August 19, 2015 - Turn to Jesus in Adversity

​When we deal with adversity, each of us are prone to think wrong about the difficulties.  If we think wrong we are more apt to believe that we are the only one who has these things that happen in life. Thinking like that will lead us to Self Pity , and bitterness toward God. The reality is that everyone has adversity at various times in life. No one is exempt!  Everyone deals with problems and troubles, and at those times all of us tend to think our problems are bigger than the problems of others. If we continue to think like that we will become OVERWHELMED, and the enemy will lie to us and lead us to believe we can never overcome the adversity. But the great truth of God's Word is we can in times of Overwhelming move forward to Overcome.

The Bible is filled with stories of who faced lots of adversity and yet became faithful Overcomer's. I have witnessed hundreds and hundreds of Christian's in my life time who have done the same. Men, women, teens, even children who faced their trouble with God and His Word and instead of being destroyed by their difficulties were actually molded by them allowing them to fulfill God's great purposes in their lives.

Let me share a few thoughts for each of us to consider as we face these times in our life. Hopefully these will encourage us to use these times to develop instead of being distressed and destroyed.

I. THERE IS HOPE IN OUR ADVERSITIES -- God has a purpose for everything that touches the life of His believing followers. It is imperative that we don’t waste something  God has planned to strengthen and mature us. For the genuine re-birthed Christian, God has a purpose for everything that comes into our life, YES EVERYTHING! . Romans 8:28–29 speaks of this  very clearly. Take a look at the entire chapter 8 in Romans and remind yourself of this monumental truth for believers. Remember that the promise is not that everything will good but that God will work it out in time for His good.  As we think on that may we build the habit into our lives to trust God to work things out and as He does to desire  and to look for that purpose. With that thought in mind, we need to ask God to show us that purpose and ask for the Lord's faith to trust Him until He does so, no matter how long that may be.

II. THERE IS HELP IN OUR ADVERSITIES-- God has a power to aid us in these trying times. His grace is sufficient and His almighty power is available when we face such temptations. Remember the words of 1st Corinthians 10:13, read them, rehearse them, trust them!

"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."—1 Corinthians 10:13


III. THERE IS HOLINESS IN OUR ADVERSITIES --  This is our greatest answer and aid in these difficult times. SEEK GOD in those times. He is the ONE who can bring comfort, answers, direction, peace, courage, faith and stability all by just being with us in a manifested way. Seek His fellowship. Run to Him. Draw nigh to the One who can drive all fear away by just being with us! Turn to God in your problems. Turn to God in your adversity. Turn to God in your difficulties. Don't turn to any other personality, principle or problem solver. Turn to Him. He hasn't forsaken you. He hasn't forgotten you. He hasn't been failed you! Turn to Him in your intense struggle! The scripture is full of illustrations where God's people came to Him sharing their problems and after a while they were praising God for His person, power, and perfection. We are able to see our problems shrink as they find themselves in the presence of Jesus!  God will give HOPE and HELP by giving HIS HOLY PRESENCE. The problems may not be removed immediately but in His presence grace and strength will be added to deal with them.

Choose to face the life by choosing to stay in the presence of God Himself.