Have you ever felt like everything was going against you and if anything COULD go wrong, it would? That's exactly how the devil works! If he can get into your thought life and cause you to focus on the problem instead of the answer, then he can keep you from standing in the joy of the faith that wins the fight (1 Timothy 6:12)! Remember, if satan can't steal your joy, he cannot keep your goods! AMEN! Instead, say, with David, Psalm 56:3-4:
3 What time I am afraid, I will have confidence in and put my trust and reliance in You. 4 By [the help of] God I will praise His Word; on God I lean, rely, and confidently put my trust; I will not fear. What can man, who is flesh, do to me?
Remind yourself of past victories, just like David always did, then make verses 11-13 you own!
11 In God have I put my trust and confident reliance; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? 12 Your vows are upon me, O God; I will render praise to you and give You thank offerings. 13 For You have delivered my life from death, yes, and my feet from falling, that i may walk before God in the light of life and of the living.
Mark 6:1-3 shows the reaction of those who should have been most aware of Who Jesus was:
1 JESUS WENT away from there and came to His [own] country and hometown [Nazareth], and His disciples followed [with ] Him. 2 And on the Sabbath He began to teach in the synagogue; and many who listened to Him were utterly astonished, saying, Where did this Man acquire all this? What is the wisdom [the broad and full intelligence which has been] given to Him? What mighty works and exhibitions of power are wrought by His hands! 3 Is not this the Carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon: And are not His sisters here among us? And they took offense at Him and were hurt [that is they disapproved of Him, and it hindered them from acknowledging His authority] and they were caused to stumble and fall.
When you look too much at the natural man and forget that the Lord chooses what the world considers foolish, to confound the wise, you, too, can make the Word of God of no effect! Don't allow natural things to influence what the Spirit of God is trying to tell you! If you do, you will cause the same things to be said of you that Jesus said of THEM! Verses 4-6:
4 But Jesus said to them, A prophet is not without honor (deference, reverence) except in his [own] country and among [his] relatives and in his [own] house. 5 And He was not able to do even on e work of power there, except that He laid His hands on a few sickly people [and] cured them. 6 And he marveled because of their unbelief (their lack of faith in Him). And He went about among the surrounding villages and continued teaching.
Jesus' answer to their unbelief was to continue to teach the TRUTH of God's Word! Here are some great picture I found:
Here is a verse of TRUTH! Isaiah 25:1:
1 O LORD, You are my God; I will exalt You, I will praise Your Name, for You have done wonderful things, even purposes planned of old [and fulfilled] in faithfulness and truth.
His Word IS TRUTH (John 17:17)! Learn it, love it, live it and your life will never be the same!
Shalom in Him!
