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The Urgency Of Sharing The Gospel

August 27, 2015 by pattiburris

urgency

 

Ezekiel 3:10-11

10 And he said to me, “Son of man, listen carefully and take to heart all the words I speak to you. 11 Go now to your people in exile and speak to them. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says,’ whether they listen or fail to listen.”

Ezekiel 3:16-19

16 At the end of seven days the word of the Lord came to me: 17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. 18 When I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. 19 But if you do warn the wicked person and they do not turn from their wickedness or from their evil ways, they will die for their sin; but you will have saved yourself.

I know how hard it can be to share the Gospel with others. I am an introvert. I have social anxieties and can be socially awkward. It is extremely hard for me to share my faith with unbelievers. That is one of the reasons I write this blog. I love to write and it is so much easier to share my faith with the world through this blog than it is face to face.

One of the biggest excuses for not sharing our faith is, “what if they don’t listen to me?” God tells us that we are to share the Gospel whether they listen or not. It is not up to us who we share with. We should not to choose who to share with simply because someone looks more receptive than someone else. That isn’t the way it works. God tells us to share the Good News of Jesus in obedience to Him and leave the outcome to Him.

There is an urgency in sharing the Good News in these days of chaos and evil. If we know the Truth of Jesus and we keep it to ourselves, then we are responsible for the sin of our brothers and sisters. If we do not warn them of their sin and point them to Jesus, then we will be as guilty as they are. They may not listen. That is their choice. At least you will have obeyed the voice of the Father and warned them of their sinful ways.

It is never up to us who we share our faith with. God wishes that NONE should perish (2 Peter 3:9). We have a responsibility to share the Gospel with those in our sphere of influence who do not have a personal relationship with Christ. This is our God given purpose.

Challenge: Share the Good News of Jesus with one person each day. Share what God lays on your heart. Even if your shaking in your shoes, God will bless your obedience and maybe because of your obedience a life will be saved.

 

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Are You Committed?

August 23, 2015 by pattiburris

commited

2 Timothy 3:12

In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

Christians who are blessed enough to live in the United States are lucky. We don’t know what true persecution is. For the majority of us, we have never had to answer the question, “Do you believe in God?” knowing the answer could mean our death. We have become lazy in our faith.

My daughter, Cree, just started college and has become part of a Christian fraternity called, Chi Alpha. She met a young Egyptian man who has been beaten for his faith. He is 20 years old and has been in the U.S. for 3 years now. In Egypt, he was beaten because of his faith. Even at his young age, he was not ashamed to say Yes, when faced with the ultimate question, “Do you believe in God?” I had to admit to my daughter, that I am not sure how I would answer that life or death question. I would like to think I would say, yes, with complete faith in Jesus, but honestly, I don’t know. I think if we are honest, most of American Christians do not know how they would answer that question, if it meant they would be beaten and killed. We have become lazy in our faith. Now, before you get fired up with righteous indignation, I am as lazy in my faith as the next American Christian. I try, but then I get busy, distracted, and tired. These are my excuses. Completely lame and when it comes to following Jesus, no excuse is a good excuse for being lazy in our faith.

When I think of our Christian brothers and sisters in China, India, the Middle East and other countries where Christians are persecuted, I feel guilty for my laziness and my lack of passion for all that Jesus has done for me. Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice! He gave His life, so that we can have eternal life with God. He died, so we may live. I feel ashamed that I have not been willing to make any sacrifices for the one who gave His life for me.

There are 4 important lessons that we can learn from these persecuted Christians:

