Do You Ever Feel Like Giving Up On God?

Sometimes we feel like following God and being a good person is not worth it. We might ask ourselves why I should keep following the way of faith?

"Let us hold fast the confession of our faith, without wavering, for he who promised is faithful." Hebrews 10:23.

LET US
This is a phrase that suggests an option. You have a choice. It is saying to choose to hold fast.

The "us" is plural and joins you and me with the fathers of the faith over the ages. This verse is written by someone who included himself in the need to be encouraged.  This means that even the saints of old struggled with the idea of giving up. You are not alone.

HOLD FAST
We not only choose to not give up we have to resolve to keep on moving ahead.

WAVERING
Wavering is going back and forth on a subject. We have to stop going back and forth going one way and then the other. We have to decide to stick with it.

We may be tempted to give up on living for God when times of testing and difficulties come, but we should hold fast and not give up.

WHY
     * Not because we are earning a reward (though we might be).
     * Not because it develops character (though it is).
     * Not because we will be ashamed for it one day (though we will).
     * Not because it is the right thing to do (though it is).
     * Not because it is giving victory to the enemy (though it is).

But because He who promised is faithful.
     * Faithful to His word
     * Faithful to His promises.
     * Faithful to the church,
     * Faithful to you.

HE PROMISED
We do not hold on to God. He holds onto us that is why it says he is faithful.  Our relationship with God is based on his promise. John 3:16.  He keeps his promise to give us eternal life, and he keeps all the other promises that go with it.  He asks for our loving gratitude and obedient service but if we fail he does not revoke the promise he gives us, we may lose our blessing but not our salvation.

Maybe you feel like giving up on God, but he will never give up on you.  It may be that you know about God but do not know him personally. To learn how you can know God in a personal way then click here to see my other blog post about finding God.

(c)Adron Dozat

What Is It To deny The Lord? Luke 22:62

We all want to think that we are true to the Lord. We think that it is other people in tough situations who give in to denying their Savior.

"The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him, "Before the rooster crows today you will disown me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly."  Luke 22:61-62, NIV.

PETER
Peter was the vocal and leading disciple, a zealot who was quick to say the others may deny the Lord but not him.

He denied the Lord to a servant girl, not a strong armored roman guard with a sword.  It was a small thing and a person who was little in society- just a servant girl. The next person was a nameless person in the Bible and so is the one after that; people who are forgotten, but to them, Peter denies knowing the Lord.

The thing is not who he denied it to but who it was he denied. He only thought about who was in front of him, he thought more about his situation than about his Savior.

THREE
There were three opportunities to stand with Christ, but they became three defeats for the disciple. After denying the Lord to the servant girl Peter was less able to declare his loyalty to the stranger and in the case of the third "called curses down upon himself." The depth denial increased with each incident.

THE FOURTH DENIAL
At the third denial, the rooster crows and Jesus looks at Peter. Was it the last chance for Peter? Was this an opportunity to set things right? Could Peter have then declared that he took it all back and then owned Jesus as friend and master? We do not know if it was the last opportunity to stand with Jesus but we know he goes outside.

Peter does not find himself in a better place; he did not win new friends, status, fame or fortune. He found himself "outside." Each small step led to a place outside. We think little compromises give comfort or aid us in some way but we find ourselves weeping outside.

A BIG TRUTH ABOUT DENIAL
Peter runs outside the courtyard and weeps bitterly. Each step leads to this scene of regret and remorse. Each action led to the next, and each denial was worse than the one before. We must beware of the little compromises. The heart of denial starts in the little steps, they are small but the consequences are great. We must beware of the little compromises, that is where denying the Lord starts and where the unfaithfulness to him begins.

To learn more about finding Jesus as your Savior follow this link: Click Here.

© Adron 3/21/13

To Find God Follow This Woman. Luke 2:38

Many of us want to find God.  The Bible tells about one who did find The Lord and it was not who you expect.

"...She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem." .Luke 2:37-38.

A LITTLE BACKGROUND
Little is told about Anna except that she was a widow, she was old, a prophetess, and she lived at the temple fasting and praying.  She met Jesus when he an eight-day-old baby.

ANNA'S EXAMPLE

Anna Gave Thanks 

She was looking for Messiah and did not give up.  We are an impatient generation and can't wait for results.  God is not bound by our schedules or our agendas.  He created time and uses it for His perfect purpose.  We must not say, "I tried to find God for a while, but He didn't come when I rang the bell so I gave up."  We do not understand why He delays to reveal himself, but his desire is to be known and to have a relationship with us.  Waiting gets us ready, proves our sincerity, and it is a part of our spiritual pilgrimage.

We are part of a conflict between God and evil.  Evil wants to delay the answer and evil stands between us and God's revelation. Anna had the answer- she remained faithful in the courts of the temple, fasted and prayed. We should remain faithful to personal devotions, truth, prayer, and fellowship with those who love Our Heavenly King.

