FRESH START TODAY - (Blog 23)

FRESH START TODAY ... Under God’s Almighty Hand

I spoke earlier this week about my discouragements, but I have seen the mighty hand of God at work since I shared what we were facing the next seven months.  I mentioned that we would not be attending church, but since then the Senior Pastor has told us that he plans on getting out of the heat of the Phoenix area to spend time in the cool mountains of Arizona where we will be Campground Hosts.  Maybe even more than one time!  Marty received a call from a retired minister friend of ours from Las Vegas, NV saying the same thing.  Maybe in Arizona’s favorite campground called “Aspen Campground” near Woods Canyon Lake, we will have several friends show up to relax and enjoy God’s beautiful outdoors.  One of my brothers and his wife will be hosting along side us, so we will have family with us and this too is a blessing.  I sometimes just do not like change.  Does anybody else have this problem?  Another issue that has been a discouragement is our son’s on going heartache.  Please pray for him to return back to the understanding that God’s still loves Him.  He is in bondage like we all have been from time to time. 

1 Peter 5:6-7, Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. NKJV

I chose this morning the true focal passage for this week to encourage you.  You can read the verses just prior to this Scripture and the ones right after to see the bigger picture.  Peter gave a believer, through the power of the Holy Spirit, encouragement in the Wisdom of God.  He suffered many times for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, because he was obedient.  You know, from reading the Scripture, that prior to the death of Jesus, Peter was not always obedient to furthering the Kingdom of God, but furthering his own image.  Jesus knew his heart, his zeal for life and compulsive personality.  Jesus knew also what Peter would become as the Holy Spirit humbled him in the work that would continue through him after Jesus was crucified and resurrected.

I remember my own zealous personality when I first became a believer and I thought that I knew what everybody needed to know to be free in Jesus Christ.  Yes, I had the fullness of the Holy Spirit within me, but I was just drinking the milk of the Word of God.  I had not started on the steak of the Word until being broken through suffering.  One can easily have an attitude of self-righteousness.  We are all sinners and at the foot of the cross we are all on level ground.  No one is righteous accept the one on the cross that was crucified.

Do you believe that you are under the mighty hand of God?  Do you believe that He may exalt you in His time?  Do you trust Jesus Christ enough to throw all your worries and concerns at the foot of the Cross?  Do you truly believe that Jesus cares for you?  Do you believe that His passion for you is so rich with love that He would have died just for you?  You are special to Jesus Christ and I am too, as a believer.  I am equal with you in that I am a sinner.  I needed to recognize that Jesus has a deeper love for me than I can see with my human heart and eyes.  I am humbled that He sees me differently than I see myself.  I am humbled that Jesus sees me differently than others may see me.  Do you feel the same way?  Do you believe?  Through our faith in Jesus Christ and His Grace, He has given us righteousness before a Holy God.  His work on the cross and not our works!  He will lift you up as you trust in power of the cross of Jesus Christ.