If you think you can get better love out in the world than what Jesus gives, you will be searching and not finding.
Christ loved you from the beginning and continues to love you.
He loves you like no other.
There is nothing you have done or can do that would cause Him to love you less.
What do parents have in common with Moses?
What do rebellious teens and addicts have in common with Pharaoh?
Moses had to convince Pharaoh that God was God. Of course this was done with God behind the whole plan. Story is in Exodus. Chapter 5 – 12 discuss the plagues.
How many plagues did the people endure until Pharaoh finally was convinced that God is God. At times, his people and his officials even tried to convince him. He kept calling on Moses to pray and relieve his misery and promising to let the people go and then he would not keep his promise.
If you are dealing with an addict or rebellious teen in your life, chances are they will lie to get what they want, making promises to change or that this will be the last time they will request help. They want you to rescue them from their misery. They fail to do as they promised and their heart is hard until they experience another plague. Then they are again vulnerable and seem remorseful of their behavior and ask for forgiveness and make another broken promise.
How many plagues will they have to experience to come to terms that God is God? What will they have to endure to humble themselves and submit to God? Everyone that loves them tries to convince them that they need to make changes in their life but nothing seems to get through. What will it take before they start to do things differently? What consequence will finally convince them that they need to change the way they are doing things?
If we are the ones dealing with the addict or rebellious teen, who can help us to show them that God is God? We need to go to God with each incident so that He can tell us what to do and how to deal with the addict or rebellious teen. We need to continue to return to God each and every time.
Sometimes peoples’ beliefs don’t line up exactly. Every individual needs to pray and read on their own. When you read God’s word, be sure to pray to God that He would reveal to you what He wants you to get from your reading. With Jesus in your heart, He will reveal to you what He desires you to learn from your reading.
Some will state their beliefs and they don’t even spend time in prayer and reading. Their belief is coming from something else. It may be coming from another person or from a past experience or it may be the way they just choose to believe. These may not always be correct. Some don’t want to seek because they don’t want to change how they are living. They are convinced they are OK in what they already believe. People tend to resist change even when it may be good.
What we believe can sometimes change because of how God reveals things to us as we grow. God reveals things to each individual differently based on their need and where they are in their walk with Him. When God reveals things to us, we need to be open and willing to accept what He gives us. It is through hearing and obeying that we will continue to grow. We should be careful not to resist changes that God wants to make because the changes that God brings into our life is always going to be good.
Keeping God at the center of your life is the most important. With prayer, God can reveal anything he wants to you. He can change , grow, and reveal things to people even when they have limitations that prohibit them from reading. He meets people where they are and overcomes whatever limitation they have because those that seek Him will find Him.
The truth can hurt sometimes but the Truth will set you free. It can set you free from you addiction, from your debt, from your past, from any burden that you don’t need to be carrying around.
When you face the truth, you can deal with it. When you run from the truth, the burden gets heavier.
The longer you run, the larger it gets. The larger it gets, the harder it will be to unload.
Today is the day of Salvation. Unload your burdens today.
Does life ever get away from you? I am pretty sure it happens to everyone periodically if not frequently. Schedules and routines are great but life doesn’t continue long without interruptions. We have to adjust ourselves to what is going on.
Even in our routines, we should be evaluating and adjusting so that we are always keeping God first. He is the most stable being in our life.
Maybe your life feels totally out of control. It may be time to reevaluate your priorities. If you don’t already have God in your life, maybe it is time you invite Him in to see what a change he can make.