How often do we evaluate ourselves on the basis of our feelings rather than what God says? The problem is, our feelings are always changing. From one moment to the next, we never know what circumstances will arise to test our faith.

Maybe today is “one of those days”—the car didn’t start, the boss has been breathing down your neck, the mortgage payment is due, and money is short. During such times, it can be difficult to think of yourself with “sober judgment” (Romans 12:3 ). But remember, Satan will do whatever he can to divert your attention from the Lord. When we direct our focus toward circumstances instead of the Word of God, we accept what the situation seems to indicate or what others say, instead of what the Lord tells us.

So what do the Scriptures say about us? 2 Peter 2:9 calls believers “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, [and] . . . God’s own possession.” And our purpose is to “proclaim the excellences of Him who has called [us] out of darkness into His marvellous light.”
How encouraging it is to know that we’ve been called into God’s “marvellous light.” Yet unless we have help, we are unable to escape the “darkness” of our circumstances. As believers, we’re empowered by the Holy Spirit, who enables us to overcome Satan’s manipulative tactics.

When circumstances seem unbearable, remember the Lord paid a price to purchase you (1 Corinthians 6:20). Wake up each morning with the knowledge that you are valuable to your Father. Trust in His Word, not your feelings, and allow the Holy Spirit to change your self-perception.

Joshua 1:8
“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”

IT IS WELL. GOD BLESS

Indecision

False guilt can be an intolerable weight for the believer to bear. The nagging sense of shame can lead us to doubt the Lord’s love and goodness; we might even start to wonder if our salvation is real. Thankfully, though, we can have relief and confess these three truths into our spirit with our mouths:

I AM SPECIAL
Any reason we give to “prove” otherwise is a lie from Satan. We are each a one-of-a-kind creation. The Lord chose to create us and endow us with specific talents and abilities meant to be used for His glory (Ephesians 2:10).

I AM LOVED
The heavenly Father sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins so we could live with Him eternally. We don’t have to do anything to earn His love; it is already ours for the receiving. His Grace. All we must do is believe that He died in our place, was buried, and rose again.

I AM FORGIVEN
If we confess our sins, the Lord forgives. The Bible promises the process is as simple as that (1 John 1:9).

Since it is Satan who stimulates false guilt, the final step is to renounce his lies. Make a declaration to this effect: “In the name of Jesus Christ, I reject these feelings of guilt, because they have absolutely no scriptural basis. They are false, and I refuse to acknowledge them.” The result will be that the heavy weight of guilt lifts from the heart.

2 Timothy 2:1-2
“You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”

Hebrews 4:16
“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Lamentations 3:22
“Love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;”

IT IS WELL. GOD BLESS

Foreigners must be stopped from buying UK homes with "plundered or laundered cash" and a "global effort" launched to defeat corruption, David Cameron will say in a speech later.

Mr Cameron will vow to expose the use of "anonymous shell companies" to buy luxury UK properties - often in London.
Speaking in Singapore, he will say the UK must not become "a safe haven for corrupt money from around the world".
He will say the international community must tackle the "cancer of corruption".

Mr Cameron is on a four-day tour of South East Asia, in which he will also visit Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam.
'Global effort'

He has been accompanied by 31 British business leaders in an attempt to drum up trade with the UK and has also discussed the fight against terrorism with his counterparts.

Describing corruption as "the enemy of progress", he will call for a "global effort" to tackle it, saying the world has "looked the other way for too long".

A 2014 report by anti-poverty organisation One said an estimated $1tn (£600bn) a year was being taken out of poor countries because of corruption, warning of the use of phantom firms and money laundering.

And last week the National Crime Agency said foreign criminals were pushing up house prices in the UK by laundering billions of pounds through the purchase of expensive properties.

'Dirty money'
In his speech, Mr Cameron will say properties in the UK, particularly in London, "are being bought by people overseas through anonymous shell companies, some with plundered or laundered cash".

Shell companies are non-trading companies that serve a particular purpose for their owners.
More than 100,000 UK property titles are registered to overseas companies, with more than 36,000 properties in London owned by offshore firms.

About £122bn of property in England and Wales is owned by offshore companies.
The government is to publish Land Registry data later this year, setting out which foreign companies own land and property in England and Wales.

