Without electricity, my garage door doesn’t open. And without the power of His Holy Spirit, we can’t open up to the world and make a difference for His Kingdom.
In the Bible, when the woman with the issue of blood touched the hem of the Savior’s garment, Jesus already knew that she was going to touch Him. He already knew she was in the crowd. After all, He is God in the flesh. Now, while He could have pointed her out, Jesus asked, “Who touched Me?”
God wants us to ignore the crowd around us, look past the chaos, and approach His throne boldly. It could have been an unmentioned miracle, but Jesus would have this unnamed woman speak up publicly, for what she sought after and received from Him. Jesus said to her, “Your faith has made you whole,”. She wasn’t just made well, but WHOLE- completely restored.
So, what are you desperately believing God for? And what are you willing to risk? Whatever you do, be bold in your pursuit of God
Rather than focusing on scientific details of the origin of life, the book of Genesis focuses on sharing the world’s purpose and how it’s meant to function.
The author, John Walton, says that the book of Genesis is telling us how God turned this house into a home.
When you go to a friend’s house, you aren’t concerned with how the foundation was poured or the layout of the plumbing. You’re more interested in how this space is used to bring loved ones together. In other words, you’re less focused on the “how” and more focused on the “why” of the house.
The book of Genesis is not a science textbook. It’s the first in a collection that share the story of God and His people.
Geneen Roth has written best-selling books on emotional eating. In an article called “The Treat Trap,” she reminds us that in troubled times sweets seem to offer immediate relief; but unfortunately, their “fix” doesn’t last. The sweetness of chocolate lasts for a mere 30 seconds and after we’ve indulged, the original problem is still there. Then we have an additional problem: the guilt of an unhealthy indulgence on top of the original stressor.
Guilty pleasures, even when sweet, ultimately leave a bad taste. If you find yourself looking for unhealthy distractions when you’re dealing with a stressful situation- Avoid the treat trap! Instead of turning to chocolate, why not turn to God?
One question I hear often is, “If God really loves me, then why am I going through such a hard time?”
Well, God never promised us that life would be without difficulty. He’s given each of us a free will. And like a rock, when thrown into the water makes ripples over the entire pond, frivolous choices made by us or others can cause problems.
But be encouraged because the Bible tells us that God “…causes all things to work together for our good.”
So the next time a problem comes your way, ask God how to handle it. Then, let Him use it to bring good into your life.
