Help in Troubled Times

Habakkuk 1: ⁷ The Lord is good,
    a refuge in times of trouble.
He cares for those who trust in him

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 Sitting on the edge of my bed, I worried about my “future.” What would it be like? How will I make it with the debt I was carrying? I ignored those who spoke about all that “GOD” stuff and went on my way.  I mean they don’t seem any better off. In fact, I have seen some people who spoke about “GOD” who were even more in debt than I was!

• There were times that I worried about “my future.”
• There were times when I did the math and my future looked bleak!
• There were times when life did not seem to provide enough money so I thought everything was bad.

“Trust in the dollar with all your thoughts and all your future plans and all your ways” was my way of thinking. I would talk about where I was with others and they would put on a pity face with me. There seemed to be no way out! BUT GOD said something different!

• GOD said to me “Put your total trust in ME and all will be well with you.”
• GOD said to me “Seek ME in times of trouble and you will find refuge.”
• GOD said to me “Give me your worries, fears and doubts and I will make your paths straight.”

I had reached the end of my rope, or so I thought. I went to a small church and the preacher asked “Is there anyone here who wants to give their life back to GOD?” Something inside me said, “Get up!” so I did. As I walked down the aisle, I could hear clapping and cheering. Tear flowed down my face as I reached a group who prayed for me and with me. I finally felt at peace!

• Are you troubled?
• Do you think there is no way out?
• Can you place your trust in GOD today?
• Will you give HIM your fears, worries and doubts?
• Can you place your total trust in GOD and stop looking at the past and the future?

It Takes Time

1 Chronicles 4: ¹⁸ All these things that Solomon made amounted to so much that the weight of the bronze could not be calculated.

¹⁹ Solomon also made all the furnishings that were in God’s temple:

the golden altar;

the tables on which was the bread of the Presence;

²⁰ the lampstands of pure gold with their lamps, to burn in front of the inner sanctuary as prescribed;

²¹ the gold floral work and lamps and tongs (they were solid gold);

²² the pure gold wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, dishes and censers; and the gold doors of the temple: the inner doors to the Most Holy Place and the doors of the main hall.

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Staring out the window I longed to be outside.  Why do I have to fill out this multiplication sheet for homework? It seems so repetitious! Can’t this just be done?! Can’t school just be done?

• Some things seem to take forever to me when I want them to be done.
• Some lessons seem to drag on and on to me when I want to be finished.
• Some parts of life seem to so slow when I want it to be fast.

It seems like the lessons I don’t enjoy take the longest and I this applies to more than education. I mean can’t GOD just hurry up and give me patience? I get so focused on where I think I should be that I can’t sit and wait on GOD’s pace for HIS deliverance. Oh, I believe HE can deliver, but why does HE take so long?

• GOD knows the plans HE has for me, plans to prosper me.
• GOD knows the exact day and time HE wants me to execute HIS plan.
• GOD knows the sin and times I truly worship HIM and HE has factored all of it in HIS great plan for me.

Looking back on times where things moved too fast, I realized I wish they hadn’t. When I got to the position or place, I wasn’t ready. All eyes were on me and I was making mistake after mistake. GOD knows when I am “ready” and HE takes HIS time preparing me daily. HE calms my anxieties and tells me to take one step at a time each day.

• Are you looking for “success” with anxiety?
• Do you think life will be so much better if “this thing” would happen?
• Can you stop looking at the future and enjoy where GOD has you today?
• Will you look at the training GOD is giving you today as an opportunity for HIM to make you great?
• Can you praise HIM for taking HIS time?

It takes faith to get ahead

Genesis 17: When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. ² Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.”

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Bad news just seemed to find its way to me one year.  It seemed like a blues or country western sad song where everything happened and I felt all alone. I can’t say that I was acting the way GOD wanted me to so I decided to try HIM out. For the first time in years I went to church and the message seemed to be directed at me.

I surveyed my problems after my church experience and do you know what? My problems seemed to double. Wait, I thought going to church would fix my problems. I wondered if I should continue following GOD back then.

• When I face difficult circumstances I want them fixed immediately or I start doubting GOD.
• When I face adversity in my life I want things to change or I start getting mad at GOD.
• When I face hardship I just want relief or I start blaming GOD for my condition.

GOD wants me to have unyielding faith through impossible circumstances.  At ninety-nine GOD said Abraham would be a father and his ministry was just beginning. GOD sees the beginning and end of my life and builds a plan for me that only I can execute.

• GOD says walk before ME faithfully and be blameless because MY SON has taken the blame.
• GOD says I am GOD almighty, with ME nothing is impossible.
• GOD says I will make my covenant between ME and you and HE developed a plan just for me.

When GOD makes a promise no one can stop it. HE has already poured out HIS blessings on me in spite of me.

• Are you in a difficult situation that seems like there is no way out?
• Does the future seem a little murky?
• Can you hear GOD’s message to you that HE loves you dearly?
• Won’t you believe HE can and will fix your situation, HIS way in HIS time?