I heard a minister say recently, "We only think God is at work, when we're happy about what he is doing."
We've been conditioned to equate favorable circumstances with God's favor and unfavorable ones with evil. Yet God uses both the good and the bad in our life, to accomplish his purpose in the world as well as our lives.
I've heard numerous times that God uses setbacks as setups. He knows that as long as things stay the same, so will we. But it's only through circumstances that stretch us, and move us out of our comfort zone, that motivates us to change or take a new course of action.
I can reflect on numerous crisis in my life, that I thought, while I was going through them, that the world would end. But in hindsight, what I thought was the end of the world turned out to work in my favor, and was just what I needed to receive God's blessing or move to the next level in my Christian walk.
I remember when I had my first real elementary school teaching job and the principal basically fired me. The week prior to my evaluation and possible rehire, everything, I mean everything, was going wrong. Literally, it was like invisible forces were setting me up to fail.
During my evaluation, the principal told me that I should look for a different profession and that I wasn't cut out to be a teacher. I was devastated by her comments; however, within one week of substituting, I was hired on permanently at another school that happened to be open year around.
This turned out to be a tremendous blessing, because I could do my student teaching there and saved thousands of dollars in tuition. I also didn't have to take out any loans for living expenses. This would not have been possible at the previous school. I ended up teaching 10 more years before leaving the profession altogether.
Then there was the time that my relationship ended with the man who I thought was the man of my dreams. This caused me to spiral down into years of depression. And although I know it wasn't God's perfect will for me to wallow in depression, he used it to catapult me into my Christian meditation business and ministry that has literally reached thousands of people worldwide.
Through my heartache and pain, I discovered the transformative power of dwelling in God's presence, as well as how to bring every thought under the authority of Christ through meditation.
Like me, I'm sure you can reflect upon similar situations in your life, where God took what was meant for evil and used it for your good. Romans 8:28 declares, "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."
All things have meaning - our pain, tribulations, crisis, death, tragedy, illness, lack, obstacles, mountains, setbacks, trials, disappointments, and temptations. No experience we face is wasted, if we will trust God and believe that He has our back.
Nowhere in the Bible does it say that we will be free from pain and suffering. In fact, Hebrews 5:8 says that Jesus learned obedience through what he suffered.
But God doesn't want us to fixate on the problem or our suffering; he wants us to keep our eyes on Him. Isaiah 26:3 declares, "You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee."
We will all face the storms of life, but as long as we stay centered in God, in the eye of the storm, we will come through safely and victoriously.
2 Corinthians 4:17 says, "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us, an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." As Christians, we often forget that our time on this earth is temporary. Everything shall pass away. We're just passing through. Too often we get caught up with the affairs of this life and to our own detriment.
Jesus told us to be in the world, but not of the world. When we measure our success and happiness by the worldly standards, we set ourselves up for disappointment. As Christians, we can't serve both God and money.
1 Peter 4:12 declares, "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trials you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed."
God uses circumstances to grow and mature us, fulfill His purpose, move us in new directions, and stretch our faith. When things begin to stir in our life, it is usually an indication that transition is coming. That God has something better in store for us.
God sees the big picture, too. When we think the ship is sinking, God maybe saying, "I'm got to move my child to the next level; I've got to move him or her into her purpose; I've got to get them walking in a new direction; I need to get them setup for my blessings; or I need to change their perspective about this life."
He does this because He loves us and has so much more for us than what we're settling for.
So whatever you're going through today, what whatever you are suffering through, although it may be difficult, even unbearable, try to see it as just one piece or your puzzle and not the whole picture.
God is lord over everything. He allows it to rain on the just, as well as the unjust, but God doesn't do things happenstance. Today, try to look beyond the trees right in the midst, in an effort to see a glimpse of the forest ahead and meditate on the possibilities ahead of you!
About the Author: Has fear gripped your life? Learn more about the Christian Meditation Cd, Perfect Love Casts Out Fear. Are you ready to transform your life and live with more purpose and passion? Visit Detox Your Life Now & Awaken Your Inner Spirit to learn about this 10-week Christian faith-based program.
Embrace Change | LBMoore's | A Social Mediast
If you have recently had a big change happen in your life such as moving to a new city, lost of a job or health issues you understand that it takes ti.
Publish Date: 05/14/2011 17:31
http://lbmoores.com/embrace-change/
Embrace Change | Care2 Healthy & Green Living
Put aside the intellectual practice of investigating words and chasing phrases, and learn to take the backward step that turns the light and shines it.
