Further, Faster
Today's Scripture:
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.
2 Peter 3:8, NIV.
2 Peter 3:8, NIV.
Today's Word:
I believe God wants to do exceedingly, abundantly above and beyond what you could even ask or think. He can take you further, faster than you could ever dream. God can speed things up on your behalf. Because you honor and trust Him, things that should have taken you a lifetime to accomplish will only take you a fraction of the time. This is the kind of God we serve!
We see this all through scripture. In just one day, David went from a shepherd boy to the one who led the Israelite army to victory. Ruth was a poor widow collecting scraps in the field, and God sent Boaz to her. She went from begging in the field to owning the field. God breathed in her direction. God took her further, faster.
Remember, the thoughts you think and the words you say are prophesying your future. If you want to see a shift occur in your life, you’ve got to get in agreement with God and say, “Yes, God, this is for me. I thank You that I am coming into my destiny sooner than I imagined!”
Prayer for Today:
Father, I choose to trust that You are working behind the scenes on my behalf. I believe that You can take me further, faster than I could ever imagine. I surrender every area of my life to You. Use me for Your glory in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
God Is Good All the Time
Did Jesus suffer? Was he sometimes lonely? Was he tempted to be discouraged? Was he misunderstood, maligned, and criticized unjustly?
Of course! None of us are exempt from suffering, loneliness, discouragement, or unjust criticism, because God is developing within us the character of Christ, and, in order to do this, he must take us through all of the circumstances in life through which he took Christ.
Does this mean God causes tragedies? No. God is good, and he will not cause evil or do evil. But God can use dark and stressful times for good. He'll use them to teach us to trust him, to show us how to help others, and to draw us closer to other believers.
The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 4:8b-9, “We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead” (NLT).
So, what should you do when you’re going through difficult times?
First, you refuse to be discouraged. Then, you remember God is with you. Finally, you rely on God’s protection and guidance.
We all go through difficult times. The difference for those who believe in Jesus is not the absence of the shadow but the presence of the Light.
Talk It Over
13 hours ago
by Rick Warren
“We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead.” (2 Corinthians 4:8b-9 NLT)
Of course! None of us are exempt from suffering, loneliness, discouragement, or unjust criticism, because God is developing within us the character of Christ, and, in order to do this, he must take us through all of the circumstances in life through which he took Christ.
Does this mean God causes tragedies? No. God is good, and he will not cause evil or do evil. But God can use dark and stressful times for good. He'll use them to teach us to trust him, to show us how to help others, and to draw us closer to other believers.
The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 4:8b-9, “We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead” (NLT).
So, what should you do when you’re going through difficult times?
First, you refuse to be discouraged. Then, you remember God is with you. Finally, you rely on God’s protection and guidance.
We all go through difficult times. The difference for those who believe in Jesus is not the absence of the shadow but the presence of the Light.
Talk It Over
- What stressful or difficult experiences in your life have you seen God use for good?
- How have you learned to rely on God through the difficult times of your life?
No comments:
Post a Comment