God Has A Plan

It doesn’t matter how hard life is, God has a plan to take every adversity and every hardship you go through and use it. He’s not going to let you stay beaten down and miserable forever. No, God’s dream is to take that difficulty and supernaturally turn it around and use it to bring you good. He will use those tough times to bring you out stronger, more mature and prepared for life! Goodness, mercy and unfailing love are God’s plan for you!

Right now, you may not understand everything that’s going on in your life, but I encourage you to keep your head held high. Know that God is working in your life. Keep being faithful. Keep doing the right thing, knowing that in the end God is going to turn things around in your favour.

Today remember, if God is for you, who can be against you? No one. Greater is the One who is in you than anyone who can be against you. No matter what’s going on around you today, you can put your shoulders back and put a smile on your face, because God is working things together for your good because He loves you!

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28, NIV)

Let’s Pray

Yahweh, thank You for Your goodness and faithfulness in my life. Father, thank You for all You’ve done for me in my past, and for what You are preparing for my future. I beg You to turn things around in my life today.  God, help me keep my eyes on You and stand strong, as I look for Your goodness all the days of my life, in Christ’ Name! Amen.

When It Rains It Pours

When the rain is still present

As we face 2021 there will be times when we feel overwhelmed and outnumbered by the things that are coming against us. Have you heard the saying, “when it rains, it pours.” For example, at the same time as the central heating needs repairing, the car breaks down, and then you get the news that a loved one has passed away. It seems like one thing happens after another.  

Maybe you are feeling overwhelmed right now, like all of the forces of darkness are coming against you. But the Scripture promises us that with God on our side, we have all the resources of heaven to get through the consistently hard times and arrive at the victory God promises us.  

Today, remember you are never outnumbered by sin or the devil, because the Greater One lives in you, and those who are with you are more than those who are against you! So the next time you’re feeling anxious, fearful or worried about anything, remember, He’s on your side. If God is for you, who can be against you? He promises to guide and protect you and lead you into victory! Hallelujah! 

“Don’t be afraid,’ the prophet answered. ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” (2 Kings 6:16, NIV) 

Let’s Pray 

Yahweh, thank You for Your faithfulness to me. Father, thank You for Your peace and promises that reassure me even in the midst of the constant storms of life. God, I know that You and the entire heavenly host are fighting with me, therefore I can stand strong because You will lead me into victory, in Christ’s Name! Amen. 

If God is For Us, Who Can Be Against Us?

17 Aspects of Discipleship Beyond Just Reading the Bible

I recently noticed some Christian songs that were encouraging listeners with the refrain “God is not against you,” and “God is for you.” I know that some famous preachers also seem to make this their regular mantra when they appear before their congregations.

Whenever I hear such encouragement, however,  I wonder how someone can make such a blanket statement to all people who might be listening.

I think of stories like the Exodus where God was clearly  for  the Israelites as God led them out of bondage, whereas God was  against  their Egyptian captors (Psalm 81:5).

Sometimes people  have a fairy tale image of God. We can be prone to think of God as there for our well being, as existing to grant our wishes (at least sometimes), and as one who is always nice to us, whose prime goal is to make us comfortable in life, and who would never think of disciplining us.

The fact is, though, that God does discipline. And our sin does affect our relationship with God in this life. It is even possible that  God can be  against  you.

  • “God  opposes  the proud but shows favor to the humble” (James 4:6).
  • “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is  against  those who do evil” (1 Peter 3:12).
  • “Now the hand of the Lord is  against  you” (Acts 13:11).

Even though God can be against people,  there is still a sense that God is  for  everyone, if by this we mean that “God so loved the world” (John 3:16). We can even say that God wants what is best for us.

At the same time though,  sometimes God gives us “tough love”  to help us straighten up. For example, Paul warned the Corinthians that if we celebrate the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner we might be “judged . . . by the Lord” and “disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world” (1 Corinthians 11:32).

I cannot tell everyone that God is  not against  them. I don’t know about you, but knowing this gives me strong impetus to repent of my sin and ensure that I stay in a good relationship with God.

The good news is, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Praise the Lord!

 

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