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I Kings 19:10 - He said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.”
I have seen people start college with a full head of steam only to drop out and never graduate. People will start down what would appear to be a great career and in a few years, they are no longer producing like they did when they started with the company. Look at all the marriages that begin filled with love and passion and then end up in a divorce court. I know athletes who were passionate about their sport and they get an injury and quit rather than spending the necessary time to recuperate, refocus and re-enter the competition.
Howard Thurman said, "Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” Look at what Elijah did. He fell into the trap of looking at what other people were doing. Elijah accuses the Israelites of forsaking God's covenant, tearing down His altars and killing His prophets.
God had sent down fire and consumed the altar and the offering that was on it in answer to Elijah's prayer. All the people started confessing that Elijah's God was LORD and they killed all of the false prophets of Baal. Elijah needed to remember the victory that he had over the false prophets. Somehow Elijah had forgotten this great victory. He forgot what God was doing with him. All he could see is what is negative and wrong with the world around him. He is unable to see that God is in control. When you and I fail to see what God is doing with us and that He is in control. Then it becomes easy to lose your passion. Remember your victories and your passion will return.
If your passion needs restoring today. Open up your eyes and see what God has done with you and what He wants to do with you right now. E. M. Forster said, "One person with passion is better than forty people merely interested." You are that one person with passion. You are better than forty people merely interested. Now turn your passion loose on the world with God's guidance and Watch For Future Victories. Think on This: "Purpose may point you in the right direction but it’s passion that propels you.” - T. McAshan Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word
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Acts 5:38-39 - So in the present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men, it will be overthrown; 39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God." NASU
Gamaliel said, "…stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men, it will be overthrown; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God."
Have you asked for God's will to be done in the matter you're planning? Look at what the apostle Paul says in Romans 8:27 - And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. God has a plan for you and me and it would be wise for us to be on the same page with Him. How will this happen? It will happen when we take our time, pray to God and ask Him to direct our steps. Prov. 16:9 - The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps . NIV Romans 12:2 - Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will. NIV You can have assurance of doing God's will when you renew your mind with God's Word. This is another reason for years I have been telling Christians to read their Bibles. It is the best way to renew your mind and also to plan your life according to God's Will.
Remember the words of Gamaliel - "for if this plan or action is of men, it will be overthrown; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God." We should tell them we will pray for them and ask God to direct their steps and lead them according to His will and not theirs. Think On These: We cannot do everything we want to do, but we should do everything God wants us to do. The trouble with most people is every time they think, they think only of themselves. Matt 6:9-10 - Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth (or through me.) Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Matt 25:34 - "Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." NASU
The passage above is what is taking place on the Judgment Day. Those who have followed Christ have been separated from those who didn't follow Jesus Christ. We are compared to sheep and have been separated from those who have been compared to goats. We are on the right and the goats on the left. We are invited to come and inherit the kingdom that God has prepared for us.
If you are in the middle of some very difficult times you hang in there. You stay the course. The sufferings you're enduring will change as surely as the world is turning. God knows what you're going through and just like He sent an angel to answer one of Daniel's prayer (Dan.10:2-13) He will send an angel to answer your prayer(s). You must remain faithful. Don't you give up. You give God time to answer your prayer. In today's passage those who get to inherit the kingdom God has prepared were those who remained faithful during all their hardships. Whatever your hardship is today it is not worthy to be compared with the kingdom we are going to inherit. Here is what the Apostle Paul had to say about our sufferings in Romans 8:18- For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. Sufferings come and sufferings go that is a fact of life. What is important is we remain faithful to God and if we do we will hear the words - 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." When you hear those words you will never think about your sufferings again. Think On These: God Promises A Safe Landing But Not A Calm Voyage. There Will Be No Crown-Wearers In Heaven Who Were Not Cross-Bearers On Earth. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Judges 6:11-12 – The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, O valiant warrior.” Then Gideon said to him, “O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.”
Gideon was anything but valiant at this time. In fact, he was just the opposite. He is hiding from the Midianites as he is threshing the wheat. You wouldn't expect a valiant person to be hiding. The Lord tells him to tear down his father's idols and because he was afraid he does it at night so that he can't be seen. Tearing down these idols under the shadow of darkness so you can't be seen doesn't sound like a valiant man to me.
When something has happened to you or is happening to you now that you don't understand be patient. Give God time to complete His plan. Gideon didn't understand why God had allowed the Midianites to conquer the Israelites and not just once but on numerous occasions. The Israelites were living in fear at this moment of the Midianites.
The angel of the Lord tells Gideon that God has allowed this to happen so that He can use Gideon in a mighty way. There it is. The answer to our question in a nutshell, "Why has all of this happened?" It has happened so that God can use Gideon in a mighty way. Whatever you're being challenged with today and you're not sure why God is allowing it to happen try thinking this way. God is using you to conquer this in a mighty way.
Excuses are the first things to come out of Gideon's mouth as to why God is wrong. What excuses do you use when telling God you are not ready for your trial? Are you too old for this? Do you lack the education? You are financially not able? Your spouse will kill you? You will get fired? Yes, too many times we are just like Gideon. God wants to use us and we want to give Him excuses. Whatever test God is allowing to happen to you right now know this: If God brings you to it, God will get you through it. Psalm 46:10 says, "Be Still and Know That I am God." In other words He wants us to relax and trust Him no matter what situation challenges us.
Now what are you waiting for, stand up and tell God you are ready to be used by Him in a "mighty way". Lets go conquer our own modern day Midianites. Think On This: There are thousands of ways of pleasing God, but none without trusting Him. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word |
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