It will also consider forcing a foreign company bidding for a government contract to "publicly state who really owns it".
"There is no place for dirty money in Britain. Indeed, there should no place for dirty money anywhere," Mr Cameron
will add.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-33684098

What believers do about guilty feelings has a lot to do with what they understand about guilt. By definition, the word refers to a sense of wrongdoing—an emotional conflict arising from second thoughts about a particular action or thought. The biblical method for clearing away such feelings is repentance.

However, many believers are plagued by false guilt, which is not actually rooted in sin. It can develop in several ways:

LEGALISM
A church caught up in legalism can foster this unhealthy feeling. A member may not do enough of what is “required” (such as praying, Bible reading, and witnessing). Or she may do things that others in the church categorize as wrong, even though there’s no scriptural basis for their opinion.

PAINFUL MEMORIES
Painful memories of abuse in childhood often lead an adult to believe he is somehow to blame for the sins committed against him.

CRITICISMS
Hearing believers’ criticisms of others can lead to low self-esteem. Without clear discernment, a person may get the sense that he can’t measure up to God’s standards or the world’s.

Genuine, biblically based conviction is an anxiety in the spirit over a definite, wilful sin. All the various causes of false shame have one thing in common: They are not the result of sinful behaviour. Such feelings are Satan’s tool for harassing God’s people
.
When we understand that true conviction is the Holy Spirit’s loving pressure on our spirit to correct a specific wrong, we can reject Satan’s attempts to distract us with lies. Whatever the cause of false guilt, it must be unearthed and removed from the believer’s life.

1 John 1:9
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Romans 8:1
"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

Romans 5:1
"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."

IT IS WELL. GOD BLESS

When God looked at the world He’d made, He declared it good. Genesis 1:27 summarizes the crowning achievement of His creative work: “God created man in His own image . . . male and female He created them.” Psalm 139 reminds us that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made.”

The Lord has given each of His children great potential for service in His kingdom. However, some of us have serious doubts that this is true. When we compare ourselves to other people, we notice the things we lack. At other times, we repeatedly criticize ourselves for mistakes we’ve made. How can we have awesome potential when we see so many ways in which we fall short? Consider these biblical examples:

MOSES
Moses appeared to have many advantages while he was growing up in Pharaoh’s household. Then he killed an Egyptian and fled the country. No longer did he seem a likely candidate to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. But God looked beyond what Moses had done and saw who he could become.

PAUL
Paul, prior to salvation, had vehemently persecuted those who believed in Jesus. Yet through God’s mercy, the apostle became a mighty evangelist and author of nearly a third of the New Testament.

PETER
Peter was a simple fisherman who denied—not once but three times—that he knew Jesus. Still, the Lord chose him to become the leader of the Jerusalem church.

Our Father sees beyond our human frailties to the potential we have in Christ. Because we were made in God’s image and His Spirit dwells in us, we have a greater capacity for spiritual transformation and service than we could imagine. Seek to become the person God has equipped you to be.

Ezekiel 36:26
"Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”

Romans 12:2
"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

2 Corinthians 5:17
"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come"

IT IS WELL. GOD BLESS

There are several reasons why a prayer may seem to go unanswered. Let’s consider more possibilities.

UNCONFESSED SIN
One is unconfessed sin. God promises to forgive us once we admit our action is wrong and turn away from it (1 John 1:9). But if our confession is mere lip service or we persist in ungodly ways, petitions won’t be granted. An unrepentant heart always hinders our prayer life.

MAKING GOD SECONDARY IN OUR LIFE
What about those times when our heart is right and what we ask is in line with God’s will, but He remains silent? Sometimes He waits because our longing for Him is in danger of being replaced by our desire for something else. Certain petitions—such as a request for a spouse, a baby, or a loved one’s healing—generate strong emotions in us. Unless we are careful, these desires could divert our attention from God. He will not share first place with anyone or anything. So sometimes He patiently waits for our focus to return to Him before He answers.

PREPARATION FOR GREATER BLESSING
At other times, God uses delays to prepare us for future service or greater blessing. He could be protecting us from consequences we fail to see, or He may want to strengthen our trust. Strong faith means believing Him even in trials, persevering while awaiting an answer, and being confident that He always keeps His promises.

Prayer is the communication link between us and our loving Father. Instead of letting “static” block His message to us, we must confess and turn from all known sin. Then we’ll be able to hear God’s voice and obediently carry out whatever He asks.

Proverbs 16:9
The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.

Isaiah 58:11
And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.

