Sometimes our walk with Jesus can be so hard that even though Psalms 46 (Psalms 46) reminds us that God is our refuge, strength, help and so much more… Then Peter reminds us in 1 Peter (1 Peter 5:7) to cast our cares on the Lord because He cares for us, and in Matthew(Matt 11:28-30) Jesus says that He’d give us rest, his yoke is easy and his burdens are light… (I could go on and on and on.. ) My point is that even though we are reminded of these things sometimes it’s so easy for us to forget them rather than it is to remember. Sometimes, it doesn’t seem like Jesus is sending any kind of HELP our way, it doesn’t seem like he CARES about our struggles, and at times your trials may have you questioning if Jesus forgot that He said His burdens were “LIGHT” not unbearable! I know, I know sometimes it may seem a little too rough, too dark, too much ! But I want to ask you when you’re in a relationship or friendship with a tangible person when the going gets tough do you just break up or end the relationship? Do you just all it quits even if you know without a shadow of a doubt that they are the best thing to ever happen to you, they bring out the best in you, and that they are loyal to and respectful towards you? Just think about it… Would you ?
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While you ponder about that question I want to touch on a related subject and ask another question but this one is rhetorical. Why is it so hard for us to trust in God but so easy for us to trust in man ( people ) even though we know that a lot of us have a severe case of trust issues caused by human beings ? I have asked myself this question before and my answer was simply because they are here in the flesh and He has gone back there ( reference to Heaven) physically but is here and there spiritually. We are supposed to stay in constant communication with God through prayer but sometimes praying can feel like you are just talking to yourself and let’s not even discuss how it feels when he talks back to you! – Sometimes I have to ask God are YOU talking to me or am I hearing my own thoughts? – Recently I have learned that God is closest to me when I am closest to Him! When I am raw and real with Him! For a while it was so hard for me to even pray and believe my prayer was even heard because I prayed to him simply as some big God, The most supreme, righteous, Mighty , noble (etc) spirit-being ever ! When in all actuality Yes God is our creator and He is the one and only true and living God, but He is our Father, our friend, our confidant and so much more ! Since when has it become easy to talk to someone in the highest authority about our most intimate concerns and feelings? There goes one question that can be answered now… IT HASN’T!
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When something is going on in your life whether if its good or bad, you want to tell someone that’s close to you, such as a friend, family member, or loved one. You’re not gonna call the CEO of the company you work for! So when we talk to God we should talk to Him as someone we love and cherish, Of course He wants to be extolled for His greatness and majesty but He also wants to be there for you ! He wants you to remember that although He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, You are His child. He desires for you to come to him! His son was persecuted and beaten, betrayed and lied on and even more than that wrongfully accused and died for our sins… You are not more special than His son , you’re gonna go through some stuff, but we have a father and friend that is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent with us so even when we are mad as a cow, bawling our eyes out , and feel like no one on this earth or anywhere else for that matter even cares about our existence let alone our problems remember He is right there giving you the strength to gather yourself when you’re done, move forward and persevere! Some of you may not know but, my dad is a pastor (Pastor Oliver Hall )- yes I’m a “PK”- in one of his messages that he preached he said , ” Sometimes the enemy is going to cause you to go through some things that will drive you to your knees… And while he thinks that he has made you surrender. GOD knows that you are at the place of Power and Victory! ”
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Listen all I’m saying is don’t forget who He is, Whose you are, and what he has done, is doing, and will do. Don’t let the low-down dirty devil shift your focus from the Lord. He is giving you STRENGTH even when you are at your “weakest”, every time you open your mouth; think a thought; or cry a tear He is listening doesn’t matter what time of day or night it is because he CARES about you, and even when your burdens seem substantial and unbearable, He provides you with REST by carrying us through! The devil is always out to make you want to give up, to confuse you, and to destroy you (John 10:10)! BUT GOD ( in my preaching voice) is here to give us life and that more abundantly! He is Your Refuge, He does Care for you, and you will find Rest in Him! You just have to TRUST IN HIM! Don’t try to fathom His reasoning, or how He is all that He is. YOU CAN’T! Just accept the fact that “He got yo back!”(Proverbs 3:5-6) Just Give your heart to him. My favorite gospel artist Tasha Cobbs (Tasha ) said it best in her song Smile ” You won’t let me down, You won’t break my heart so I give it to you”-in case you haven’t heard of this song (Smile) God can do anything but fail : He won’t let you down, He loves you and thinks about you constantly(psalm 139: 17-18) : He won’t fail you, He never sleeps nor slumbers, He is always there for you! (Psalm 121) so Trust in Him with all your Heart. I promise you it won’t always be easy but I can also promise you that you won’t regret it !
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Lord, Thank you so much for being so amazing, so sweet, forgiving, and for loving us even when we doubt and disappoint you! Jesus thank you for being such an amazing friend, father, loved one, and so much for your people!. I know Lord that we forget that you are here with us always, and that you won’t leave or forsake us. Sometimes it’s hard to remember that even in the midnight hour when we aren’t around any company we aren’t alone because you are right there for us. Remind us Lord that where we are weak you are strong, remind us that even when it seems like the world is against us that If You God are for us nothing and no one can stand up against us! Lord I pray that in our times of sorrow and need, or in our time of Joyful abundance that we can share any and everything with you ! and Lord, I pray that you touch each and every person that reads this prayer, and shares this prayer with someone else, that you just wrap your loving and strong arms around them and let them know you are there, you love them, and that there is NOTHING you can’t do ! and Lord as the enemy tries to sift us as wheat Lord, I thank you and I ask you for your Mighty Protection and intervention Lord! We love you , we praise, and we thank you ! In Jesus Name Amen.