  1. Hunger– They have a true hunger for the Word of God. Some of them do not even have access to full Bibles, but tuck away the bits and pieces of scripture they have to encourage themselves and others. They memorize the scripture that they have access to and truly hide the Word in their hearts. They know that having a Bible or having anything with scripture written on it could cost them their lives, so they hide the Word of God in their hearts. American Christians have access to Bibles, Christian bookstores, Online Bible commentaries, etc. With all of our access to the Scriptures, most of us never crack open our Bibles, except on Sunday mornings. Sometimes, not even then, because the sermon scripture is usually shown on the big screen at the front of the church. We listen to the sermon and never give it a second thought as we go about our weekly duties. We never memorize scripture. We think that as long as we dedicate one day a week to God, that should be enough to get us into Heaven, right? Think again.
  2. Prayer– They pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17). The Bible tells us pray continually, but here in America, we usually only pray when we need something or times are tough. We very rarely pray when things are going well. Prayers of thanksgiving and praise are few and far between. Our persecuted brothers and sisters pray continually. Not only do they pray continually, the majority of their prayers are prayers of thanksgiving and praise! They give thanks in their suffering! They lift their voices in praise for their trials! As we, Americans Christians, sit here and wallow in our misery, wondering why God doesn’t work on our behalf.
  3. Sacrifice– They sacrifice their safety and well-being to meet together, read the Bible, and even talk about the Gospel. They know what true sacrifice means. They know that if they are caught meeting together, possessing a Bible, or talking about the Gospel they could be beaten, imprisoned, or killed. In America, we are blessed with the freedom to worship as we wish. Reading the Bible in public will not cost us our lives. Meeting together will not cause us to be imprisoned. Sharing the Gospel will not result in us being beaten. We sacrifice very little to follow Jesus. Even in tithing, we figure out our bills and then see how much we have left to give back to God. Our persecuted brothers and sisters give out of their poverty, trusting that God will provide their needs.
  4. Unified– They are unified in their faith. They come together in unity as the ONE Church of Jesus Christ. In America, we are all divided by man made denominations. We allow ourselves to be separated by denominational lines. Each denomination thinks that they are “right”, even though, each denomination interprets scripture to suit their own beliefs. We need to let go of our denominational ties and worship God as ONE Church.

I am challenging Christians in America to WAKE UP! We never know when we may be asked that one question that could cost us our lives. What will your answer be, if challenged by the question, “Do you believe in God?” Will you fearfully answer no, or will you say YES, trusting God for the outcome?

Psalm 86:11-13

11 Teach me your way, Lord,
    that I may rely on your faithfulness;
give me an undivided heart,
    that I may fear your name.
12 I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart;
    I will glorify your name forever.
13 For great is your love toward me;
    you have delivered me from the depths,
    from the realm of the dead.

This is my prayer. Let it be yours, also.

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Closed Doors And Detoured Dreams

August 5, 2015 by pattiburris

closed doors

Romans 8:28

28 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.

I have had doors seemingly open to ministry positions, just to have them slammed in my face further down the road. My daughter, Kiowa, is in a similar position. She has been taken down a path in her military career, just to have that door close unexpectedly.

Why does God open doors, only to close them further down the road? I am certainly not a person who claims to know why God does what He does, but from personal experience, I have some ideas why He might take us just so far and then shut the door:

  1. To Mold Our Character– Sometimes we need the experience to strengthen the Godly characteristics in our spirits. Experiences like this build can build our faith, patience, obedience, and dependence on God, if we allow them to. It is up to us how we chose to react to these situations.
  2. To See For Ourselves– I know that I can be stubborn sometimes and think that I know best. In these situations, I believe that God has led me just so far, so that I could see for myself that this was the wrong road for me. He wants us to trust Him, but sometimes we need to see for ourselves that this is not the best thing for us. How much easier it would be if we didn’t whine and trusted God to guide us down the right path. I hope to learn that lesson at some point!
  3. To Increase Our Discernment Skills– According to http://www.freedictionary.com discernment means the act or process of exhibiting keen insight and good judgment. Are we on a path that is potentially bad for us? Can we make the decision on our own that this is not the road that we should be on? Sometimes things look good from the outside, but once you take a deeper look inside the workings of a ministry or business, you find out that things are not as they should be.

If God has shut the door on your dream, don’t give up! There is ALWAYS a reason behind what God does and trust, my friend, that it is ALWAYS for our good. Here are 3 things that you can do while you wait for the next door to open:

  1. Pray– Keep praying for open doors and God’s will. It is all about what God wants and not about what we want.
  2. Strengthen Godly Characteristics– Use this time to work on those characteristics that you may struggle with: patience, obedience, discernment, self-control, surrendering your life to God, etc. What characteristics do you need to work on?
  3. Prepare– Prepare yourself for the next open door, by reading the Bible, praying, seeking God’s will and purpose for your life, serving others, etc. There are things we can be doing while we wait to prepare ourselves to be those vessels that God can use. What do you need to do to prepare?

