What can you handle?

Good evening,

I started working this one devotional a few days ago while sitting in the K-4 class at our school. There was one little boy who simply didn't want to obey. This little 4yr old told me, Mrs Steavy (I spelled it the way he says it) I just can't handle it! I asked him what can't you handle. He then replied taking a nap! Now to a 4 yr old that is BIG stuff, but what in your life do you feel you can't handle it anymore?

In I Cor 10 :13 it says, "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...."

"...ABOVE THAT YE ARE ABLE...." the little 4 yr old thought he couldn't handle a nap. What in your life do you feel you can't handle?
God is faithful! Why should we worry about what we can handle?
He will NOT suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; so why do we worry about our situations?
I know we all human and we all worry when we really don't need to.
When we are tempted there are times we WILL fail, don't do the famous:
That's not my fault!
The Devil made me do it!
OR if your a child, But mommy he did it!
Simply stand up shake yourself off and say, OK, I failed BUT God didn't and doesn't give me anything that I can't handle. I have to fix this thing I did and not do it again.
IF you feel or say, but I'm always blowing it. Well, join the club of sinners saved by Grace whom God knows we're going to blow it. However, he puts things, people, situations or whatever in our lives. WHY? Because HE KNOWS we can handle it.

So next time you think I CAN"T handle this just go to I Corinthians 10:13 "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...."

This is the day that the Lord hath made I will rejoice and be glad in it. Have a great day friends!

Prayer....Does God hear your Prayers?

Joshua 10:12-14
Then spake Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.

And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.

And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the Lord hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the Lord fought for Israel.

Do you have things you want God to answer? As we see here in Joshua he made the sun and moon to stand still. God can do anything and if we faithfully praying, constantly praying, praying without ceasing. Reading our Bible growing closer to God than ever before he will hear your prayers and answer according to his plan.

Do you want God to hear your prayers?
I know I do.
Do you believe the answer to your problems is prayer?
Joshua sure did, and God hearkened to his voice. He'll also hearken to your prayer. Why?? Prayer IS the answer to all our problems!!!
Teach your young people how to pray!
Have a goal for the year 2010 for things you'd like to see God answer.
God wants to hear your prayers and he wants to answer them. The question is will you allow him to do this by asking in prayer?

Believing in yourself

I looked up 3 different words: self-assured; self-denial and self-esteem. I was curious how they all went together.

Self assured adj. Confident in one's own abilities; self-reliant.
Here we see you are confident in yourself. You can do things and your confident in your abilities. One would hope that you greatly depend on Christ in that confidentiality "I can do ALL things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Self denial N The act or power of denying oneself gratification.
Never allowing yourself to be gratified with the act you are doing. Whether it's for yourself for others. Feeling like you really can't do anything that would satisfy another. I love the verse: Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might.
If what you do, say, or plan to do or say will honor one don't deny yourself the gratification of having done a good deed.

Self esteem N A good opinion of oneself; an overestimate of oneself. This is one that I notice many, many people struggle with. Did I? Yes! It took several many months meeting with my Pastor to get to where I knew not Just in my head but in my heart that I can have good self-esteem of myself. Not to the point I become rude, or miss know it all. Trust me I'm NOT a know it all. I love the passage of scripture that my Preacher asked me to read every day for a month and since last May I've read it almost every day without fail! It is Psalm 139 and the one verse he told me to focus on was verse 14: "I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works: and that my soul knoweth right well."
This verse did wonders for me!!

Do I struggle with my self-esteem? Yes
What do I do about it? Read and study Psalm 139
How often do I read and study my Bible? Daily (or I do my best) I'm not perfect so I fail at times.

I you have problems with self-esteem, or any of the topics I touched on make it a point to read Psalm 139 daily for at least 30 days! You'll be amazed how God will change your life and you'll be confident and your esteem will grow to where it's not low.

This is the day that the Lord hath made I will rejoice and be glad in it.

Just a few thoughts.....

I'm sitting here at my desk watching the snow fall, well blow we're in a blizzard at the time. As I looked out the pure white blanket of snow reminded me of how Jesus is PURE!

To be like Christ Pure white and clean! I love the song Whiter than Snow. This says it all for me:
Lord Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole; I want Thee forever to live in my soul.
Break down every idol, cast out every foe.
Now wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.
Whiter than snow, yes, whiter than snow;
Now wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.

Lord Jesus, look down from Thy throne in the skies, And help me to make a complete sacrifice.
I give up myself, and whatever I know.
Now wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.

Lord Jesus, for this I most humbly entreat.
I wait, blessed Lord, at Thy crucified feet.
By Faith, for my cleansing I see Thy blood flow.
Now wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.

Lord Jesus Thou seest I patiently wait.
Come now, and with in me a new heart create.
To those who have sought Thee Thou never saidst no.
Now wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.

The blessing by faith I receive from above.
Oh, glory! My soul is made perfect in love.
My prayer has prevailed, and this moment I know the Blood is applied, I am whiter than snow.
Whiter than snow, yes, whiter than snow; The blood is applied; I am whiter than snow.

What better way to say I want to be like Christ whiter than snow, pure of heart, a complete sacrifice for him! I LOVE it. Today, in our 2nd wk of snow and now in a blizzard the snow has a whole new meaning!

This is the day that the Lord hath made I will rejoice and be glad in it.

Search me, O God....

Psalm 139:
1. O Lord, thou has searched me, and known me.
2. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
3. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
23. Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
24. And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

search: the act of seeking or looking diligently.

God has searched us diligently. He knows us "inside out".
Since the Lord knows us so well what is it that we are trying to hide from him? What is it that we are not willing to give up? The Lord knows our heart.

Search me, O God, and know my heart.... How much do you really want God to know your heart? Do you want him to know it the point that you want to have fellowship with Him through prayer and Bible Reading. OR do you do the minimum and hope you can make it.

What is it you maybe hiding?
the way you talk
the way you walk
how you treat others
how you look at the opposite sex when your married
what you think
what you watch on TV
what you listen to on the radio
what you look at on the Internet

We are all wicked but God can lead us to everlasting paths!!

Just a few thoughts for us to think on.
Meditate on the Bible and make sure that we are watching, listening, talking and doing all that the Lord would approve. Let the Lord do as the passage of scripture says, and search our lives and know our hearts!!