Time to stand up!

Colossians 4: ¹² Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.

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Quietly we crept down the stairs to the basement to see the thing that was down there. Was it a human, a ghost the boogey man? My brother and sister may have been snickering, but I was actually scared! We walked around the shadowy basement with the lights off then a noise came out of nowhere. I screamed, ran, and bumped my head climbing the stairs! The furnace had turned on.

• The unknown is a very scary place.
• The unknown makes me imagine the worst.
• The unknown causes me to have poor judgment of others and the situation.
• The unknown truly shows what I am made of and sometimes I’m made of “fear.”

In the "basement" situation my questions would have been answered if I had just turned on the light. Same with GOD… If I would just turn on HIS light, my fear would subside and sometimes go away.

• GOD wants me to stop listening to my wild imagination and focus on HIS blessings.
• GOD wants me to be fully assured that HE truly loves me “deeply.”
• GOD wants me to be firm in my faith.

Maturity in CHRIST means I can handle tougher and tougher situations without blaming or doubting GOD. HE and I can have frank conversations in other words “wrestling in prayer” and when I’m done, I can serve others during the roughest times.

Standing firm means not compromising on GOD’s ways. It’s very tempting to do the wrong things when jobs or money or possessions are in the balance, BUT GOD wants me to stand firm with integrity while trusting that HE has my best interest in mind.

It’s time to stand up! It’s time to stand firm! It’s time to stand for GOD for HE is my source of power!

• Is your imagination running wild with negative thoughts?
• Do you think GOD doesn’t care about you or your situation?
• Can you remember what HE has done for you in the past?
• Do you realize HE is in control of “all” situations, even yours?