Find A Christian Man

Tag: Spiritually preparing for marriage

  • In the Face of Weakness

    In the Face of Weakness

    Before his Road to Damascus experience, the Apostle Paul had what the world would probably refer to today as an impressive resume. He had received the best education, was very zealous for knowledge and the law, and he traveled in the circles of those in the upper echelon of Jewish society. One day, when he was on his way to Damascus on an assignment to persecute Christians, he was completely transformed through an experience with Jesus Christ. Up until that point, Paul despised those who followed Christ, and wanted to place them in prison, but after he was converted, he did a complete turnaround and wanted desperately to win souls for Christ. Even though he changed dramatically, there were still some weaknesses lurking about. This is true for all of us, and we can learn from the Apostle Paul about how to turn these weaknesses into strengths that give God glory.

    In 2 Corinthians 12:7 (NLT), the Apostle Paul said, “So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.” We know from this verse right off the bat that Paul could have been tempted by something that would have caused great damage to his effectiveness in Christ. It was pride. Many people look at pride as a strength, but we know from God’s Word that He hates a prideful spirit. This isn’t the kind of pride that we feel when our children succeed. The pride that God hates and that can get us into deep spiritual trouble is arrogance. It is an exaggerated sense of self-importance, or thinking more of ourselves than we should.

    Paul’s life before his conversion was saturated with arrogance, and after he was saved, the spirit of arrogance was always lurking about trying to find a way back in. Many people believe that it was the Lord God Almighty who sent Paul’s thorn in the flesh, but the truth is that Paul’s propensity towards arrogance was the welcome mat that the devil used to walk in and buffet Paul with this thorn. This gives us some inkling about how harmful pride and arrogance can be to our Christian walks. Pride is a blocker. It blocks our blessings, because it keeps us from walking with humility; and humility is the thing that makes us flexible to the Will of God.

    In 2 Corinthians 12:8-9 (NLT), Paul said, “8 Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. 9 Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.” Many of us struggle with seeing God as an awesomely loving and patient Heavenly Father. We can’t get rid of this image in the back of our minds of a God that punishes and causes suffering. So, when we see that Paul begged God to take away this thorn in the flesh, we look at God’s response and think He’s telling Paul that he has to keep dealing with this thorn without relief. That’s not it at all. God gave Paul a strategy in verse 9 for dealing with the problem. He wasn’t saying that He wouldn’t come to Paul’s aid; He was telling Paul how to put the devil under his feet. God told Paul, “Use my grace, son. That’s what’s going to give you the victory in this situation. That’s the power that is going to turn your weakness into your strength. My grace is all you need!”

    The word weak is defined as the lack of power or physical strength. It is being close to a breaking point or giving way under pressure. This is the condition many Christians find themselves in when they succumb to the pressures of life, especially when their lack of faith in God gives way to sinful behavior.  I’ve heard many of my single Christian friends speak of how much they regret actions they’ve taken because they lacked patience as it relates to dating.

    They start out with a healthy appetite for doing everything God’s way in the beginning of their relationship with someone new, but by the third or fourth month of dating, their self-control goes straight out of the window.

    The Apostle Paul was able to boast in his weakness because those were the times when he stopped leaning on his flesh and began to lean on God’s grace. Where Paul’s strength failed, the power of the Holy Spirit surpassed and succeeded; and God was glorified. Paul was going through some horrible times and he had many enemies, so much so, that he prayed often for God to remove the “thorns in his flesh”, but God knew that Paul needed to lean on Him, and not be so concerned about the people that wanted to see him suffer.

    When we don’t trust God through our tough times, our lack of faith provides the opening the enemy is looking for. We need to know that through Christ we can flip our weaknesses into an incredible opportunity to see God working through us. Paul understood this, and this is why he said, “So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.”  Always remember that God knows full well what we’re made of. He knows our weak points, but He also knows that in the face of weakness, we can go within to the Spirit that indwells us, and he will do the miraculous through God’s grace. ■

    Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

    “With God’s Blessing, Go Ahead and Marry”, written by FACM, Finding A Christian Man.Com ©2017.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

     

  • If You Can’t Perceive It, You Can’t Have It!

