Question Answered

Question Answered

1 Thessalonians 5: ¹⁶ Be joyful always, ¹⁷ pray at all times, ¹⁸ be thankful in all circumstances. This is what God wants from you in your life in union with Christ Jesus.

 

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Walking outside to the parking lot, I noticed my window had been broken out and my cassette tapes had been stolen. Yeah I said tapes. At work, I got news that the project was not going well. I got home and all I had in the fridge was eggs. I boiled them and fell asleep. I woke up to exploded burnt eggs. “What do YOU want from me!” I angrily said to GOD.

 

• I had plenty to complain about.
• I told people about one calamity, then another would hit.
• I questioned why I was going through this by asking “What do YOU want from me?”

 

Paul, Silas and Timothy gave some advice to everyone who asked the question “What does GOD want from me?” Their simple words are not so easy to put into practice, but the perspective can change how circumstances are seen.

 

• GOD wants me to be joyful versus happy because joy cuts through pain.
• GOD wants me to pray at all times, asking HIM how HE wants to handle the bad and good situations.
• GOD wants me to be thankful in all circumstances, seeing HIM work through very difficult situations as well as peaceful ones.

 

Joy, prayer and thankfulness do not seem like powerful weapons, but they are. I mean, when I seek happiness, fulfilled desires and accolades, I run into those who seek the same and would do anything to rob others of theirs. I also rely on my own thoughts and power which makes me run out of fuel and question GOD. BUT HE has another way.

 

GOD wants my life to have light burdens, but understands there is an enemy, Satan, who will stop at nothing to keep me from praising JESUS. GOD gives me joy, prayer and thankfulness to battle worry, hatred, doubt and all ills of life. I am glad GOD wants me to have a relationship with HIS SON and wants simple things from me.

 

Challenge

• Why do the writers use “always” and “all times” and “all circumstances?”
• Have you ever felt like not praying or wanting to be angry or wanting to just be alone in your pity?
• Will you take the burden off of yourself and replace it with joy through prayer and thankfulness so GOD can unite you with the power of CHRIST JESUS today?

 

Prayer

Dear LORD, thank YOU for this reader. Thank YOU for keeping him or her in the palm of YOUR hands. Thank YOU for joy and for opening the door to listen. We praise YOU today. amen

Painful Reinstatement

Painful Reinstatement

Acts 9: ⁶ So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?”

Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

⁷ And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. ⁸ Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. ⁹ And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

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“That department is terrible” I said to others. I talked poorly about the leadership and lack of direction. I felt great because I had escaped the department and was on to greener pastures. But the reorganization happened and I was told I was being reinstated back into the department. “You represent this department. Do it well or leave.” I was told.

• There were times when I fought something bigger than me.
• There were times when I talked bad about something bigger than me.
• There were times when I had to come back to the thing that cared and fed me, but I needed a different attitude.

Saul met JESUS on the way to killing those who followed HIM. With a flash of light JESUS spoke to Saul but those around him could not see who he was speaking to. Saul asked the right question. “LORD, what do YOU want me to do?” He was reinstated at a price. He was blind.

• GOD wants me humble when I serve HIM.
• GOD wants me gentle when I serve others HE sends me to.
• GOD wants me gracious when I claim to be one of HIS followers.

Swallowing pride, ejecting arrogance and surrendering control are difficult things to do when “I” place myself higher than I should be. But when GOD wants me to serve HIM, I have to get rid of pride, arrogance and control. The more I hold onto these things, the more painful the reinstatement.

GOD wants to bless me through HIS methods. HE wants total control. The more I think “I” am in control the harder it will be for GOD to reinstate me to a place that HE has for me. GOD sometimes rips things out of my hands and it is painful. When I see the results, I am grateful.

• Is GOD calling you and you are ignoring HIM?
• Are you holding onto “your” way and not asking GOD “What do YOU want me to do?”
• Will you allow GOD to take over your plan gently so it doesn’t have to be torn out of your hands?

Clearing Up Confusion

Clearing Up Confusion

John 16: ¹⁶ “A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father.”

¹⁷ Then some of His disciples said among themselves, “What is this that He says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’; and, ‘because I go to the Father’?” ¹⁸ They said therefore, “What is this that He says, ‘A little while’? We do not know what He is saying.”

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“What do YOU want from me?” I cried out. I wasn’t really asking the question, rather I was venting frustration over the situation. I was sick and tired about being sick and tired! Enough was enough. I felt. Yet I was a bit confused. “Why do I have to go through problems anyway?”