Publish Date: 04/30/2011 9:05
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/embrace-change.html
Chinese symbol | Chinese symbol to embrace change
Tao or Dao is a Chinese character that refers to a basic feature of Chinese philosophy and religion. One of the translations of the most generous and the "
Publish Date: 05/07/2011 12:59
http://language.cn.com/chinese-symbol-chinese-symbol-to-embrace-change/
EMBRACE CHANGE
With all that is going on in the world today...it is important to understand that change is inevitable. Just like nature experiences "change" -- change of seasons, climate, weather, etc...we as humans also must embrace the "change" that life brings o...
I have written and taught on the topic of, "Why do you believe what you believe?" This article takes that question to the next level. Just as it is very important to know why you believe what you believe, it is equally important to know why you do what you do.
"What you do," specifically refers to the things you do because you are a Christian. This could obviously involve numerous activities. But I have picked three.
Let's assume that most Christians pray, read the Bible, and do good deeds. There may very well be some Christians who do not engage in those actions. But for sake of making my point, let's focus on those who do.
When one looks at the activities that they perform, they must ask themselves why they are doing those things. What is the reason? What is the motivation? When you ask yourself those questions, the answers are most revealing.
With the three activities we are focusing on, answers as to why could include: because I am supposed to, so God will love me more, to make up for things I have done wrong or, to stay in God's good graces.
Those who do things because they are supposed to must believe that if they don't do certain things they might lose what God has given them. But, on the other hand, if God freely gave us eternal life, and it is not by our own works, then it has already been freely given. The Bible states that it is eternal life.
Nothing I do, or don't do is going to have any affect on the eternal life that has already been given to me. I may choose to do certain things out of gratitude to God for giving me eternal life. I am certainly not doing those things because I am supposed to, but rather because I choose to.
If I do things because I think that God will love me more, does that mean that if I don't do those things that He will love me less? Just how many things would I need to do to earn the love of the Creator of the heavens and earth? How much would I really have to do in order to finally have done enough so that God would love me?
Is it really our own good works that bring us God's love? The Bible teaches that we love Him because He first loved us, and, that nothing can separate us from His love. We can certainly choose to do certain things as a loving response to His unending and never wavering love. That is very different than doing something so that God will love you more..
If someone does the things that they do in an effort to make up for past mistakes, is that not, in effect, trying to pay for their sins? The Scriptures are very plain that it was Christ who paid the price for the sins of the whole world. The Bible further teaches that our sins have been forgiven.
What about doing good things to stay in God's good graces, in other words, so that you can continue to receive His blessings? If your motive for doing certain things is so that you can stay in good standing with God, then that means that you believe that your own works determine your standing before God. Many Christians believe this, but it contradicts what the Scriptures teach.
The Bible plainly declares that because of Christ's completed work, we are now lovely and acceptable before God. We are acceptable to Him; we have already been accepted, not based on our works, but on what Jesus Christ did for us. The Bible goes on to say that we have been made righteous; we now have the righteousness of God.
If it took the work of Christ to make us righteous, lovely and acceptable before God, then nothing I do, or don't do, can eradicate that completed and finished work. Someone may do lots of things that make them feel righteous in God's eyes; but the truth is they already are.
One can pray for hours on their knees, read the Bible from cover to cover, time and time again, do kind benevolent works every day of their life, but none of those things will change the completed work that Christ has already accomplished. Praying, reading the Bible, and doing kind, benevolent works are wonderful things to do, but why do you do it?
We need to honestly ask ourselves why we do the things that we do. We need to have the courage to put our feelings aside, as well as previous teachings, and line up our beliefs and our actions with what the Scriptures teach. It is real freedom to do things in response to what God has done for us instead of doing things to try and obtain what He has already done for us through Christ.
Michael A. Verdicchio offers a FREE eBook, "9 Keys to Answered Prayer!" for signing up for his FREE weekly news letter, "The Pep Letter," at http://www.ConfidenceAndJoy.com Michael is a husband, father, minister, author, broadcaster and the voice on numerous projects and productions, Get a FREE Lifetime Membership to EnrichingYourLifeNow.com when you subscribe for FREE to his inspiring blog.