    If You Can’t Perceive It, You Can’t Have It!

    Imagine being told that in order to get the thing that you desire most, you’ll have to give up everything you’ve spent years acquiring. This is exactly what Jesus told the young, rich man in Matthew 19:20-21 (NLT). The dialogue between the two of them is a jewel of wisdom and knowledge that we cannot afford to overlook. The young man inquired what he must do to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. In verse 20 he asked “I’ve obeyed all these commandments, the young man replied. “What else must I do?” Jesus replied to him in verse 21, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.  Then come, follow me.” 

    Upon first hearing the statement that Jesus made, a large majority of us would probably say, “Uh, I don’t think so!” Our minds have been conditioned by the world to hold on to things we deem valuable. We can’t comprehend the brevity of letting go of something we hold so dear, unless we are 100% sure that we will obtain something of greater value. We’d rather get all we can get, and still be able to hold on to what we already have. Life does not work this way.

    God established a precedent or pattern for the way we ought to approach our new way of operating in Christ. Through the Apostle Paul, He said in Ephesians 4:22-24 (NLT), “22 Throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.” It is only through Christ that you and I have unlimited capacity. We come to him with very limited capacity indeed. Before we are saved, our arms are already full with stuff that weighs us down. Paul strongly encourages us to throw off this negativity. He tells us to unload the burdens and sins that are keeping our arms and hands full, so that we can run the race that God has set before us with lightness, agility, and greater speed. (Heb 12:1)

    Most of us want to hold on to things that make us comfortable. Whether it is wealth, material things, or toxic relationships; we’ve derived a certain level of comfort in these things, and we don’t want to throw them off. This was the condition of the young, rich man’s heart. His grip was so tightly wrapped around his possessions, that he couldn’t imagine anything would bring him more pleasure or make him feel more secure.

    When you think about this, you can clearly understand the true essence of faith. Faith demands that we walk according to what we can’t see, and not by what we can see. It forces us to use our imaginations.

    Our imaginations are an extremely important and useful tool in the Kingdom. They help us to visualize events, experiences, and aspirations that haven’t taken place in the natural or in the timespan of our lives. We didn’t actually see Jesus Christ in the flesh when he walked upon this earth, but through our faith, we know that he did. God’s Word paints a vivid and vibrant picture, and we can use our imagination—our mind’s eye—to see our beautiful, blessed Lord. Everything in the spiritual world works this way. We don’t see all the activity going on spiritually, but through the Spirit that indwells us we know that there is more going on in the spiritual realm than there is in the natural realm. We can sense these things in the Spirit, and use our imaginations to paint a picture in our minds.

    This is crucial, because if you can’t perceive it, then you can’t have it. If you can’t perceive it, then you can’t fulfill it. Faith demands that we imagine the evidence of something before it is seen. And we have to believe in the evidence so strongly that it is real to us.

    The young, rich man couldn’t make the leap. He refused to allow Jesus Christ to stretch his capacity to exponentially wider and greater depth. He could not imagine a life without his stuff, and he couldn’t imagine that heaven would hold for him an infinitely greater treasury than the one he had labored for with his own might and mental prowess. He couldn’t perceive it, so He couldn’t have it.

    It is sometimes very hard for us to shake ourselves out of routines and to stretch our imaginations to see a bigger picture. This can be especially true for sisters that have been single for many years. They become comfortable making a life for one, and sometimes forget that seeing and preparing for two is necessary. You must come to a place where you are completely sold-out to the fact that God has blessings for you that are far more valuable and useful than what you’re holding on to so tightly. Let go, and let God!

    Recognize that the Lord may be calling you to burst out of that same ol’ groove, so that your vision is expanded. Your faith may need a reboot. A single digit, representing you against the world, may be your present, but it is not your future. Allow the Spirit to renew your thoughts and attitudes as you press into Christ. He’ll ignite new vision, inspiration, and revelation of your wonderful future. ■

    Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

    “If You Can’t Perceive It, You Can’t Have It!”, written by FACM©2017.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

  • Bone of My Bones

    Bone of My Bones

    Genesis 2:23(NIV)
    “The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.””

