Faithful Men of God, Faithful Women of God

Faithful Men of God, Faithful Women of God 

by David Brenneman 

"You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules. The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops. Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything." 2 Timothy 2:1-7

"Remind them of these things, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God not to wrangle about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the hearers. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, men who have gone astray from the truth saying that the resurrection has already taken place, and they upset the faith of some. Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness.” 14-19

"Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels. The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will." 2 Timothy 2:22-26.

"Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness. A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. But women will be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint." 1 Timothy 2:9-15

Whether you think that this is debating or not, seek the Lord in your questioning of it rather than pointing any angst at me. These instructions that were written to Timothy and in a sense to Titus were about how the Church was to be with regards to church leadership and those whom should be preaching and who should not be...and why. If there's any arguments let them be settled in this: this is the inspired Word of God. It matters not who does or doesn't agree with what's written because this has been the words of God under the protection of the Spirit of God for several thousand years. 

There also is now this, that elder/pastor/teacher are the same word in the original language. They are also in the male only context. While there are Deacons and Deaconesses there are no female versions of Elders.  

That being said, Paul, throughout his writings pointed churches and church leadership towards an orderly manner in the Lord.  

Next is that this order and orderly manner is of God Himself in the person of the Spirit of God.

"But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired." 1 Corinthians 12:18.

The positions within the Church are and always will be by the direction of the Spirit of God until the Rapture of the Church.  

As men of God, we're to be living in the character of Christ Jesus. We're to be among those who both learn and are able to teach. We're to be doing whatever part is ours in the Lord. Just as the Spirit saw fit for us to be doing. 

Likewise there is a roll and sound Biblical reasoning for the roll of women in the Church. Women are permitted and encouraged to teach other women as well as children. This does not make them Pastors. This makes them teachers of women and teachers of children. 

They are as subject to the Elders of the Church as are all men within the Church. 

This orderly manner is from the Lord through His Spirit. 

Why bring this up today? In his writing to the Thessalonians, Paul gave clear direction to them and us that there was to be a falling away of the Church from sound doctrine. A falling away from what the Spirit says that the Church of Jesus Christ was to be and be like. Part of that is playing out before our very eyes and is part of the evidences that we indeed are living in the last days. That we, way more than those original written these letters we read in our Bibles, should be daily looking and being ready for the return of Jesus. 

There's many so-called churches in this world who've drifted away from sound doctrine. Teaching and actually advocating doctrines of demons. Among those doctrines of demons is that there can and should be women preachers. That there could and should be female elders. That a practiced life of homosexuality has a place in the church.  

Scripture is clear that there's no heavenly future for those who practice-live daily-in sin, that is also referred to as lawlessness. 

"Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God." 1 Corinthians 6:9-10.

Again, as you read through this, and especially the Scriptures, you need to turn your attention to prayer and seeking the Lord for your answers. 

We are supposed to be living lives in readiness for the return of Jesus Christ. Living life in accordance with the Word of God and not worldly opinion. Not opinion that makes us feel good or justifies our sins.

As someone once said "Sin is sin, no matter what anyone says about it. If God says it's sin then it's sin. End of discussion.".

The Spirit places you in the body of Christ as He sees fit. It's not for us to choose. If He's not called a man to be a Pastor then he shouldn't strive to be one...and so on.

We were given a specific, special, roll in the body of Christ and what we will be standing before Jesus giving an account of is how well we did what was ours to be doing in the Lord.  

We absolutely do NOT want to be among those laying claim to having done this or that in His Name and then being told to depart for He never knew you. 

We are to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. We are to love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and spirit. To love your neighbor as yourself. To grow in respect to your salvation in Christ Jesus.  

We aren't here to seek or to create what sounds like Godly positions or responsibilities that are not ours to have. We are to be the best we can be in that which we've been called to be in Christ as the Spirit directs us to be. No more no less. 

We're to be faithful in what is approved by God for which we've been called to be in Christ. 

All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. 

New American Standard Bible 

(C) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation. 

A corporation not for profit.   

La Habra, CA All rights reserved 

www.lockman.org

Just as They, So can We be

Just as They, So can We be

by David Brenneman 

In reading in Deuteronomy today and also in Proverbs 30...it really became clearer that even Christians can repeat the mistakes of the children of Israel. 

We can indeed forget from where we came. 

