struggle shows we need God

The struggle is real, but it is not always what it seems. As we talked about on Monday much of the struggle is in the spirit world and not in what we can see or feel or is right in front of us.

We have heard that for a very long time, and God has been transforming our lives, making us more like Jesus, while we in a world that is fallen and broken. People live in the middle of struggles and are being continually bombarded with pain. Yet God meets us in the middle of the struggle.

God has reminded us over and over that He is what we need, better yet who we need. Often people seek what God can do rather than seek God. Stop there. Ask yourself a vital question. Do I want more of His presence or more of His blessings?

The answer might lead you to understand the struggle even more. That is why we keep on for the rest of the week examining how the struggle is real. Now it is our choice how we deal with the struggle we encounter.

Proverbs 10:8 NASB

The wise of heart will receive commands, But a babbling fool will come to ruin.

Proverbs 12:15 NASB

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But a person who listens to advice is wise.

Proverbs 14:16 NASB

A wise person is cautious and turns away from evil, But a fool is arrogant and careless.

I love the contrast of the wise and the foolish person as Proverbs depicts for us. It is eye opening. Seeing those contrasts is one more reason to spend time each day in Proverbs (one chapter each day corresponding to the day of the month).

Go a little further with me in this struggle. There is another spiritual reason why the struggle continues to be hard and maybe even a little lonely.

Galatians 5:16 NASB

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.

Hebrews 6:12 NLT

Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and endurance.

I hope you get my point. The struggle gets harder when we try to walk alone, without God or neglecting the truth of Scripture in our daily life.

The struggle is real. That is why we need God.

Francis Chan's "Forgotten God" (brand new book)

One of the most powerful preachers, writers and leaders of our time, in my opinion, is Francis Chan. His first book, Crazy Love , revolutionized my thoughts about God's love as well as my interacting with God. Now it is time for a brand new book from Chan being released tomorrow, September 1st. The book is Forgotten God . This is a phenomenal book about the power that Christians and the church can and must tap into. All of it is within the Holy Spirit. Francis talks about the power that was seen in the book of Acts when the Holy Spirit began to move among people. It is true that many have avoided or maybe forgotten what the Holy Spirit is all about. And like the Savior who poured out His life and blood so we have reason to rejoice, we were made to lay down our lives and give until it hurts. We are most alive when we are loving and actively giving of ourselves because we were made to do these things. It is when we live like this that the Spirit of God moves and ac...

inspiration from C.S. Lewis

There are many people, past and present, who get our attention by what they write or say or share. For me C.S. Lewis is one of those. He was a prolific writer who continues to grab the attention of thinkers from many different points of view. Lewis first grabbed my attention when I was in 5 th grader, and our teacher, Mrs. Foy, shared The Chronicles of Narnia with our class. It was a powerful time that this dreamer opened doors to thinking like I had never lived before. He wrote of faith, of far off places and of strong figures who found their character rooted deep in God. C.S. Lewis was born in 1898 and died in 1963, 7 years before I was born. It wasn’t until his 30’s that under the influence of his friend Tolkien that he came to be a Christian. He was raised in a traditional church going home, turned away from God as an Atheist in his teen years and through trying to stay away from God and faith returned to God with...

Catalyst ticket arrived

My ticket to the Catalyst Conference, in Atlanta Oct 8-10, just arrived. I'm excited!

Michael Harrison's e-devotion

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