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[cast-your-fears]

Phillipians 4:7

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He Will Move at Midnight

How many times have trial's come and they feel so all-consuming that you forget about the amazing things God has done for you? How quick are we to cry out that God has forsaken us? You wouldn't be alone in that plea. David, a man after God's own heart cries out in Psalm 22:1 (NIV) "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from my cries of anguish". This is a common theme for David who again in Psalm 42:9 says "I say to God my Rock, "Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?"". Heck! Even Jesus felt forsaken on the cross when he was temporarily separated from God as he took the weight of our sins crying out "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46, NIV) (sound familiar?). What I'm trying to say is you're not alone in feeling forsaken.

 When we feel this way, God calls us to draw nearer to Him so that He can comfort us and remind us of his love but so often we don’t. We do anything we can to distract ourselves from what's going on in our lives and at times, God. Whether we use alcohol, drugs, adultery, maybe you throw yourself into work, study, gaming or binge watching as many TV shows as you possibly can. How often does that help? How often to you start to pull yourself out of those times and realise your problems haven't magically disappeared? I don't know about you but I also often feel guilty too because I could have been drawing closer to God and processing things.

It's not a bad thing to seek distraction at times, that can be a fantastic coping mechanism if done with the right things, it's important to recognise when those distractions start to become avoidance and draw you away from God.  So what does the Bible say about praise through suffering and trials?

Keeping with the theme of David, whilst he feels forsaken at the beginning of Psalm 22, he goes on to remind the descendants of Israel (and us!) that God has not turned away from us but rather that He hears our cries (verse 24). Not only does David remind us that God hears us but he praises Him and recognises that He is righteous and that all will worship Him one day (verse 25 - 31). Whilst Psalm 22 very much prophesies Jesus' death on the cross it's hard to ignore the importance in David's words when it comes to our own trials. To solidify the idea of God being there even through trials David says again in Psalm 42:8 (NIV) "by day the Lord directs His love, at night his song is with me - a prayer to the God of my life" and again in verse 11b "Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my saviour and my God". That is a direct call to action. When you are feeling downcast and hopeless, when trials com rushing in, put your hope in God, not in the things of this world in blind hope that you'll escape your trials because I can tell you from experience, that doesn't work.

 How do you do that though? "Put your hope in God", easier said than done. Let us focus on ways that you can keep God at the centre of your life, even when it's hard. Here are some suggestions which may or may not help but I encourage you to try them because when you're struggling I know it feels like nothing will help but I promise you, these things can't hurt. Yes some of them may be obvious but I think we need to be reminded of the power of simplicity in our times of need:

 ·        Pray. Have you done that today? I know you may be hurt or mad at God. Great! Tell him that. Trust me, he can take it and he wants you to come to Him. Prayers aren't meant to be 'perfect'

·        Read your Bible. Pick it up. Find your favourite verse or a parable you love. You don't have to seek answers or find the 'perfect' verse. Just read. Enjoy His word, study His world in a way that feels right to you. Take notes, think critically, look up cross references, find a devotional, get creative with it if that's what brings you joy.

·        Talk to Christian friend or mentor. We weren't meant to do this alone. Paul instructed the Christian communities in Galatia "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2). Don't do this alone, God has given you incredible people in your life for a reason, reach out to them however you feel most comfortable, even if it's just to ask them to pray for you or with you.

·        Write things down.  Get out how you're feeling. Put it on paper, type it out scream it into the void (here's an old school link for you https://screamintothevoid.com/). When you're done getting out the bad stuff, write a letter to God, it may look like a prayer or an actual letter to your Heavenly Father.

·        Work out what you need. Ask yourself this: If there was a miracle overnight and your life was going better, what would things look like? Now, how do you do get there? Maybe for you would know things were getting better because you had left the house that day or because you ate something other than goodness knows how many days-old leftovers. You know that friend we spoke about before? Recruit them. They can help keep you accountable to celebrate your wins or maybe they can help physically help you accomplish them. Start small and work your way up from there. Something is better than nothing.

·        Give thanks. I know I know. It's hard when the world is crumbling around you to think of something to give thanks for. When we were in lockdown due to COVID-19 some good friends of mine started a gratefulness jar and each night they had to write 3 things that they were grateful for that day. Did it sound stupid to start with? You bet! Did I do it with them and eventually grow to love it? Absolutely! It doesn't have to be massive things, some days I was thankful for my cat, or some really good ice cream I ate, or the fact that I mustered the effort to change my pyjamas that day. Even when the whole world feels like it's falling apart, God has given you something to be grateful and praise him for.

The above won't solve every trial you face. These strategies and  suggestions might work for some of you and not others, that's okay, it  doesn't mean you're a failure. Your God, your Father, the Highest King loves  you beyond words. Drag yourself to the foot of His throne and lay it down but  when you get up, don’t take those troubles back again like we so often do.  Leave them at His feet and return as many times as you need to when you find  yourself lugging them around again. Just when you find yourself at your  darkest time, He will move, He doesn't wait for things to start looking up.  He moves at midnight.

Remember: Nothing will change if you don't change something

SONG SUGGETIONS 

·    Praise You in The Storm by Casting Crowns

·        Midnight by Rita Springer

·        Praise Before My Breakthrough by Bryan and Katie Torwalt

·        Just Be by Kim Walker-Smith

·        Tell Your Heart to Beat Again by Danny Gokey

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God’s Heroes in the Old Testament: Tamar

1, Obedient to God

2, Clever

3, Brave

Tamar was one of the women in the Bible, who acted upon God’s will against everybody and all odds.