    Adam was the first man, and our Heavenly Father gave him all dominion and authority within the earth. Adam was very intelligent, and named the species within the earth’s realm. This was no small feat. There were many living beings; those in the sky, water, and those that walked upon the earth. They all knew and kept their place within God’s creation and under the authority of Adam. God’s man was lord in the earth, and it’s not difficult to understand that keeping watch and tending to God’s creation was busy work for Adam, the first and only human being.

    We should observe, and not allow it to slip by us, that God’s intelligence cannot be measured. Surely He knew that Adam would become lonely, and instead of creating one unit, He might have made two from the very start. God didn’t do this. He is so loving and preeminent in His foreknowledge that He made sure to give us a record of His sensitivity and willingness to take care of our every need. Even though Adam had dominion over the earth, and plenty to do, he had a need. God created him with the full intent to take of this need by making two from one, at the appropriate time.

    Heavenly Father caused a great sleep to fall on Adam. He then took a rib from his side and made Adam a wife. In Genesis 2:23 (NIV), Adam said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” Heavenly Father beautifully met Adam’s need, and did so in a way that was beyond Adam’s imagination. This is a pattern that God demonstrated for us. Taking care of our hearts and our desires is a part of His plan; it has been from the very beginning.

    “Bone from my bones” may not be the way that you and I would describe marriage in modern terms, but it conveys a unity and partnership that God created and ordained, and no better words could describe it. It is so real and meaningful that thousands of years after the first couple, all of us still feel the tug of destiny on our hearts to partner. We know that being a spouse is a beautiful part of our futures. Just as God met Adam’s need, we can have every confidence that He will do the same for us.

    Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

    Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

    “Bone of My Bones”,  by writers for FACM, Finding A Christian Man.Com ©2017.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

  • The Magnet of Your Love Pulls Him In

    The Magnet of Your Love Pulls Him In

    Proverbs 31:10-12 (NLT)
    “Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies. Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.”

    Just this week, all over the country folks celebrated International Women’s Day. There was literature galore about women that are trailblazers and symbolize equality for all women. This is wonderful, but we can’t take our eyes off the mark. The world has its standards, and God has His.

    Proverbs 31 is God’s standard of a virtuous woman; therefore, it should be one that men seek when looking for a wife, and it should also be the standard that women strive to meet in their own brand of womanhood.

    One of the assurances that God makes about His standard is that it will cause His goodness to manifest in our lives. He created us, and He knows what we ought to be doing in order to have the more than abundant life that Jesus Christ made available. He made us in such a way that if we allow His Word to saturate our hearts, occupy our minds, and guide us through life; blessings will flow our way.

    God doesn’t make mistakes. He doesn’t overlook details, so we can rest assured that He did not forget about the needs and desires of His daughters.  There is a plethora of good men out there, and they are looking to find good women as marital partners. The problem in today’s society is that the adversary has tricked many Godly women, and camouflaged the sweet aroma that their new creation gives off. She is saved by the blood of the lamb, but behaves in a way that cancels out the virtuous fragrance that a good man is sensitive to. So he’s not able to pick up her trail.

    God’s desire is for us to be completely sold out on His love. We are to be such faithful stewards of our spiritual gifts that our confidence in God and our love for Him behaves like a magnet. Not only does it draw out the blessings we so earnestly desire, but it causes us to be the kind of blessing that will greatly enrich our husband’s life. Devote yourself to God entirely. Become a magnet for His goodness, and He will continue to transform you into a precious ruby that your new husband will treasure.

    Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

  • Jewels of Truth

    Jewels of Truth

    gods-treasureOne of my favorites passages of scripture is Jeremiah 17:7-8(NIV). It says, “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” I absolutely love this scripture, because it holds jewels of truth. The diamond of it cuts right down to the truth of what happens when we have a sold-out trust in Heavenly Father. In the past, when reading this verse, I visualized the kind of person it was referring to. What must a person go through in order to obtain this level of confidence in the Lord; the kind of confidence where God would stamp him or her with a brand of ‘fearless!”  How does one stay fresh and always hopeful? When everyone else is experiencing drought, how does this person continually bear fruit? These are questions to which you and I must seek the answers, because not only is this a pretty special person, it is God’s blueprint for the person that He desires to be your spouse.

