God Sees The Big Picture

Many times God will use difficult circumstances for our good. He used Joseph’s betrayal by his brothers, his imprisonment, and his suffering to deliver His people. 

We usually aren’t thankful for a flat tire, a traffic jam or a missed flight; but God may have sovereignly allowed an inconvenience in our lives to prevent us from being in an accident. 

Trust the Lord and be thankful for each day, regardless of what it brings. Remember that God sees the big picture. He’s guiding us toward the future He has planned.

Romans 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Victory In Jesus

Whether we know it or not, whether we live it or not, whether we accept it or not, God's people are a victorious people.  

We don’t have to live defeated and discouraged lives. In fact, quite the opposite is true. 

1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

The victory we have in Jesus was not cheap. God paid the price by sending His Own Son to die for us on the cross.  

All that is required for us to have victory is faith in the person, plans, purposes and power of Jesus. 

When we sing the old hymn Victory in Jesus, we are singing the truth, Praise God. 

Holy And Acceptable

Imagine how it would have felt to have been with Solomon at the dedication of the Temple when the fire of God fell. Those were holy times. They inspired awe in those who witnessed them.

It’s impossible to go too far with Jesus, but the least we can do is give everything we have for His glory.  

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Everything we have—time, money, energy, talents, gifts, bodies, minds, spirits, etc, should be surrendered to Jesus if we are to live for the glory of God. 

When a life is totally sold out, separated and sacrificed to God the Father, it will be an awe inspiring thing. It will demonstrate the power of God like nothing else. 

According To The Will Of God

God will hear when we pray according to His will for our lives. 

1 John 5:14-15 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him

This isn’t something we hope might happen or that we can experience occasionally. We can confidently pray, knowing the Lord will hear.

This doesn’t imply that God gives everything we ask for; but that we can have confidence that He will supply our needs when we pray according to His will for our lives.  

The key is praying according to the will of God. When we are in His will, our desires will be consistent with His. 

Mat.6:33 – But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Our Great Shepherd

The Lord could have compared His people to any animal, such as bears because they are strong or lions because they are brave. But He compared them sheep. 

Sheep have a reputation for being dumb and defenseless. They need a shepherd to care for them. The Lord knows the ones prone to wander—the weaker ones—and the loyal ones by name. 

Psalm 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Sheep pass through frightening places at times, but they travel in peace, knowing their shepherd has everything under control. 

That same confidence should be in the hearts of each of God’s children. 

If we know Jesus the Great Shepherd is leading us, we can know He is in absolute control of every need. 

We can pass through the valley of the shadow of death in peace and security, Psa. 37:23. Without our Shepherd we can do nothing. 

What A Day That Will Be

There is much in the future that we don’t know about, but now we know that God is good. We know His love for us in immeasurable. We know the peace and joy we have in fellowship with Christ our Lord. 

1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

I’m looking forward to the day when my earthly body—prone to sickness, disease, deterioration, and sin—will be caught up to meet Jesus in the air and receive a new glorified body just like His. 

When Christ appears in the clouds to gather His people, all the saved whether dead in the grave or yet alive will meet Him there, 1 Thes. 4:16-18. 

We can’t imagine the joy we will experience but what a day it will be. 

Victory Prayers

The disciples asked the Lord to teach them to pray. These men knew that prayer was important to everything else in their relationship with God. They wanted to have a prayer life like the one they saw in Jesus. 

Everything in our personal walk with God hinges on our ability to pray prayers that are heard and answered.   

James 4:7-8 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 

One of the things the Spirit of God will do in our lives is make us more submissive to the Father.  First, no one can come to God with open sin in his life. If sin is in your life, confess it. 

Prayer is not about getting what we want from God.  Prayer is about God working in us to line our will up with His.  

When we get to the place where we want nothing but what God wants—when His will becomes our will— when we are willing to surrender all of our plans, goals, wants and wishes, then we are ready to see God move in answer to our prayers.