Source of picture: http://www.womeninthebible.net

Tamar was the wife of Judah’s first son, and then, when he died, his second son. When his first two sons died because they were disobedient to God Judah told Tamar to go back to her father’s house and live there till his third son grow up so he can marry her. Tamar went home relying on Judah’s words. However when Judah’s third son grew up, Judah did not call back Tamar from her father’s house, and they did not marry. Tamar was desperate.

When she heard that her father-in-law would come to the city, she took off her widow’s clothes and covered herself with a veil to disguise herself, and sat down on the road.

Source of picture: https://en.wikipedia.org

When Judah came he thought she was a prostitute and slept with her in exchange his seal and its cord, and his staff. He gave these objects to her, and she slept with him, and she concieved. She was very brave to have the children she wanted and she was promised.

Three months later Judah was told that his daughter-in-law Tamar is guilty of prostitution, and she was pregnant. Judah said that they should burn her to death. But Tamar was very brave again. She said that she was pregnant by the man, who gave her his seal and its cord, and his staff. Judah recognized his own seal, its cord, and his own staff, and realized, that Tamar did these things, because he had not fulfilled his promise of the marriage of his third son and Tamar. When the time came for Tamar to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb. They were named to Perez and Zerah.

Source of picture: https://parenting.firstcry.com/

For her obedience to God, her cleverness, and her bravery to fulfill the promise she was given the Lord blessed Tamar’s offspring, and through Perez she became the ancestor of Jesus too.

Source: Genesis 38:11, 38:14–30

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this is important: You are valued. You are seen. You are loved. Whoever told you otherwise was lying to you. The Creator of the universe made you in His image. You are fearfully and wonderfully made!

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from my quiet time today: 

Psalm 119:1-8

1 Blessed are those whose ways are blameless,    who walk according to the law of the Lord. 2 Blessed are those who keep his statutes    and seek him with all their heart— 3 they do no wrong    but follow his ways. 4 You have laid down precepts    that are to be fully obeyed. 5 Oh, that my ways were steadfast    in obeying your decrees! 6 Then I would not be put to shame    when I consider all your commands. 7 I will praise you with an upright heart    as I learn your righteous laws. 8 I will obey your decrees;    do not utterly forsake me.

Our souls are complete in Him and our purpose is fulfilled when we realize our purpose is The Gospel! It isn’t until we hold onto and seek His decrees that we come to know who we are in Christ! We are called to deny ourselves and take up our cross daily in order to fully live out The Gospel! But we can’t do this if we don’t know the decrees we are called to obey!

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Scripture: Mark 8:1-10 Observation: Jesus broke 7 pieces of bread and had a few small fish but managed to feed 4 thousand of His followers. With Jesus, a little can and will go a long way. Application: Sometimes we worry about how we’re going to achieve stuff. Jesus didn’t worry when He had to feed the people and He managed to do it with very little. We need to stop worrying and involve God then a lot will be achieved with our little. Prayer: Dear God, thank you all our needs being met through Jesus. I pray you remove the spirit of worry from our lives and always allow us to remember the miracles Jesus performed to assure us that a lot can be done with a little through you. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

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Because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.  — Romans 5:5-11

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“I, even I, am he who comforts you. Who are you that you fear mere mortals, human beings who are but grass, that you forget the LORD your Maker, who stretches out the heavens and who lays the foundations of the earth, that you live in constant terror every day because of the wrath of the oppressor, who is bent on destruction? For where is the wrath of the oppressor?” Isaiah 51:12-13

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late night thoughts: All the times I said I didn’t need Jesus were the moments I needed Him the most. All the times I ran from His presence where the moments He was chasing after me. All the times I said I was fine were the moments I needed His grace. I didn’t see it then, but I see it now. I didn’t love Him then, but I love Him now. 

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tonight’s words: God, even when I can’t see what You are doing, I know that You are still faithful. Give me the eyes to see Your goodness in every situation. Give me the heart to give the mercy I have recieved from You, Father. Give me the strength to know that You are who You say You are. Life may not be simple at the moment, but You are still in control. Help me believe it.   

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read this: How are you doing today? No, I mean, how are you really doing? When was the last time someone asked you this question? When was the last time you were vulnerable enough to respond? You see, we can fool ourselves into thinking we are fine when in reality, there is something deep inside of us tugging at our soul. We may not know what that something is, but we know there is a God who does. So no matter how you’re truly doing, just know that you are not alone. The Creator of the universe is sitting beside you letting you know that you can be brutally honest about your feelings. There is nothing you can say or do that will surprise Him. He is the Alpha and Omega, beginning and the end. He is the overseer of all things, but most importantly, He is the overseer of your heart. Whether it’s in pieces or hanging on by a thread, The Lord of Lords can mend it back together. You don’t need to be afraid of trusting God. But maybe in your past, trust has been broken. It is another empty promise collecting dust on the shelf. But I encourage you to dust it off and give it another try. Place it in God’s hands and see what happens. You might not feel at ease right way, but He is faithful. Eventually you will see His goodness. Eventually you will see the anger and the bitterness wash away. Eventually you will experience peace. So, how are you doing today?