God, Where Are You?

“In all their distress he too was distressed,” (Isaiah 63:9 NIV).

When bad things happen we may never understand the why. God tells us, ‘’For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts’” (Isaiah 55:8-9).

Dr. James Dobson said: “Trying to analyze His [God’s] omnipotence is like an amoeba attempting to comprehend the behavior of man.”  It’s simply not possible. But there is one thing we can be sure of. “All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful,” (Psalm 25:10) whether we understand them or not.

When we encounter difficulties, it is easy to jump to conclusions. We may think God is mad at us or He is punishing us. We wonder if God is not blessing us because we’ve disappointed Him in some way.

But all through the Bible we see that some of God’s closest friends experienced the darkest nights.

Don't Miss Out On God's Best

Memory Verse of the Day 
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10, NIV) 

It is no secret nowadays that times are tough and between work and family responsibilities, it can be very difficult to live a satisfying and fulfilling life. 

The popular method these days is to enter survival mode, to spend each day of your life trying to survive and get by instead of enjoying the time on Earth given to you by God. 

But that is no way to live a life. Take my word for it when I say that you are missing out on God's best! 

When the Diagnosis Is Defeat

 

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Written by Ron Phillips

“When adversity comes, you praise God.”

That was what my friend Terry had always been taught. When those tough times come, you just stand there, stare down the storm, and praise God.

However, on January 8, 2012, praising God was not very high on Terry’s priority list. After experiencing some problems, and noticing a lump that had developed only over a couple of days, and that ran from his chest up toward his shoulder, Terry decided to visit his doctor. His doctor was pretty blunt with the assessment:

“You have extensive small cell carcinoma (a very fast growing and aggressive form of cancer). You probably only have 6 to 12 months to live.”

When You're Discouraged And Ready To Give Up, Here's What You Should Do!

But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions. -- Hebrews 10:32

What should you do when you're feeling discouraged and dangerously close to doubting God's integrity - when you start thinking He just might not come through for you? Hebrews 10:32 tells us what we are to do when we find ourselves in this situation. It says, "But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated...." This verse was written to believers who were so discouraged that they were tempted to give up and throw away their strong position of faith. They had been waiting a long time to see God's promises come to pass, and they had begun to feel like their answer would never come. But just when they were about to give up, they read this verse that reminded them of when they were first "illuminated."

Break Through the Wall

"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Philippians 4:13)
You're running the race set before you, moving full speed ahead with God's blessing overtaking you at every step. Then suddenly, wham! You hit the wall. It may be a wall of sickness or financial trouble, of spiritual failure or family problems. But, regardless of the form it takes, the effect of "the wall" is always the same. It stops you cold.

The question is, once you hit a wall like that, what will you do? You'll be tempted to quit, to turn back in defeat. But don't do it. Because God will enable you to break through that wall and keep right on going.

Incredible Hulk Talking Points

Written by Chante Truscott

Take today’s next step: Encourage someone today, become a mentor! 

“With dawn about to break, Paul called everyone together and proposed breakfast: ‘This is the fourteenth day we’ve gone without food. None of us has felt like eating! But I urge you to eat something now. You’ll need strength for the rescue ahead. You’re going to come out of this without even a scratch!’” (Acts 27:33-34, The Message)

They cannot see, they can barely hear, and they have endured a very traumatic ordeal. Since they were involved in a storm, food was scarce and everyone on board was near death from starvation. They have no energy to eat and feel beaten down and abandoned by God.

God did not intend for them to remain in the boat. But they had to go through the storm and the shipwreck in order to realize how strong they really were. The storm and the accident almost killed them but God had other plans. He had plans to use that storm and accident to propel them into their destiny.

Get Your Healing In 2013

by peacefulone

This is for faith people. If you are not leave this alone. The interesting thing is that faith is a very simple thing, but for human reasoning it won’t work. Really smart people who have a lot of confidence in their own abilities have a really tough time with faith. God knows this; yet because He is so good and loving He has given every man a portion of faith and you don’t need much!

Living by Faith-- It's a Lifestyle

"Endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." (2 Timothy 2:3)

Times of hardness are inevitable. You need to know that. It's true that we've been redeemed from the curse, and there's nothing Satan can do to reverse that, but he is going to challenge you on it.

So don't be surprised when things get tough. Times will come when you have to stand strictly by faith, when you'll have to speak and act as though what God says is true even when you can't feel it or see it happening around you. There will be times when everything looks terrible. That's when you must endure hardness as a good soldier.

