Uplifting Insights

Friday, October 26, 2012

Hope In The Midst Of Trials

Lamentations 3:1-66

I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of His wrath…It is the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassion fail not.

From the writing of the prophet Jeremiah he had witness first hand the wrath of God upon a rebellious nation Judah for failing to repent and turn back to Him. Jeremiah is sometime known or referred to as the weeping prophet because he lamented over the sinful conditions of his countrymen. The more he preached repentance it appears as though the conditions became worse, but Jeremiah continued appealing to the people and to God for mercy. Jeremiah knew that God's mercy would supersede any trials and tribulations that were occurring and would occur. What a merciful God?

Our lesson text bring home the point of our lesson text in that regardless of how bleak or difficult the situation is God's hand of mercy is near. God's compassion, mercy, love and grace is evidence by Him sending His Son Jesus to bear the sins of the world. Throughout the history of Israel God's hand of mercy is seen as His compassion never ends and His love endures forever. This applies to all today, because regardless of our troubles and the reason for them there is hope because we can turn to God in sincere prayer knowing that He hears and answer. Hope in God is a sure foundation.

Believers, hold fast to your hope in God and waited patiently for the manifestations of His mercy.

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Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Believers, Stand On God's Word

1 Peter 1:23-25

…The word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word by the gospel preached unto you.

As a child growing up in the South I often heard my mother say everything were going to pass away, but the one thing that was sure to last forever was God's Word. At the time I didn't realize that her saying was Biblically based as she was teaching me a powerful lesson on the firmness of God's word. The other lesson that my mother taught me was that regardless of my success in life never forget God's Word because it would be the one thing that would carry me through life. She was right.

That being said, the essence of today's topical discussion is what Peter is explaining to his audience as this principle applies today and will forever. Verse 24 reminds us of the frailty of flesh/life that as it is like grass and man's glory is like a flower of the grass and each is short-lived, but true glory is found in God.

These questions come to mind, How do you view God's Word? Do you bend God's Word to conform to your specifications or do you conform to His Word? However we view God's Word we will be judge by His Word.

Believers believe God's Word then stand firm on His Word.

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Friday, October 19, 2012

Dwell In God's Sanctuary

Psalm 84: 1-12

Blessed are they that dwell in thy house; they will be still praising thee. Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them…O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.

This number of Psalm expresses the blessings of believers from totally trusting God for who He is and His sovereign powers as well as living in His presence where there is safety, peace and joy. The joy believers feel causes believers to offer continuous praise and worship to God in truth and in spirit. The peace of God abides in believers as it surpasses all understanding as it is different from the world's peace; even when the turmoils of this world surrounds us God's peace enfolds us. God's peace is everlasting. With that being said, there is safety in God as He protects His people from danger as He is believers' high tower and shield of protection. God being believers' shield of protection; in the believer's weakest hour he or she is strong in the Lord.

With that being said, believers understand that we can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me (Philippians 4:13) as Christ is the true source of our strength and being. Most importantly, believers have the desire and ability through the Holy Spirit to live according to God's will and manifest His glory and honor.

Dwell in God's sanctuary and enjoy the blessings therein.

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Tuesday, October 16, 2012

"Lean Not Unto Thy Own Understanding"

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thy own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.

Today's discussion text provides sound advice and encourages all believers to always trust in the Lord, not with just head commitment, but with our total being while refraining from trusting our own understanding of things. This is because God's knowledge and ways far supersede those of man.

Another point our scripture text makes is that trusting God totally believers is Christ-centered and God focused as opposed to being self-centered. Acknowledging God in all that we do is saying yes God is supreme and is perfect in all that He does. Also, allowing God to direct our paths will lead to believers achieving the goals God has for our lives, which cause believers to make right choices. This also prevents all humanistic thinking and philosophies that can only lead to self destruction.

Since we have discussed the importance of totally trusting God and leaning not to our own understanding; let's look at the blessing of a long life and peace with God (v.3) as this manifests a right relationship with God. Another blessing for totally trusting God is that during believers most difficult times believers have the assurances of God presence, grace and help and as promised believers will never be forsaken nor lacking any good thing.

Trust God and He will direct our paths.

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Friday, October 12, 2012

Reward For Faithfulness

Romans 4:21-22

And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore, it was imputed to him for righteousness.

Hebrews 11 outlines many of the Old Testament patriarchs who took God at His word and was rewarded with righteousness for their faithfulness. This principle applies to us today. As we reflect on those patriarchs both in the Old and New Testament whose faithfulness was counted as righteousness give all mankind reason to have faith in God and His ability to perform whatever He promises as it is part of His unchangeable nature as He cannot lie.

It was Moses' faith in God that allowed him to lead the nation of Israel through the Red sea on dry land and it was Joshua's faith that the young nation could possess the Promise Land and they did. It was Noah's faith in God when God instructed him to build an Ark because it was going to rain even though it hadn't rained in 120 years. With that being said, when Abraham was promised a child he kept the faith and it too was counted as righteous. Who can forget Daniel and his three friends when their faithfulness put their lives in jeopardy; they were rewarded by being delivered and was looked upon as righteous before God.

What does an unusual request from God say for you and me today? It says that regardless of how bleak or foolish a promise or situation looks trust God because He knows the outcome before He makes the promise or request.

Faithfulness in God is counted as righteousness.

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Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Rely On God

Psalm 38:15

For in thee, O Lord, do I hope; thou will hear, O Lord my God;

As we continue our discussion on hope in the face of adversity, today's topical discussion makes a profound statement as believers are to rely on God in every situation and for everything as God has made provisions for all our needs both spiritual and physical.

Rely on God as He is the God of our salvation, strength, high tower, and refuge in the time of trouble. King David always gave honor and sang praises to God for who He is, His love and compassionate care for His people so must all believers today. We rely on God because He is the creator of all that exist and the essence of our lives from beginning to end. He knows all, sees all and is every where. Believers are to rely on God because of His faithfulness in keeping promises to mankind as God is unchangeable and cannot lie. Believers' relying on God manifests total trust and confidence in God because of His trustworthiness and is faithful to His people. It is also noteworthy to say that relying on God manifests one's true faith in God and His loving care, compassion, grace and mercy that He sheds on man.

With that being said, believers can say like King David in Psalm 34:17-22 when the righteous cry out to the Lord He hears and delivers.

Relying on God is a sure thing.

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Friday, October 5, 2012

Assured Hope In God

Ecclesiastes 7:14

In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after Him.

Today's lesson study on hope in the face of adversity and our focus will be the appropriate action Christians must take when facing adversities. Today's focus discussion is Christians' assured hope in God as He never fails nor forsakes His own.

Taking a deeper look into our lesson text we find King Solomon reminding us that in our days of prosperity we are to be joyful, but be mindful that the day will come when adversity will beset us and we are to trust God. Adversity may be to teach us a valuable lesson. I often heard my mother say life is not always a flower bed of ease. What she meant was there will be some rough days ahead and I was to learn how to endure just as if everything was going well. The most important lesson she was teaching was to trust God as He is there in times of trouble as well as when all is well. My mother's teaching coincided with both King Solomon (Ecclesiastes 7:14) and the Apostle Paul in Philippians 4:12 which talks about being happy with a little and when resources are scarce.

Whether there is plenty or a little stay with God as He is one's assured hope regardless of the situation.

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