We can forget from what we've been delivered. 

We can forget to keep ourselves holy, separated, from a life of sin. 

We can forget the lessons taught to us by the Spirit of God. 

We can neglect to read our Bible and not remember the promises of God. 

We're not immune to falling short, falling down, falling away from what we're to be and were taught to be like.

"Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 1:5-8.

We have, like they, a beyond fantastic opportunity to live the righteous life that God desires for us if only we as well would walk by faith and not by sight. 

It's incredibly tempting after such a long period of unemployment to be careless. Yet the lessons learned are still with us. I am grateful and thankful for all that I get to do these days. The great people that are now in my work life. The Believers in my life all around. The family where the ties that bind have grown stronger.  

Yet we read: "Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow." James 1:12-17.

Temptations will come. Some decorated as nice shiny things other will be as a fishing lure that hides a hook inside.  

The same as they were tempted so shall we be. 

"fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2.

We have before us the opportunity to grow in Christ, to run the race set before us, to finish well.  

So had they but each had turned aside to do whatever was right in their own eyes. 

Pray for your walk with Jesus. 

Pray for your spiritual eyes to be open. 

Pray for your obedience in Christ to be complete. 

Pray that whatever you are shown by the Spirit that needs to be changed that you would not shrink away but would change in accordance to the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.

All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. 

New American Standard Bible 

(C) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation. 

A corporation not for profit.   

La Habra, CA All rights reserved 

www.lockman.org

Diligence and Standing Firm

Diligence and Standing Firm 

by David Brenneman 

"You should diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and His testimonies and His statutes which He has commanded you." Deuteronomy 6:17.

“Then it shall come about when the Lord your God brings you into the land which He swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you, great and splendid cities which you did not build, and houses full of all good things which you did not fill, and hewn cisterns which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant, and you eat and are satisfied, then watch yourself, that you do not forget the Lord who brought you from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery." Deuteronomy 6:10-12.

"for now we really live, if you stand firm in the Lord." 1 Thessalonians 3:8.

"Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love." 1 Corinthians 16:13-14.

"Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil." Ephesians 6:11.

We, in the world today, actually have a whole lot in common with that passage in Deuteronomy 6:10-12. Most people don't consider that this is the way of most of the world. We aren't very prolific at building a house and developing the land for our use.

Most are buying or renting where others have already been. What we ought not to forget is the very same point as that passage and the other's you read this morning there.

The direct connection between diligence in the Lord and standing firm in the Lord.

It's incredibly important not to forget the tremendous blessings that the Lord Jesus has granted each of us and to not take them for granted or forget them altogether. 

"The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it." Psalms 24:1.

We don't own anything. All things including ourselves belong to the Lord. 

Being diligent and standing firm require us to remember to whom we belong. To whom we owe everything. Of how we shouldn't forget to bless as we have been blessed by Him. Of how we shouldn't forget to love as He first loved us.

In Deuteronomy where that passage comes from, Moses was taking time to remind the children of Israel before they went into the Promised Land of everything they were taught. That there would be consequences for turning away from the Lord's commands and blessings for remembering to adhere to them.

We, in our world of the Church age, likewise need to remember there's blessings and situations when we forget to stand firm in the Lord. When we allow self to creep into our thinking.  

"Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 1:5-8.

Our still being alive in this world is both for our sanctification, growing in Christ, as well as to serve as a light to the world-showing them the way to salvation through Jesus Christ alone. 

It's not for our comfort, fortune, or possessions. It's not for success or worldly acclaim.  

So before you think you know what your day is or is going to be about...pray and ask Jesus to show you what He wants of you today. This is the day that the Lord has made and all that it contains. We know not if this is the day of His return. We always ought to be diligent and standing firm in our walk with Jesus especially if we believe that to be true. 

Pray for you to be doing what you were called to be doing in Christ. 

All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. 

New American Standard Bible 

(C) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation. 

A corporation not for profit.   

La Habra, CA All rights reserved 

www.lockman.org

The Definition of Us

The Definition of Us

by David Brenneman 

I keep fighting voices in my mind that say I'm not enough

Every single lie that tells me I will never measure up

Am I more than just the sum of every high and every low?

