From my daily devo

Know when your going through various trials you have an ABBA FATHER who loves your enjoy

David Wilkerson Today

MONDAY, AUGUST 2, 2010

“ABBA, FATHER”

The Holy Ghost has a way of simplifying our relationship with God the Father
and Jesus. He is the One who teaches us to say, "Abba, Father."

This phrase refers to an oriental custom of Bible days, regarding the adoption
of a child. Until the adopting papers were signed and sealed by the adopting
father, the child saw this man only as a father. He had no right to call him
Abba, meaning "my."

Yet, as soon as the papers were signed, registered and sealed, the child's
tutor presented him to the adopting father—and for the first time the child
could say, "Abba, Father!" As the father embraced him, the young one cried, "My
father! He's not just a father anymore. He's mine!"

This is the work and ministry of the Holy Spirit. He tutors you of Christ. He
presents you to the Father. And he keeps reminding you, "I have sealed the
papers. You are no longer an orphan—you are legally a son of God! You now
have a very loving, wealthy, powerful Father. Embrace him—call him 'my
Father.' I have come to show you how much you're loved by him! He loved and
wanted you!"

Our cry should be one of exceeding joy and thanksgiving. The Spirit in us
literally cries out, "You are an heir, an inheritor of all that Jesus won." And
what an inheritance you have, because your FATHER is the wealthiest in the whole
universe! Don't shy away from him, he's not mad at you. Stop acting like an
orphan who's poverty-stricken, lacking joy and spiritual victory. You are not
forsaken—so enjoy him!

Not only are we not forsaken but the Holy Spirit is there with us during
moments of confusion and suffering.

The Holy Spirit's mission is to comfort Christ's bride in the absence of the
Bridegroom. "He shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you
for ever" (John 14:16). "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost" (v. 26).

Comforter means "one who soothes in a time of pain or grief"—one who eases
pain and sorrow, brings relief, consoles and encourages. But I like this
definition from the Greek: "One who lays you down on a warm bed of safety."
During the cold, dark night of your soul, he lays you down on the soft bed of
his comfort, soothing you with his tender hand.

By calling the Holy Spirit the Comforter, Jesus made an infallible prediction.
He was predicting his people would be suffering discomfort, and would be in
need of comfort—that there would be a lot of pain and suffering among his
people in the last days.

The Holy Spirit brings comfort by reminding you that he lives in you with all
the power of God inherent in his being. And that's why you can say, "Greater is
he that is in me than all the world powers combined—greater than all demon
powers!" God sent the Spirit to use all his power to keep you out of the
clutches of Satan—to lift your spirit, drive away all depression and flood
your soul with the love of your Lord.

"We glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience….
And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our
hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us" (Romans 5:3, 5).

How are you sustained through trials

James 1:2-4 Count it ALL JOY, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, and lacking in nothing.

In this series I am going to be focusing on trials and how our God sustains us through them. Over the last almost 18 months my family has endured many trials everything from me losing a job and our daughter developing seizures. Thankfully I can say that those things are being rectified. When you are allowed to go through trials you must remember that God still loves you, as I write over these next few weeks know that my family is still enduring trials, a couple of weeks ago my dad was diagnosed with a rare type of thyroid cancer, I can't really say his chances of survival but I must trust that God knows what He is doing and I can say this He has us in the palm of His hand (testing of your faith produces steadfastness). I want to leave you today with one of my favorite poems

Footprints in the sand

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.
Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.
Sometimes there were two sets of footprints,
other times there were one set of footprints.

This bothered me because I noticed
that during the low periods of my life,
when I was suffering from
anguish, sorrow or defeat,
I could see only one set of footprints.

So I said to the Lord,
“You promised me Lord,
that if I followed you,
you would walk with me always.
But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life
there have only been one set of footprints in the sand.
Why, when I needed you most, you have not been there for me?”

The Lord replied,
“The times when you have seen only one set of footprints in the sand,

is when I carried you.”

Philippians 1:18-23

So much to write about...

...Never at any point in my life have I had more to write about than now. I can't even think strait I have got so much on my mind. I really need to process before I sit down and put the words to paper. I will say this I am truly thankful for the prayers that we have received. My God is so good to us and He is sustaining us at every trial. Some of the things on my mind are as follows.
1. How are you sustained through those trials
2. Why? Me? Now?
3. (off the previous subject) Why? are we as the American church fighting about who's right and who's wrong
4. Books I am reading and how God has used them to impact my life

New Books I'm reading

Sorry for the long delay, I don't have much time since starting the new job, so the posts are going to take a bit longer, I have been doing some really great reading recently and for this post I will be sharing with you what I'm learning. Soon we will get back to the regularly scheduled program.

Fresh Wind Fresh Fire: Basic synopsis. If your not praying you should be, you can't expect anything to happen if your not having an ongoing conversation with God, It starts at home and in your heart. I can't expect my marriage to change, my church to change the crazy stuff going on around me to change if I'm not telling God about what I'm going through...I also need to be specific, not because God doesn't know (He already does) He wants to hear your voice, He wants you to know Him and His heart for you. It's part of having a relationship talking and LISTENING. When it also comes to giving glory I really must give God ALL the glory, I realize that I am talented BUT and that's a really BIG BUT it all comes from Him alone He is the one that makes me talented. I will be hopefully be delving into this more soon (Lord willing)

The other book I'm reading (again) is Wild at Heart I have just started this but I'm convinced more than ever that I need to have the adventure spirit reborn in me. Now that doesn't mean that I can run off but I need to remember that it is a vital part of my manhood and being a husband and father. I should be more like William Wallace than Woody Allen. Every man want's to be real but there is this notion pounded into him from the time he's a little boy that he must quell that adventure spirit. Again I am hoping to delve into this soon too. Blessings for now

Nick

Seasons of Change

As I'm writing this there has been so much that has changed I needed to wait until now to post, just to give myself a clear picture of everything that has happened.