    It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that this is a spectacular person by God’s standards. The truth is that we’ve seen such erosion of Godly principles in the world, that some sisters have allowed a very cynical mindset to takeover when it comes to finding the right man for them. They have been so disappointed in the past that they won’t fully trust in God’s provision in this area. This is the extraordinarily wonderful thing about Heavenly Father; He exceeds our expectations, and waits for our minds and hearts to catch up to it.

    Ephesians 3:20(KJV) tells us, “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,” Oh how I pray that you can get this into your heart. God works in the exceeding abundantly. This is His trademark, but He is also a God of consistency and order. With God, it is spirit to spirit; holiness to holiness; faith to faith. It’s not apples to oranges. It’s apples to apples. He does the exceeding abundantly ACCORDING to the exceeding abundantly that is working in us. If you are not dabbling in this particular arena, then you’re not going to see all that is available to see.

    This is why so many Christian women are disappointed in their desires. They are sometimes in the wrong place, talking to the wrong people, conversing about the wrong things; seeing the wrong things, thinking the wrong thoughts, and expecting right results. It doesn’t work this way. Faith to faith. You’ve gotta give God something to work with. Your arena has to change so that you can see a different picture—a higher picture than the one you’ve been seeing.

    The beautiful brother that is hardworking, pleasant to be around, pleasing to the eye, confident and strong, fearless, and continually energized by the power of the Holy Spirit—guess what? He’s not an abnormality in the realm of God’s treasures. He exists, and he is not in short supply. He’s a jewel of God’s truth!

    The Apostle James wrote in James 1:2-4(NIV), “2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”  The spiritual lessons and preparation to become a wife may prove to be a test of your faith; it is for many single Christian women. It requires us to pull down strongholds of negativity and doubt, and to see the areas of our lives that need to be strengthened in Christ before we move forward to the blessing of matrimony.

    What happens is that some of us make the mistake of being a little bit too desperate or hasty for love. We want the prize without the prep. We want oranges to match apples; and we ignore the advice God gave us in His Word.

    Changing arenas means that we move higher to a heavenly view, where our trust in God regarding marriage is unwavering. This is what makes a person like a tree planted by the waters. It’s when your confidence is in God’s provision, and you just know that He’s going to do what He promised.

    It may seem a far distance from where you’re standing today, and if you were to look at switching lanes on your own…forget about it. Thank God that Jesus Christ is the head of our lives! He’s Lord! He knows where we’re supposed to be, when we’re supposed to be there, and how to get us there. We need to relinquish the steering wheel altogether and let perseverance finish its work. The way to do this is to press into the Holy Spirit that indwells us. John 16:13 tells us that he will guide us through Christ and tell us exactly what we need to know, so that we can tap into God’s treasures. Trust that God’s goodness never runs dry, and get yourself pumped for a change of scenery. The Holy Spirit will help you move up supernaturally, so that you begin to see all the wonderful things God has laid up for you.■

    Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

    “Jewels of Truth”, written by FACM, Finding A Christian Man.Com ©2017.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

     

  • “Anger Labels You A Fool”

    “Anger Labels You A Fool”

    Ecclesiastes 7:9 (NLT)
    “Control your temper, for anger labels you a fool.”

    Relationships can be very delicate, particularly while they are in the beginning stages. It is a time when you want the person of your affection to see you in the most positive light. Many of us think very highly of ourselves. We think we’ve got it all figured out, and therefore, we want the significant person in our lives to believe this as well. The truth is that there are a great many things we haven’t figured out. There is a side to us that we haven’t yet explored.

    One of the reasons why relationships blow up is because many of us sabotage them through our own fears, and our issues with self-control and lack of trust. We explode in ways that we never imagined we would. It could be because we are insecure or jealous. It could also be because we feel trapped, but we haven’t yet admitted it to ourselves. It could be any one of several internal factors that can cause us to work against ourselves in a relationship. This is why we desperately need the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is also why we should know ourselves well enough to be able to confront and admit our trouble spots.

