Encouragement

It was written here yesterday that the bible says we should assemble ourselves together for the purpose of encouraging each other. Many people read blogs from all over the world so we cannot all assemble ourselves together physically, but we can assemble ourselves on the internet. If you are reading this then you "assembled" yourself together with me here and since you are here I would like to encourage you today.

The Lord came through again for me and my family in a big way over this past week. I don't even want to discuss the "what" it was He came through for us on but it was big. It took 9 months (not a baby :-) for this thing to come full circle and actually land in our lap. The thing is, this "big thing" should be an encouragement for you to know that our God still answers prayer today. Sometimes it takes 9 months, sometimes less, sometimes more to see answers but He does answer. If we are faithful and patient, if we walk in His ways then we can be sure He hears us and we get what we ask for. Many people do not see answers to prayers because for one reason or another, their walk is not right with Him or they are weak in faith/belief. That's not a reason to give up praying because He knows that we know we are not perfect, but we should be working toward perfection...the question is: where is your heart?

The Lord only knows how imperfect my walk has been toward him in the past, yet through his grace and mercy, he gently guided me, picking me back up from the dust, brushing me off and sending me on my way toward His way again. Although our walk may not be perfect before Him today, I think the attitude of our heart should be. We are at war with ourselves, the world and the devil, so there will be casualties. The thing is, do we have faith enough to get back up each time we are knocked down and try try again?

Our God is a God who answers prayers. If you seek him you will find him if you seek him with all your heart. This is my testimony, that the God we serve is GOOD. He longs to be gracious to us..
Isaiah 30:18
Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!

The problem is, when the Lord is gracious to many people, because of the condition of their heart, they fall right back into doing things that displease the Lord. So we should ask, what's the condition of our heart? Where is it? What are we thinking about? Does it please the Lord? Are we working on ourselves in whatever ways, however small to inch our way if necessary toward our God in order to center ourselves in his will?

Be greatly encouraged today that our God answers prayer and has been merciful, kind and gentle with me, the least of your brothers. I have screwed up SO royally in the past, my sins were stacked into the heavens but he did not destroy me as I deserved, instead, over time in a gentle and merciful way he turned me around. I am nothing, HE is everything and I want to point you to him today to let you know that his great goodness toward me and my family is not just for me. His goodness to me is goodness toward you. Stand in faith today on what is written in the bible. Every promise in there is true. Be encouraged today by the testimony of this nobody (me) and the goodness of God toward me in spite of all I did in the past.

Let us set our eyes on Jesus, reach inside and grab our faith and courage, then step out of the boat to walk on water with Him. He wants us to do this, he wants us to stand in faith on the waters with the wind and waves roaring all around us. We have been called to faith, hope, patience and love. Our way is not an empty way like the heathen and those who have a form of godliness but deny its power. Our way is one of POWER through faith. The least of your brothers is testifying to you today that he is nothing special and anything good done for him can and will show up abundantly in your own life if you will walk right before the Lord and put your love and focus on Him. We are dearly dearly loved children. May the Lord bless you and keep you today, may his face shine upon you and may he grant you peace.

done for today, grace and peace