THERE WILL NOT BE A VIDEO VERSION TODAY UNTIL LATE THIS EVENING. I AM SORRY BUT I HAD SOME ISSUES WITH MY EDITING SOFTWARE.

WELCOME TO GOD FOCUS THIS MORNING

The title of today’s episode: FACING THE FIRE

Don’t waste the trials. Just as a blacksmith tempers a blade with fire, so are we tempered with fiery trials. It is in the fire that our edge can become ready to be sharpened. Until it has an edge put on it the blade is useless.

Further using the analogy of the blade, imagine you are the metal that is being pounded, stuck in a fire, stretched, dunked in cold water, then pounded again. If the metal was able to think, it may wonder why this is happening to it. Just as we often wonder. We question what we have done for things to cause us such distress. Is God disappointed in us?  Many times, it is not because we have failed, but because we have set our minds on doing God’s will. The things we are dealing with we realize is an attack of the enemy and not a trial at all. Having a good prayer life will help us to discern the difference.

Trials remind us to depend on God. They drive us to our knees in prayer for a good outcome. When we are able to give our situations to God, he will give us amazing peace in the middle of the worst storms of life. In our trials our weaknesses become strengths.

Nothing can touch us without it going through God’s hand, so even when things are tough it is for our good. It is to teach us a lesson that will grow us into the best version of ourselves we can be. In becoming the best, we will be the warriors God needs us to be to gather the harvest.

There are trials that shatter us into a million pieces. We don’t even think God can find all of the pieces to put our lives back together, but he knows everything we feel, hope, dream. He knows how we hurt and how the enemy lies to us. He is the only one able to put us together. He will bind our wounds and heal our brokenness.

Romans 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Our suffering cannot compare to the spiritual gain that will be built up in us. The things of this life will someday pass. Of one thing we can be sure. Trouble comes to everyone. Just like thunderstorms come and go. But when the storm is over, the sky looks even brighter than it did before the storm. We just have to lean on God and ride out the storms of life, leaning on him. He will not allow us to be overtaken but will at some point whisper peace be still to our storms.

James 1:2-4 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

I can honestly say that I have never rejoice and counted it joy when trials come, none of us want to suffer. Jesus didn’t want to suffer, he asked for the cup to pass from him. But he surrendered to the will of God and went to the cross. He will never allow more in our lives than we can handle.

Sometimes trials and suffering come to grow us. Other times we suffer because of bad choices and disobedience. The only good to come from this type of suffering is to learn not to be disobedient children.

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

 We as children of God can never allow the enemy to make us feel alone. We cannot allow him to put heaviness on us that we isolate from other believers. We need our brothers and sisters to pray with us and encourage us when we are fighting our way through trials of life.

Taking life one day at a time is the only way to walk through a trial. Allowing God to work in us will give us strength to see us through whatever storm we are facing. Sometimes, we need to reach out and help others through their situations. In lifting up another, we elevate ourselves out of our trials.

Through it all, we can trust that God is with us, he will never leave us. He will see us through whatever comes our way.

Until next time,

BE BOLD, BE BRAVE AND KEEP YOUR GOD FOCUS

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