• There have been times when I have been confused about GOD.
• There have been times when HIS words do not seem clear.
• There have been times when GOD has taken me through a situation and I wondered if HE cared.

JESUS tried to explain the impossible. HE told HIS disciples that HE would die and rise again in a confusing way. This time HE said this statement in a parable rather than straight out. Even if HE said this directly, the statement would have been impossible to comprehend.

• GOD clears up my confusion by making HIS message simple.
• GOD clears up my confusion by telling me HE loves me and cares for me.
• GOD clears up my confusion by enabling me to tell others HE loves them and cares for them.

There are many messages humans say about GOD that cause confusion. BUT GOD makes HIS message clear. HE says “I love you so much that when MY SON volunteered to take your punishment, I agreed and allowed HIM to be blamed. I also raised HIM from the dead and gave HIM all power.”

JESUS wants my message to be simple. “Believe in JESUS and you will have everlasting life.” Unfortunately, this simple message gets clouded with, “must do’s” that wear people out. “You must attend church weekly, and you must serve, and you must give this amount and you must pray and wear yourself out. GOD wants my service to be “easy” and my burden to be “light.” I am glad HE carried “all” the load.

• Are you confused about GOD?
• Do you think you have to work harder to please HIM?
• Will you stop trying to make GOD do things and watch HIS mighty power work in your life?

Guided Light

Guided Light

John 11: ⁵ Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. ⁶ So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. ⁷ Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.”

⁸ The disciples said to Him, “Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?”

⁹ Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. ¹⁰ But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” ¹¹ These things He said, and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.”

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“Let’s go to this party, it’s going to be wild” someone suggested. For some reason, I did not go this time. I was partied out and was trying to graduate. “No thanks” was my strange reply. Everyone knew I would be there.

The next day, I got a report that a fight broke out and a drunk football player, wielding an ax, hit someone in the arm. They added “but it was the blunt side that he used.”

• Looking back, there were events I am glad I did not attend.
• Looking back, there were groups I am glad I did not hang with.
• Looking back, there were situations that I am glad I did not get into.

Heading into danger, JESUS tells HIS disciples that HE had to go back to Judea. Knowing the church members would stone HIM, the disciples gave a stern warning. JESUS explained what guided HIM.

• GOD wants me to be led by the SPIRIT.
• GOD wants me to have a purpose for my life.
• GOD wants me to see HE has a plan for my life that is greater than any plan a human can ever dream of.

“Half the time it is day where people can see” JESUS explains. HE used this analogy to explain living a life of purpose. Being guided by the “light” means I an enlightened by GOD to do the things HE wants me to do, otherwise I would be guided into meaningless or sinful places.

When my life is over, GOD will look at everything I have done. HE wants me to have some moments where HE values what I have done and will call it “fruit.” I am glad HE leads me to serve.

• What guides you?
• Are jobs, entertainment, lust or pleasure on the top of your mind most of the time?
• Will you allow GOD to enlighten you so you can be led by the HOLY SPIRIT today?

Come to Collect

Come to Collect

John 6: ³⁵ And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. ³⁶ But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. ³⁷ All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. ³⁸ For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. ³⁹ This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. ⁴⁰ And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

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Scared to answer the phone, I said “hello.” It was another bill collector asking for their money. Unfortunately, I had none and I told them just that. The next day they called back. I explained that no money had come in from yesterday’s call. The following day they called back and again and again until I paid off the debt. Wow they were relentless!

• There were people who relentlessly pursued what I owed them.
• There were people who spared no cost in trying to collect what was theirs from me.
• There were people who spent their entire day looking for me to give them what I owed.

JESUS reveals HE is the Bread of Life. HE explains that if people would return to HIM, they would never hunger or thirst. HE is a different but necessary source of food. HE then explains what HE was there for.

• JESUS became a human so HE could be murdered for me to pay my debt.
• JESUS knew I must die because I was born into sin so HE decided to be killed in place of me.
• JESUS said if I would come to HIM, HE would never cast me out.

GOD wants to collect those who are willing to be with HIM. HE gave us free will to choose HIM or ourselves. Those who believe that JESUS took care of all their sins will be saved. Those who do not think their sins matter or that they have not sinned at all will perish forever.

JESUS came to do the will of the FATHER which is to gather all those HE has given to HIM. HE is relentless in HIS pursuit. Ever day HE comes after me, loving me and caring for me, even when I blatantly run away from HIM. HE is the great collector. I am glad HE paid my debt.

• What are you distracted by?
• Are you so focused on the debts of humans that you can no longer see GOD?
• Will you focus on your need for everlasting life and praise GOD for clearing your debt of sin today?