Gods Choice

GOD’S CHOICELuke 2:37, “And she [was] a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served [God] with fastings and prayers night and day.”LUKE 2:36-40Let’s suppose that Anna was fourteen years old when she married. She would have been 105 years old. Yet she was still fasting and praying night and day! Satan tries to convince us that God won’t use us. He may cite things like age or lack of abilities, or failures that we’ve had. But just like Anna, there are many scriptural examples of the Lord using those who would be considered unusable by worldly standards.Moses was eighty years old before he began to fulfill God’s plan for his life and he worked right up until he was 120 years old. Abraham was in his nineties before he had the son that God had promised him.Gideon was another one who looked unusable. He was hiding from the Midianites when an angel of God appeared and told him he was a mighty man of valor (Judg. 6:11-12). He couldn’t believe it at first and had to have the Lord confirm it three times.Truly, …God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty… (1 Cor. 1:27-28).

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God Gives Health and Healing

God Gives Health – Bible Promises

(Genesis 20:17) So Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants. Then they bore children;

(Exodus 15:26) and said, “If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you.”

(Deuteronomy 32:39) ‘Now see that I, even I, am He, And there is no God besides Me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; Nor is there any who can deliver from My hand.

(2 Kings 20:5) “Return and tell Hezekiah the leader of My people, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the LORD.

(Job 5:17-18) “Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects; Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty. {18} For He bruises, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands make whole.

(Job 33:25-26) His flesh shall be young like a child’s, He shall return to the days of his youth. {26} He shall pray to God, and He will delight in him, He shall see His face with joy, For He restores to man His righteousness.

(Psalms 30:1-3) I will extol You, O LORD, for You have lifted me up, And have not let my foes rejoice over me. {2} O LORD my God, I cried out to You, And You healed me. {3} O LORD, You brought my soul up from the grave; You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.

(Psalms 43:5) Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.

(Psalms 103:2-6) Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: {3} Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, {4} Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, {5} Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. {6} The LORD executes righteousness And justice for all who are oppressed.

(Psalms 107:17-21) Fools, because of their transgression, And because of their iniquities, were afflicted. {18} Their soul abhorred all manner of food, And they drew near to the gates of death. {19} Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, And He saved them out of their distresses. {20} He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions. {21} Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!

(Proverbs 3:5-8) Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; {6} In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. {7} Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil. {8} It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.

(Proverbs 4:20-27) My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. {21} Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; {22} For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh. {23} Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life. {24} Put away from you a deceitful mouth, And put perverse lips far from you. {25} Let your eyes look straight ahead, And your eyelids look right before you. {26} Ponder the path of your feet, And let all your ways be established. {27} Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil.

(Proverbs 12:18) There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, But the tongue of the wise promotes health.

(Proverbs 16:23-24) The heart of the wise teaches his mouth, And adds learning to his lips. {24} Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.

(Isaiah 38:16-17) O LORD, by these things men live; And in all these things is the life of my spirit; So You will restore me and make me live. {17} Indeed it was for my own peace That I had great bitterness; But You have lovingly delivered my soul from the pit of corruption, For You have cast all my sins behind Your back.

(Isaiah 53:4-6) Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. {5} But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. {6} All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

(Isaiah 57:17-19) For the iniquity of his covetousness I was angry and struck him; I hid and was angry, And he went on backsliding in the way of his heart. {18} I have seen his ways, and will heal him; I will also lead him, And restore comforts to him And to his mourners. {19} “I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near,” Says the LORD, “And I will heal him.”

(Isaiah 58:6-11) “Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke? {7} Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh? {8} Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. {9} Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’ “If you take away the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, {10} If you extend your soul to the hungry And satisfy the afflicted soul, Then your light shall dawn in the darkness, And your darkness shall be as the noonday. {11} The LORD will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.

(Isaiah 61:1-2) “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; {2} To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn,

(Jeremiah 17:14) Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; Save me, and I shall be saved, For You are my praise.

(Jeremiah 30:17) For I will restore health to you And heal you of your wounds,’ says the LORD, ‘Because they called you an outcast saying: “This is Zion; No one seeks her.”‘

(Jeremiah 33:6) ‘Behold, I will bring it health and healing; I will heal them and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth.

(Hosea 6:1-3) Come, and let us return to the LORD; For He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up. {2} After two days He will revive us; On the third day He will raise us up, That we may live in His sight. {3} Let us know, Let us pursue the knowledge of the LORD. His going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, Like the latter and former rain to the earth.

