Tag: overcome

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Measured Uniquely

How many times do we compare ourselves to others? Probably a lot more than we’d like to admit. For some reason, we believe we need to “one-up” each other to make ourselves look better than the next. It’s like we cannot be enough if our neighbor is winning.

It’s a Biblical problem that goes all the way back to Cain & Abel. In Genesis 4, we meet the two sons of Adam & Eve – Cain & Abel. One was a farmer and the other was a shepherd. The farmer (Cain) offered God a sacrifice of vegetation and the shepherd (Abel) offered God a sacrifice of meat. God only accepted Abel’s offering and Cain got so jealous that he killed his own brother. Cain was forever banished to wander the Earth.

Do you see how destructive comparison can be? Do you know that this isn’t God’s desire for us? Do you understand that God created each of us uniquely for a reason and purpose – to walk along side each other rather than against each other? (Isaiah 64:8, Ephesians 2:10, Ephesians 4:16)

Lisa Bevere says in her book Without Rival that God doesn’t love us equally, but uniquely. We are all made so intricately God cannot love us all in the same way, but His love for us is tailored to who He made us. (See Psalm 139:13-16)

Our focus should be running in comparison to Jesus. He is the one we should compare ourselves with & only Him. Jesus came to Earth not only to die for our sins, but to be our example. Set your gaze on His journey & not on your neighbors as comparison.

When we look over to our neighbors- we should be doing it to encourage, help or show love to them. When we care about each other & understand that we are meant to work with each other than against each other, the Body of Christ can thrive.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.”

Hebrews 12:1-2 NLT

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How’s the view?

Can I be honest with you readers? Christians do not always have it all together. Nope, we are lost at times. Sometimes, we even get discouraged. We are like sheep who forever need a shepherd. I am a sinner in need of a Savior every day. On my good days and on my bad days I need Jesus.

It’s life. We sometimes find ourselves in a hole where life becomes so overwhelming we don’t know which way is up. I wish Christianity was all rainbows and sunshine, but it isn’t. It’s scary and uncertain when life takes unexpected turns. We don’t always have it together. But we know the One who does.

We often allow our situations to skew our view of life. This world doesn’t determine the outcome of our life. No, we do and how we relate to God and our view of His grace. When we go through things, when we find ourselves in a dry place spiritually (it happens to everyone), and when life becomes overwhelming — our success is based on where we place our trust.

Do you trust your own view of the situation – the way the world sees it – or do you see it through the eyes of God? Is your faith in how things look or in God?  How easily we can get stuck in seeing things as we perceive them. But we must realize God has it all in His hands. We just have to trust Him and His plan! It is perfect!

So don’t get discouraged when things don’t happen the way we think they should. God knows and sees all. Place your life in the the One who has nail-scared hands and all things will work out for your good!

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.””

‭‭John‬ ‭16:33‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭3:4-5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“The LORD is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him.”

‭‭Nahum‬ ‭1:7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:28-30‬ ‭NLT‬


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It’s never too late

Have you ever messed up?  I mean really did something stupid?  I think we all can say yes to that for at least one moment in our lives.  We all know the feeling of being awakened to the reality of our humanity.

I can remember driving one day and as the light turned green and we all started to move forward -I looked down for a split second and BANG!  I totaled my car because the car in front of me slammed on their brakes & I didn’t see it.  That was such a stupid mistake!  I felt that horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach that we all get when we do those kinds of irresponsible things.

There is a guy named Samson who I am sure knows what that “pit-in-your-stomach” feeling is all too well.  In chapter 16 of the book of Judges, we see how Samson meets Delilah and falls in love.  After lying to her about what makes him so strong three times, he finally tells her the truth.  This is after her repeated attempt to take away his strength and send him off as the Philistines’ prisoner.

The moment his hair is cut, God leaves him and takes the mighty strength with Him.  How awful is that?  I don’t want to ever know that feeling.  When his strength is gone, the Philistines gorge his eyes out and send him to grind grain in prison.  This was one of those really stupid, irreversabke things, right?  Wrong.

Judges 16:22 says: “But before long his hair began to grow back.” Samson prayed for his strength back and God honored the humility in that prayer and gave Samson back what he had lost.  In that gift of grace, Samson killed more Philistines (Israel’s enemy) than ever before.

When we do something wrong, even when it is really wrong, we cannot say that we can never be as good as we once were.  Yes, we have to deal with the consequences of our actions, but God honors those who humble themselves.  Our God – Jesus Christ – understands what it is like  to overcome adversity.  He overcame the world’s adversity on the cross.

Never disqualify yourself just because you messed up.  Take a note from Samson’s life: even when you mess up majorly, your life can still have meaning.  Just humble yourself and go to God.  Great things happen when we do that.

Be blessed, dear friends.  No one can go too far for the love of our father to reach!

“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭139:7-10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your grace and your unconditional love! Thank you for loving me even when I sin. Help me, Lord, understand and overcome any adversity I’ve allowed in my life. I humbly come before you because I cannot overcome it by myself.  I don’t want the mistakes of my past to define my future.  I thank you for giving your Son as a sacrifice so that I may live in this amazing grace.  In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

  

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Overcomer

This past Tuesday, January 27, 2015, marked 70 years since Auschwitz was liberated.  What happened there are unimaginable evils and proves that the human race has great power which they can use to inflict the most grotesque treatment on each other.  The survivors of this horrific event in our history always amaze me – how they have overcame and kept on going.

I was watching one of the many special reports that were on TV this week and they had one very interesting man – Michael Greenfield.  He is so inspiring in how he lives his life after Auschwitz.  This is a man who has dressed every President of the United States since Eisenhower.  His demeanor is so full of joy I am sure if you met him you would not be able to tell that he is a survivor of one of the worst genocide the modern world has seen.  There was one thing that Mr. Greenfield said that struck me – the last thing his father said to him as they parted ways when leaving the train cars was “If we don’t survive this (meaning his parents, aunts, uncles, etc), survive and live in honor of us.”  So he did…

What would have happened if Mr. Greenfield decided to just wallow in his horror and not move on?  Would he have achieved all that he did?  No, he wouldn’t.  In fact, Mr. Greenfield used this tragedy to propel him into the rest of his life. 

We all have had horrible things happen to us; it may not be at the level of Auschwitz, but horrible nonetheless.  How many times do we get stuck in wallowing and not overcoming?  Probably too many.  It is much easier to just allow things happen and react to it.  But that is not how we are to handle this life.

Bad things are going to happen – that is what occurs when sin enters the world.  But there is way more good than there is evil.  Think about this: Auschwitz is no longer an active concentration camp, but a remembrance of how good wins out over evil every time.  If you go to Poland, you can stand in the middle of the camp and witness that fact first hand.  That is on my bucket list for sure, by the way.

When we face evil in our own life, remember that good will always win.  Romans 8:28 says: “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”  Take courage in that promise and just keep on going.  Believe me, the momentary pain will be nothing compared to what happens after you overcome.

I am going to leave you with this scripture.  Be blessed, everyone!

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.  After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin. (Hebrews 12:1-4)

Overcomer