Keep your heart open to opportunities that you would otherwise pass up. God may be opening the door to a whole new dream for you. We may think we know what’s best for us, we don’t. I have gone down roads that would have hurt me in the long run, had God not shut the door to protect me from myself. He wants the best for you and IS working out the purpose for YOUR life. Hang on! Open doors are right around the corner!

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Broken And Blessed: Part 2

July 29, 2015 by pattiburris

blessed

Rahab

The story of Rahab is found in the second chapter of Joshua. Joshua sent out two spies to look over the land, especially Jericho. When they arrived in Jericho, they entered the house of Rahab, a known prostitute, and they stayed there. Rahab hid them on her roof and in return they spared her and her family when Israel conquered Jericho.

This wasn’t the end of Rahab’s story. We read in Joshua 6:22-25 that Joshua sent the two spies to bring Rahab and her family out and Rahab lived with the Israelites for the rest of her life. In Matthew 1:5 we find her listed in the genealogy of Jesus.

How does a prostitute get to be listed in the genealogy of Jesus, our Risen Savior? Through faith and obedience. She had heard the stories of how the Lord had worked miracles on behalf of Israel and she believed that the Lord had given Israel the land. She hid the spies because she had faith in the God of Israel.

Through the story of Rahab, we see that God is a God of second chances. Rahab was a prostitute. She was living in sin, but because she acted on her faith, in obedience to the one true God, God restored her life and she became an ancestor to the King of kings, Jesus.

Do you find yourself identifying with Rahab? Are you living in sin and can’t seem to find your way out? Believe that the one true God can and will deliver you from the sin-filled life you are living. Have faith that Jesus died for YOU and His mercy and grace are His gift to YOU. Salvation is His gift to YOU. You are beautiful and God loves you! Our merciful Father gave Rahab a second chance and He longs to give you one too. It’s never to late! Call on Him NOW and see how He can bring restoration to your life.

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Who Is Your Shelter?

July 28, 2015 by pattiburris

Psalm 91

Psalm 91:1-2

1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

When your child has just been diagnosed with cancer…

WHO IS YOUR SHELTER?

When you are struggling paycheck to paycheck and wondering how you will provide for your family…

WHO IS YOUR SHELTER?

When you are struggling with an addiction and are desperate for help…

WHO IS YOUR SHELTER?

When you are suffering in pain and the doctors don’t know what is wrong with you…

WHO IS YOUR SHELTER?

When your marriage has failed and your spirit is crushed…

WHO IS YOUR SHELTER?

When your child has chosen the wrong path in life and you are worried…

WHO IS YOUR SHELTER?

When you are huddled in a doorway, homeless, scared and alone…

WHO IS YOUR SHELTER?

When you are beaten and broken by life…

WHO IS YOUR SHELTER?

When you feel that God does not care…

WHO IS YOUR SHELTER?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

When your child has just been diagnosed with cancer…

JEHOVAH-RAPHA (Exodus 15:26) is your shelter. God our healer CAN heal your child. Ask and believe.

When you are struggling paycheck to paycheck and wondering how you will provide for your family…

JEHOVAH-JIREH (Genesis 22:13-14) is your shelter. God our provider CAN provide. Ask and believe.

When you are struggling with an addiction and are desperate for help…

JEHOVAH-MACCADDESHEM (Exodus 31:13) is your shelter. God our sanctifier CAN free you from your sin and set you apart for His holy purpose. Ask and believe.

When you are suffering in pain and the doctors don’t know what is wrong with you…

JEHOVAH-SHALOM (Judges 6:24) is your shelter. God our peace CAN give you that peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7) in this time of trial. Ask and believe.

When your marriage has failed and your spirit is crushed…

JEHOVAH-ROHI (Psalm 23:1) is your shelter. God our shepherd CAN guide you, protect you and restore your soul. Ask and believe.

When your child has chosen the wrong path in life and you are worried…

JEHOVAH-YAHWEH (Genesis 2:4) is your shelter. God our divine salvation CAN restore this life. His will is for ALL to be saved (1 Timothy 2:3-4). He has a plan and a purpose for your child (Jeremiah 29:11). Ask and believe. 