    The optimum situation for any two people who come together in a relationship is for them to have allowed themselves the time to mature in Christ. They need to know a bit about their strengths and weaknesses. God instructs us to be wise. Being wise is allowing God’s Word to instruct us. This is particularly true for the areas where we’re not as strong as we’d like to be or should be.

    Wisdom dictates that we become very careful observers of ourselves. In a conversation or interaction, most of us can sense when a potential for something to strike our chords the wrong way is mounting. You can feel the reaction boiling up within you. The worse thing in the world is to allow yourself to explode in anger. God warns us in Ecclesiastes 7:9 (NLT), “Control your temper, for anger labels you a fool.”

    A fool is a person that acts unwisely, and uncontrolled anger makes a fool out of us. It undermines our authority in Christ, and causes us to move in reverse rather than forwardly. It can ruin a relationship and be very devastating to our lives. God’s wisdom will preserve us and help us to make sound decisions and choices. Proverbs 2:10-15 The Message (MSG) tells us, “Lady Wisdom will be your close friend, and Brother Knowledge your pleasant companion. Good Sense will scout ahead for danger, Insight will keep an eye out for you. They’ll keep you from making wrong turns,”. As we walk in the Spirit, this is what the discipline of Godliness will do for us. So be sure to pray that God helps you to work the fruit of self-control deep in your soul. Then, when you’re with the person you will ultimately marry, you can have confidence in your ability through Christ to strengthen and preserve your relationship.■

    Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

     ““Anger Labels You A Fool””, written by FACM, Finding A Christian Man.Com ©2017.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

  • Put Your Words on A Diet

    Put Your Words on A Diet

    John 1:1 tells us that in the beginning was the Word of God, and we know from Genesis that Heavenly Father literally spoke things into existence. This gives us some indication of how incredibly potent words can be. Our mouths are no play thing, for with them confessions are made. When we first came to Christ, God accepted us based on the earnest confession of our mouths. We had to ask for forgiveness and confess Jesus Christ as the Lord of our lives before we could be saved from a life of sin and death. The words we spoke had eternal consequences. That’s mind blowing! The light was switched on in our consciousness as our spirits were born-again and awakened to newness. All of this occurred by speaking forth words from the most earnest place in our hearts. There can be no doubt that God placed an incredible power in our tongues, and it is our responsibility to ensure that the quality and the quantity of our words is just right.

    Proverbs 18:20 (NLT) tells us, “Wise words satisfy like a good meal; the right words bring satisfaction.” There is so much power in the words we choose, and even more so in how we use them. When it comes to the life we have before us, some of us are dissatisfied. And it is either that we haven’t used enough of the right words, or we’ve used too many of the wrong ones. Many people have a problem with accepting this level of accountability, but that has no bearing whatsoever on the truth of this. Our confessions, the words we speak, have tremendous impact on not only the life we have, but they lay the ground work for the future to come.

    Proverbs 18:21 affirms that death and life are in the power of the tongue. When you allow yourself to take in the full breath of this truth, you begin to truly understand what it is to be a spiritual being. God has equipped us through our physicality and spirituality with an instrument of power. We can actually create an internal blueprint of intangible, intellectual reasoning called thoughts. We conjure up emotions to support those thoughts, and then through the physical manipulation of our vocal chords, we deliver tangible evidence of our thoughts externally through the apparatus of our tongues. That’s absolutely amazing! Let no one tell you differently, we were magnificently created and designed by The Almighty.

    So now we have before us the elements of a worthy and intelligent question. It is this, when it comes to our quests to be married, could it be that our thoughts and words have given our faith indigestion?

    If this is the case, then the only logical choice is to put our words on a diet. We need to cut out the saltiness and season them wisely, because God’s Word tells us that wise words satisfy like a good meal.

    This feeling of being satisfied with the fullness of life is the destiny of every single Christian woman that desires to be married. It is also the privilege and testimony of their faith to use their words, feelings, and deeds to position themselves to reap the harvest of a good husband.