ANNA' S MESSAGE
She told everyone who was seeking about Jesus the promised Messiah.  It was not boasting but it is the duty of the prophet to speak the truth and Jesus is the truth (John 14:6).  It is the duty of a prophet to speak The Lord's message and Jesus is the "Word" (John 1:1, 14).  More than that she was excited; she had spent her life waiting, as many prophets before her, and here was the one she was waiting for.

ANNA'S THANKS
Anna's example of giving thanks directs us to be thankful.  We should thank Our Heavenly Father for what we do know, and that He promises that "we will find Him when we seek him with all our hearts." (Jeremiah 29:13).  In faith thank God that He will reveal himself to us and that He will keep His promise.

ANNA'S FAITH
Anna met God and it was an act of faith.  She only saw God's reflection in the packaging as the baby Jesus. She did not live long to see his morally perfect life, his sacrifice for our sins, his resurrection or the ascension to heaven with the promise to return.  She saw the promise and it was enough because the most important thing about Anna was her faith.  She believed the promises for a coming Savior. We can be like her if we believe the promise of Jesus.

To learn more about how you might get saved from your sins follow this link: click here.

Thank you for visiting and reading my blog. I sincerely hope this post is helpful and an encouragement.  For more like this see the most popular post in the left sidebar, or use the search box above.

(c) Adron 4/8/12

What is God Looking For? Ezekiel 22:30

What is God looking for?

We are all looking for something but what about God, what is God looking for? Could we ever know just what God wants? Yes, and God used an ancient prophet to tell us exactly what He wanted.

"I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it but I found none." Ezekiel 22:30. NIV.

GOD IS SEARCHING

"I looked for a man..." God is gazing upon humanity and he is trying to find something. It is incredible that the All-Knowing God would search as if in spite of His omniscience He is still hopeful of finding a certain man; As if God is hoping he is wrong, and that he somehow overlooked this special man.

A MAN

You would think God is looking for someone who is a PhD., or a philosopher, or a Nobel Prize laureate, or a great humanitarian, or one who is the head of a university, a government, or a charity. God is not looking for any such celebrity; He is looking for “a man.” This definition is unexceptional, common, and mundane as if just a man; any of us could be that one!

THE GAP

The walls were the city's defenses, but these walls were broken down and weakened, they were a danger and not a security. The man the Lord sought then and seeks now is one who will build up the walls, to protect and defend the people of God's affection. We as a church and a world need a man to build up the walls of prayer around our communities.

What does it mean to stand "in the gap?" It is a term that comes from ancient warfare, it meant to fill in part of the defenses with your own self thereby becoming part of the wall against defeat and disaster.

There is a gap today between lost humanity and God's wrath. We need one who stands before God in the priestly function of intercessory prayer. We need to be people who pray for our nation and our brothers. We need to confess our own sins and the sins of those of our community. We need to plead with our God for mercy on our houses and our neighborhoods.

OUR WORLD IS SEARCHING
Our world today is looking for solutions through movements, government, institutions and even guns, but God is looking and waiting for one to stand in the gap, the gap between us and his judgment. In the ancient time of Ezekiel he found none, may it not be the case today. May you and I be such people that God seeks, who stand before him in prayer for those around us.

To learn how to know God in a personal way see my other blog, CLICK HERE.

(c) Adron 2/22/11

Where To Find A second Chance In Life. Lamentations 3: 22, 23.

Do you ever wish you could have a second chance?

"Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, For his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22, 23. NIV.

CONTEXT
This verse comes from Lamentations where the prophet is grieving over the sins of God's people and their judgment.

GREAT LOVE
God’s love is not just to love but “great love.” It is beyond measure, it is not small or temporary and it is bigger broader, more powerful, than our deepest need. His love holds back the judgment we deserve.

COMPASSION
Friends, family, and society may not understand our pain but God's “compassions never fail.” He fully comprehends the hurt we feel. We never need to say “Look you don’t get it, I feel this way.” Not only does He understand our pain and loss but God is active in His love. He provides mercies and blessings in our dark hours. We can come to Him every time and still find Him compassionate.

INFINITE COMPASSION
The word “compassion” is plural. God is infinite therefore His compassions must be infinite. These compassions are “new every morning.” They are never used up or worn out. You can wear down human love but not God’s. His compassions are fresh and every day is a new beginning.

FAITHFULNESS
God’s faithfulness means He keeps His promises to his people. He has promised His love to those who come to him. The faithfulness of God is measureless; it is deeper, wider, stronger, and brighter than any calculation. His faithfulness can’t be broken by anything we can do and it can’t be worn down by this life. Never will we say it has ended because it is beyond time. We may feel that we have squandered God’s love and lost it, but those feelings are wrong, the truth is- Great is God's faithfulness.

This day, even this moment is an opportunity for a second chance, it is a chance to turn and do right. Knowing that every day is a fresh start with God gives us hope and courage to put yesterday behind and make a fresh beginning.

To learn more about having a new life in Jesus see my other blog.

(c) Adron 11/29/9