Romans 5:8 “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (NIV)
Sometimes we’re not where we need to be in our relationship with GOD,
We assume that because of our mistakes and faults that He can’t work with us.
We mistake His silence for absence,
when in all reality
He just wants us to take time to listen for his voice and to hear it more clearly.
There is never a time in our lives that we are not visible to God.
God is always with us even in our times of troubles.
God does not get so busy that he forgets that we need his love and support.
He does not get distracted and allow the issues of the world to take priority over our needs.
I understand that there are times for everyone that we get to a point that we just don’t know where to turn.
We feel that the world is just too big.
That our problems are only going to get worst.
That the Devil is just too strong.
Psalm 34:18 “ The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (NIV)
You may feel that you are defeated,
God is closer than you realize. He is always with you and can heal your heart.
So what do you do when you just don’t know where to turn?
What do you do when the world starts to crush all of your hopes and dreams?
What do you do when you can’t see tomorrow because of the darkness that is covering today
What do you do?
Look up!
Look Up to Jesus who understands your pain!
Even when we can’t see what God is doing in our lives, we need to trust him.
Psalm 23:4 “Yes 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”. (NIV)
But lets be real.
What about when we can’t feel the presence of God.
When the storms of life have not only hit you
But when the storms of life have seemed to have won
When we have lost our way and don’t know the way back.
Jesus Tells us John 16:33 “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart: I have overcome the world”.
Jesus hears us when we are in the darkest places of our lives.
God hears us and will save us from our troubles.
Life can be troublesome.
It can be tiring,
frustrating, disappointing and painful.
It is probably true for all of us that our first introduction to life was a slap on the backside.
As we entered this world after a pretty difficult journey from Moms womb
some rather enthusiastic woman took us in her hands and belted our bum.
What a great beginning.
For not a few of us it was the sign of things to come.
Psalm 34:17 “ When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of their troubles” (NIV)
I do understand what it feels like to question if God is really going to Help.
I understand what its like to feel like tomorrow will not be available.
Like our hope and dreams are only that “ Dreams”.
That our nightmares are our truths.
So again what do we do
We let God’s Love come to life inside of us and change us..
A love and trust that will cause a revival within us and around us.
A love that will show us a new freedom from the world
and from all of the problems that try to drag us down.
When we stop focusing on the issues and problems of the world
And focus on what God can and will do.
Something inside of us will come alive.
We will be that new creature that I speak about.
Jesus never hides the truth from his followers.
He never painted a picture of discipleship that was only attractive without also displaying the cost.
He says that his honesty has one aim …
“that in ME you may have peace”
Some years ago,
a 14-foot bronze crucifix was stolen from Calvary Cemetery in Little Rock, Arkansas.
It had stood at the entrance to that cemetery for more than 50 years.
The thieves figured that the 900-pound cross probably brought about $450
and so they cut it off at its base and hauled it off in a pick-up where they cut it into small pieces and sold it for scrap.
The cross was put there in 1930 by a Catholic bishop and had been valued at the time at $10,000.
Obviously, the thieves didn’t realize the value of that cross.
That’s how it is today in the world,
but also sadly in the church.
This is part of the reason why the Book of Romans was written
because The Apostle Paul fully understood the value of the cross.
Now we know where to Look
