We are never more fulfilled than when our longing for God is met by His presence in our lives. Billy Graham
I called on your name, O LORD, from the depths of the pit. You heard my plea: Do not close your ears to my cry for relief. You came near when I called you, and you said, Do not fear. O LORD, you took up my case, you redeemed my life.
Lamentations 3:55-58 NIV
The title of the book that is thought to have been written by Jeremiah called Lamentations, is taken from a Greek verb that means, to cry aloud. It is a short book that is made up of five poems that lament over the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple by the Babylonians. It must have been devastating to witness the city you call home, and place where you worshiped God from childhood being destroyed. I can assume that to Jeremiah and the ones that were not carried away into captivity were in shock similar to what we experienced in this nation at Gettysburg, Pearl Harbor, or the World Trade Center. Jeremiahs plea, Do not close your eyes to my cry for relief, was answered. The Lords answer was do not fear. The words do not fear are simple, but are found to be difficult to put into action when were in the middle of some catastrophe. When floods of circumstances keep pouring in how do we rise above them to recovery? I have discovered that one antidote for fears that venture their way into my life has been the exercise of faith. Im not talking about just believing and waiting for the circumstances to change; Im talking about exercise of faith. One of the greatest tools of my recovery from substance abuse has been the program of physical exercise that I have been forced to work. I say forced because I lost my driving privileges in 1996 for ten years, since then I have been walking and riding bicycles to get from one place to another. I have learned from my physical exercising how to exercise my faith. In my physical exercising I always have a beginning and ending destination. Likewise with my faith, I have learned to start my faith going by belief in the positive outcome, and like Jeremiah I cry out or pray to the Lord. I then must have an ending destination, I must be aware of when the object of the faith has been accomplished. At this point I give thanks to the Lord for helping me through, and for hearing my plea. Another important part of my physical exercise is pacing myself. Expecting results too soon will lead to discouragement. I must remember to start slowly and increase as I become more involved. Exercising faith also has an important similar aspect, the starting and continuing. To draw ourselves above our circumstances we must first believe that God is able to help us. Without this simple belief in faith, Gods help does not work. The continuing of the exercising of faith is the only way to arrive at the final destination. Half measures avail us nothing. The problem is that sometimes we cant see the whole picture. When were in the middle of something it is hard to see how God is pulling us through it. Many times as life becomes better we can then see how God has helped us all along. I try and remember this. Today I know with out a doubt that God is doing for me what I could not do for myself JRE
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Hebrews 11:6 NIV
People see God everyday. They just dont recognize Him. Pearl Baily
I called on your name, O LORD, from the depths of the pit. You heard my plea: Do not close your ears to my cry for relief. You came near when I called you, and you said, Do not fear. O LORD, you took up my case, you redeemed my life.
Lamentations 3:55-58 NIV
The title of the book that is thought to have been written by Jeremiah called Lamentations, is taken from a Greek verb that means, to cry aloud. It is a short book that is made up of five poems that lament over the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple by the Babylonians. It must have been devastating to witness the city you call home, and place where you worshiped God from childhood being destroyed. I can assume that to Jeremiah and the ones that were not carried away into captivity were in shock similar to what we experienced in this nation at Gettysburg, Pearl Harbor, or the World Trade Center. Jeremiahs plea, Do not close your eyes to my cry for relief, was answered. The Lords answer was do not fear. The words do not fear are simple, but are found to be difficult to put into action when were in the middle of some catastrophe. When floods of circumstances keep pouring in how do we rise above them to recovery? I have discovered that one antidote for fears that venture their way into my life has been the exercise of faith. Im not talking about just believing and waiting for the circumstances to change; Im talking about exercise of faith. One of the greatest tools of my recovery from substance abuse has been the program of physical exercise that I have been forced to work. I say forced because I lost my driving privileges in 1996 for ten years, since then I have been walking and riding bicycles to get from one place to another. I have learned from my physical exercising how to exercise my faith. In my physical exercising I always have a beginning and ending destination. Likewise with my faith, I have learned to start my faith going by belief in the positive outcome, and like Jeremiah I cry out or pray to the Lord. I then must have an ending destination, I must be aware of when the object of the faith has been accomplished. At this point I give thanks to the Lord for helping me through, and for hearing my plea. Another important part of my physical exercise is pacing myself. Expecting results too soon will lead to discouragement. I must remember to start slowly and increase as I become more involved. Exercising faith also has an important similar aspect, the starting and continuing. To draw ourselves above our circumstances we must first believe that God is able to help us. Without this simple belief in faith, Gods help does not work. The continuing of the exercising of faith is the only way to arrive at the final destination. Half measures avail us nothing. The problem is that sometimes we cant see the whole picture. When were in the middle of something it is hard to see how God is pulling us through it. Many times as life becomes better we can then see how God has helped us all along. I try and remember this. Today I know with out a doubt that God is doing for me what I could not do for myself JRE
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Hebrews 11:6 NIV
People see God everyday. They just dont recognize Him. Pearl Baily