When you are huddled in a doorway, homeless, scared and alone…

JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH (Ezekiel 48:35) is your shelter. Our God who is present is with you ALWAYS. He will NEVER leave you nor forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:6)! He will show you His presence. Ask and believe.

When you are beaten and broken by life…

EL-ROI (Genesis 16:13) is your shelter. Our God is the strong one who sees. He sees where you are and is longing to comfort you. Ask and believe.

When you feel that God does not care…

ABBA FATHER (Romans 8:15) is your shelter. God is our caring and loving Daddy who loved us so much that He gave His only son Jesus to die on the cross so that WE may live eternally with Him (John 3:16). Our Heavenly Father has adopted us as His children and we are co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17). He longs for us to accept Him and all the love and goodness He has for us. Ask and believe. 

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Overwhelmed

July 21, 2015 by pattiburris

overwhelmed

Isaiah 40:28

Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.

I know I haven’t written in a couple of months, I’ve been completely overwhelmed with life. Below is a glimpse into my life these last few months and how God has worked in the struggle:

My 21 year old daughter, Cherokee, moved back home in January, with her daughter Ava. They had moved to North Carolina in March of 2014 to be with Cherokee’s husband, who is a U.S. Marine. They had been married a year at that point, but had not lived together. After 10 months of living together and struggling to make it work, Cherokee decided to move back home with Ava. A couple of weeks later, she found out that she is pregnant with my first grandson, who is due in October. So, being mom to Cherokee, as she rebuilds her life and decides what she wants for herself and her 2 children, has caused some anxiety. She is a sweet, loving young woman, but she is also strong-willed and independent. She loves her kids and is an amazing mom to Ava. I have prayed that she will open her heart to God and answer the call He has placed on her life.

Kiowa, my 20 year old daughter, left for Air Force basic training on March 1st and graduated April 24th. She is now in tech school and it has been a roller coaster ride of emotions! She has been overwhelmed many times. She has called home sobbing because she wasn’t “getting it”. Her journey has had me sitting on the edge of my seat, biting my finger nails to the nubs, waiting to see if she will pass each test. I have been praying without ceasing that God will make His will known and that He will give her the confidence and peace that she needs to get through this. Kiowa is rekindling her relationship with her Heavenly Father and the Air Force will be blessed because of it.

18 year old daughter, Cree, just graduated high school and will be moving into the dorms at a local college in August. She is outgoing, smart, and has a heart for God. I have to sigh when it comes to Cree, because she has this very creative artistic side, but she has no common sense and is a creative slob. Her room is a mess, she is disorganized, but she is a very talented young artist and she has a genuine passion for little kids. I have been (nagging) her to make sure all of her stuff is turned in and everything is done. I worry because she is so scatterbrained. Will she get things done if I’m not there to nag her? It’s only because I love her and want her to succeed. God will use my Cree in AMAZING ways and I can’t wait to see it!

Talon is 15 and is starting high school this year. He is 15 going on 20! He starts driver’s education in November and can’t wait to get his license in April. Talon has a heart for helping others, for standing up for the little guy, and takes his job as big brother to Ty very seriously.

13 year old Ty will be attending 7th grade this year. He struggles in school. He would rather be at home looking up his dream car on the internet. He is all about fast cars and always has been. Ty is so funny and affectionate. I pray that God will protect both of my sons from the effects of the secular world and that they will grow up to be the men of God that they are meant to be.

As a single mom, I have been overwhelmed with parenting kids that are transitioning into adulthood and facing adult problems. I have been learning (although slowly) that I can’t control the choices they make. I can advise them and pray for them, but at some point we have to let go and allow God to shape them into the people He wants them to be. This is not easy, but I can’t continue to be overwhelmed by their lives. I have to surrender them to God.

I have been overwhelmed by work the last couple of months. I don’t have a hard job, but it does get stressful at times and working 6 days in a row or getting one off in 10 is exhausting. I know it sounds like I’m whining. It makes it hard to manage my diabetes and hypertension when my work has me out of sorts. I think things may be calming down now. Now I just pray for every other weekend off so I can go back to church, if I find one I want to go to.

