"Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow."
James 1:17
I understand that pain comes, hurt comes, it is a part of this life, hard times will come. When something devastates your world, our human nature tends to tell us to stay sad for awhile. There is a small voice in your head that is telling you it is okay to live in pain for awhile, because "boy, after what you just went through, you deserve to be sad for a few days, months...". Suddenly you look back over the past year, and say, "Wow, all I was doing was feeling sorry for myself." I refuse to let myself think that anymore. Man, God has just been really putting on my heart that, WE DO NOT HAVE TO HURT!!!! He gives us so much, EVERY good thing bestowed and EVERY perfect gift is from Christ, it all comes from him! God offers healing, healing through Christ, and that is more than we could ever imagine. This world offers us the shifting sands of happy years, and crisis. When you live by this world, one day you may find yourself in the gutters of it, whereas the next you might find yourself on a mountain having the time of your life. That is just how unreliable this world is. God offers us the pure joy of knowing him, and here is the thing with God, He will never turn on you. He is perfect, He is consistent, and He is consistently pursuing you!
WHY would you remain in a spiritual pit when God offers you perfect gifts? When we truly put our faith in Christ, such amazing things happen. Let me tell you a story, do not skip over it because you have heard it a hundred times, really read it, read it out loud, let the Spirit work.
A woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed." Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crown and asked, "Who touched my clothes?"... Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, and told him the whole truth. He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."
By the way this woman traveled 25 to 30 miles to even get to Jesus. Think about a terrible pain, something that has hurt you, imagine that happening to you for twelve years... imagine going to doctor after doctor, giving them all your money, and you just cannot get better. Imagine what a hopeless situation. This woman did not give up, she did not say "Oh well, I guess I will just die this way." She put everything she had left, every ounce of faith that remained in her being, into believing that Jesus would heal her.When will we put everything we have left into Christ? When will we give him everything we have, all the hurt and all the pain? When will I reach out and touch his cloak? Don't you want to hear Jesus turn to you and say Margaret, daughter, your faith has healed you! Go in peace and be freed from your sin. FREEDOM, everyone wants it, few realize it is sitting right in front of you. I encourage you to think about that, that is the offer that Christ has thrown on the table. If you can bring anything from this world that can beat that, let me know, but I am just going to tell you, He beats it all. We do not have to hurt, he has so much more for us. When you reach out in faith and touch the edge of his cloak, when you search for Christ wholeheartedly, not only will you find him, he will free you.
Photo of The Day
I feel like this song is perfect for this post, one of my favorites, and totes worth a listen.
By grace alone somehow I stand
Where even angels fear to tread
Invited by redeeming love
Before the throne of God above
He pulls me close with nail-scarred hands
Into His everlasting arms
When condemnation grips my heart
And Satan tempts me to despair
I hear the voice that scatters fear
The Great I Am the Lord is here
Oh praise the One who fights for me
And shields my soul eternally
Boldly I approach Your throne
Blameless now I'm running home
By Your blood I come
Welcomed as Your own
Into the arms of majesty
Behold the bright and risen Son
More beauty than this world has known
I'm face to face with Love Himself
His perfect spotless righteousness
A thousand years, a thousand tongues
Are not enough to sing His praise
Boldly I approach Your throne
Blameless now I'm running home
By Your blood I come
Welcomed as Your own
Into the arms of majesty
This is the art of celebration
Knowing we're free from condemnation
Oh praise the One, praise the One
Who made an end to all my sin
Boldly I approach Your throne
Blameless now I'm running home
By Your blood I come
Welcomed as Your own
Into the arms of majesty
Thankfullness
I am thankful for this blog, and what an awesome tool it is to share what God has been telling me!