Psalm 27:14
Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

IT IS WELL. GOD BLESS

Some of King David’s prayers are recorded in the Psalms. There we read how he praised the Lord, confessed sin, and cried out about his troubles. He also asked God to hear his prayers and not be silent.

We all want to pray effectively like David. To do so, we must avoid certain hindrances, such as:

WAVERING FAITH.
Doubts about God’s character or dependability diminish our trust in Him. Therefore, we must not allow feelings to dictate what we believe.

WRONG MOTIVES
(James 4:3). Petitions motivated by selfish desires won’t receive an affirmative answer. God wants us to pray for His will to be done—not ours.

CONFLICT IN RELATIONSHIPS.
Being resentful or argumentative with others will affect communication with the Father.

LACK OF GENEROSITY
(Proverbs 21:13). God is displeased when we ignore people’s needs or give begrudgingly to the church. He hears us asking for a blessing yet sees us refusing to obey Him in our giving (1 Timothy 6:17-19).

INDIFFERENCE
(Proverbs 28:9). Apathy to the Scriptures is another stumbling block. God has given us the Bible so that we might know Him and serve Him wholeheartedly. Failure to read and apply His Word consistently will diminish our ability to maintain a godly lifestyle.

It takes effort and commitment to develop a strong prayer life, but the rewards are great. If your prayers have not been answered, consider which, if any, of the above issues may need correction. Then, start by personalizing the prayers you read in the Psalms or elsewhere in God’s Word.

James 4:3
"When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures"

1 John 1:9
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness"

Mark 11:22-25
"'Have faith in God,' Jesus answered. ‘I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, "Go, throw yourself into the sea," and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins'"

John 14:13-14
"And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it"

IT IS WELL. GOD BLESS

I am currently researching on this info.

There seems to be some element of truth to it

IamPatriotic:
Good, not cheering, supposing it were to be in Nigeria, the motive would have been greeted with negativity, such as "Yorubas are criminals and more policemen are required to go after them" .... "Yorubas are illiterates and they need policemen that can speak their Yoruba-Yoruba...."

Not really

It is called more diversity within the police force, which must be encouraged

SHEER MADNESS

When you are continually on your face before God, seeking Him in His Word, His presence will saturate your heart, making it sensitive and teachable. Just as a marriage relationship can begin to grow cold unless proactive steps are taken daily to keep it warm, your heart can gradually harden when you aren't seeking intimacy with God. You must also obediently—and promptly—respond to whatever He tells you to do so that your heart will stay soft and receptive. Then it won't take much for the Lord to get your attention, and when He convicts you of sin, you will want to deal with the problem right away. This is why we must walk in the Spirit moment by moment.

If you believe that God might be leading you in a certain direction, take the time to earnestly seek His mind on the matter, and open your heart to listen to Him. Be careful about getting busy with a substitute for what He originally called you to do.

It would be tragic to work extra hard doing what you and others consider good, only to discover that your effort was expended in accomplishing something that was not God's intention. Resisting the Lord often amounts to putting your life on the shelf, which leaves you feeling that something is missing. There is no substitute for God's will, even when His plan might seem difficult or impossible. But when you trust Him with a cooperative heart, there is no limit to what God can do through your life. Step out in obedience today and say, "Lord, I want Your will—no matter what."


Hebrews 13:20-21
“May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

IT IS WELL. GOD BLESS

Thjs guy must be pure evil.

Hell is awaiting him with open arms

What do you think of when you hear the word “prosperity”?
Describe a time when you saw someone rewarded for bad behaviour. How did that make you feel?

It’s easy to be jealous of someone else’s wealth. It can make us angry to know that someone has acquired wealth through wickedness. We might wonder why, when we work so hard to live the way God wants us to, we still struggle, while other people ignore God and prosper.

Sometimes in this life, it seems that a person can be rewarded for bad behaviour. But if you could spend a few minutes in this person’s shoes, you would soon find out that it’s not all that pleasant.

The rewards of wickedness are brief, while the rewards of godly living are eternal). A life without God is scary and lonely, so don’t be envious of the prosperity of wicked people. Their prosperity is short-lived. As a child of God, you possess a different kind of wealth, a wealth that will last forever.

Proverbs 24:20
For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out.

Psalm 91:8
Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

Revelation 22:12
And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

IT IS WELL. GOD BLESS

IT EVEN BEATS MONACO

chineloSA:


As if you own any of that.

