God's Plan for You

For God knew his people in advance, and he chose

them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be

the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.  

Romans 8:29

Suffering can be used to prepare us for a special task. The greatest example of this is Joseph, who was mistreated by his brothers and sold into slavery for 20 pieces of silver. But Joseph lived out the truth of Romans 8:28: "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them."

His brothers thought they would never see Joseph again, but God, through His providence, elevated Joseph to be the second most powerful man in Egypt, in charge of the food supply. So when a famine hit the land and the brothers of Joseph went to Egypt for grain, little did they know they were standing before the brother whom they had betrayed. They didn't recognize him with the passing of time. And they certainly didn't expect to see him in that position.

But Joseph recognized them, and eventually he revealed to them that he was their brother. They collectively thought, And we are . . . dead. But then he made an amazing statement: "You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people" (Genesis 50:20).

The same is true for us. Even when bad comes our way, God can bring good out of bad. We often isolate Romans 8:28 and don't think of the verse that follows it: "For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters."

God's end game, God's big plan for you, is not to merely make you happy; it is also to make you holy. God's desire is that you become like Jesus.
 
BE BLESSED!!
 
DAWN

"Unshakeable Faith"

God is in control of all circumstances that surround the believer. The devil can do nothing in the life of the believer without the express permission of God. But why would God give that permission? Because Satan's attacks will show what you are made of.


A faith that cannot be tested is a faith that has been shaken. And if your faith is real, it will even endure through the worst of circumstances, because character is not made in crisis; it is revealed. For example, when tragedy struck Job, we find him worshiping God, but we find his wife saying, "Are you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die" (Job 2:9). Trials, temptations, and crises separate the wheat from the chaff, the true from the false, and the real from the unreal.

Suffering helps us grow spiritually and makes us stronger in our faith. James reminds us, "For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect (mature) and complete, needing nothing" (James 1:3–4).

Suffering takes our faith from the realm of theory to reality, and suffering brings glory to God. Anyone can be happy when the sky is blue and the sun is shining. But when a storm is hitting, it is a different matter. Satan claimed that Job only worshiped God because God was blessing him. But Job proved that he really did love God, because he worshipped Him before, during, and after the crisis.

God allowed the tragedy in Job's life to strengthen his faith and to prove Satan wrong—and Job passed the test with flying colors. What a rebuke to the enemy. And what a powerful example for us today.
 
BE BLESSED!
 
DAWN

The Benefits of Adversity

In 2 Corinthians 1, Paul spells out the benefits of going through hard times. Yes, there are actually benefits. Take a moment today and look at them: 


(1) "So that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction" (2 Corinthians 1:4). Mike Murdock says, "Only the broken become masters at mending." He's right! Built into any problem that forces you to grow or find a solution - is the medicine that can make others whole. When you can say, "I've been there," people listen. Experience is one of your greatest assets - and God never wastes it.

(2) "That we should not trust in ourselves" (2 Corinthians 1:9). Anything that causes you to turn to God and lean harder on Him - is a blessing! Paul says, "He satisfies every need there is… He is not far from any one of us… " (Acts 17:25-27). Yet it's only when we lose a marriage, or a loved one, or a job, or our health, or our peace of mind, that we turn to Him. Every act of God in your life is designed to do two things: (a) to bless you, and (b) to increase your dependence on Him. Think about it!

(3) "That thanks may be given" (2 Corinthians 1:11). Do you remember what your life was like before you met the Lord? David said, "Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness… (Psalm 107:8). You need to stop today, lift up your heart, and begin to praise God for all He has done for you. Where would you be without Him? It doesn't bear thinking about - does it?

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:26

Be Blessed!

Dawn

" The Secret Ingredient"

People of God, adversity comes in many shapes, forms and fashions. Everyone will face adversity, but not everyone will conquer it. The difference between facing and conquering adversity is knowing the secret ingredient. The secret ingredient is powerful; it's a weapon; it's articulate; and it's a producer of victory. This ingredient is called "praise".


For some of us our life is missing the secret ingredient. It is not necessarily because we do not have it, but because we really don't know how powerful it is in making us more than conquers. One of the strangest things about this season of your life is that it seems like it lasting forever. One of the purposes God has for our lives is that we grow to maturity in our praise to Him. I believe that God is trying to get His people to a level of praise where we won't question His doing, but will praise Him regardless of the present. That's why many of us can't sleep at night because God is disturbing your spirit and telling us to praise Him right in the middle of the situation.