(Hosea 11:3-4) “I taught Ephraim to walk, Taking them by their arms; But they did not know that I healed them. {4} I drew them with gentle cords, With bands of love, And I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck. I stooped and fed them.

(Malachi 4:2) But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise With healing in His wings; And you shall go out And grow fat like stall-fed calves.

(Matthew 4:23-24) And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. {24} Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them.

(Matthew 8:2-3) And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” {3} Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

(Matthew 8:7) And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”

(Matthew 8:14-17) Now when Jesus had come into Peter’s house, He saw his wife’s mother lying sick with a fever. {15} So He touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she arose and served them. {16} When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, {17} that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “He Himself took our infirmities And bore our sicknesses.”

(Matthew 9:35-36) Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. {36} But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.

(Matthew 10:1) And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.

(Matthew 10:7-8) “And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ {8} “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

(Matthew 12:15) But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there. And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all.

(Matthew 12:22) Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw.

(Matthew 14:14) And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.

(Matthew 14:35-36) And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick, {36} and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.

(Matthew 15:28-31) Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour. {29} Jesus departed from there, skirted the Sea of Galilee, and went up on the mountain and sat down there. {30} Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus’ feet, and He healed them. {31} So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.

(Matthew 21:14-16) Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. {15} But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant {16} and said to Him, “Do You hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise’?”

(Mark 1:34) Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him.

(Mark 3:10-11) For He healed many, so that as many as had afflictions pressed about Him to touch Him. {11} And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw Him, fell down before Him and cried out, saying, “You are the Son of God.”

(Mark 3:14-15) Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, {15} and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons:

(Mark 5:34) And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”

(Luke 4:18) “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the Gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;

(Luke 4:40-41) When the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them. {41} And demons also came out of many, crying out and saying, “You are the Christ, the Son of God!” And He, rebuking them, did not allow them to speak, for they knew that He was the Christ.

(Luke 5:15) However, the report went around concerning Him all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities.

(Luke 6:18-19) as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they were healed. {19} And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.

(Luke 9:11) But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing.

(Luke 10:8-9) “Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. {9} “And heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’

(Acts 5:16) Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

(1 Corinthians 12:7-9) But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: {8} for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, {9} to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,

(James 5:14-16) Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. {15} And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. {16} Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

(3 John 1:2) Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

When Your Sins Weigh Heavily

WHEN YOUR SINS WEIGH HEAVILY upon you, come to Me. Confess your wrongdoing, which I know all about before you say a word. Stay in the Light of My Presence, receiving forgiveness, cleaning , and healing . Remember that I have clothed you in My righteousness, so nothing can separate you from Me. Whenever you stumble or fall, I am there to help you up.

Man’s tendency is to hide from his sin, seeking refuge in the darkness. There he indulges in self-pity, denial, self-righteousness, blaming , and hatred. But I am the Light of the world, and My illumination decimates the darkness. Come close to Me and let My Light envelop you, driving out darkness and permeating you with Peace.

1 John 1:7
For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to Face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known

Isaiah 61:10
I will rejoice greatly in the Lord,
My soul will exult in my God;
For He has clothed me with garments of salvation,
He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,
And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

John 8:12
Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

Sarah Young..
Jesus Calling

My New Life

MY NEW LIFE

Heavenly and Divine Holy Spirit,
I know that You are the shepherd of my life. Your rod and staff gently keep me on the path to Truth.

I know that You are my waymaker. You keep my path as clean and clear as possible for the tasks that I must endure for my own growth.

I acknowledge that You are in all aspects of my life doing great deeds. You are the love of my life and I constantly seek Your face.

God, today I affirm You and the love, joy and peace that I desire more fully in my life. I know that all goodness comes from You and that it is my rightful place to have all that You have made available to me.

I now call into my life peace, joy, right and healthy relationships, financial abundance, a deeper understanding of my purpose here on earth and a prosperous and fulfilled life. I know that this is my divine inherent right and I come before You boldly, knowing that it is already done on my behalf and for Your glory.

I am grateful for the wonderful and purposeful life of freedom that I am living.

I am honored to be chosen for such a wonderful life. My gratitude runs so deep for my new understanding that I need do no-thing except accept that these things are so.

And So It Is!

