Are you hiding behind secrets?  Talk to us.

I didn’t know.

I didn’t realize that would happen.

Words of protest escape from our lips in our defense. Surely we can’t be held responsible for actions made in ignorance.  Yet, would an honest examination of your heart reveal you were unaware of the truth or merely that you pretended not to understand so that you wouldn’t be held responsible?

That is the trouble with truth. Once we know truth, we must make a decision. Either we will respond or refuse to respond, but we can no longer pretend to not understand simply because we don’t want to change.

Israel didn’t want to be held accountable for their sins. They wanted to claim ignorance, but Amos speaks as a witness against them.

“Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?
Does a lion roar in the thicket when he has no prey?
Does he growl in his den when he has caught nothing?
Does a bird fall into a trap on the ground where no snare has been set?
Does a trap spring up from the earth when there is nothing to catch?
When a trumpet sounds in a city, do not the people tremble?
When disaster comes to a city, has not the LORD caused it?”(Amos 3:3-6)

Through Amos, God was saying, “these things are obvious, everyone knows them, anyone can understand them.”  They had God’s laws but they did not live by them. They didn’t want Amos prophesying because they didn’t want to hear the truth or be held accountable to it.

Have we also closed our ears to the truth? It is easier to pretend we don’t know what’s expected of us than to have to confess our sins and surrender our will to God, but God knows what is in our hearts.

Holy God, You have revealed Your truth to me. Help me to allow it to penetrate my heart and change me. I don’t want to pretend any longer that I don’t know what is right.  Amen.

Questions: Why do we fake ignorance? What truths have you been pretending you don’t understand?

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Demonstrate God’s love to people hurting from poverty, natural disasters or conflict with Global Aid Network (GAiN)

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How to find peace when your world is not right

Please open your Bible and read Genesis 37:12-36

We are hurting, circumstances are outside our control, and we see no relief for the future. What can we be sure of?

God is with us in our troubles. God’s presence through His Spirit comforts us because He knows us intimately. He gives us what we need – His love and strength, a sense of security, and the knowledge that we are not alone. Our Lord understands what it is like to suffer, to be rejected, or to lose a loved one. He comprehends the temptations and obstacles we face. He has assigned Himself the task of carrying His children’s burdens (Psalm 68:19) and offers peace for our hurting hearts. The God who walks with us is not limited by anything, so we need not be afraid. (Matthew 19:26)

God has a purpose for allowing hard times. The story of Joseph clearly illustrates this truth. Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery, but God planned that those years would prepare him to become prime minister of Egypt. Joseph could not see God’s purpose – and neither will we, most of the time – but he knew the Lord’s character and trusted Him through the many trials he endured. His faith was rewarded when he was able to rescue his family. (Genesis 45:1 – 8)

We are called to live a life of faith. That means we are to believe God’s promises even if our circumstances confound us. When troubles surround you, remember what is true. God will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5), and His good purposes will always be carried out. (Philippians 2:13)

Question: What can we be certain of during times of trouble?

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” 2 Corinthians 4:8-9

Note: Originally this devotional made mention of the politician John Edwards. It has come to our attention that on June 3 2011 John Edwards was indicted on six felony charges stemming from allegations of misuse of political donations to try to cover up an extra-marital affair. This devotional was written and scheduled before this news became public, so I apologize for using him as an example of “keeping the faith” when there are many better examples available. It is still unknown at this time whether Edwards is guilty of the charges or not, or whether Mr Edwards is repentant or not (of his extra-marital affair and these charges if they are true). Only he knows for sure the condition of his own heart and his relationship with our Lord. We should not gloss over sin, but neither should we assume that anyone is beyond hope. We should pray for him, and recognize that but for the grace of God we are all doomed because of our wickedness, so thank the Lord that His merciful grace sustains us despite our own sinful behavior.

Sometimes struggle makes us aware of just how much we depend on God: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)

Whatever trouble we’re going through, God is always with us. Paul himself was been “perplexed” as to why he was suffering (2 Corinthians 2:8) but he knew that he could have faith (trust) in God. Since Jesus suffered, as followers of Jesus sometimes we too will sometimes suffer, for “no servant is greater than his master” (John 13:16). But how great a promise God gives us that he will never abandon us! (2 Corinthians 2:9)

What is troubling you today? Our natural instinct is to obsess over the “Why?” question. Instead, why not try to focus on the “What?” question: “What shall I do next?” and leave the rest to God, who is our refuge, gives us strength in times of trouble, and gave His life so we will live.

