Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Talk Tuesday-When Prayers Go Unanswered

The Bible instructs us to pray. The equation of FAITH combined with PRAYER is powerful. When Jesus cursed the fig tree (Matthew 21:18-21), it quickly withered. The disciples asked Him how He was able to do this:

"Jesus replied, 'Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” Matthew 21:20-22

When the father, in Matthew 17:14-20, brought his demon-possessed son to be healed, his disciples were unable to do so. When questioned, Jesus responded:

“Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20-21

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus said:

"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." Mark 11:24

So then, why do some prayers go unanswered? I do not have the answer to this question, however, we must choose to TRUST GOD (I am speaking to myself first!). He knows what is best for us and He loves us. PRAYER and FAITH are based on TRUST. Do we TRUST GOD? Do we TRUST in His LOVE for us? He is, after all, OUR FATHER, CREATOR and LORD. When the doors close and our prayers seem to go unanswered, remember that He who created the heavens and the earth has a good plan for our lives. Even though at present we may not be able to see it, let us choose to walk by FAITH as an act of TRUST. FAITH is the result of the putting TRUST into action. As a child trusts its parent, so too must we trust GOD.

"And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 18:3

"Yet you, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand." Isaiah 64:8

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:11-13

When prayers go unanswered, how do you process it? Please share your comments and views with our readers at BGO by clicking on the comments link below. We'd love to hear from you!

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Talk Tuesday- The Truths That Bind

Today's post was initially going to be on another topic. After listening to some devastating news someone very special to us received, I decided to write about the Truths That Bind. Many of us now find ourselves in places we had never before imagined- places of pain, confusion and insecurity. Let us fix our eyes on Christ, looking upward as pilgrims who are citizens of heaven, holding on to the truths that bind us closer to GOD. May the Holy Spirit cause the Word to anchor you, so that you hold firmly to Jesus.

"Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." Colossians 3:2-3

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom." Colossians 3:16


God is a refuge in the time of need:
"The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble." Psalm 9:9

He has given us salvation through His Son Jesus Christ:
"...that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9

He does not condemn the repentant sinner:
"There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." Romans 8:10

He provides a way out in the midst of temptation:
"No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." 1 Corinthians 10:13

He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End:
“ 'I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,' says the Lord, 'who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.' " Revelations 1:8

He is the One who has set eternity in the hearts of men:
"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end." Ecclesiastes 3:11

He is able to keep you from falling:
"To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen." Jude 1:24-25

He is faithful to continue the work He has begun in you:
"... being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6

Cry out to Him, as a child would for its father:
"For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." Romans 8:15

And trust Him at all times because this trust brings peace:
"You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you." Isaiah 26:3

Our pain has a purpose and He redeems our suffering.
"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

Remember always, He makes all things new!
"And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful." Revelations 21:5

Friday, November 12, 2010

Share - It's your time to share



Thanks for sharing last week. Each weekend we will put up this section. Last week we had a good response. Let's continue to bless one another.


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Monday, November 8, 2010

Talk Tuesday – I am afraid to share my faith

When was the last time you invited someone to church? How about the last time you told someone about Jesus? May be you are a little shy like me. I find it hard to share my faith, Tash on the other hand does so openly. This weekend Tash and I got a chance to share our testimony at church. I pray that it ministered to someone. After coming home from church, I went on Godtube to look up a video for Movie Monday and found a video by Billy Graham. It’s called My Hope. The outreach goes like this: you invite some friends over for a meal and show them a video by Billy and Franklin Graham. Then you share your testimony and invite them to accept Christ. After seeing the video, I thought, I have to do more. No matter what type of person I am I should be sharing the good news of Jesus Christ.

If Jesus is who He says He is, there must be an urgency in sharing your faith. Without Christ there is no hope. With Christ there is eternal life and an abundant joy. What type of person are you and how do you share your faith? Share with us and let us encourage one another to spread the Gospel.

Mark 16:15 (New International Version)

He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.

Movie Monday - Invite a friend to church -What Could Happen?