Come To Me

COME TO ME with your plans held in abeyance. Worship Me in spirit and in truth, allowing My Glory to permeate your entire being. Trust Me enough to let Me guide you through this day, accomplishing My purposes in My timing. Subordinate your myriad plans to My Master Plan. I am sovereign over every aspect of your life.

The challenge continually before you is to trust Me and search for My way through each day. Do not blindly follow you habitual route, or you will miss what I have prepared for you. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.

John 4:224 God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”4

Isaiah 55:8-9 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.
9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts

I Want You To Know

I WANT YOU TO KNOW how safe and secure you are in My Presence. That is a fact, totally independent of your feelings You are on your way to heaven: nothing can prevent you from reaching that destination. There you will see Me face to Face, and your Joy will be off the charts by any earthly standards. Even now, you are never separated from Me, though you must see Me through eyes of faith. I will walk with you till the end of time, and onward into eternity.

Although My Presence is a guaranteed promise, that does not necessarily change your feelings. When you forget I am with you , you may experience loneliness or fear. It is through awareness of My Presence that Peace displaces negative feelings. Practice the discipline of walking consciously with Me through each day.

1 Corinthians 13:12 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to Face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known

Psalm 29:11 11 The Lord will give strength to His people;
The Lord will bless His people with peace.

Thank Me For Your Problems

THANK ME FOR YOUR PROBLEMS. As soon as your mind gets snagged on a difficulty , bring it to Me with thanksgiving. Then ask Me to show your My way to handle the situation. The very act of thanking Me releases your mind from its negative focus. As you turn you attention to Me, the problem fades in significance and loses its power to trip you up. Together we can deal with the situation, either facing it head-on or putting it aside for later consideration.

Most of the situations that entangle you mind are not today’s concerns: you have borrowed them from tomorrow. In this case, I lift the problem out of today and deposit it in the future, where it is veiled from your eyes. In its place I give you My Peace, which flows freely from My Presence.

Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

John 14:27 27 Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful

Don’t Feel Qualified For Your Calling

For the first forty years of his life, Moses lived in a place of strength. As a member of Pharaoh’s household he had social prestige, wealth (Hebrews 11:26), and youthful strength. When he became aware of and troubled by his peoples’ oppression he used this strength to exact vigilante justice on an oppressive Egyptian. That wasn’t God’s plan for deliverance. He had to flee for his life and ended up tending livestock in the quiet fields of Midian for his second forty years.

So he passed his youth in a palace of power and his middle age in pastures of peaceful obscurity. Then one day he stumbled on a burning bush, which turned out to be God’s surprising call for his third forty years:

Behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt. (Exodus 3:9-10)

This call scared Moses out of his wits. So much so that he argued his case face-to-face with God.

Objection 1: I’m a nobody, God.

“Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” (Exodus 3:11). Any fame or social credibility I may have once had is gone. In fact, I’m a shepherd and “every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians” (Genesis 46:34).

Objection Overruled: “I will be with you” (Exodus 3:12). This calling is not based on your credibility but on Mine. I don’t want Egypt or Israel impressed with you. I want them impressed with Me.

Objection 2: They aren’t going to believe me, God.

“But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’” (Exodus 4:1). They’re going to think I’m loony! I can believe in you myself because you’re revealing yourself to me. But we’re up here on a mountain where no one sees. I’m still a nobody and nobody’s going to listen to a nobody’s words, especially if he’s claiming to be speaking for God!

Objection Overruled: I will be with you. The same power that I demonstrate to you in secret I will demonstrate to them “that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you” (Exodus 4:5). My point is to impress them with Me, not you. Trust me, I will show up!

Objection 3: I am not gifted to do this, God.

“Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue” (Exodus 4:10). I know the rhetorical expectations of Pharaoh’s court. I mean, I wouldn’t even qualify for Midian’s Got Talent! Haven’t you read the strengths books, God? I can’t do this!

Objection Overruled: Moses, “who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak” (Exodus 4:11-12). You’re still missing the point. I want Egypt and Israel to be impressed with me, not you. Don’t be afraid. I will be with you and your unimpressive mouth.

Objection 4: Don’t make me do this, God.