A couple of months ago I received a call that effectively changed mine and my family's life. I am at this moment employed as an apprentice pipefitter and now on track to being able to provide for my family, just a I am called to do.

We never seem to know why God allows us to go through Job seasons...where is really hard and harder. I guess as Christians those times give us the ability to see when it's really good and when it's bad to long even more for Heaven. I can tell you this I still long to be at home with my Father and off of this stinking earth, is there good here sure but I would much rather be there.

As for this change I tempted you with in the Title, I am having to relearn how to be a working stiff. Its really easy to give time to my family when your with them 24/7 when your working ten hour days, it becomes harder, but your still need to go about your home business just like you do at work. I can tell you even in the mist of the past winter season I was and still am thankful for that struggle I have an understanding of what others are and were going through. Is there more change to come, sure, I welcome it because I know that as we walk through the seasons of life we truly can begin to see the Father's heart for us.

Blessings

"Spring is coming...and Summer follows Spring"

You are not Forgotten

Isaiah 44:21-22

“ Remember these, O Jacob,

And Israel, for you are My servant;
I have formed you, you are My servant;
O Israel, you will not be forgotten by Me!
I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions,
And like a cloud, your sins.
Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.”

Over the last few months I have been speaking of how to live in a Job lifestyle. I know that is still hard to understand how to do until your there and in the mist of that. Whatever you might be going through right now I want to encourage you with a little story. There was a group of people who were worshiping Idols creating them with wood and then would take the scraps from that wood, make a fire, cook some food on that same fire and when their belly's were full they would bow down to worship that idol, that same people God decided to send away from their promised land #1 to give that land rest #2 and most importantly because they had stopped worshiping the one true God and were bowing down to pieces of wood that they had made. (Is 44:9-20). The point of the story is the passage at the beginning of our study today. Even though Israel had forgotten their God and part of their punishment was to be sent to Babylon, God didn't forget them we see so often in scripture that even when we are fallen God doesn't forget us (Lk 15:4-7) even when we are in the mist of a trial Our God hasn't forgotten us (Matt 6:25-33)

You see this God of Jacob, Israel, and the Disciples loves you, He allowes us to go through trials, Why? We don't always know but I can tell you this He has not forgotten us and He will take care of us...like a wrote in my last post the whole reason for trials may not be for you but for others to see how to handle it.(like Job) Yes you can learn from them as well...be on the look out for that Seek after the Lord and He will be found run to Him and He will run to you (Lk 15:20) In the simplicity of it all place your trust in Him and I can guarantee you a couple of things, #1 Your trial may not get easier but you will have an everlasting peace, #2 You will be storing up treasures in Heaven.

Blessings

p.s. Next time I will be writing on Seasons of life and the change that comes with each new season

Understanding Trials in your Life

Romans 8 18-21
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

Not always do we know or will understand why. But you should know that your Abba in Heaven knows everything that happens to you...He knows all the hair on your head, yep He has each one of them counted. There are days that I look at all that is going on around me and wonder why? is all of this happening to my family we are so cast down...In all honesty I can't and don't have an answer to that question...I can say this it does make my prayers for the Lords return even more fervent. When we leave this shell of a body and are taken up or pass on through death we will receive a crown of glory from our Heavenly Father

I have truly come to understand what Job went through...so many people slam his wife for telling him to curse God and die...I'm not so quick to judge her as I have seen how easy it is to get to that point that you start to feel like that...the biggest difference that that Job was looking for the Savior and was under the old covenant we are under the new covenant...We have Jesus and the Holy Spirit, is that enough, it should be at times it feels like it's not. That's up to the Lord though. Now to the meat...

Understanding why? I really wish that I had an answer for you, what I can answer is that there are times that God wants to take you to the end of your ability to control the situation, He wants you to totally rely on Him and His ability to use the situation. "God works ALL things together for His purpose. (Rom 8:28 emphasis mine) understanding what Paul was trying to say here was that all that you go through is for Gods purpose, sometimes that good will happen here on earth, others it will happen in Heaven where we will receive a crown of glory, if we look at the whole chapter in context we see that Paul was heaven focused and not focused on the trials that he was facing. Paul went through many different trials, he wished for heaven "to live is Christ, to Die is GAIN" and there is not a thing wrong with that he longed to be with Jesus...I think that sometimes the trials are to cause us to long to be with our Father.

Job had no clue as to why God was allowing those trials to happen to him, loosing his kids to death, loosing his crops and home to destruction, his body beat up by Satan, and his friends telling him that he was sinning against God. Job didn't know why? We do because we have the account of the story in our bibles. We can see that God was proving that He knows us better than we think. For me I can see that I cannot handle this on my own and I don't have the ability to get through any of this apart from God. I can also say that having to see my family go through any of this is heart breaking. I long for us to have a rest from this valley to be able to go to the mountain top and truly experience the Fathers presence.

At times I'm sure that people have wondered why for us, I can say this, my God knows what He is doing...I don't know why God has allowed all of this to happen to us. I do know that it is causing folks to pray with a fervency that they may have never before, there are others who are benefiting from our suffering. Would I like to see the Lord do a miracle and fulfill the promises that He gave to us when this first started, I can answer that with a great big YES!!!