5-01-10_Luke 7:11-13_Don't cry (a re post)

Praise the LORD!!!

   It is good to have another day to bring glory to the precious name of JESUS and to share in the study of HIS WORD!!! What a shame I have to re post something, instead of supplying fresh manna to my readers!!! In the LORD's time though, in the LORD's time!!!

 Luke 7:11-13

   "Soon afterward, JESUS went to a town called Nain, and HIS disciples and a large crowd went along with HIM. As HE approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out- the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her, HIS heart went out to her and HE said, "Don't cry."

   Here we see a suffering widow, having lost her only son, a sad condition even for today. There would be no one to carry on the family name or inheritance. Compassion for her filled our SAVIOR's heart and HE said but two simple WORDS, "Don't cry." At many times in life we fight with lesser problems and we allow them to overwhelm us. Breaking us down to our very foundations, where we cry out to GOD for relief. How much more grief would we be suffering, if it were us in this woman's shoes? Seeing the hopes of all the years, being carried out to be buried?

   As usual though, the LORD hasn't left me with just this view of this occurrence. We often treat most of our problems in this very same manor. Crying over things that we should realize are all within the ample hands of the LORD. They're all covered somewhere along the lines of scripture, within HIS promises to us as believers. So why do we cry about all these little things, when we hear HIM telling us, "Don't cry," over these little problems? Is it because our faith is so insignificant in comparison to our problems? Or is it because they're so much larger then our LORD? Truly I hope none of you have answered yes to either of these questions. For if you did, you had better re-examine your beliefs and just how you envision the LORD!

   It is usually because we have a large lapse in memory and don't remember all the great works the LORD has done within our lives. Our current problems seem to loom so large in our sight, that we envision them to be humongous mountains that can never be overcome. We have lost sight of HE that created all of the universe with but a few simple WORDS, "Let there be."? Here we are cowering on the ground, whimpering like fools about our tremendous difficulties and we call JESUS our LORD and SAVIOR!!! Think long and hard about this. The GOD of all the universe has take up residence within us. HE has made many, many promises, of which HE can't break the simplest of them without being in violation of HIS very nature. HE is all knowing, can be in every place in the universe at the same time and can keep even a single sparrow from falling to the ground without HIS allowing it!!! So what do we really have to cry about?

   We are told to pray and ask the LORD for our needs and desires and we're also told that HE already knows them! We should, instead of crying out over them, simply state the problems before HIM, thank HIM for hearing our request and for answering them according to HIS will and not ours. No tears, no jump in our blood pressure, just a simple request, short and sweet. So the next time all of hell seems to be knocking at your door and tons of weight is hanging from your shoulders, remember these two simple words, "Don't cry!!!"

    

Please don't take me the wrong way on that which I'm led to write. I myself, for years and at times still do have such problems in my walk with the LORD! Being a human and weak by nature, we all can forget who it is that we place our reliance upon and exactly how great HE truly is!!! These are learning lessons, not thrashings for doing wrong. Take them and savor them, look deep into their lines and LORD willing, we will a someday hear HIM say, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant, well done!!!'


Other verses of interest: Matt. 4:23,24; Mark 5:21-24, 35-43; Luke 4:40,41, 13:10-13; John 11:1-44
Use these verses, but don't stop with them, cross reference and seek out GOD from within HIS WORD!!!


Prayer request can be sent to: prayers@vineofchrist.org


GOD bless and good day,

Rev. Marshall Barth

Vine of CHRIST Ministries

Vine Ministerial Network International

2.25.10_ 2 Cor. 4:16-18_Troubles

 Praise the LORD!!!

   Today's topic is something all of us are familiar with, troubles. Whether those that are of our own making or those that happen to fall upon us, either way we look at them they are still a burden within our lives.

   2 Cor. 14:16-18

      "16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (NIV)


   For much of our lives, even before we were found by CHRIST, we have been accustom to having troubles within our lives. They're a generally accepted part of life as we know it. It doesn't matter their source, they all present us with problems in our day to day living. Some may be minor or others of great concern, they all present us with choices to make and then we have to live with the results there of. Troubles come in all forms, those that can quickly be taken care of with minor effort and those that take a lot of tough thinking and maybe even numerous responses to take care of.

   No matter what the trouble or it's size we're told in this scripture not to lose heart. In other words, don't worry about it. Don't let this take your focus off of where it should be. Now this is truly a very hard stance to take, especially if one has lived a good portion of their life as a non believer, not knowing the power and promises of GOD. Yet today, even many long time Christians still suffer with sweating the problems of life. This is due to the fact that we allow the problems to cloud our vision, keeping us from clearly focusing on HE that has promised to carry our burdens for us(Matt. 11:28).


   Our verses for today then goes on to reflect upon the state that we feel we are in, and in pretty graphic details. We feel as if our problems have completely wasted us away, to the point of death itself. So heavily burdened are we that we can see no way out from underneath them. So overwhelming are they that we see no possible means to deal with them. Yet GOD has promised us that HE will always supply us with a manor of escape(1 Cor. 10:13), no matter what has befallen us.

   Now so far I've given two conditions that we see ourselves in and two ways GOD has promised to give us a way out from under them. Yet we can still be having problems with them because our eyes have remained focused on them and not GOD WORD for us or HIS promises to us. Our verses then go on to give us another method of dealing with these troubles. By realizing that they are but of this world and we truly only exist here for a short time and then we're living life eternal. Our problems, no matter how difficult to handle here, are nothing in comparison to the eternal glory that we look forward to in heaven with our GOD. Also the fact that while here dealing with our problems we're building up for us in heaven rewards, rewards that totally are more glorious then anything that we've faced upon earth can even compare to.

   With all this said, what are we to do when faced with the troubles of life? First off, we're not to look at them as if they're overwhelming and impossible to handle. Second, that there is no possible way for us to resolve them or be removed from them. Third, and this is truly the best of them, that no matter what, or how terrible, or long lasting our troubles are, they are nothing at all compared to that which we have to look forward to in heaven when we join the LORD there. So the next time troubles come your way, what are you going to do? Will you focus on them and the impending doom that there bear upon your shoulders or will you look up to the LORD and say thank YOU LORD for giving the means to handle all that has come my way and for all that YOU'll have waiting for me when I join YOU, in our heavenly home? Personally, I'm going with the second way!!!


Other verses for study: Psalms 144:1-15; Proverbs 27:1-27; Mark 14:32-42; 2 Tim. 3:10-17

Use these verses, but don't stop with them, cross reference and seek out GOD from within HIS WORD!!!


Prayer request can be sent to: prayers@vineofchrist.org


GOD bless and good day,

Rev. Marshall Barth

Vine of CHRIST Ministries

Vine Ministerial Network International