“Oh, my Lord, please send someone else” (Exodus 4:13). God, seriously, there’s got to be a better candidate for this job! I might still be wanted in Egypt for capital murder. If not, I’m just a nobody. Worse, I’m a shepherd! And if it’s not bad enough that I’m an obscure murdering abomination, I stumble all over myself when I speak publicly! I don’t want this calling.

Objection Overruled: Enough! I have purposes in choosing you for this call. You don’t know all those purposes yet so stop leaning on your own understanding and trust Me (Proverbs 3:5–6)! But since you have such little faith for this, I’ll send your more eloquent brother, Aaron, with you and “I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you both what to do” (Exodus 4:15). Now get moving!

Do you feel unqualified for what God is calling you to do? Join the club. Kingdom work is supernatural work, no matter what your calling is. If it doesn’t require real faith, a desperate dependence on God to be with you in order to succeed, then either it’s not God’s calling or you don’t get it yet.

Have you been arguing with God over your calling qualifications? If so, remember Moses. And remember that God’s call on you is not about you. It’s about him. And the question is, are you willing for God to use your weakness to show how impressive he is?

Don’t use your weaknesses as an excuse for unbelief. Move forward in faith. God will be with you, will guide you, and will give you the help you need. For God’s M. O. is to choose…

…what is foolish in the world to shame the wise… what is weak in the world to shame the strong… what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. (1 Corinthians 1:26-29)

Your Sin Is No Match To God’s Grace

The old hymn says it beautifully: “Grace, grace, God’s grace; grace that is greater than all my sin.”

But the grace of God is not only great enough to “pardon and cleanse within.” It is so powerful, as Joseph’s older brothers learned in Genesis 45, that it can turn the most horrible sin you have ever committed against another, or has ever been committed against you, and make it the slave of his mercy.

“What do you mean he’s alive?” Jacob had no place to put Rueben’s words.

“I know it’s unbelievable, Father,” Rueben replied. “We hardly believe it and we saw him with our own eyes. The Egyptian lord—the one who demanded that we bring Benjamin—it’s Joseph. He’s not only alive, he’s…” Reuben stumbled over the strange sentence. “He’s now ruling Egypt for Pharaoh.”

Jacob squinted skeptically. A son dead for two decades is not easily resurrected. “You are cruel to tell me such a thing unless you have no doubt.”

“I have no doubt, Father. It’s going to take hours to tell you everything. But we spoke with him. We ate with him in his house.”

Simeon couldn’t resist: “He sat us around the table in the order of our births! Before any of us knew who he was! We thought he was a magician!”

“And you should have seen how much food he placed before Benjamin!” joked Zebulun, giving Benjamin’s head an affectionate push.

Reuben continued, “He told us himself, Father: ‘I am your brother, Joseph.’ We responded just like you’re doing now. I thought he was tricking us. But after talking to him for hours there’s no doubt. It’s him. And the first thing he wanted to know was, ‘Is my father still alive?’” (Genesis 45:3).

Jacob’s stony expression didn’t change, though his eyes were wet. He moved them from son to son, lingering on Benjamin. Then back to Reuben. “But you showed me his bloody robe. He was attacked by a wild animal. If he survived, why didn’t he ever come home? Why would he go to Egypt? Joseph would never have forsaken me.”

The moment had come — the one they had dreaded the whole way home. For 22 years they had kept this festering wound of wickedness concealed from their father. But now God had exposed it. Shame bent the heads of nine sons. Judah was the exception. He had asked to break this news to their father. He had led in their sin. He would lead in owning it. “Joseph didn’t forsake you, Father,” said Judah, stepping forward. “He was forsaken. No, worse, he was betrayed.”

Jacob stared at Judah. “Betrayed by whom?”

“By his own brothers. Brothers who hated him for having his father’s favor. Brothers who hated him for having God’s favor.” Judah pushed hard the heavy words. “We actually talked of killing him, but decided instead to profit from his demise. We sold him to Ishmaelite traders on their way to Egypt. To my lasting shame, Father, that was my idea — to sell my own brother as a slave. The blood on his robe was goat’s blood. We were the wild animals.”

Jacob sat down. Anger and hope churned together in his soul. The silence was long. Then Judah said, “His dream came true.” Jacob looked up again. “Joseph’s dream; it came true. All eleven of us bowed down before him in Egypt. We sold him into slavery because of this dream, never dreaming ourselves that we were helping fulfill it.”

Rueben added, “Joseph holds no bitterness, Father. You know what he told us? ‘God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God’” (Genesis 45:7-8).

