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Janet's Blog
Janet's Blog
Blog
His Faithfulness and Mercies in Every Situation
| Posted on 6 August, 2017 at 5:00 |
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The Lord is placing on my heart to write about His Faithfulness
and Loving Mercies and give you some Scriptures in different translations. There was a very stressful time I went through years
ago that I described as 'relentless' and for some time after
that, I could not handle the word 'faithfulness'........I could think of the
Love of God etc but the other baffled me - it was ouchy to think
or hear it. For years previous, there was a favorite song Great is Your Faithfulness I
can sing again! Some years later now after The Lord wonderfully came through for me, I am comfortable with this expression again "the Faithfulness of God".......it is taking on new meaning for me through a rich treasury of scriptures on a website called Bible Hub. My present circumstances are not exactly ideal, for there is good and not so good in my life at the moment. But to me, there are two phases of Faithfulness: one where you are resting your weight (of whatever) upon Him and trusting for the outcome and the other of-course is rejoicing in His Faithfulness when He comes into our situation and does something with it. But He wants us to see Him there with us beforehand - in a quiet place in the center of the storm, so to speak. Yes, He is our resting place in the midst of an unrestful situation. We can be involved in one or the other. We can be fretful and upset ourselves in the situation that presents itself and is there for a time (often) or we can engage ourselves with the Peace of God in the midst of it, by drawing aside in His Presence daily and seeing Him with us in the situation. In other words, we need to separate ourselves (spiritually speaking) from the situation instead of being at the mercy of it. Yes, it is much better. Ask Him to show you. "I will not leave you or forsake you".... some of us think or feel that He has. "He is an ever-present help in situations". He wants us to draw on His Strength and rest in His ability. In this way we grow. Sometimes there is a little stretching in the growing process (like there is with children) and because He does not move straightaway, we get bewildered. That's why we need to relate closely with Him in those times. "You don't know my situation!" you say. I would not like to tell you some of those I've been in - I could tell you, it would 'curl your hair' if I did. But I don't see any profit in that. It's far better to share some things from my observations looking back over those times; what The Lord has shown me; and I am seeing in scripture now. At times through the years, I have been "Kept by the Power of God". Sometimes when we are experiencing much stress or turmoil, our prayer time and devotion time can lessen or even diminish. The Lord wants me to tell you, that's when you want to press in not shy away - and He can "hide you in the cleft of the Rock'' (that is His Peace, His Strength in His Presence). "He is a Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him" - sometimes we stop too quickly when He is saying "COME CLOSER". Many years ago, I was about to experience something distressing and The Lord gave me a prophetic word of knowledge through a pastor saying "there is a hard time around the corner and when it comes to hide yourself in My Word". Not long after that, when I had forgotten this, something did come up I had not anticipated and I was emotionally shattered for a time there because I did not do what He said. If I had, I would have been stronger and recovered more quickly. It took me months to get over. Consider This...... Have you ever seen those wise parents who do not spare their children everything but they stand by to give guidance? They let the child make decisions and work things out, and when their guidance is indicated, they step in and support them in a situation? Parents grow strong kids this way and make them smart, providing that child has a loving environment. This can also give them resilience and skills for life. That's what our Father is like with us often but we don't recognize it. Maybe we would 'spit the dummy' if we did!? So often we complain about something and feel hard done by, wondering where He is - much as to say "where's my dad, my dad, where are you?" And He's right there, standing behind us, but we can't see Him for the situation that has captured our view. In fact, it's like a fog and He's actually right in front of us, to give us that guidance, that support and lead us out of it or sustain us. He is our Protector - We are His I know we have enemies and real situations but I was speaking about that in a less threatening sense. We are in our