Remind me once again just who I am because I need to know

Ooh-oh

You say I am loved when I can't feel a thing

You say I am strong when I think I am weak

And you say I am held when I am falling short

And when I don't belong, oh, You say I am Yours

And I believe (I), oh, I believe (I)

What You say of me (I)

I believe

The only thing that matters now is everything You think of me

In You, I find my worth, in You, I find my identity

Ooh-oh

You say I am loved when I can't feel a thing

You say I am strong when I think I am weak

And you say I am held when I am falling short

When I don't belong, oh, You say I am Yours

And I believe (I), oh, I believe (I)

What You say of me (I)

Oh, I believe

Taking all I have, and now I'm laying it at Your feet

You have every failure, God, You have every victory

Ooh-oh

You say I am loved when I can't feel a thing

You say I am strong when I think I am weak

You say I am held when I am falling short

When I don't belong, oh, You say I am Yours

And I believe (I), oh, I believe (I)

What You say of me (I)

I believe

Oh, I believe (I)

Yes, I believe (I)

What You say of me (I)

I believe

(c)2018 Lauren Daigle "You Say".

There's been many times, and when it comes to songs, hymns and spiritual songs, I don't mind at all when they get 'stuck' in my head and this is the most recent one for me. 

Keeping a proper perspective on your identity is the basis of a healthy mind and heart. 

We who are among the saved in Christ Jesus are: Ambassadors for Christ, the cherished adopted children of God, friends of Jesus Christ, beloved of God our Father, those who are not forsaken, those who are forgiven, the elect who are sealed in the Spirit among other things in the Lord. 

Our world in which we live is going to try to get us to redefine who we are, to get us to believe anything other than what God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ say we are.

What we do with our identity shapes our day. If we're believing the wrong things about ourselves we will cultivate that wrong belief. If we're standing firm in the Lord Jesus as the Scriptures say we ought to that too will be evident. 

We cannot have ourselves identifying as Christians and yet living as those who have no hope. We cannot have ourselves identifying as Christians and yet living like we're unable to survive the fires of our lives. 

We are able, in any moments notice, to enter the Throne of Grace. To pour out whatever is on our minds and to be able to find that peace that passes all understanding. 

We are going to be challenged in what we believe about God, about our Lord Jesus Christ, about the Spirit of God.  

We must remember to keep the whole armor of God on at all times.  

Trusting in the Lord with all your heart, and not leaning on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledging Him and He will make your path straight. 

Loving the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and spirit. Loving your neighbor as yourself. 

Remembering that nothing on our hearts is trivial in the eyes of God when we come to Jesus in prayer. 

In everything giving thanks.

Bring it all to the Lord in prayer.  

Standing on the promises of Christ my King through eternal ages let His praises ring. Glory in the highest I will shout and sing, standing on the promises of God. 

This is who we are who we were originally made to be:.people who have a loving relationship with Jesus Christ. 

All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. 

New American Standard Bible 

(C) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation. 

A corporation not for profit.   

La Habra, CA All rights reserved 

www.lockman.org

I Just Don't Get It!

I Just Don't Get It!

by David Brenneman 

Life Principle #2, "Obey God and leave the consequences to Him." Dr. Charles Stanley 

"so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober." 1 Thessalonians 5:6.

"The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer." 1 Peter 4:7.

“Take heed, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time will come." Mark 13:33.

"Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving;" Colossians 4:2.

"Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed." Romans 13:11.

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." Philippians 4:6.

“Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalms 46:10.

Our daily lives ought to reflect the walk we have with Jesus every single day. Our actions more than our words should shape our world into what it is that God's wanting rather than what we want.  

Every day you're given something to do that has every potential to bring glory to God in Christ Jesus. 

It's only through our obedience, whether we understand it or not, that God will be glorified.

Even if and especially if we don't understand what it could possibly benefit ourselves or others. 

With very good reason we ought to strive to stand firm in our obedience because of what we read in those other selected passages. We don't know what day or hour that Jesus is going to come back. 

We also shouldn't be anxious about obeying. If God's the one leading us to something then He's going to lead us through that something. 

I can and will testify to many many days of the 10 months of being unemployed that my prayers turned towards: "Ok. What do you have for me to be doing today Lord?".  

It was everything from household chores to helping people to fixing things here and elsewhere.  

To me it was living out "Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6. It also was living out my life verses "Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve." Colossians 3:23-24.

Will Jesus find in you a willing man or willing woman to do His will in the life He gave you?

