Tag: <span>problems</span>

My dear children, you come from God and belong to God. You have already won a big victory over those false teachers, for the Spirit in you is far stronger than anything in the world.”  1 John 4:4 (MSG)


Our lives in Christ are meant to be extraordinary, incredible, meaningful and purposeful but never trouble-free. God keeps you in the pressure-cooker of life so others can see how a life connected to Jesus confronts problems in a very different way than a life that is disconnected from Jesus.

We are empowered by the Holy Spirit and that gives us the ability to respond to hardship like people from the kingdom of heaven — not like people seemingly abandoned by God or in rebellion to God or unaware of God or unrepentant before God.

When we think God is not involved in our circumstances, we respond with problems with defensiveness, blame, shame, anger, hatred, pride, fear and self-centeredness. Anybody can do that. Anybody not connected to Jesus.

Jesus will have none of that and so he pushes us to a choice:

Do you trust that I am involved in your circumstances or not?

When we respond from our human nature, instead of submitting to the divine nature working within us, we expose a deep, inner distrust of Jesus. Our actions show we believe him incapable of understanding the stress and danger of life (a bold belief considering Jesus died hanging on the cross).

On the other hand, when we respond from the truth that we are connected to Jesus, we prove that we believe he that is within us is greater than he who is in the world.
(1 John 4:4)

Jesus’ goal is not to condemn us for our distrust; rather, it is to expose our faulty beliefs so we will abandon them and move deeper into our relationship with him.

By Jon Walker
Used by Permission

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Further Reading

•   A Mother’s Promise to God

•  Did I Hear You Correctly Lord?

•  Salvation Explained


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thoughts by Jon Walker Thoughts by Men

Do people in church get under your skin sometimes?


“No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church.” Ephesians 5:29

That sister in church was getting on my last nerve and I was getting on hers. I decided to bite my tongue and love her despite my feelings. That challenged me incredibly. More than a decade later, we know we can call each other at anytime of the day or night, and we will pray for one another. I love her as if we were raised together.

Do people in church get under your skin sometimes? Maybe you are in a season when you think church might not be for you. Have you been hurt?

The verse above is from a portion of Scriptures where Paul describes what a godly marriage looks like. Marriage represents on earth the relationship of Jesus with His beloved bride, the Church. Paul reminds us of how we care for our bodies and so does Jesus with His Body – that’s us!

If we love the Lord, how could we hate His Body? When you feel like the Church has done you wrong, don’t give up on the Body of Christ just yet. Go deeper. Love more. Invest even more. Care for it. Let it love you back. This Church is your family, the house of the God you love. Don’t give up on it. He built it up for a purpose.

Heavenly Father, You know my heart and all that I am going through. Help me to love your people. Give me wisdom and give me patience, oh Lord! Heal my heart and remove bitterness and unforgiveness. Renew my love and zeal for your house. Only You can do these things. In Your name, I pray. Amen.

By Caroline Bellemare
Used by Permission

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Further Reading

•  Pressing the RESET button on our lives 

•   Keeping Yourself in God’s Love – even during painful times in your life

•  Salvation Explained


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thoughts by Caroline Bellemare Thoughts by Women