Monthly Archives: January 2003

Devotions

Just living a regular Christian life is hard

You can always tell when people get serious about situations in their lives. They not only pray but it is time to fast.  

I know I have ask for myself, I wonder why bad things happen to good people, and that is just human nature to ask why.
I wonder why my colon had to rupture and because of it, I had to go through two major surgeries this year.  Then because of that, I was out of work several months.  And now that I have gone back to work, my job position was terminated. But see God sees the big picture, where I only see the present.   
   
Just living a regular Christian life is hard, but being in the ministry is double hard.  I know that being in the ministry I have suffer all kinds of things. And I have prayed Lord, why must I suffer these things.  I have also told God that I didn’t particularly care to suffer these things.  And He told me that He didn’t care for me to suffer that stuff either.  Boy, does God’s answers blow your mind.
   
But God then told me, yes, things should have been different,  people should have  treated you better, but He then said, remember I will hold them accountable for it.  You just preach the Word of God, and I’ll take care of you and I’ll take care of them.
   
And He will too.  God remembers all the sacrifices you and I have to make for Him in life.  He’s keeping track of the way people treat you and me, and He’s going to reward you and me for bearing it.  The Bible says, ” God keeps every one of your tears in a bottle.” (Psalm 56:8)
   
So if God can keep track of all our  tears, don’t you think He sees all the little things we do through?  He certainly does, and one day He will reward us openly for our sacrifices.
But as we do go through trials and troubles we need to study God’s word and seek direction.  We need to not only pray, but then we need to tarry at the alter long enough to listen to His answer for us.
   
And sometimes we even need to fast and pray.  In (Daniel 1:8 and 17) Daniel did a  3 weeks fast. This fast was to show that God would take care of Daniel and his friends and make them healthier, more knowledgeable and skilled in learning, wisdom and understanding of all visions and things.
   
And in (Daniel 10) Daniel fasted for 3 weeks and God gave him understanding of things to come. 
(Daniel 1: 8, 12 and 17) says, “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank, there he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.  Prove they servant, I beseech thee, ten days, and let them give us pulse ( In Hebrew pulse means something sown, vegetable) to eat, and water to drink.   And for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding i all visions and dreams.”
(Daniel 10:2-3) says, “In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks.  I ate no pleasant bread, (In Hebrew pleasant was a root, and bread  is grain)neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.”
We know that Jesus fasted 40 days and nights in the wilderness to get ready for His ministry.  And there are times that we need to set our face before God, with our mouths shut, so that we can receive wisdom, knowledge and understanding.  And direction.
So today, if your facing life’s challenges and you feel that you are just holding on.  Grab hold of that Rope tie a knot in the end and just hold on.  Because God is holding on to the other end of the rope and He is not planning to let go.
Written By: Pastor Pat Aman
Inspired By: The Holy Spirit