    As Christians, our mouths should be used to uplift and inspire, but there are times when an untamed tongue will win.  James 3:5 (NLT) tells us, “So also, the tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do. A tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. 6; And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is full of wickedness that can ruin your whole life. It can turn the entire course of your life into a blazing flame of destruction, for it is set on fire by hell itself.” Don’t make this a habit pattern. It is extremely vital to understand that in a relationship or marriage, if you’re not careful, using your tongue in a hurtful manner is like quick sand – it will sink any relationship. Even when you don’t mean to say them, once those hurtful words are out there, you can’t take them back. They are like boomerangs that will ultimately come around to swipe you.

    Sometimes we forget the impact of what we say and how easily offensive we can be with our words.  Be careful of what and how you say things, because words can cut deeper than any weapon. Peter 3:10 (NLT) warns, “For the Scriptures say, “If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies.”” Try the art of minimization, and let it act as your vocal filter. You’ll be amazed in the strides you make by curtailing your words, and choosing to speak life, or say nothing at all.

    Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

    “Put Your Words on A Diet”, written by FACM for FindingChristianMan.Com ©2017.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

  • Always on Top and Never at the Bottom

    Always on Top and Never at the Bottom

    Deuteronomy 28:12-13(NLT)

    “The LORD will send rain at the proper time from his rich treasury in the heavens and will bless all the work you do. You will lend to many nations, but you will never need to borrow from them. 14 If you listen to these commands of the LORD your God that I am giving you today, and if you carefully obey them, the LORD will make you the head and not the tail, and you will always be on top and never at the bottom.”

    When we are in the process of ‘going through’, it can get so bad sometimes that it feels as if we’re sinking into a bottomless pit. You know that you should be declaring that you are more than a conqueror in every situation—that God has made you the head and not the tail, but the tribulations seem insurmountable; and you can’t seem to squeeze that gusto positivity through the cracks of your circumstances. Truth be told, these are the moments that make us, because when you’re out there with your back against the wall, God is the only one that can rescue you. He’s the one holding you up.

    Sometimes, the breakthrough that we really need is the one where our faith pierces through our circumstances with a vengeance and we hang on to it like a dog with a bone. We just have to flat out trust that Heavenly Father has our backs, because if we trust Him, He will demolish the negativity that is robbing us of peace and happiness. This is what His Word tells us time and time again.

    Hebrews 2:16-18The Message (MSG) assures us of the care and love that Jesus Christ has for us, and it solidifies that he is helping us even when it doesn’t seem like it. This passages says, “16-18 It’s obvious, of course, that he didn’t go to all this trouble for angels. It was for people like us, children of Abraham. That’s why he had to enter into every detail of human life. Then, when he came before God as high priest to get rid of the people’s sins, he would have already experienced it all himself—all the pain, all the testing—and would be able to help where help was needed.”

    Jesus Christ knows everything that we’re going through down here, because he endured it all and his faith was tested by the enemy just as ours is. He’s our high priest, and he is continually making intercession for us. So, we can rest assured that Heavenly Father will keep His promises to bless all that we do and to make our way prosperous, but we must do our parts as well.

    Deuteronomy 28:12-13(NLT) tells us to obey the Lord, and to follow His Word carefully. This means that we don’t skimp when it comes to the things of God, but that we give Him our all. Whether we’re struggling with addictions, can’t seem to pray our way through, dealing with financial lack, or we’re holding on to a relationship that isn’t helping us to be our best. Whatever the case may be, in whatever shape we’re in, God wants us to give ourselves completely over to Him. It’s the intent of our hearts to surrender, and the desire to please and praise Him; that’s what causes the tides to turn. If we’ll be persistent in coming to God with this kind of mind-and-heart-set, He’ll make sure that we’ll always be on top and never at the bottom.

    Isaiah 41:13(NLT), “For I hold you by your right hand – I, the Lord our God.  And I say to you, Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you.” 

    Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
    Written by FACM for FindingChristianMan.Com ©2017.  All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!