|
Written by David Gaddy
|
|
Sunday, 03 August 2008 04:09 |
Life is full of lots of ups and downs. Many times we find ourselves at the end of our rope losing hope. But the real problem is not the trivial and carnal trials that we face. The real problem is that we are trying to handle it all on our own. We rely on our own ideas to try and guide us in our decisions that we make, when we have an expert who already knows the outcome at our disposal. We just need to STOP! and give God the control. But that can be easier said than done. How do we do this?
- Knowing God – There is more than one way to know God. To know intimately and to have recognition of. First we have to have recognition of God, but then we should come to know Him intimately.
- Matthew 7:23 – Jesus casts out those that he never really knew.
- Job 42:5-6 – Job acknowledges his move from knowing to knowing God
- Trusting God – Before we are willing to relinquish control of our lives, we have to learn that God is to be trusted. This is called Faith and it is more than believe. It is done through actions.
- Job 13:15 - Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him
- 1 John 5:4 – Faith is the victory that overcomes the world
- Death to Self – Jesus says that we should deny ourselves and pick up the cross to follow Him. If we don't sacrifice ourselves, we will never really trust Him or let Him control our lives
- Galatians 2:20 – By crucifying ourselves will we truly live.
- 1 Corinthians 9:27 – Bringing body under subjection to God
- 2 Corinthians 13:4;9 – We are weak in him (yielded) because He is strong. We need His strength not our own.
- Hidden Chambers of the Heart – Sometimes we fool ourselves into thinking that we've relinquished control, but we haven't. We have those secrets that we keep locked away, sometimes even from ourselves. These should be cleaned out before we can truly give Him control.
- 1 Corinthians 4:4-5 – Dig a little deeper and give it ALL up
- 2 Corinthians 10:5 – Capture those thoughts!
- Psalms 66:18 – Iniquity in your heart?
- Give God Control – Life has many complications. If we put God in control of it then everything will work out. If we insist on doing things ourselves, we'll only fail and proof our inadequacy.
- Guidance
- Psalms 32:8 – He will guide us
- Proverbs 3:5-6 – Lean not on your own understanding.
- God provides the guidance. Do we listen for them?: Acts 9:6
- I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. - Philippians 4:13
- Burdens and Problems – When we have issues, it is easy to bottle them up and hide them until they tear us apart from the inside. We have to learn to make our burdens God's burdens, then He'll fix it. We make a mad rush to worldly counseling in times of trouble when they can at best simply diagnose the problem but they can't remove it. Only He can. Then we should learn from the trial. Let not the lesson be wasted.
- Laying it at His feet: Hebrew 11:17-19 – Look at Abraham's burden, He made it God's problem and did not attempt to fix it on his own. God made the promise, now let's see how He fixes it.
- Leaning on men to help – We can utilize the wisdom of others to counsel us and support us, but this is not a replacement for God. If we do choose Earthly counsel choose Christian counsel who will know that they are not the solution, but a tool.
- Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man. - Psalms 108:12
- 1 Corinthians 2:14 – Natural man can guide and diagnose but not fix
- We don't understand well enough to fix things: Isaiah 55:7-11
- But God and His Spirit do: Romans 8:26-28
- God's work
- Every fruit is from God: John 15:1-5
- Wait on God
- Isaiah 40:31 – But I need ____ now! So we go get earthly help...
- In your patience possess ye your souls. - Luke 21:19
- Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me. - Micah 7:7
- Peace, Love, and Happiness
- Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:6-7
|
