Fantastic Friday #791 - Holes

Holes


14 Whoever is pregnant with evil
conceives trouble and gives birth to disillusionment.
15 Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out
falls into the pit they have made.
16 The trouble they cause recoils on them;
their violence comes down on their own heads. Psalm 7:14-16



This week I observed a couple of different holes. I found a shell that had holes in it from a deteriorating eroding surf that had pounded the shell against the sand for some time that caused many holes in the shell. I also observed a deep hole in the sand where the surf had hit the same spot over and over again. In both cases the holes had increased over time with the pounding of the waves. What can we say about then about the pounding of the enemy on our daily lives? The enemy is relentless and causes us to stumble when we allow it. If we dig our own hole, the enemy is not going to help us but help us dig a deeper hole. It is important for us to stay strong and rely on the Lord to fill our holes when we make a mistake. We need to rely on the fact that only God can fill our holes and pull us out. 


Have a great weekend.


Matt

Fantastic Friday #790 - Empty

Empty

12 He does not answer when people cry out
because of the arrogance of the wicked.
13 Indeed, God does not listen to their empty plea;
the Almighty pays no attention to it.
14 How much less, then, will he listen
when you say that you do not see him,
that your case is before him
and you must wait for him, Job 35:12-14

How do you reach out to God? Is it with an empty heart, one that feels like you deserve what you are asking for because you are a good person? We all have to remember that we are not good and God doesn't answer to arrogant individuals who don't have anything but personal motivation for what they are asking. When we approach God, He wants a humble individual, with desire in their heart, and a love for others. My assumption is that since I do not know how God chooses to answer, I would think He would answer a humble servant more quickly than an arrogant individual. Humbleness is greater than arrogance, and arrogance only leads to separation from God. Sometimes even the humble have to wait in prayer for the answers to come, and the answer may not always be the one you are looking for and could be no. Keep in mind that God will listen, as long as you come humbly.

Have a great weekend.

Matt

Fantastic Friday #789 - Twisted

Twists

8 The voice of the Lordshakes the desert;
the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the Lordtwists the oaks
and strips the forests bare.
And in his temple all cry, “Glory!”
10 The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
the Lord is enthroned as King forever. Psalm 29:8-10


Have you ever sat and watched something just twist in the wind? Back and forth, to and fro, circle around, there seems to be no rhyme or reason to which way the item twists. Our lives can be twisted and turned in the same manner if we don’t follow the Lord and the path He lays before us. We have choices and sometimes those decisions can leave us twisting in the wind because they are not decisions that follow God and His teachings. If God can twist the oaks which are some of the strongest trees on earth, don’t you think he can twist you in the right direction and not leave you floundering. Follow God and not the wind, because the wind will only die out and God is there forever. God will strengthen those who don’t want to twist. 


Have a great weekend.


Matt

Fantastic Friday #788 - Hurt

Hurt

3 You said, ‘Woe to me! The Lord has added sorrow to my pain; I am worn out with groaning and find no rest.’ 4 But the Lord has told me to say to you, ‘This is what the Lord says: I will overthrow what I have built and uproot what I have planted, throughout the earth. Jeremiah 45:3-4

Do you find at times that you hurt for what seems no good reason? Maybe it is something that was said to you, something someone did to you, or maybe your heart hurts because someone left you. We all can hurt for different reasons, but we should take heart that we will never hurt like our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, because He hurt more than anyone. Can you imagine the pain and hurt he experienced? We can tell ourselves that He is God so there is no way that He hurt as bad as I do now. The funny thing is, we would be lying to ourselves, because God came to Earth as a man, one that could experience all the pain, emotions and suffering that we all have the capability of seeing and experiencing ourselves. He died for those same things that we think we suffer with, but I know it is nothing close to the hurt and suffering He experienced. Don't focus on the hurt, focus on the healing and you will not suffer.

Have a great weekend.

Matt