Life is not the problem; it’s the Answer…

At times God will permanently place something in my heart and no matter how I try to over look it; it just want allow me to be at peace.  I was talking to my daughter (Tamika) the other day, about how annoyed I get every time I hear someone - especially Christians say: “Sometimes life will just hand you a bunch of rotten eggs or throws you a punch in the face”.   She said to me: “Mommy I remember when we were studying the Purpose Driven Life; the one thing that stuck out to me was when the author said if something continually annoys you, it means you are suppose to do something about it.  Perhaps your annoyance is God’s way of telling you to do something about it.”  I have to be honest and tell you that when she said that to me, my first thought was “But how?” 

I communicate with people all the time, who feel that life has not been fair to them, and according to them, they’ve tried going to church, returning tithes, the whole nine yards; and they feel like they believe in God - but they can’t understand why He’s allowing them to have such a bad life.  Ok, I do share in that way and when I do, they often ask “Well why is it that sometimes my Pastor says life can be hard, is he not a man of God, shouldn’t he know the truth?”  Today I realized that God has given me another way on a greater scale to answer this question, “My Blog”.  According to the reports I receive on this blog, I get a great deal of views, so I should be good.

Now here I am today informing whoever will read this that “Life is not the problem; it’s the Answer.”   The longer I remain a Christian the more I realized the importance of reading and knowing God’s word for myself, this is why His word informs us to:

“Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV).”

As a Believer, meaning one who believes the word of God; that in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1), that it gives life (1 John 5:11), that it is a lamp unto our feet (Ps. 119:105), and more importantly that Jesus came, lived and died so that we could have LIFE and have it more abundantly (John 10:10); I often find myself grieved when I hear Pastors and other Believers say “Life is not fair, that Life is hard, or that it will throw you a blow that seems to knock you off your feet.”  When I hear such contradictions, I wonder if they really are who they say they are - if they really are believers in the word of God or could it be that they’re just not thinking before they speak.  Before I go any further let me just give you the meaning of believe: it means to see something as reality, to see it as truth.  It’s important for you to really know the meaning of believing; Believer, because when you get this truth into your mind you’ll be better off – for it is with the mind we serve God (Roman 7:25).

Too often as Christians we follow the crowd by somewhat for a better like of words “Speaking out of both sides of our mouth”- we say one thing out of one side then go back and contradict it out of the other side.  How in the world of truth! Can you encourage someone to know that God gives life and that life is in His son Jesus Christ (1 John 5:11) but then at the same time, say life is hard or that sometimes it can throw you for a loop....  This is something that just does not sit right with me, it would be better if we simply said situations can be hard or can throw you for a loop.  Understand it is not life because LIFE came so that we could live – in abundance!

All throughout God’s word I read how He has giving us choices but then He turns right back around and tell us what choice we should make; as if He’s saying “Ok, I have set out there this and that but it would be better if you choose this.”   If we would be truly honest with ourselves, and look back at all the stuff we’ve gone through, all the hardship we’ve experienced – we‘d come to realize, it was not life but choices that made the situation.  It could have been your choice, your parent’s choice - someone made a choice, someone decided to do what they did to make that situation what it was or is.  Life is a gift, and when you are given a gift, you have a choice to make it what you want it to be, to use it how you decide to use it.   It’s your choice to determine if you will live life in its fullness or live it settling for whatever situation comes your way.

This thing is so in me that I could write about it for days, but instead, I'd like to challenge you to know God for yourself, because when you know Him, you’ll realize that Jesus is life (John 14:6); you’ll also realize that God is good – all the time (Ps. 100:5).... and there is no contradiction in that.  Please know that God and His son Jesus Christ are one, if Jesus is life then God is life, if God is good then Jesus is good (John 1:1, John 10:30) – please don’t make it difficult!  It’s really simple when you just learn to accept it. 

God’s word say’s: “A man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.  Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof (Proverbs 18:20-22).” 

Each time you complain about life, what you're actually doing is saying - what Jesus came to do is of no effect.  You show your lack of respect and disbelief in the power of Life, which is Jesus Christ, in the power of the Giver of life and if He lives in you then it is He who gives you life and what can be wrong about that, what could be bad about that Life.  So watch how you speak about your life, and for all you Believers, the next time you feel the need to complain about life, to speak ill of life, remember Who you’re talking about.  Life is good because God is good, and that never changes even when situations occur.  Remember, Life is not the Problem but it is the Answer....

Below you will find a few verses to reflect upon but please, search the word for yourself.

Grace & peace….

New Testament verses:

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall
not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the
world, but to save the world through him.  John 3:16-17

I am the bread of life.  He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will
never be thirsty.  John 6:35

I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.  John 8:12

If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.  Then you will know the truth, and the truth
will set you free.  John 8:31-32

 

Old Testament verses:

But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.

“See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess. Deuteronomy 30:14-16

I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.

 This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Deuteronomy 30:18-20

“See now that I myself am he! 

There is no god besides me. I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver out of my hand. Deuteronomy 32:39

 He said to them, “Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day, so that you may command your children to obey carefully all the words of this law.

 They are not just idle words for you—they are your life. By them you will live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.” Deuteronomy 32:46-48

Surely your goodness and love will follow me

 all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23:6

The Spirit Within

There is a voice inside all of us that inspires us to keep moving even though we often feel like giving up and throwing in the towel.  If you truly believe in the power within you to succeed and fulfill your destiny, you will take heed to this voice because He knows your potential, and the results of what is awaiting you ahead if you just continue to press.  Does this voice have a name? I’m glad you asked.  His name is “Holy Spirit” He is the one that Jesus left with you as a comforter (an encourager) and He already knows who you were meant to be, what you were created to do, and all that you were meant to possess here in the earth.  So the next time you feel like giving up, listen to that voice of reasoning that says, “Don’t give up, You can do it!”  - if you do, you want regret it.

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.  1 Corinthians 2:9-16

Prayer:

Father, I pray that you would encourage every soul that reads this blog to continue to press in whatever You've placed in their heart to do.  You know the vision, the inspired dream, their creative ability and all that awaits them if they continue to move forward.  I believe that You've equipped them with every thing they need to succeed and live in the purpose You have destined for their life.  Now, Father in the name of Jesus I ask that you would strengthen them for the journey, and make them attentive to the voice of Your Holy Spirit that they may not turn around or throw in the towel.  Help them to realized that Jesus has already won the fight and gain the victory on their behalf and now if they would only trust You; no matter what maybe going in the world, what the economy looks like, or even the resources that may seem to be lacking – You yet have a plan in for their life.  One that will not only meet every need but every desire but only if they adhere to the voice, I believe it’s done and I touch and agree with them in the spirit that they shall walk in all that You have prepared for their life, in Jesus name. Amen

Grace & peace!
Bertha