I have also, struggled with being “dechurched”. I still struggle with needing to be a part of that community of believers, but not really fitting in anywhere. I’m seeking the church of Acts and I’m not finding it. I won’t give up. In the meantime I pray, I read God’s Word and I desperately seek Jesus. I desperately seek that oneness with Christ that exudes that love of Christ to every one I meet. Sometimes, I feel that maybe I am being to picky, but this is my relationship with God. I can’t settle for something that isn’t going to deepen that relationship. I can’t settle for something that might extinguish that fire. I simply won’t settle.

This has been my life the last few months. I get tired. I get weary. I get overwhelmed, but my God never does! God NEVER gets tired! God NEVER gets weary! My Rock, my Refuge, My Shelter, my God understands every sigh, every groan in my spirit, every tear shed for my children, every exhausted half prayer as I climb into bed. He understands when we are so overwhelmed that we feel that we just can’t go on. God is there, waiting for you, waiting for me to ask for His help.

If the load of life is wearing you down today, God understands. Unload your burden on Him. He can handle it. Trust Him with it. He never grows tired. He never grows weary. Surrender the load and trust Him to give you peace. Let it go, friend. Don’t carry the burden alone. If you need someone to listen, I am here for you. God loves you and so do I!

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You Are Beautiful

May 28, 2015 by pattiburris

beautiful

1 Peter 3:3-4

3 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. 4 Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.

I have always found flaws with my physical appearance. I’m a plain Jane, a bit overweight and nothing spectacular to look at. I’m pretty sure that I am not the only one that can pick out my flaws easier than I can tell you what I like about my physical appearance. Unfortunately, we live in a society where everything is all about outward beauty. The media tells us all about the pretty people in Hollywood or inundates us with advertisements on how to make ourselves more beautiful on the outside. We get judged by how we look. If you aren’t beautiful on the outside then you are often overlooked. I have NEVER in my 45 years felt like I was beautiful on the outside. This feeling of ugliness causes me to hide and not put myself out there. I’m afraid that if I step outside my comfort zone that I will be judged by my outward appearance, instead of who I am on the inside.

Fortunately, the ONE who knows my inmost being and knit me together in my mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13) sees my heart and thinks that I am beautiful. My heavenly Father made me exactly who I am and He knows that I struggle to see myself as He sees me. He thinks that I am beautiful. He does not see the flaws that I see. My God just sees my heart and how I try to be a woman of God to my kids and to others. He knows I’m not perfect, but He is gracious and merciful when I run to Him in repentance. He sees me and He loves me just as I am.

Our wonderful Father in heaven sees your heart and He thinks that YOU are beautiful. It doesn’t matter what physical flaws you may be beating yourself up over, God looks past those “flaws” and looks straight into your heart. If you have grown up with the lie that you are ugly, that you are fat, that you will never be beautiful, don’t believe it! They are lies of the enemy and He will do whatever it takes to get you to believe them. Don’t compare yourself to the actors, actresses and models on T.V. and in magazines. I’m sure they could give you a list of their flaws and many times they are airbrushed and technically improved. We are all different. We all have different strengths and weaknesses. Don’t dishonor God by comparing yourself to someone else. God made YOU the way you are for a reason. God does not make mistakes. Don’t believe the lies of the Devil. Believe what God says in His Word! YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!!!

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He Is Alive!

May 25, 2015 by pattiburris

He's Alive

Hebrews 7:24-27

24 but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. 25 Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. 26 Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins,and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.

WooHoo! Jesus Lives!!! This is AWESOME news! In Hebrews 7 we read that Jesus lives FOREVER. He wasn’t a prophet that died ages ago. Jesus IS the risen Messiah that was sent to save us completely, intercede for us, and help us when we are tempted to sin. The only way that He could ever meet our need is if He was holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners and exalted above the heavens. He is all of that and so much more. Jesus was sinless and yet in obedience to His Father, He took on the sins of the world, so that we may have hope of eternal life with Him in heaven. The ONLY way to have that eternal life is to come to God and we can only do that through Jesus. Jesus lives to intercede for us. He searches our hearts for repentance and goes to the Father on our behalf.

