I read these requests and, along with the junk my family has been going through for five years this month, it's overwhelming. It's like a great cosmic game where each of us are game pieces. We have finite understanding of the Infinite, yet we are expected to have faith in Him when so many reasons counter this. I know life is unfair, first and foremost to Jesus the Christ, but it gets hard to hang on to hope which may only be fulfilled on the other side of the veil. I'm praying for you all that God decides to come through for you. Life's not fair(yes, I know we're all sinners who are not worthy of any good thing, though we were born with a nature we had no say in, and we sometimes get ourselves in trouble, I know I have faied miserably), and yet we are expected to believe. That's what I'll leave you with: BELIEVE.
Hi withoutoneplea...I saw your post and wanted to respond. My family also experienced some "junk" over a period of several years, and it was so overwhelming, I actually lost sight of God, and wondered also where He was in all this "junk." In fact, I actually believed Him to be a liar, because what His word said, and what actually happened didn't match up. This "junk" became a mountain so high I found myself living there and eventually that experience dictated to me my concept of who God really was. THEN, one day, this little tune starting rolling through my mind, along with six words, "on the wings of a dove." Hour after hour that little tune was a continuous thought running through my mind, and even worse than that I found myself singing it. I hated it because it sounded so country, and the thought would go through my mind to look up on the internet to see if this really was a song. The third day, I finally got fed up with it, and typed in those six words, "on the wings of a dove." And, was I surprised to see there actually was a song with those words in it. The verse that tore the mountain down was this:
when troubles surround us,
and evils come,
the body grows weak,
the spirit grows numb,
when these things beset us,
He never forgets us,
He sends down his love,
on the wings of a dove.
When I read that, I broke, and the mountain fell apart, and I felt the presence of God so strong. From that day to this day, no matter what happened, I always found God faithful even when it looked like He was not faithful.
One of the things I found out is that when storms and trials come, and fear comes to wrap its arms around us, we can stand against that fear and declare what God's word says. In order to have a strong foundation, our house must be built upon the Rock, who is Christ, and getting the word into us is vital if we even hope to stand strong in the promises of God. This scripture became revelation to me a few days ago, and I speak it all the time...And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask anything ACCORDING TO HIS WILL, He HEARS us, and if we KNOW that He hears us, WHATSOEVER WE ASK, we know we have the petitions we desired of Him. 1 John 5:14,15. In order to know God's will, we have to get into His word and find out what His will is for that situation. If it's finances, my God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Am I a faithful steward of what He places in my hands. Do I go and buy for lottery tickets believing I may hit the "big one"? Am I buying things on credit for stuff I really don't need, but just want? What is God's will for my family? It's in the bible. How about healing? Is. 53; 1 Pe. 2:24; among others that can be found in the gospels.
Even though fear may be felt, as long as you don't give in to it, you will stand strong. I once had to clench my fists and speak out I put my trust in you, Lord, and I know I won't be disappointed. And I wasn't, even though fear was trying it's best to convince me to speak something negative out of my mouth, but I made a decision to believe the report of the Lord. I found these scriptures tonight and had to copy and paste them to my journal...Pro 3:25 Do not be afraid of sudden terror, Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes; Pro 3:26 For the LORD will be your confidence, And will keep your foot from being caught.Pro 3:24 When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. Pro 3:25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.
There is a book online called Remarkable Miracles by Guy Bevington,
http://wesley.nnu.edu/wesleyctr/books/indices/index-b-authors.htm
He tells the story of using that scripture in 1 John 5:14,15 over and over and over and over and over until healing started manifesting in his body, and he continued until he was healed. He called it praying through...I myself used it the other night when my knee starting hurting, and the devil was already bringing pictures of a knee replacement to me, and I don't even have trouble with my knees. Anyway, I began to speak that scripture over and over, not as rote, but thinking about each word I was speaking, and in a few minutes the pain was gone, and I was able to fall asleep.
Here are some more scriptures:
Pro 4:20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
Pro 4:21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
Pro 4:22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
When you read those scriptures from Proverbs 4, you think about them, asking the Lord to open your understanding, and expect Him to. If you want a few minutes and you don't get anything, don't right off the bat declare the Lord is a liar...because I can tell you from personal experience, He is not.
I encourage you not to live from your experience and then make a decision of who God is to you from there, but begin to seek Him, and begin to meditate and think and ponder on the word of God, and let God teach you. There is another book called Victory in Christ by Charles Trumbull
/>http://www.baptistbiblebelievers.com/Books/VictoryInCHRISTbyCharlesGTrumbull/tabid/187/Default.aspx
excellent book
Find out who God really is, and then live your life from there.
Father, I thank you for the love you have for withoutoneplea, and your heart that he know you from a place of relationship and intimacy...that he would know your heart towards him and his family and friends. Open the eyes of his understanding and give him wisdom and knowledge of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and abundantly open to him the ability to understand the rule of the Kingdom of God in his life. Break down the walls that his soul has erected to protect himself, and bring a renewal and an understanding and personal knowledge that You are indeed faithful. I ask for blessings to be upon him and his family and that they would see the goodness of the Lord in their lifetime. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Thank you Jesus!