Friday, November 5, 2010

Share - It's your time to share

 

We are introducing a new section to the site.  It is called 'Share'.  The idea here is to post what God has been speaking to you about this week.  God may have given you a word that might bless someone.  Maybe you heard a good message or saw a good video.  Maybe you want to share with us what is going on in your life.  This section is for you.  Enjoy.

God Bless
Andrew

Oh yeah...and I just wanted to add that last week when I was feeling really discouraged, Dawn posted a comment on the previous 'Talk Tuesday'. She shared scripture with me, through the leading of the Holy Spirit. Can I tell you that it blessed my socks off and chased the 'blues' away?! Yes, it did!!! So, please, please feel free to share the WORD the LORD has laid on your heart. Let us being to, "Strengthen the the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, 'Be strong, do not fear; your God will come.' " Isaiah 35:3-4

Blessings/Bendiciones!!
Natasha


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Prayer Wall - November



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Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Talk Tuesday-Knowing You Jesus; Spiritual Warfare in Suffering

Spiritual warfare is real. "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:12

In my previous posts, I shared about the overwhelming presence of Jesus during my first surgery. The emptiness I felt leading into the second operation foreshadowed the desert experience I was to undergo during my 40 day stay in the hospital. Last week I shared about the additional pain and tests. It turned out that I had contracted bacterial meningitis, a potentially lethal infection in my cerebral spinal cord fluid. Yet, God in His infinite goodness, saw us through it all.

As I suffered in the flesh, warfare was happening in the spiritual realm. Each night was filled with restless dreams of darkness and fire. I would awaken in terror, not understanding why my sleep was not filled with peace. As I looked up, there was Andrew stationed in prayer, interceding throughout the night on my behalf. I determined to fix my eyes on Jesus, yet I struggled through the noise of the pain.

One Saturday morning, a nurse came into my room. I was feeling depressed, worn out and exhausted. She opened the Bible and began to read from Job and Psalms. I began to weep as I realized that indeed the Lord had not forsaken me. He sent His servant to strengthen me.

Then one night I had a dream. Someone was telling me that God had turned His back on me. I was facing this great mountain, that was symbolic of God's back. It seemed so real. As I awoke I cried out to the Lord. The Holy Spirit brought Psalm 23:4 to mind, "Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for you are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me." God sent another of His servants with a prophetic word. It exhorted me to focus on Him, to commune with Him during this trial, and that I would live and not die.

I began to KNOW that GOD was fighting my battles- that He was with me. Finally, the end of the 40 days was near. After another night of excruciating pain, Sunday morning dawned. My family came from church to relieve Andrew, and sit by my bedside. I was wrung out and exhausted. I felt like a runner who had almost reached the finish line but who had run out of steam. I lay there, on my back, weeping, pain eating at my body. The CSF tear had not yet healed. They inserted a lumbar drain in my spine to collect the leaking fluid, putting me on strict bed rest again. I remember this day clearly-it was the day of my TEMPTATION. As I lay there weeping, gnashing my teeth, my family began to cry too.

Then I heard it. I was stunned, yet too weary to say anything. "If you bow down and worship me, I will take away your pain." It as not the warm voice of my Shepherd Jesus. It was a bone-chilling voice, dark and frightening in my weakness. It was said to me in the depths of my suffering and pain. Satan came to offer me relief. I would like to say that I rebuked him in the Name of Jesus. I didn't even answer. I simply turned my face to left, looked out the window and began to sing praises to the LORD, "Blessed be Your name in the land marked with suffering, when there's pain in the offering, blessed be Your name..." tears streaming down my face.

"But Thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel" Psalm 22:3

"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you." James 4:7-8

"Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast." 1 Peter 5:8-10

Remember, that Jesus intercedes on your behalf. God will never forsake you nor abandon you, whatever you are suffering through. He is faithful. Remember to hold on-just hold on. He will keep you, strengthen you and then use your testimony to strengthen others. HE IS FAITHFUL. Remember Jesus' words to Simon Peter:

"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."
Luke 22:31-23 Please, if you need prayer, post on our Prayer Wall. We promise to pray too.