Smdh. If you are exposed don't be mean to other people.

For your information, 99% of the supermarkets in the UK are not individually owned. Most are PLCs.

Independence is a prized attribute in our culture, but biblically, it isn’t a worthy aspiration. Nowhere in Scripture will you find the erroneous quote, “God helps those who help themselves.” The very fact that the Lord formed the church—a community of believers—should tell us that He did not create people for self-sufficiency or isolation.

When we place faith in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit indwells us so we can have a fulfilling relationship with the Lord and satisfying friendships with one another. In God’s design, a close, committed biblical friendship between two believers serves to build both toward Christlikeness. Over and over in Scripture, we find evidence of God’s followers relying upon a close friend or confidante for support. Paul, in particular, spoke freely and often of his dependence upon dear companions and encouraged others to form intimate partnerships as well (2 Timothy 2:22).

It’s interesting to me that our modern culture seems to be headed in the opposite direction. The farther we drift from God, the more pervasive our self-sufficient attitude becomes. Neighbours treat each other with suspicion instead of congeniality, and that mind-set has even invaded the church. We’re hesitant to give to others, which in turn makes us reluctant to receive.

Scripture tells us to love one another, bear our brothers’ burdens, and confess our sins to fellow believers (John 13:34; Galatians 6:2; James 5:16). In other words, we’re to give ourselves away to others and receive from them in return. That’s how church members can encourage one another to Christlikeness.

Proverbs 27:17
"Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another."
Hebrews 10:24-25
"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."
Job 6:14
“He who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty."
1 Peter 4:8-10
"Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace:"

IT IS WELL .GOD BLESS

2.2 BILLION NAIRA/

WHY?

AROUND $10MILLION/ £7.5 MILLION

A WASTE FOR SURE

Grace is far more than a mealtime prayer. The word communicates the idea of blessing. As children of God, we are the recipients of grace, which is poured out on us by our heavenly Father. Let’s look at how we experience this amazing benefit of His love.

God’s favour is seen in our salvation, as Ephesians 2:8 tells us: “For by grace you have been saved.” The blessing is undeserved and unearned—nothing about us prompted God to save us. He acted purely out of His goodness, sacrificing His precious Son Jesus Christ in our place. In that way, we could be reconciled to the Father and adopted into His family.

Grace is also the sphere in which we live the Christian life. At salvation, we were transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light (Colossians 1:12-13). Here, we live out our new identity as God’s children and carry out His purpose of glorifying Him—both of which result in manifold blessings.

The beauty of grace becomes especially clear when we consider who we once were—a people hostile to the Lord and alienated from Him. We were spiritually dead, living according to our own selfish interests (Ephesians 2:1). But now, through faith in Jesus as our Saviour, God has justified us and given us new life. He has declared that we have right standing before Him (Romans 8:1). All of our sins were placed upon Jesus, and His righteousness has been credited to our account permanent

Picture yourself living in the favour of God. Internalize this truth, and then give Him thanks.

Ephesians 2:8
"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,"

Romans 11:6
"But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace."

Romans 5:1-21
"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. ..."

IT IS WELL. GOD BLESS

MizJanet:


Jesus was brought forth , explain?

CHRIST SAVE YOUR SOUL

DUST OFF MY FEET

babyfaceafrica:
then shout halleluyah!!!!

Yes oooo

See it as an opportunity to join the last ship that will cleanse the World.

Signup bro

On a serious note. Setting up churches in a residential area is thumbs down for me. And the noise pollution they generate at midnight to the irritation of their potential members in the neighbourhood ain't right either

Bur that is Naija for u

MizJanet:


You sound like a programmed robot . Address the two verses @ op or shut your mouth 4eva .

Jesus is supreme yet was brough forth / produced by labour pains prv 8:24

The above bold is irresponsible and immature on your part. Growup

In order to understand how Christ was brought forth, u have to understand the concept of His Incarnation. I.e. His Personification, Embodiment, Manifestation, Materialisation.

The divine nature of the Son, united with the Father but not mixed with human nature in one divine Person, Jesus Christ, who was both "truly God and truly man".

You cannot just pick up a verse in the bible and start running around screaming BROUGHT FORTH, CREATED, ETC. It goes deeper than that.

Example
The Words that you speak who owns those Words? Did you create the words? God is all powerful, he has the power to transform himself into anything.