“I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13)

Question: How has God taught you life lessons through times of struggle?

Related:
Does God Care?

“Be still, and know that I am God” Psalm 46:10

The classic hymn “It Is Well” begins with these famous lyrics:

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
when sorrows like sea billows roll;
whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Have you heard the story of the man who wrote it? The author, Horatio G. Spafford, was a lawyer whose first major test of his faith came in 1871 when the Great Chicago Fire ruined him financially, destroying most of his real estate investments. Two years later, when his family had finally pieced their lives back together, he decided to take his wife and four daughters on a vacation. However, at the last minute, Stafford was called back on business, so his wife and children went ahead on the ship. A short time later, the ship sank, killing all four of his daughters; only his wife survived. After hearing the tragic news and setting out to travel to meet his grieving wife, Stafford penned the classic hymn.

How was Stafford able to write “It is well, it is well with my soul” despite the tragedy he experienced? And how can we remain faithful to God’s truth even in desperate times when we feel far from Him? The few short words of God in Psalm 46:10 will help us understand.

First God says to “be still.” In other words, don’t panic!

Sure, you may be thinking, that’s easy enough to say, but quite tough to do when it feels like your world has been turned upside down.

That’s why God told us to “know that I am God.”

Note carefully what God did NOT say. He did not say “Be still, and FEEL that I am God.” He said “Be still, and KNOW that I am God.” Regardless of how we may feel, if we know that God is there, and that His Word is true, we will be able to have confidence in Him and praise Him, regardless of our temporary feelings.

This doesn’t mean that feelings should be ignored or marginalized. But it does suggest that feelings are fleeting and uncertain, while God’s promises are everlasting and certain. Therefore we must try to pray and trust based on what we know in times of tragedy rather than primarily on how we feel.

If today you are feeling “peace, like a river”, thank God and increase in knowledge so that you will prepare yourself for times of trouble.

And if you are instead at a time “when sorrows like sea billows roll” don’t focus on your temporary feelings, but focus instead on the knowledge that God loves you, Jesus died for you, and, like Paul said as he suffered in prison, “I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return.” (1 Timothy 1:12, NLT)

Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Question: What knowledge (truths about or promises from God) do you, or will you, cling to in your darkest hour?

Originally written by Charles H. Spurgeon, published in “Mornings & Evenings,” entry for April 11th, AM.
Updated to modern English by Darren Hewer, 2009.

“I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint.” Psalm 22:14

Did heaven or Earth ever witness a sadder spectacle? In soul and body, our Lord felt Himself to be weak as water poured out on the ground. Placing of the cross in its socket shook Him with great violence, strained all His ligaments, pained every nerve, and more or less dislocated His bones. Burdened with His own weight, the glorious sufferer felt the strain increasing every moment of those six long hours. His sense of faintness and general weakness were overpowering. As He began to lose consciousness, His physical body became a mass of misery and swooning sickness.

The prophet Daniel once saw a great vision, prophesying Jesus’ suffering hundreds of years later, which he describes like this: “So I was left alone, gazing at this great vision; I had no strength left, my face turned deathly pale and I was helpless.” (Daniel 10:8) The pain our greater Prophet Jesus felt must have been incomprehensibly more dire as He felt it throughout His own soul. To us, sensations such as our Lord endured would have been unbearable. In His case, though already wounded, and still felt the sword. He drained the cup and tasted every drop.

As we kneel before our now ascended Savior’s throne, let us remember the way He prepared it as a throne of grace for us. Let us in spirit drink of His cup, that we will be strengthened for our hour of distress whenever it comes. In His natural body every part suffered, and so must it be in the spiritual body of which we are all now a part. But just like how out of all His grief and suffering His body came through uninjured to glory and power, so too will His spiritual body of the church here on Earth come through all its hardships and pain without so much as a blemish.

Question: What was the result of Jesus’ pain and sacrifice?