Why Benny Hinn’s Second Wedding Matters More

STEVE STRANG

 

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Benny and Suzanne Hinn were remarried at the Holy Land Experience in Orlando, Fla., last Sunday.

I attended Benny and Suzanne Hinn’s first wedding in 1979, so it was an emotional experience to attend their second wedding on Sunday at the Holy Land Experience in Orlando, Fla.

I’ve known Suzanne since she was 14 and Benny since he first came to the U.S. from Canada around age 25. I was involved in their courtship when Benny asked me to send Suzanne some flowers to make amends when they broke up once—because I was in Orlando and he was in Canada. (This was before the days of 1-800-Flowers.) I even hosted Benny’s bachelor party in 1979. So I have a unique perspective as a long-time friend of the family.

Over the years, Benny has been on the cover of Charisma twice, including in 1978 when he was largely unknown in the U.S., and I’ve published a couple of his books.

Delayed Gratification - I Wish You Enough

Habakkuk 3:1–19

In Habakkuk 2:2–3, God asks his prophet to record a vision of a future day—a day when the Lord will respond to injustice. 
Habakkuk 2:4 spells out that we are to live until that day “by his faithfulness,” not by sight. Habakkuk 3:3–15 reveals the content of the vision.

Habakkuk is deeply changed; his response in 3:16–19 clearly illustrates what it means to live by faith in God’s promise. After a moment’s recuperation from the cosmic events that he has just witnessed, the prophet declares, “I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the nation invading us” (Hab 3:16). 

When Tough Times Come

"Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied." (Acts 9:31)

There are times when life on this earth is hard and uncomfortable...and even downright painful. When those times come, you deeply need the comfort that only the Holy Spirit can bring.
How do you receive that kind of comfort?

The God of Hope

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

I was on the phone an hour with Ray. His wife had contacted me, distraught that he was depressed and had been lying in bed since he broke his neck. Ray was a former pastor and probably knew more scripture than I did. When he didn't respond after an hour, I took a different tact. "Did you see the movie The Shawshank Redemption?" 

Getting Through Hard Times

by Joyce Meyer

Are you going through a hard time? Maybe you recently lost your job, or you're dealing with a death in your family. Or maybe you're just not sure anything good in life can happen to you. Whatever you're dealing with, I want you to know that you're not alone and something good can come from the tough spot you're in right now. God promised.

Jesus experienced hard times too…the road to the cross was no small matter. But He had to decide to go through it. He even asked God if it was really necessary. (But we know how this amazing love story ended.) 

Just like Jesus had to make a choice, you and I also have to decide to go through hard times.

Is Good Friday Really Good?

As we celebrate His resurrection, I like to look at how we go through our own hard times. I think we also go through our own private crucifixion and resurrection on a somewhat regular basis. Often I say "Friday always comes before Sunday." 

Ever wonder why we refer to the day of Jesus' death as "Good" Friday, since it's a day that involved so much pain, agony and heartache? Well, it's because the result of this particular Friday—Christ's resurrection from the dead on Sunday—was good. 

A f t e r w a r d s

Everyone goes through tough times in their life.  Jesus said that in this world you would have tribulation but to fear not, I have overcome the world.  There is no getting around the fact that we must face difficult times.  The good news is that whenever there is a time of lack, drought, recession or even famine, there will always be an afterwards.

   When Israel was enslaved in Egypt, they were forced to labor four hundred years making bricks with no straw.  This took place for exactly four hundred years.  God told Abraham that His people would become enslaved and in bondage to a strange nation.  God said that afterward that Israel would come out with great substance. 

Psalm 105:37
He brought them forth also with silver and gold and there was not one feeble nor sick person among them.

    Millions of people carried all of the riches and wealth from the entire nation of Egypt in a single day.  No one was sick and everyone had plenty of money.  This is the place that God desires for you to be.  Just like 3 John 2 says...Beloved I wish above all things that you would prosper and be in health even as your soul prospers.  

Never Give Up

"I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
I will consider all your works
and meditate on all your mighty deeds." — Psalm 77:11—12

The word “hopeless” is one of the saddest words in the world. All other words, no matter how terrible a situation they describe, are not nearly as tragic. Bad situations can always change, but hopeless situations are forever. Sometimes, hope is the thin thread that can pull a person through the toughest of times. When hope dies, a part of the person dies too.

That’s why Psalm 77 urges us to never give up. The word “hopeless” should be erased from the English language. Because no matter how helpless a situation may seem, there is no such thing as a situation that God can’t help.