This is why you sit in the car and just go to crying and you don't know why you're crying. God is pressing you. When God calls you to greatness He disturbs your spirit; He disturbs your surroundings; He shakes the very foundation that you stand on and presses you and develops you. However, what He is inserting you into is a place where all you can do is pray and praise.

"I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth" Psalms 34:1 (NKJV)

Praise will allow you to see breakthrough in many areas of your life. Having praise in your mouth not only confuses the enemy, but also confuses people around you who know what you are going through. This secret ingredient is so powerful that it becomes a weapon and pulls down strongholds; it casts down arguments; it casts down every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and it brings every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. When you add praise you go from facing adversity to conquering adversity.

Today, add the secret ingredient of praise to every area of your life, continually. No matter how it looks my sister and no matter what they say my brother. Remember, praise will help you become more than a conquerer. Start praising and watch the Lord be magnified in your life. (Psalms 35:27-28)

-(via Pastor Marquis Boone)
 
BE BLESSED!
 
DAWN

"From Tragedy to Victory"

It is easy for us to read Job's story and critique him at certain points. But we need to keep in mind that Job never read the Book of Job. He didn't know it would turn out well in the end. He didn't know about the conversations between God and Satan. He didn't know why everything was happening. All he knew was that one day, it all was going beautifully, and the next day, the bottom dropped out with no real explanation that he could see. Yet Job persevered in his faith and integrity.


We are told in James 5:11, "We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy." God's plan finally ended in good, but Job could not see that midstream.

There are things about life that we don't understand. God can bring good out of bad. It doesn't mean that bad becomes good, because bad is bad. But it does mean that God can bring good despite bad, and our tribulations can bring forth good things. As Hebrews 12:11 says, "No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it's painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way."

Before disciplining a child, a parent sometimes will say, "This will hurt me more than it will hurt you." Meanwhile, the child is thinking, Yeah, right! That is how we feel when we are being disciplined or are going through hardship. It hurts. But it also brings forth something good.


God can take the greatest of tragedies and turn them into the greatest of victories.


BE BLESSED!

DAWN

" For He Is Good"

From the depths of heartbreak and loss, the Bible tells us that Job worshiped: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord" (Job 1:21).


If you only worship the Lord when you feel like it, then you are not going to worship very often. There always will be something, whether it is tragedy looming, an illness, or problems with your children. Whatever it is, we still should praise God, regardless of how we feel. After all, the Bible does not say, "Give thanks unto the Lord when you feel good." Rather, it says, "Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!" (Psalm 118:1).

God was there for Job, and He will be there for you. He who stirred up the storm is the hiding place in it. He who allowed the storm has been in it himself. Whatever comes into your life has been either created or allowed by God. God did not create Job's suffering, but He allowed it. We don't know the reason, but we do know that good things came out of it.

At the end of the Book of Job, we read that what Job lost was restored and then some. Even so, it wasn't a tidy ending like we might see in a Hollywood movie. Job had suffered. Job grieved the sons and daughters he lost. Yet God was with him through it all. God gave him the strength to get through it, and he will give us the strength to get through our tragedies as well.

Worship God because He is worthy of your worship—

regardless of your circumstances. That is

what Job did, and that is what we need to do.

 
BE BLESSED!
 
DAWN

"Remember The Sacrifice"

In honor of my dad and the countless other soldiers and their families who sacrifice everydy, so that we might remain free.....

Every Memorial Day, we remember those who have died in the service of their country. In the United States, a place where such remembrances carry a deep and emotional significance is Arlington National Cemetery, near Washington, DC. Arlington is a serious place where, due to the passing of aging war veterans and the ongoing conflicts around the world, there are currently about 25 military funerals every day.


This is particularly difficult for The Old Guard—members of the 3rd US Infantry Regiment who serve at Arlington. It is their task to bear the bodies of the fallen and honor their sacrifice. The members of The Old Guard never forget the price of liberty—for they are reminded of it every day.




Believers in Christ have been given the Lord’s Supper as a reminder of what our freedom from sin cost the Lord Jesus Christ. As we partake of the bread and the cup, we fulfill His command to “do this in remembrance of Me” (1 Cor. 11:24). But in the sober celebration of the sacrifice of Christ there is joy. For we need not leave our remembrances at the Lord’s Table. Living our lives for the Savior can show the world that we will never forget the sacrifice He has made for us.

Thank You, Lord, for dying for me  On the cross of Calvary;

Help me always to remember what You did to set me free. —Sper

Remembering Christ’s death for us should cause us to live for Him.
 
BE BLESSED!
 
DAWN