“In fact,” said Judah, “he wants us all to come live near him in Egypt to escape the famine. That’s why we’ve brought all these wagons. He said, ‘You must tell my father of all my honor in Egypt, and of all that you have seen. Hurry and bring my father down here’” (Genesis 45:13).

Jacob sat deep in thought for a long time. Then he shook his head and said, “It is enough; Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die” (Genesis 45:28).

What Joseph’s ten older brothers did to him was heinous. They made him the merchandise of international human trafficking. They subjected him to slavery and sexual abuse. With no rights or defense, he was thrown into prison to rot. These likely left Joseph with life-long scars.

But note Joseph’s words: “it was not you who sent me here, but God” (Genesis 45:8). Neither treacherous siblings nor a woman’s lust nor the shame of prison nor a cupbearer’s neglect could thwart the purpose of God (Job 42:2) in preserving God’s people (Genesis 45:7) and fulfilling a prophecy given to Abraham (Genesis 15:13). God made evil the slave of his grace.

And he’s doing the same for you. God is doing more good than you can imagine through the most painful experiences of your life.

If you’ve sinned against someone else, do everything in your power to make things right. But know this: your sin is no match for God’s grace.

And if you find yourself in a place you do not want to be as a result of someone else’s sin, take heart. God knows, and he knows what he’s doing. Stay faithful. In time he will show you that he sent you for redemptive reasons you would have never guessed.

Trusting God With Our Lives

Trusting God with Our Lives

This is another big key to positioning ourselves to trust God with the issues of our life. It is very important to know how God sees us, what He thinks about us, and what His desires for us are. How can you trust somebody who you aren’t really sure is looking out for your best interest? How can you freely put your life in the hands of somebody who you perceive may use you and not be trustworthy? That is one of the fundamental reasons why Christians today have a hard time trusting God. They know little about Him and how He sees and has good things in mind for them! Therefore, studying up how God sees us, and getting it down into our spirits that He really does love us, desires good things for us, and cares for us, is vital to our ability to trust Him.

The fact is that until you know in your heart that God really does love and care for you, it’s going to be difficult to believe His promises for you… they just won’t make much sense! I like how Benny Hinn once said that when you believe in God’s power, “God can”… but when you believe in His love, “God will.” I felt the Holy Spirit saying to me, “Believe in me, believe in my love for you.” Then a verse came to me, saying, “The Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.” (Psalms 147:11 NIV)

Far too many times, sincere followers of Christ are seeing their heavenly Father in a terrible, and twisted way. Satan has many believing that their cancer is something that God’s given them so that they can become a better person. Yet when you look at the fruit of cancer, the fruit is hospital bills, dangerous treatment, and ultimately the grave! Besides, cancer is known to be a spiritually rooted disease, and involves infirmity
Why on earth would a loving and caring Father, give His child an evil spirit to make them a better person? Do you see the terrible picture that is painted of God when we think this way… all due to lack of knowledge on our behalf? Just because your prayer for healing doesn’t work, does not mean that it’s God’s will… there are a lot of factors that can be involved in the healing process. Many times, there are spiritual roots to sicknesses and diseases, other times there’s faith required, and if Jesus told His own disciples that they lacked faith, then how much more does the average Christian today!

The truth is that there are a lot of things which take place on this earth which are not the will of God. Just because something happens here on earth, does not mean that it was God’s will that it happened that way. If it were, then it means that every time a woman is raped, or a child is molested, or a father is murdered… then it would have to be the will of God. That kind of thinking is absolutely absurd! If God willed such things, it would make Him out to be a terrible God who has no love in his heart! The Bible tells us to pray that God’s will will take place here on earth, as it does in heaven.

We serve a God who only wants the best for His children, so when those lying facts presents it’s self, tell the devil to take those lies right back to gates of hell with him self. We must remember no weapon formed against us shall prosper, we must bring our thoughts under the captivity of the Power of the Holy Ghost..Ephesians 6 speaks of the weapons that we are to use in spiritual warfare, and in verse 17 we are told to take up the sword of the Spirit, the offensive piece of weaponry:

“…the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

A sword is an offensive weapon meant to tear down and destroy the enemy. This is exactly what meditating on the truth in God’s Word does to strongholds, it tears them down! Strongholds are built on error, and torn down through truth.