“Our Daily Bread”   

http://odb.org/2012/11/05/beyond-just-and-fair/

The Daily Devotions of Greg Laurie                                  

http://www.harvest.org/devotional/daily-devotions/home.ht

Hebrews 13:5… “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”  (NKJV)

I draw today’s thoughts from Dr. Charles Stanley’s message I heard yesterday going to church… His audio message was titled “Obedience Always Brings Blessing – Part 2”…  It’s just over 20 minutes long for those who want to click on the following link to listen to his words of hope… http://www.intouch.org/broadcast/today-on-radio

A person has to be filled with the Holy Spirit, to truly understand how a Christian can be going through a severe trial in life, but still be able to praise God at the same time… We see in the opening scripture, that God will never leave nor forsake His children…  This same scripture message of hope can be seen in the Old Testament in… Deuteronomy 31:6…&…Joshua 1:5…

God is always right there for all Christians; but do all Christians place God first in their lives ??  The obvious answer is absolutely not !!  When we as Christians go through a severe trial in life…many times we get angry, and can in no way find joy where there is no joy… But as Christians, we are called to live our lives in obedience to God’s will for our lives…

The Apostle James tells Christians that they should be able to find joy through life’s trials, in…James 1:2-4… My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, ³ knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. ⁴ But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.  (NKJV)

Once we understand that God is always with His children, even through our trials…and that with God (who never makes a mistake), all things work for our good…as written in…Romans 8:28…we should never doubt that somehow there will be a blessing that comes from our trials… I have heard it said that when God closes one door, He will open up another door to even better things for His children…  If we loose a job; if our house is destroyed in a storm, like hurricane sandy; if there is a death of a loved one in our family… These are all trials, that in our own mortal minds and our short sighted vision, we can in no way find joy…  But God wants us to be obedient children none the less…

I mentioned earlier, that Christians have to be filled with the Holy Spirit to find joy and peace through trials… The Apostle Paul wrote this following advice to the church in Ephesus, when they had fallen prey to false prophets and their own sins of the flesh…

Ephesians 5:18-20…   And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹ speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, ²⁰ giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,  (NKJV)

To be walking with the Lord as obedient children…we as Christians must not be harboring any sin in our lives… Our sins must be confessed and repented of, in order to become righteous again in God’s sight (1 John 1:9)… With all sins confessed; and by remaining humble to allowing full control of our lives by the Holy Spirit…we will be given the supernatural strength to be able to go through life’s most impossible trials, and still have peace in our lives…

The Apostle Paul wrote the following scripture that I often post, because I can personally testify that it is the fullness of the Holy Spirit, which if left in full control of our lives…will give us a supernatural peace, where there would otherwise be no peace…Philippians 4:6-7… Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  (NKJV)

Again we see the need to give thanks in “everything”…not just the good things…  And by living our lives as Spirit filled, obedient Christian’s; understanding that God is sovereign, and that what God plans for our lives will always be best in the long run…we will be blessed with a supernatural peace and a joy, even through our trials…that just can’t be explained with our feeble mortal minds…

Heavenly Father, Your Word tells us that Your ways are not always in alignment with what we believe is best for our lives…Isaiah 55:8-9…  Help Your children to always remember that Your way will always be the right way… Help us Lord, by urging us to confess and repent of any and all sins…and to remain humble to allowing the Holy Spirit to direct our lives in a way that will be pleasing to You… I pray for this fullness of the Holy Spirit, and the many blessings it will bring to all of Your obedient children…in Jesus’ most precious name and for His sake…Amen…

written by bruce r mills