Question for u

How does God have the ability to accommodate the prayers of billions of people at the same time? Does he have a billion ears?
I beg! Wake up from you slumber and join the queue before you lose your soul..

MizJanet:


OFF TOPIC! Kindly address those two verses presented to the young girl @ op .

Colossians 1:15-20 New Living Translation (NLT)

Christ Is Supreme
15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.
He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,[a]
16 for through him God created everything
in the heavenly realms and on earth.
He made the things we can see
and the things we can’t see—
such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.
Everything was created through him and for him.
17 He existed before anything else,
and he holds all creation together.
18 Christ is also the head of the church,
which is his body.
He is the beginning,
supreme over all who rise from the dead.[b]
So he is first in everything.
19 For God in all his fullness
was pleased to live in Christ,
20 and through him God reconciled
everything to himself.
He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth
by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.

MizJanet:
GIRL: okay, pls whats the second verse

ME: okay, proverb 8:24

GIRL: *she reads in her bible* okay, and whats your point ?

ME: people say that proverb 8 talks about the God of christians , Jesus

GIRL : yes , he is the uncreated creator

ME: really? But the verse I gave you said he too was " brought forth"

GIRL: yeah, he was begotten

ME: created ?

GIRL: NO, begotten

ME: but you told me that anything born is created

GIRL: i dont seem to get you, are you saying Jesus is created ?

ME: *i smiled* but its your bible that said Jesus was brought forth , isnt it ?

GIRL: yes, but I explained to you that it means he was begotten

ME: You have contradict yourself my sister , according to the first verse which says mountains are brought forth , you said it means they are created .

GIRL : *sighs* , but what I know is that Jesus was not created , pls we shall see next time others are waiting for me

ME: so you will leave me , without solving this

GIRL: its not like dat *smiles and walk away* ,



, but why are christians not consistent and straight forward ?

Christ is the manifestation of God in human flesh (John 1:14). This was the only way God could come down to earth to save mankind.

Why?

Habakkuk 1:13
Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, And You can not look on wickedness with favor Why do You look with favor On those who deal treacherously? Why are You silent when the wicked swallow up Those more righteous than they?

God is omnipresence. He is everywhere and nothing is hidden from him. He knows the contents of your heart. He abhors evil. His ultimate goal is to destroy evil.

But then again, God is a loving God, full of mercy.

Ezekiel 33:11
Say to them, 'As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?'

Therefore, God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him and not die but gain eternal life.

Key phrases- SHOWED (not create)HIS LOVE (SON)(HIMSELF)(HIS SPIRIT)(JESUS CHRIST) - INTO THE WORLD

CONCLUSION

WAS CHRIST CREATED - NO

WHY

Because GOD is SPIRIT (John 4:24).

Even Mary, the mother of Jesus was confused (LIKE U) when Angel Gabriel brought her the GOOD NEWS

Luke 1:34-35
Mary asked the angel, “How can this be? I’m a virgin.”

The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come to you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy child [b]developing [/b]inside you will be called the Son of God.


DEVELOPING - Even b4 Angel Gabriel came to Mary - The child was already developing within her. Do u call that created?


MORE CONFUSED?

LET'S WORK LADY

Exposure is key! In the UK, there are supermarkets/Malls in every locality. But in Nigeria, it is a once in a life time experience for some.

Mehnnn. We still have a long way to go to catchup with the west.

Wonderful

otiigba1:
Right! so this people are hanging out at the supermarket? I guess it must be all new to them, i am worried for nigerians because it appears the CAPITALISTS has invaded their country with Diabetic and cancerous products (carbs,sugar,tin and packeted foods)through shoprite , instead of building affordable hospitals and school

It doesn’t seem fair, does it? Paul spent the second half of his life serving Christ, and yet he experienced continual suffering. Why would God let one of His most faithful servants go through so much pain? This isn’t a question just about Paul; it’s an issue we face today. In our minds, the Lord should protect His loyal followers from hardships, but He doesn’t necessarily do so.

Maybe our reasoning is backwards. We think faithful Christians don’t deserve to suffer, but from God’s perspective, suffering is what produces faithful Christians. If we all had lives of ease without opposition, trials, or pain, we’d never really know God, because we’d never need Him. Like it or not, adversity teaches us more about the Lord than simply reading the Bible ever will.