Will you be found as one who turned aside from obedience because of what your physical eyes saw or that you understood rather than what your spiritual eyes ought to have seen and your obedience should have completed?

Jesus is returning just as assuredly as His resurrection was true 2,000 plus years ago. 

Paul encouraged all the churches to keep that in mind as they went through their lives. 

What he wrote to the Thessalonians he said to read to all the churches.  

Live your life as if today were that day. So what that there's apparently difficult things ahead of you. Jesus is already there. Jesus promised to never leave us or forsake us. Again I have 10 months of testimony on top of prior to that testimony on Jesus always being ahead of my situations...and He will be ahead of yours.

Be found by Jesus to be doers of the word of God. Be found by Jesus obeying in all that He commanded us. Even if what He's commanding isn't making any sense at all.  

Many in the Bible didn't think that what they were told to do made sense but they obeyed anyway and God received the glory. That's where this life principle comes from. 

I am now going down a new path for me employment-wise. I am being taught many new things. I pray ahead of time to have God's wisdom and understanding of what's being taught. Through Jesus I can learn these things. It's on me to obey even if I don't get it yet.

To God be the glory great things He has done. 

All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. 

New American Standard Bible 

(C) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation. 

A corporation not for profit.   

La Habra, CA All rights reserved 

www.lockman.org 

When My Way Groweth Drear

When My Way Groweth Drear

by David Brenneman 

"For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them. How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand. When I awake, I am still with You." Psalms 139:13-18.

When my way groweth drear

Precious Lord, linger near-ear

When my li-ight is almost gone

Hear my cry, hear my call

Hold my ha-and lest I fa-all

Take my hand, precious Lor-ord

Lead me on

Precious Lord, take my hand

Lead me on, let me sta-and

I am tired, I'm weak, I am worn

Through the storm, through the night

Lead me on to the li-ight

Take my ha-and, precious Lor-ord

Lead me home

When my work is all done

And my race here is are you-un

Let me see-ee by the light

Thou hast shown

That fair city so bright

Where the lantern is the li-ight

Take my ha-and, precious Lor-ord

Lead me on

Precious Lord, take my hand

Lead me on, let me sta-and

I am tired, I'm weak, I am worn

Through the storm, through the night

Lead me on to the li-ight

Take my ha-and, precious Lor-ord

Lead me home

- Jim Reeves "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" by Thomas Dorsey 1932.

We aren't going to have all roses and balloon days of joy when we come to Christ and are saved by Him...but we can find joy in our life in Christ.

Our lives are both not our own, because we were bought with the blood of Jesus Christ and because of that are to live a life that honors that sacrifice.

In doing so life is going to have many ups and downs. We will have people whom we won't get along with as well finding jewels of people whom have made our lives a complete blessing in those relationships.

As Mark Lowry said in one of his videos that he made first you need to understand what life is. Life is a series of ups and downs, highs and lows, mountains and valley's. When you come to Christ for salvation He gives you life more abundant. Higher highs and lower lows than you thought possible.  

When people aren't understanding me or whatever God's permitted to happen in my life, when I don't understand as well, I'm comforted by what the Bible says about me. 

What people think about me, more so in recent years, means less and less to me. What Jesus says about me means more and more to me. 

My body isn't perfect. My mind isn't perfect. My spirit, soul, isn't perfect yet. Yet there is indeed going to come a day when it will be. When all these matters of this physical world will mean nothing compared to the embrace I will receive from my Savior and my Lord Jesus Christ after I step into eternity with Him. 

In any given week there's those who don't understand me or what makes me tick. There's those in recent years who still believe erroneous information about me and I've had to turn them over to God to deal with. 

These things can wear on a soul.  

Yet this is where some of the promises of God come into my life. 

That passage about how I was made. Others on how Jesus has His eyes on all the Earth. Knows the hearts of all mankind in a moment. He knows my every thought from afar. He knows what my intentions are before I do.  

He knows.  

When my way groweth drear...He knows.  

Jesus didn't leave me, or you if indeed you heeded His call to you and you are saved in Christ Jesus as well, alone. His Spirit is within everyone who's received His free gift of salvation. His promises aren't used up at any point in our lives. We can never annoy Jesus with constantly coming to the throne of grace. We may have difficulty in making relationships but ours with Him are rock solid. 