“When he summoned a famine on the land and broke all supply of bread, he had sent a man ahead of them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave. His feet were hurt with fetters; his neck was put in a collar of iron; until what he had said came to pass, the word of the Lord tested him. The king sent and released him; the ruler of the peoples set him free; he made him lord of his house and ruler of all his possessions, to bind his princes at his pleasure and to teach his elders wisdom.” (Psalm 105:17-22)

This is the way the Psalmist describes what happened to Joseph in the Book of Genesis. His jealous brothers left him to die. He was sold into slavery, but lived. God eventually raised Joseph up to be second only to the King, just when his brothers needed him the most. It was in a time of famine and Egypt, because of Joseph’s wise reliance and trust in God, had obediently stored grain away in advance.

The way the Psalm tells the story brings out a great truth. When tragedy hits us, we feel bound by circumstances, fettered and shackled by tragedy. But if we stay in the Word, and trust God enough to listen to Him, we will make it through. The lessons we learn during that time will be stored up inside us. God knows there will someday be someone who goes through the same tragedy. He knows we can be there to help them through their famine of hurt, anger, doubt and loss. We can be the nourishment they need because God has stored it up in us, preparing us for just that time.

People often try to answer why bad things happen to good people, or to be more precisely, people of God. Yes, it is because of free will in a fallen, broken world. It may be to teach us to depend more on Him. But, this part of Psalm 105 gives another reason. Perhaps, it is because down the line, someone else who has less faith at that time will go through a similar thing and will need us to minister them through it. We can help release their bounds, and bind them to God’s love.

When I became widowed last November, I thanked God He had prepared not only my big sister in widowhood ahead of me, but several faith-filled women who had just recently come into my life.  Up until that moment I became one of them, it never dawned on me why so many widows had become my close friends.

But, God knew. Shackled by fear of the unknown and fettered with hurt, my famine was eased by their experiences.  They prayed me through it, and still are. My bounds are loosening. I have no doubt it is for His purpose and glory. One day, I will be like Joseph in some other woman’s famine.

Whatever you are going through—and we all are going through something, or are about to because that is the nature of this life on earth—have confidence that God is watching over you. He does truly have a plan. He will release the shackles in His timing and give you the opportunity to store up what you have labored over. There will come a time for you to share your pains, and victories, with others. Like Joseph’s brothers, they may not expect it to be you. But God does.

Question: Has God placed someone in your life who needs your stored up grain to ease their famine? Or, if you are in that famine, will you trust Him to send someone with grain to you?

If billions of people all around the world claim to believe in God, why is the world so messed up? That’s the central question David Nasser asks in this thought-provoking video. Born in Iran, David fled the country with his family in 1979 when revolution broke out. His life journey took him away from religion and back again. In this video, he tells his story, and reflects on the question: Why does our world seem “not right”?

After you have watched the video above, consider the following:

Take a look at your life. How would you describe it?

Contented? Rushed? Exciting? Stressful? Moving forward? Holding back? For many of us it’s all of the above at times. There are things we dream of doing one day, and there are things we wish we could forget. In the Bible, it says that Jesus came to make all things new. What would your life look like if you could start over with a clean slate?

Are you ready to choose a different path?

Jesus’ message is different from everyone else’s because He came to remake us from the inside out, not just superficially. Jesus came, and died, and rose again to wipe the slate clean. He was scourged, tormented, and finally nailed on the cross for humankind’s sins – this was all part of God’s plan to bring you and I back into relationship with him. God wants to be a part of your life … in fact, not just a part of your life, but wants you to live in full fellowship with Him. Is this the life for you?

God loves you and created you to know Him personally. He longs for you to have the kind of full life you were always meant to have. So why do people not experience this kind of life? People are lost and separated from God, so we cannot know Him personally or experience His love. Because of our sins, we justly deserve judgement. But God provided his Son, Jesus Christ, as the only provision for our sin. He died in our place, then he rose from the dead.

We must individually trust Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; then we can know God personally, receive forgiveness for our sins, and experience His love: “As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12)

We trust God through faith. You can trust Christ right now by faith through prayer! (Prayer is just talking with God.) God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart. The following is a suggested prayer:

Lord Jesus, I need you. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of the throne of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be.

Does this prayer express the desire of your heart?

If it does, pray this prayer right now, and Christ will come into your life, just as He promised.