February 13 Thought for the day...struggling to do God's will

There are some books I've read and teachings I've heard that make it sound as if doing God's will is easy. Sometimes it actually is easy, but then there are the times that it takes everything in you to follow the path the Lord is leading you down. It happened to Jesus so you can expect it will happen to you.  Matthew 26:37-39

He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. 38 He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” 39 He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

You know the story but allow me to take you a little deeper. The word "anguished" here means physical and emotional suffering, being in deep despair, in painful sorrow. It describes someone who has been deeply wounded by another.

The next word "distressed" means extreme depression, dejection. It means to be overwhelmed by an extremely hellish ordeal. Jesus always knew the cross was in His future but knowing that it still weighed heavily on his heart, mind, and body. Knowing God's will doesn't mean that it will necessarily be easy to accomplish, there are many times where we have to keep our eyes on the goal rather than what we are going through at the moment.

Jesus said his soul was "crushed" the translation meaning he feeling nearly emotionally suffocated. He felt so much in despair, overwhelmed and emotionally suffocated that he "bowed with His face to the ground" the actual translation is, He could go no further under the weight that he fell with force to the ground.

Jesus fully knew what he was about to undergo. He felt the full weight of the torment and anguish yet knowing it was the Father's will, still said "Yes." Sometimes doing God's will is not easy. Obeying Him in the short term is inconvenient, a hardship, or even painful. Jesus knew the freedom of mankind was a stake, and the resurrection was coming. He completely trusted in a Father that knew what He was doing and would fulfill the destiny for us all. He kept His eyes on the prize. He went through it all to fulfill God's plan and to win our freedom.

What are you going through that is a struggle. Don't shrug it off as not being God's will because it is tough. If you love Him, trust Him, and are being obedient to Him, hang in there the resurrection of your dream is coming. The struggle is part of a bigger plan and a bigger blessing if you will just be faithful!

February 13 Thought for the day....struggling to do God's will

There are some books I've read and teachings I've heard that make it sound as if doing God's will is easy. Sometimes it actually is easy, but then there are the times that it takes everything in you to follow the path the Lord is leading you down. It happened to Jesus so you can expect it will happen to you.  Matthew 26:37-39

He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. 38 He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” 39 He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

You know the story but allow me to take you a little deeper. The word "anguished" here means physical and emotional suffering, being in deep despair, in painful sorrow. It describes someone who has been deeply wounded by another.

The next word "distressed" means extreme depression, dejection. It means to be overwhelmed by an extremely hellish ordeal. Jesus always knew the cross was in His future but knowing that it still weighed heavily on his heart, mind, and body. Knowing God's will doesn't mean that it will necessarily be easy to accomplish, there are many times where we have to keep our eyes on the goal rather than what we are going through at the moment.

Jesus said his soul was "crushed" the translation meaning he feeling nearly emotionally suffocated. He felt so much in despair, overwhelmed and emotionally suffocated that he "bowed with His face to the ground" the actual translation is, He could go no further under the weight that he fell with force to the ground.

Jesus fully knew what he was about to undergo. He felt the full weight of the torment and anguish yet knowing it was the Father's will, still said "Yes." Sometimes doing God's will is not easy. Obeying Him in the short term is inconvenient, a hardship, or even painful. Jesus knew the freedom of mankind was a stake and the resurrection was coming. He completely trusted in a Father that knew what He was doing and would fulfill the destiny for us all. He kept His eyes on the prize. He went through it all to fulfill God's plan and to win our freedom.

What are you going through that is a struggle. Don't shrug it off as not being God's will because it is tough. If you love Him, trust Him, and are being obedient to Him, hang in there the resurrection of your dream is coming. The struggle is part of a bigger plan and a bigger blessing if you will just be faithful!

January 11 Thought for the day...God's will for our lives

When people ask me to pray for them it generally is one of several categories; healing, relationships, finances, the salvation of loved ones, but by far the biggest need is God's will concerning, their life, some situation, future, or something like that. The Lord gives us insight into finding His will in Paul's first letter to the Corinthian church 2:9,10

But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” 10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit.

Paul is quoting Isaiah in verse 9 when Isaiah was frustrated and downhearted about not being able to hear and understand God's will. Before Christ resurrection and ascension, only a very few people, kings and prophets, were granted understanding of the deep things of God through the Holy Spirit. The common man had little hope of hearing and fully understanding God's will for them unless they sought out a prophet. Hearing from God for the average  "Joe" was nearly impossible.

Paul uses this quote to make something very clear for Christ-followers filled with the Spirit. He is saying, "Yes in days gone by it would be nearly impossible to understand the great and awesome plan God has for each individual, but now something is different." The word Paul uses for revealed here means, "to take away or tear down a veil". Paul is saying, now that you have the Holy Spirit living in you, the veil that hid the will of God for your life, for your family, community, nation, can be made clear. You have the Holy Spirit dwelling in you so it is His pleasure to lead and guide you.

The problem today is most Christians are choosing to live like they are still behind the veil. The Lord is saying, I have given you the Holy Spirit to lead, guide, and reveal all the great things I have for you. Choose to begin to believe it, apply it and live it. We have been called from darkness into His marvelous light!