King David was feeling pretty hopeless when he began this Psalm: “Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again? Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time?” (Psalm 77:8—9). In other words, is there no hope? Am I stuck in this rut forever?

The Right Focus for Tough Times

Philippians 1:12-20

Paul did not picture himself as a victim. Despite tremendous physical discomfort and emotional turmoil, he believed he was under God’s sovereign hand. So instead of growing resentful and walking away from the faith, the apostle turned to the Lord and continued to mature spiritually.

We can learn much from Paul—He was determined to focus on God’s sovereignty rather than his own will. It’s easy to be bitter over the mayhem that another person has caused in our lives. However, the minute we start thinking that our enemies are in control, we’re defeated. 

The Bible says that God “has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all” (Ps. 103:19). He is in absolute control. We may not understand His reasons for permitting hardship or pain in our lives, but His plan is always for our good and His glory (Jer. 29:11).

May Flowers When we go through hard times

Written by Julie Cosgrove

Tony Campolo: You’re not going to able to live out the Christian life unless two things are true. 

“For, ‘All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.’ And this is the word that was preached to you.” (1 Peter 1:24-25)

Here in Texas, late spring and early summer is especially beautiful. Bluebonnets and other wildflowers blanket the hills in brilliant color. It is so breathtakingly gorgeous, I put a picture of Texas bluebonnets on the cover of my newest novel, Focused. The picture was taken at my brother-in-law’s property in the Hill Country where the novel is set—before the last few years of ravaging drought. The hills are not so pretty now, but one day they will be beautiful again.

CAN WE LOSE OUR ABUNDANCE DURING A TESTING TIME?

Serge Roux-Levrat

Did you answer yes to the title question? Why? Is your Father in Heaven surrounded by less abundance while you go through a trial? No. Do you lose your adopted son or daughter-ship status when you navigate in rough seas? No. Does God love you less when you face tough challenges? No. So, why did you answer yes to my question then? The simple truth is that the devil can seek to steal everything from you (like he tried to with Job), but if you resist him by flexing your faith muscles, he cannot win.

If you have been born again, you are a child of God. As such you are rich beyond measure and can enjoy the abundant life that Jesus died for you to have. God has already given you a “Promised Land;” a land that lacks nothing and where everything exists in abundance. Yes, God’s plan for your life may require that you appear poor in the eyes of the world. However, do not make the mistakes of seeing yourself as a poor person, because you are wealthy beyond imagination.

→ Don't believe me? Then think about this: was Jesus poor or rich, living in abundance or in scarcity? Before you answer, let me give you a clue. Imagine that the world’s richest person decided to live one year with the poorest tribe on earth. And, in order to experience firsthand what they have to go through each day, he decides to take no money, no credit card, and no mobile phone with him. Put differently, he leaves all his material wealth to a steward to manage it. Now, while our richest man is in the “land” of poverty, is he rich or poor? Well, for the tribe he currently lives with, he is probably poor, as they do not know how wealthy he really is. But for the rest of the world, he is still the richest man on earth.

The Secrets to Winning Back Lost Love

Posted by Elliot 

Moving on after a breakup is never as easy as your friends make it sound. Just as true love takes time to blossom; it also takes time to fade away. But the lingering emotions felt on both sides are not always a bad thing. They can buy you time to win back your lost love.

If you’re not ready to give up on your relationships then the time to act is now. Couples across the world get back together every day. The key is doing your part to make your ex WANT you back. Here are the steps to making that happen…

Step Back Before Moving ForwardThe biggest mistake people make after getting dumped is pursuing an ex too aggressively. The best thing you can do now is give them some space. Remember, they had a reason for leaving you behind and asking them to take you back right away makes everyone look bad. Use this time to get control of your emotions so you can make a good impression.

Healing for the Brokenhearted Coping with Unfaithfulness

http://powertochange.com/itv/family/healing1/

To earn someone’s trust is surely an honour beyond measure; therefore, it is unsurprisingly one of the most fundamental elements of a strong and successful relationship.  

Dealing with an unfaithful spouse is indubitably one of the hardest ordeals any relationship can go through. Whether you are at the receiving end of the betrayal, the unfaithful spouse, or even a friend of someone undergoing such plight, FamilyLife life coach Beth Scholes offers some tips as to how to face one of life’s darkest moments. 

Watch the video

Take the next step:
Going through tough moments in marriage
Has your trust been broken?


Are you struggling in your marriage? Talk to a mentor

http://powertochange.com/itv/family/healing1/