If you have ever doubted that Jesus IS alive, doubt no more. The Bible says that Jesus IS alive and He IS able to save us COMPLETELY because He lives. He lives to intercede for you and me, as imperfect as we are. We may make a mess of things at times. We may be buried in sin up to our eyeballs. We may have never darkened the doorway of a church. That’s okay, Jesus still lives to save you (and me!) from that sin and He lives to save you completely. He will still intercede for you to the Father.

Here’s the catch: He can not save you or intercede for you until you accept Him as your Savior, repent of your sins and allow Him to transform your life. It’s up to you! You need to make that choice to allow Jesus into your heart. I know that it is hard to take that first step, but friend, I urge you to take that step. It doesn’t matter what you have done, Jesus is waiting for you to repent and transform your life. It doesn’t matter what has been done to you, Jesus knows what pain is. He understands the pain in your heart and is waiting for you to surrender it all to Him.

Jesus lives and is waiting for you!

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Broken And Blessed: Part 1

May 19, 2015 by pattiburris

blessed

I usually find myself skimming over the Genealogy of Jesus found in Matthew 1, but this day, something very interesting caught my eye. The names of four women jumped out at me. I had never noticed this before! These were women I knew. I had read their stories, I knew these were women with a past, and yet here they were, listed among the ancestors of Jesus. I felt the whispers of the Holy Spirit speaking to my own broken spirit. I knew I had something to learn from these women.

Tamar

The story of Tamar can be found in Genesis 38. Tamar was a Canaanite, who became the daughter-in-law of Judah. Remember Judah? One of the brothers who sold Joseph into slavery. Judah got Tamar as a wife for his firstborn, Er, but Er was wicked and God struck him down. Same thing happened when brother Onan took Tamar as his wife. After losing two sons, Judah decided to deceive Tamar to save the life of his youngest son. As the years pass by, Tamar realizes that she has been deceived and takes matters into her own hands. She dresses as a prostitute and tricks Judah into sleeping with her. It works and she becomes pregnant with twins. Personally, I don’t believe Tamar was a bad person. I think that she was forced into a desperate situation and dealt with it the only way she knew how. The Bible doesn’t talk about her relationship with God, but if she is listed as a direct descendant of Jesus, then she must have been a Godly woman. She had lived through marriages with two evil men, been deceived by her father-in-law and had sinned in desperation. That doesn’t make her a bad person. That makes her a broken woman who was blessed by a God who saw her condition and loved her to Him.

Who can blame her? When dealing with a desperate situation that we can see no way out of, it is easy to fall into sin, as a way to help ourselves. It seems so much easier to take control of the situation ourselves, than to trust God with it and allow Him to work things out. What we find out in the end though, is that we usually make a bigger mess of things and need to go crawling to God in submission and repentance.

When will we ever learn to sit still in a posture of prayer and allow God to work in His way? I am challenging you now, if you are dealing with a desperate situation that you can’t find your way out of, STOP, PRAY and WAIT on God to work things out. He will work things out, in His way, in His time and in a way that will glorify His name.

Don’t give up. Don’t dig the hole deeper. Seek God! He will help you. He is waiting!

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The Sympathy Of Jesus

May 16, 2015 by pattiburris

weakest points

Hebrews 4:15,16

15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

We all have weaknesses. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t mess up, forget something, let my impatience get the best of me or give in to some other sin. Jesus was human, just as we are and He was tempted by Satan, just as we are. Jesus understands and even empathizes with our struggle. He knows what you are going through, because He’s been there, done that. The difference is that Jesus DID NOT SIN and because He did not sin, He is able to offer us mercy and grace when we make mistakes or fall into temptation.

We can approach God’s throne of grace with confidence and we will receive mercy, grace and help in our time of need. We never have to struggle alone. Jesus is with us always to help us when we fall into temptation or get ourselves into a jam that we can’t seem to get ourselves out of. We have God’s word that He will NEVER leave us and He will NEVER forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).

Are you struggling with a particular sin? Are you desperate for help, but don’t know where to turn? Turn to Jesus, my friend. He is waiting to give you mercy, grace and help. Cry out to Jesus.

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