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Job 9:18 He would not let me catch my breath but would overwhelm me with misery.
Is it ok to blame God? Is it ok to be upset with Him?
We sometimes have to face some pretty horrible things in life, just because that is life… but should we blame God?
We need to be able to blame someone or something in order to work through our troubles; we need someone strong to take on that mantle. God is willing and able.
Take things to God, whether you blame Him or are upset with Him, speak to Him… and wait and listen for His answer.
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Job 8:12 While still growing and uncut, they wither more quickly than grass.
Bildad, one of Job’s friends, was a wise man and he tried to reconcile what had happened to Job through earthly understanding; but I love the way he compares people to reeds trying to grow.
While they have water by the river, they thrive. But as soon as the water dries up, they wither faster than other grasses because they have grown so dependent on the water.
When we depend totally on Christ, suddenly not having Him would cause us to wither faster than others.
Keep Christ in your life and keep close to Him!
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Proverbs 21:13 Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered.
When we see someone is in need, we should be stepping forward and showing them what Jesus would do – we should be helping out in ways we can.
We may not be able to right the wrong or to fill the need but showing support and love will go a long way to comforting people who are in need; it may also highlight their need to other people who are able to fill the need.
God will allow us to see need – how we react to that need is our choice under God’s guidance. Allow Him to open your heart to need.
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Proverbs 21:12 The Righteous One takes note of the house of the wicked and brings the wicked to ruin.
Righteous people may well be able to spot unrighteous people, and the other way round; but without full judicial process, we do not have any rights to bring them down.
We live in a world which is supposed to be governed by laws. If we go about breaking the law to uphold what we think should be upheld, then we are nothing more than them.
Allow God to bring the people who work against Him to justice and show them Jesus’ ways instead.
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Proverbs 21:11 When a mocker is punished, the simple gain wisdom; by paying attention to the wise they get knowledge.
When someone does not know they are doing wrong, being put right or punished will bring them round to knowing the laws.
When someone does know they are doing wrong, being put right or punished should also bring them round; but pride often gets in the way and we object or react.
The person who listens to rebuke is the one who is going to learn from their mistakes no matter what standing they have in life!
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Deuteronomy 13:11 Then all Israel will hear and be afraid, and no one among you will do such an evil thing again.
After true judicial process should come justice according to the judicial process.
All of us would continue to go off the rails if there were not some recompense for the things we do wrong; after all, it would be easier just to continue doing wrong!
God wants us to know there are consequences for the things we do wrong. Sometimes the fear of the consequences is the only thing which will stop us – and God knows that.
Follow God’s Laws and not your own desires.
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Deuteronomy 13:9 You must certainly put them to death. Your hand must be the first in putting them to death, and then the hands of all the people.
Many take things out of context and use religious writings to justify murder or other crimes; this is not the case with God’s Word!
God does not say we can go kill people just because they have done things wrong – there must be full and proper judicial process first of all.
If you take it on your own hands to carry out what you see as justice, then you are alone in doing so; always make full and proper use of all laws.
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2 Kings 17:9 The Israelites secretly did things against the Lord their God that were not right. From watchtower to fortified city they built themselves high places in all their towns.
Have you noticed how you will normally try to hide things which you know are not right?
Just because we may be able to hide something from another person, does not mean we can hide it from God!
The Israelites showed us time and again how they tried to secretly do things, but God saw through their ways and reminded them of the fact each time!
When they continued to do things wrong, God stepped up and made changes!
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Romans 9:21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?
The potter will work with clay to make different items, some for use with rubbish whilst others will be kept for the very best company!
The potter makes the decision based on his experience, what is required and what he can achieve with his clay.
God is our potter. He has final say how we are made and how we are used. He does know what is best and knows how to get the very best from any of us.
But He also gives us a choice – will be allow Him to work properly with us?
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Acts 11:16 Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’
The disciple remembered Jesus’ words when he saw the people being filled with the Holy Spirit.
God was allowing these people to be submerged in the Holy Spirit and raised up into a new life with Him.
John baptised people by dunking them in water as a sign they were being buried from their old lives and raised into a new life with Christ.
Accepting Christ as Lord and Saviour can be taken personally in many ways; but all show a willingness to leave the old behind and live with the new!
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Acts 10:44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message.
Note how God used every opportunity to reach everybody. Even though Peter was preaching to the people of Israel, the Gentile also heard the message. They were convicted by the same message as the Jews!
God does not give one message to one people and another message to others – the same message goes out to all so we can all share in Christ.
We have one Father, one Son and one Holy Spirit – and even they are one (though we may find it hard to understand).
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Matthew 10:8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.
When Jesus sent His disciples back “into the world”, it was not to go into the whole world as we know it, but to reach as far into the Israelites as they could.
God had a focus on the people of Israel and Jesus was carrying that out first, just as God wanted.
But God also wants everyone in the world to be shown the truth and to be given the chance to know Him.
It is our time to reach out to everyone and do just as Jesus said!
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John 15:25 But this is to fulfil what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’
We can look back into the Old Testament and see so many places where things were written down as prophecies – things which were yet to happen.
Now, we can look back from the New Testament and see when they did happen or even those which are yet to happen still; it is all written down for us!
What reason do people have to not follow Christ? I fear it all boils down to pride, greed and lust…
Its not all “about me, me, me!”
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John 15:18 If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.
Sometimes we feel like the whole world is against us – or at least what we can see of the world!
It may well be true to some extent – the world is not interested in us and what we do unless it is going to interfere with what the world wants!
People are just the same – they don’t care for us unless we work against them, then they do anything to stop us.
A lot of this showed up in Jesus’ life; the reality of what had been going on against God for many years, and what continues to happen!
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Mark 15:21 A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross.
Simon showed a moment of compassion and the Romans took full advantage of it by then forcing Simon to continue carrying the cross from that point onward.
The world does not care for us and will take full advantage of us when we do show compassion; it does not have scruples or compassion like we do!
The Romans did not care for his position in any church or how he was known in the church, they just used him. Don’t expect anything else from the world!
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Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
Jesus did not talk literally of people giving themselves up to be hung on crosses just so they could get to heaven, but of giving up what was trapping them in this world.
Jesus can see what is holding us back, what is trapping us and what is going on in our lives; He wants us to be able to let go of all those desires which keep us from having a full and open relationship with Him.
When we can focus on Him rather than the world, we can live better for Him than give in to the world all the time!
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Matthew 18:17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
And if all fails, then finally take it to the church – not public gossip, but the church body you trust!
Gossip breaks apart churches and communities. Re-telling things you have heard from others does nothing but spread gossip.
If you are not willing to do things according to God’s ways, then just being quiet is going to be your best option!
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Matthew 18:16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’
“But what if they don’t listen to me?”
There is still no reason to make things public by passing your own judgement over someone else who is doing things wrong – take along someone else you trust and confront them in person again.
Going around telling other people what you think someone is doing wrong is going to do nothing but make people angry and achieve nothing!
Be patient and do it according to God’s Word!
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Matthew 18:15 If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over.
When someone does something wrong – how do you deal with it?
Do you tell everyone and blame them for doing things wrong?
Have you tried taking them aside, just you and them, and try to show them they are at fault?
We do tend to jump in with both feet and judge people far too quickly; that is not the way God teaches us to handle things!
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Romans 16:17 I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them.
How many times did your parents tell you to keep away from certain people? They were trying to protect you and allow you to learn the truth…
Jesus came to share the truth and give us the chance to avoid the evil and corrupt people in our lives – take that chance with Him!
There are going to be more and more people who go up against the gospel just so they can live their own lives; you don’t have to follow them!