Word for Today, Tue, 09 May 2006:Get Bible-centered instead of problem-centered
Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>
problem-centered
Dear friends,
The message that follows hits right at the core of the things that I
like to write about, and matches well with what I believe in my own
heart and attempt to practice in my own life. It concerns dealing with
the every day problems of life.
Four lepers were able to change the course of history, just by getting
up off of their hind ends, forgetting about their "sorry condition" and
doing something about it. In the process, they found food, not only for
themselves, but for an entire starving nation!
What is impossible with men is possible with God. We read that in
numerous places in both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible.
Why not read the passage of scripture shown below for yourself in a real
Bible (whether on line or in traditional print) and make a habit of
reading the Word of God every single day.
Another thing I would like to challenge you with is this. There is a
prayer that you can say in your heart, in your own words, every single
day. In the Lord's prayer, Jesus gives a guideline of how to pray.
Repeat, it is a guideline, not idle words to mimic. One of the lines in
the prayer (as recorded in Matthew 6:9-13) says "Lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us from evil".
A good thing to sincerely ask God every single day, then, is something
along these lines (but use your own words when you speak quietly and
privately with God): "Lord, please make it *HARD* for me to sin today
and *EASY* for me to do what is right"!
Doesn't that capture the heart and soul of what Jesus says in "lead us
not into temptation, but deliver us from evil"? (or deliver us from 'the
evil one')?
Lord God, I want to do what is right. I desperately need your help with
that every single day. I cannot let down my guard for even a moment,
for I have seen times in my life when I was praising you one moment and
deceived into sin the next. May that not be so, Lord. Help me each
moment of each day, that I may go in the right paths that You have
intended instead of self indulgent paths of my own making that lead to
destruction. I trust you, Lord, yet I am like a wandering sheep.
Please watch me closely and help me, that I may remain with the Good
Shepherd, like a branch on a vine that yields only good fruit.
Yours in Christ,
--
Brian Masinick
masinick at yahoo dot com
*//**/My Manna
/*
"Now four men who were lepers were at the entrance of the city's gate;
and they said to one another, Why do we sit here until we die.... So
they arose."2 Kings 7:3,5.
No matter how bad the problem,you may be facing today, no matter how far
under the circumstances you may be, in twenty four hours you can be back
on top!
"Oh,that would be impossible!"
That's what the Samaritans thought in 2 Kings 7.
Their land was being ravaged by famine. Enemy troops had surrounded them
and cut off all source of supply. Mothers were eating their own children
just to survive.
But right in the middle of that, the Lord told the prophet Elisha that
in 24 hours the whole situation would change. Flour and barley would
sell for just a few pennies and there would be abundance for all.
What did God use to turn that situation around?
Four lepers!
Four lepers who, instead of sitting around feeling sorry for themselves
and waiting
to die, decided to arise and take their chances in the enemy camp. When
they got there, they found it abandoned. All the warriors had been
frightened away by the angels of God, and they'd left enough food behind
to feed all of Samaria!
Sometimes you and I are like the officials in that story.
We let ourselves be so surrounded with the loud voice of the world that
the vision of our victory is pushed out of sight.When that happens,
faith and power begin to subside and life caves in on us from every side.
If that's happened to you, stop crying about it.
Stop looking at your problem and feeling sorry for yourself.
That won't change anything!
*Get Bible-centered instead of problem-centered. *
Just like He did for Elisha, God has given you a word.
He's promised you victory. He's promised to make you an overcomer.
*Don't expect defeat!*
Rise up in faith. Stand up on God's Word and fight for your life.
Rise up and receive the deliverance of the Lord!
Read 2 Kings 6:24-33;7:1-20.
*==================================*
** <mailto:pleasepray@gmail.com>
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