I’m not saying we don’t need to know Scripture; that’s our foundation for faith. But if what we believe is never tested by adversity, it remains head knowledge. How will we ever know that God can be trusted in the midst of trouble if we’ve never been challenged by hardship? The Lord gives us opportunities to apply scriptural truths to the difficulties facing us, and in the process, we find Him faithful. For example, how would Paul ever have known the strength of Christ if he had never been weakened by persecution, pain, and adversity?

Depending on your response, trials can be God’s greatest means of building faith or an avenue to discouragement and self-pity. If you’ll believe what Scripture says and apply its principles to your situation, your trust in God will grow, and your faith will be strengthened through adversity.

Jeremiah 17:5-9
“Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord. He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land. “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”

IT IS WELL. GOD BLESS

When experiencing hardship, we usually wonder why God allows painful situations to come our way. In our minds, this just doesn’t fit with His role as our loving heavenly Father. We also struggle to reconcile our suffering with the realization that an omnipotent God could have prevented it. To understand what’s going on, we must consider the possible sources of adversity.

A FALLEN WORLD
When sin entered the world, suffering came with it. God could have protected us from these harmful effects by making us like puppets who couldn’t choose sin, but that would mean we’d also be unable to choose to love Him, since love, by its very nature, is voluntary.

OUR OWN DOING
Sometimes we get ourselves into trouble with foolish or sinful choices. If the Lord stepped in and rescued us from every negative consequence, we’d never grow into mature believers.

SATANIC ATTACK
The devil is our enemy. To hinder anything God wants to do in and through believers, Satan will never cease to harass us. His goal is to destroy our lives and our testimonies, thereby making us weak and useless for the Lord’s purposes.

GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY
Ultimately, the Lord is in charge of all adversity that comes our way. To deny His involvement contradicts His power and sovereignty over creation.

For us to accept that God allows—or even sends—affliction, we must see adversity from His perspective. Is your focus on the pain of your experience or on God and His faithfulness? As believers, we’re assured that no adversity comes our way unless He can use it for our benefit and His good purposes.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9
“We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;”

1 Peter 5:10
“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”

IT IS WELL. GOD BLESS

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One can only wonder who will be held liable for this .

Wise words bring healing (Proverbs 12:18) and that the tongue contains “the power of life and death” (Proverbs 18:21). A gentle answer defuses anger, wise words enhance knowledge and soothing words bring life. That’s a lot of power for a small part of the body, we can wreak a lot of havoc with what we say—James compares our tongues to a spark that can start a forest fire (James 3:5–6). But the opposite is also true: We can praise God and bless others with positive, encouraging, praiseworthy statements of truth.

Think of that. We can make a dramatic difference in people’s lives simply by asking God to minister to them, speaking a blessing over them, affirming their gifts, encouraging them about their God-given potential and more. We can heal past wounds, offer forgiveness and declare God’s love. Why would we be reluctant to wield that kind of power? Words of affirmation, blessing and encouragement cost us nothing, but they can accomplish great things.

Proverbs 18:21
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.”

Ephesians 4:29
“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear”

Psalm 19:14
“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”

IT IS WELL. GOD BLESS

In our ever-changing world, families move, friendships drift, allegiances shift, and technology advances by considerable leaps. If we seek security in people, possessions, or positions, we’re doomed to be disappointed.

Yet we all need somewhere to turn during the storms of life. The one true anchor for our soul is Jesus Christ, who Scripture assures us will not change. To find comfort in Him, we must learn who He is, what He does, and how He works. Today we will explore a few details about His life and character.

John 1:1 reveals that Jesus was Deity from the beginning. Fully God and fully man, He was born of a virgin, lived 33 years on Earth, was crucified despite His innocence, and rose after three days. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life—the Christ, the Son of the Living God (John 14:6; Matthew 16:16-17). Our Lord fulfilled countless prophesies in the Old Testament, such as Isaiah 53. Like us, Jesus has feelings—He wept for hurting people and felt angry when people misused the temple. Most importantly, His resurrection defeated death, and He still lives today.

God’s character never varies. Of course, as situations change, He acts accordingly. But the merciful, loving, compassionate, and holy Jesus we know in Scripture is the same Messiah we can cling to today
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Where do you turn in trying times? Difficult circumstances are inevitable. Prepare yourself for them by learning who Jesus is—He’s the only true shelter and rock that will not change. What a wonderful Saviour

Ephesians 3:16-17
“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love.”

IT IS WELL. GOD BLESS