My Dear Reader...if you're living in the grace and mercy of God through the finished work of God in Christ Jesus through Jesus Christ...keep going to that throne of grace. Keep returning to find the comfort you need. Even if the world seems to have all turned against you, Jesus never will.  

We are promised by Jesus that in this world we will have tribulations. We will have problems, situations even, that seems insurmountable. Yet in Christ, nothing is. 

There's nothing we will ever face that He isn't prepared for. 

There's nothing we will ever face that comes as a surprise to Him. 

There's no broken relationship that He isn't intimately aware of every iota of detail about.  

There's nothing that He doesn't have an answer for. 

We must come to Christ in faith to make our requests be made known to God and trust Him with the results. Even if those results, those consequences, make little sense at the time.

My way has been dreary at times in my life...many times more than I could bear, yet no matter what Jesus was indeed there in it with me. In my darkest years, where I thought I was absolutely rejected and forsaken, He reached into that abyss and pulled me out. He restored my life in Christ and has never stopped showing me His love for me...even when I couldn't love myself.

You too, if you're in Christ, if He is your Lord and Savior, wants you to rest in Christ rather than trying to live life of your own volition.  

When you're tired, weary and worn.

When you're feeling alone or betrayed by people whom ought to know better. 

When you don't know what to do.

Jesus is always there for you.

When my way groweth drear...I remember that my Savior says that I am His, I am blessed, I am loved by Him. 

I am His. 

All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. 

New American Standard Bible 

(C) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation. 

A corporation not for profit.   

La Habra, CA All rights reserved 

www.lockman.org

Leave it!

Leave it!

by David Brenneman 

Dr. Payson, while still a young man, once wrote an elderly mother who was extremely worried about and burdened over the condition of her son. He wrote:

"You are worrying too much about him. Once you have prayed for him, as you have done, and committed him to God, you should not continue to be anxious. God's command, "Do not be anxious abou anything" (Phil. 4:6), is unlimited, and so is the verse, "'Cast all your anxiety on him"

(1 Peter 5:7). If we truly have cast our burdens upon another, can they continue to pressure us? If we carry them with us from the throne of grace, it is obvious we have not left

them there. In my own life I test my prayers in this way: after commiting something to God, if I can come away, like Hannah did, with no more sadness, pain, or anxiety in my

heart, I see it as proof that I have prayed the prayer of faith. But if I pray and then still carry my burden, I conclude my faith was not exercised." - Streams in the Desert. 

This was an interesting part of my reading last night.  

If you walk away from praying with your burden still in your hands then it's obvious you didn't leave them there. 

Praying isn't for Jesus's sake but ours. Praying is wrapped up in a few things: "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you." Philippians 4:4-9.

It's in rejoicing. It's knowing that the Lord is near. Making a heartfelt, earnest, humble request while being thankful. THEN the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. We're not done yet...next whatever is right, whatever is of good repute, whatever is lovely, whatever is pure, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. 

We cannot complain and commend at the same time. We cannot grumble to and praise God at the same time. We cannot worry and pray at the same time.  

During my 10 months of being unemployed there were many days where temptation came knocking on the door to get me to worry. The utter silence from potential employers. The utter silence from people in our lives who knew of our situation. The day in day out constantly going through job listings. But my Savior stayed with us every single day. He never once missed a single day of providing food for our table or money for the mortgage and bills. Praying was and is a daily thing. 

Prayer and praising go hand in hand.

Leave what you're praying about with Jesus and recount His promises in prayer and leave.

You should be reading in your Bible to learn what promises are yours to be claiming in Christ Jesus. 

Likewise as well...you cannot rest in His promises and be anxious.  

I indeed can't comprehend the peace we have had for months on end. I just know from where it comes.  

My God brought people at the right time to assist in our lives. Many times exactly when something was required. He is never late, as someone once said He's always an on-time God. 

Lastly...you NEED adversity in your life to grow in Christ. There's a very good showing of adversity in the book of Numbers about all the places that the Lord Jesus took the children of Israel before they entered the promised land. All their adversity had a purpose but few ever realized it. There's GOING to be valley's of the shadow of death. There's GOING to be mountain tops. 

These are there so that you Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. That's it.

Let go and let God. 

Setting your mind on the things that are above and not on the things that are of this world. 

All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission. 

New American Standard Bible 

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