Encouraging Topic for October

On Higher Ground

There are times in our life when it is hard to see how God is at work and we wonder if He is even there.  Oftentimes life just doesn't make sense! As children, we ask the Lord, why? We often want to handle everything by ourselves and when things don't go our way we may even throw a tantrum! Sometimes when I am frustrated over my children, God has a way of reminding me how I can act the same way.  Thankful for his grace and love, it encourages me to pass it on to my children.  

We don't always trust God with things and we often see Him as a strict dictator who will strike us down with lightning if we step out of line.   In reality, God is more like a loving Father who wants to protect us, knows what's best for us, and gives us unlimited grace as we strive to follow Him.  

Isaiah 55:8 says, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways says the Lord.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."

Psalms 18:30 says, "As for God, his way is perfect; the Word of the Lord is proven. He is a shield to all those who trust in him."

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, " Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths"

As we can see from these scriptures, God has a bigger, higher plan and vision that we can not always see.  His ways are perfect and he will protect us and guide us as we trust Him.  

God often does things differently than we would.  He could have easily wiped humanity off the face of the earth when sin came into the picture and just started over, but He didn't.  He did something that not even the brightest mind could conceive.  God came down to rescue His creation himself.  He came down from heaven, clothed in human flesh, and took upon Himself the punishment that we deserved.  He was crucified on the cross for the sins of all Humanity.  God's ways are most certainly NOT our ways.

Matthew 1:21 says, "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel, which is translated, 'God With Us"

John 1:1, "In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God and THE WORD WAS GOD"

John 1:14, " And THE WORD became flesh and dwelt among us"

 Religion is man's way of trying to get to God.  The cross, is God coming to the rescue of man!  Man's way is to make rules and lists of things you must do to get to God, but the truth is that God's ways are not our ways!  There is nothing we can do to get ourselves to heaven.  No matter how many good things we do, we still have sin. It was Jesus, God in human flesh,  who paid our sin debt for us on the cross!  God Loves us and wants to save us! He made it SIMPLE! Man is the one who complicates things with religion. 

 Romans 10:13 says, "for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved"  

John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that he sent his only son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life."

God simply asks us to call upon the name of the Lord and believe in Jesus!  Any changes will come as a result of a changed heart! God doesn't ask us to change to come to Him.  He accepts us just as we are.   

Whatever you are facing in your life today, know that you are only seeing a piece of a larger picture.  Like a tapestry, we are often looking at the jumbled mess of knots and mixed up colors that you see from the bottom.  God is looking down from above and He is weaving a beautiful picture in your life.  Trust Him, believe in Him as your Savior if you haven't already.   He created you and He will create good in your life if you allow Him to.

Godbless and Happy Mothering!!!!

Love,
Shannon