Father's Care in all situations, whatever they may be. Like I said, it would curl your hair if you knew some things I could tell you - so He does cover everything! The Protection and Keeping Power of God is all around us - different than I thought a few times - we need to know how to hold His hand in a storm and sometimes to come up a little higher in daddy's arm where we can feel embraced. But how can He do that if we run off in the storm or sit on the ground - letting go of His Hand because we are upset or things are disturbing around us? And I do know what I'm talking about, because I have been misdiagnosed by the Medical Profession and experienced 2 Medically induced conditions and other situations. A few things through the years the Spirit of God tried to spare me from - I did not realize and walked straight into them. We need to develop a sensitivity to "His still small Voice" in our spirit and listen closely because often, that's where the Protection is - in the leading of His Spirit but we fail to recognize it if we are out of practice. SO WE NEED TO SPEND TIME WITH HIM ON A REGULAR BASIS! Jeremiah went through some hard times and he said these words: …21This
I recall to my mind, Therefore I have Hope. 22The
LORD'S Loving Mercies indeed never cease, For His Compassions never
fail. 23They
are new every morning; Great is Your Faithfulness. (Lam 3) YES, He is a God of Faithfulness we can anchor our HOPE on. And did you hear what this servant of God said? "His Compassion never fails". Let me give you some of those verses in other translations. I love to read Parallel Versions and Cross References. It brings out the richness in His Words. Because the original Greek and Hebrew are richer languages, no version can express a verse in it's entirety. I also like to study the original Greek or Hebrew word in a verse too. ie there are several meanings to the word strength and you can more closely define it. English
Standard Version The Steadfast Love of The LORD never ceases; His Mercies never come to an end. New
American Standard Bible The LORD'S Loving-kindness indeed will never cease, For His Compassions never fail. NET
Bible The LORD's Loyal Kindness never ceases; His Compassions never end. New
Living Translation Great is His Faithfulness; His Mercies begin Afresh each morning. Young's
Literal Translation New every morning, Abundant is Your Faithfulness. NET
Bible They are fresh every morning; Your Faithfulness is Abundant! I WILL PROVE THIS TO YOU. EACH MORNING THE SUN RISES, THE FLOWERS BLOOM AND THE BIRDS SING. ALSO, WHEN WE WAKE UP, WE HAVE NEW BABY BRAIN CELLS THAT HAVE GENERATED WHILE WE WERE SLEEPING. SO EVEN IF JUST FOR THESE REASONS (seemingly) HIS MERCIES ARE NEW EVERY MORNING. WE WOULD DO WELL TO MEDITATE ON THESE SIMPLE BLESSINGS MORE OFTEN - IT WOULD UNCOMPLICATE SOME OF OUR PROBLEMS. Each new morning, His Loving Mercies begin afresh. One version says they are not limited - so He is not short of finding ways to express this if we are receptive and looking for them.Focus is a wonderful thing, we can focus on His Loving-kindness in the midst of situations and they have far less impact. My sister sent me a card once with a verse in it "they looked to The Lord and their faces were not ashamed". When I read these words and meditated on them, things lifted. That's why Jesus said His Words are Spirit and they are Life. Praise God. YES, THINGS WILL LIFT OFF YOU OR YOU WILL BE SUSTAINED WHEN YOU FOCUS ON GOD OR PRESS INTO HIM. Let us hold unswervingly to the Hope we profess, for
He who promised is Faithful. Let us hold tightly without wavering to
the Hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep His Promise. English
Standard Version Let us hold fast the confession of our Hope without wavering, for He who promised is Faithful. Berean
Study Bible Let us hold resolutely to the Hope we confess, for He who promised is Faithful. NET
Bible And let us hold unwaveringly to the Hope that we confess, for the One who made the Promise is Trustworthy. The Lord be with your spirit and make you strong The Lord turn your sorrow into Joy. The Lord transform those sad days into glad days. The Lord be your light in whatever situation. The Lord bring you comfort like no other. The Lord bring you out with shouts of Joy! He will come through for you. Remember this usually requires something on your part. It did for me, I did not have to be as disheartened as I was. Even in a time of great relentless stress, I found there were days it kind of subsided when I came to Him in quietness and trust purposefully singing songs of worship and praise to Him. This is a simple act of will to do so and it helps it really does. I needed to do this more often and so do you. GOD BLESS YOU! TAGS: In the Storms Trust Him, Strength in Every Situation, Peace Be Still. |