Date: Friday, July 04, 2014
Today's Chapters: Psalms 138-143
Message Title: Happily Ever After

As Christians, we can get so down ourselves that life itself loses meaning, even when we are blessed with so many amazing things from God. We can trap ourselves in a bottomless pit self worthlessness, but we must remember that God made us. Everything we go through, past and future, although it's not always in His will, is allowed for the purpose of molding us and shaping us into who He made us to be. “For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.” - Psalm 139:13-16.

Every one of us has a story to tell, perhaps it's a romance, action, or horror story, while we can do nothing about changing the beginning of the story, we have all the power to change the end. Remember, when one chapter ends, a new one always begins, and it will continue that way until the Lord takes us home. To be honest, not all chapters are going to begin on a joyful note, when that happens it's important that we seek God's strength to in the midst of our troubles. “In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul. All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of thy mouth. Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD: for great is the glory of the LORD. Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me. The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.” - Psalm 138:3-8.

God never stops working on us, all the affliction, hardships, and obstacles we face, as well as the joys, are used to perfect us, to make us more like His Son. “O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.” -Psalm 139:1-6.

God knows everything about us, what we are feeling, thinking, and even what is way down deep in our heart that we are not saying. We can try to deny what we feel, but deep down, God knows, and it can be overwhelming when we figure that out. There are times when I am talking to God, assuring Him that I am over something about my past, only for Him to tell me the second it comes out of my mouth that I'm not over it. When we get to that point that's when we need to come to grips with what we are really feeling, and seek God's power and healing to overcome them. “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” - 1 Peter 5:6-10.

When life is getting us down the devil is going to throw all kinds of poisonous darts at us to doubt God, that is when we must seek God's power to walk miss those darts. “I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication. I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble. When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me. I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul. I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.” - Psalm 14:1-5.

We must get to a point where we understand that perhaps we are suffering because we simply were not in God's will, but God does not give up on us, He uses every situation to get us back in His will. In order to get there we just need to ask Him to teach us to do His will. “Hear me speedily, O LORD: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit. Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee. Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me. Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.” - Psalm 143:7-10.

Fairy tale stories always end with, “and they lived, happily every after”. Fairy tales give a child hope that life will not always be hard, we do not need a fairy tale book to show us a happily ever after, we have a great God to show us that can live happily ever after, even when life is hard. After all, in the end, we will live happily ever after because we will be with Jesus. Praise God! We must remember that God is not done with us, we may not always be in His will, but His grace will give us a happily ever after, even in the midst of our troubles. “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.” - Hebrews 10:35-37.

Today's Prayer: God, You have a story written for every one of us, the amazing thing is that when we get to heaven the only parts that will remain are the ones of where You perfected us. We cannot change our past, but You do not even look at our past to determine our future, You look at what we are doing now. While we cannot always be in Your will it is comforting to know that we will always be in Your grace, and that alone will carry us through when we come to You. Lord, give us Your power, your strength, and your might, touch us and heal us from all that keeps us from living a happy life in the chapter we are currently writing in our book. Help us to keep looking to You, and all the blessings You have given us so far so that we can live in Your will and receive Your promise. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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