possess the marvellous system that causes crying." ~The Miracle of Tears – Answers in Genesis

 

Crying is healthy.

Suppressing tears increases stress levels, and contributes to diseases aggravated by stress, such as high blood pressure, heart problems and peptic ulcers."~The Miracle of Tears – Answers in Genesis

 

Don't hold back your tears when your heart is breaking.  Let them flow.  You will feel better physically and emotionally when your tears are passed...and they will pass!

"…weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." Psalm 30:5b

 

Our tears will not last…we will feel joy again.  Until then, allow yourself the blessing of crying.

 

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. Isaiah 43:2

 

"God does not open paths for us in advance of our coming…

Yet when we are on the edge of our need, God's hand is stretched out…

You must get to the waters and into the floods before you can claim the promise." ~J.R.M (Streams in the Desert)

 

My precious friend, are the waters closing over your head?  Look up!

God is there in the midst of your need!

He will not let you be overwhelmed by the flood!  

Hope in Him today.

 

If He be the source of our mercies, they can never fail us!

~Streams in the Desert

 

Lamentations 3:

[21] This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
[22] It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
[23] They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

 

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. II Corinthians 12:9

 

"Christ is building His kingdom with earth's broken things. 

Men want only the strong, the successful, the victorious, the unbroken, in building their kingdoms; but God is the God of the unsuccessful, of those who have failed. 

Heaven is filling with earth's broken lives, and there is no bruised reed that Christ cannot take and restore to glorious blessedness and beauty. 

He can take the life crushed by pain or sorrow and make it into a harp whose music shall be all praise. 

He can lift earth's saddest failure up to heaven's glory."

~J.R. Miller

 

 "..and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:" Romans 1:25b-26

 

"…and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;" Romans 1:27b

 

So, let us glory in our brokeness.

When our strength has been set aside, God's mighty power may be clearly seen!