Second in Paul's list of gifts were prophets (1 Corinthians 12:27). We know those who have this gift as preachers. The prophet's job was to expound Scripture, to multiply the gift of the apostles, the gift of Scripture (the New Testament, but not the New Testament alone -- also the Old Testament) by illustrating and applying it to God's people, to the churches. Once the Scripture was complete and available, it was to be proclaimed to the nations, to the Gentiles, to all of the people in the world. With the closing of the Canon and cessation of the role of the apostles, the role of the prophets took first place in the churches. Indeed, preaching God's Word is still the primary job of every church.
Teachers
The next gift on Paul's list was teaching. Teachers were to help people incorporate Scripture into their lives. Teachers instruct, train and disciple others. Teaching is an outgrowth of preaching. Teaching takes preaching to the next level. Where preaching is the proclamation of God's Word, teaching involves the assimilation and application of God's Word. The teacher must master the subject before teaching it, and then help others master it. So, the first job of the teacher is learning.
And every Christian is called to be a teacher. Husbands are to teach their wives. Parents are to teach their children. Older students are to help teach younger students, etc. Teaching is the main staple of Christianity. Every Christian needs to be taught, not just the essentials of the faith, but the fullness and richness of the faith. Christianity is not just about the main points of biblical doctrine, it's about the entire story of the Bible in all of its amazing details. "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16).
Miracles
Next on Paul's list are miracles. But didn't I previously say that miracles had ceased with the closing of the Canon? I did, and what I said is true. However, it is not the whole truth. Why? Because the closing of the Canon was not the end of Christianity. Rather, it was the beginning of God's Christian mission to the whole world. Paul's inclusion of miracles on the gift list was the result of Jesus' instructions in John 14:12: "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father." James taught the same thing: "You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone" (James 2:24).
You might say that Paul used the word "miracles" where the verses I have quoted above use the word "works." And indeed, they are not the same Greek words. Nonetheless, the meaning and intent of the two verses are the same. Paul used the word dunamis, which means power. Paul's use of the word miracles (dunamis) here referred to going out in the power of Christ and changing the world. Paul was not talking about carnival tricks or healing aunt Sally's sore elbow. Paul was talking about using the wisdom that God had provided in Scripture to change human culture and society into the likeness of Christ. Paul was talking about the application of biblical principles and truths to the endeavor of being human in a fallen world. Paul was talking about walking in the Spirit, about living in regeneration, about being used by God in the accomplishment of God's purposes for His church, to extend the biblical mission to reach the whole world.
With the light of Jesus Christ and completion of the Bible, miracles that were like flashlights in the dark were no longer necessary in the light of Christ. Again, it is not so much that miracles that worked like flashlights in the dark ceased to work, but that in the light of Christ flashlights were no longer necessary. But note that if the light from the flashlights was miraculous, the light of Christ was a miracle of infinitely greater proportion. The flashlights were simply abandoned in favor of the superior light of Christ.
Miracles are like tongues. Rightly understood, we see that speaking in tongues did not cease, but rather began in earnest with the closing of the Canon as the gospel - regenerate God talk -- was translated (spoken and written) into foreign tongues (languages). Similarly, miracles did not cease with the closing of the Canon, either. Rather, the closing of the Canon provided the platform for the launching of new generations of miracles, new kinds of miracles previously unknown, miracles that could only be manifest in the light of the Trinitarian Christ. Indeed, the application of the Trinitarian understanding of God and the Trinitarian understanding of reality brought about the development of science and technology, which have utterly and miraculously changed the world.
Science & Technology
What we call science and technology today, Christians of the First Century would have called miracles. What we assume as commonplace today, would have been considered to be absolutely miraculous in any other period of human history. I'm talking about modern communications, transportation, media, agriculture, population increase, etc. Think about the transformation of the world from the time of Christ to the Twenty-First Century and it is nothing short of absolutely miraculous, particularly from a First Century perspective. This is the gift of miracles that was on Paul's list.
The rest of the gifts on Paul's list are lumped together as if the order is not significant, "then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues" (v. 21). The previous gifts on the list are in the order of importance. The most important was the apostolic, the writing of the New Testament. Second was the preaching of the New Testament gospel. And third was the teaching of the New Testament gospel. The direct result of that preaching and teaching would be -- and were -- miracles. The preaching and teaching of the Trinitarian gospel of Jesus Christ utterly changed the world for the better and forever.
For over 25 years Phillip A. Ross has been leading churches and writing many Christian books. He founded http://www.Pilgrim-Platform.org in 1998, which documents the church's fall from historic Christianity. Demonstrating the Apostle Paul's opposition to worldly Christianity, Ross captures the action his book, Arsy Varsy -- Reclaiming the Gospel in First Corinthians.
