Wednesday, April 12, 2006

Subject: God Wanted Me to Tell You

It shall be well with you this year. No matter how much your enemies try this year, they will not succeed. You have been destined to make it and you shall surely achieve all your goals this year. For the remaining months of the year, all your agonies will be diverted and victory and prosperity will be incoming in abundance. Today God has confirmed the end of your sufferings, sorrows and pains because HE that sits on the throne has remembered you. He has taken away the hardships and given you JOY. He will never let you down. I knocked at heaven's door this morning, God asked me... My child! What can I do for you? And I said, Father, please protect and bless the person reading this message... God smiled and answered... Request granted.

I received this by email yesterday at a point in the day where I was experiencing excrutiating pain from an infection I'm continuing to battle. I haven't talked to this person in a while, so they didn't even know where I am right now in life. Do I agree with it totally? There will always be battles in our Christian walk, especially if we are working hard to be on track with God, striving to serve Him with all we have, looking to serve Him in new ways, etc. From experience I find that usually the battles come through illness, pain or experiencing agony, frustration, confusion, etc. in situations. Does it mean God's not there? Not a chance...He's always there by our side and He's never leaving...Hallelujah for that! I've been on my knees the last while, praying for a blanketing of protection on my pastors and church, family and friends, for the simple fact that I know He's with them and He will be their light, no matter how dark or bleak things might get and no matter how good things are going. The simple fact of life is, that even though we might not be experiencing a battle currently, chances are there very well might be one right around the next corner. The comfort for me is that no matter what's around that corner, God's walking with me and ready to give me the strength and endurance I need to make it through!

During a discussion via email, this was quoted, and being someone who has truly battled with some 'storms' this last little while and also struggled with the feeling of loneliness, this spoke mountains to me and gave me a lot of comfort in knowing we are truly walking beside each other. "But God - there's the phrase that resounds through all human history - responds not only to our hearts' cry but to our faithfulness amidst the storm. So much comes down to whether we can hold on long enough. There are voices of despair who love to whisper that "it's hopeless... this is never going to end" but they speak in vain. Part of the strength that we draw from the Lord is imparted upon us through each other. So never think you are alone - that's the voice of despair trying to buy your heart with yet another lie..." I would much rather lift my family and friends up in prayer...it truly does something to you when you do that. I read in a book about a church who was challenged for Lent to not pray for themselves, except in thanksgiving and to only pray to uplift those around them. I'm trying hard to do this...I have to admit yesterday I did say a small prayer for strength and endurance, but then began to think about how thankful I am to be surrounded by my family and church family, to be able to go to the doctor and receive medication and tests when needed, to be able to freely be who I am and to practice my faith whenever and however I want. In the last while I've also found that when you choose to lift those around you up in the storms, that God does help you to bring your focus back to Him, and if even for only a moment, the storm doesn't seem quite so hard to endure.

I spent last night before bed reading Psalm 55...it gave me a lot of comfort and peace, considering all that's went on the last while...it truly said what I needed to hear before I closed my eyes!

Psalm 55
1 Listen to my prayer, O God, do not ignore my plea;
2 hear me and answer me. My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught
3 at the voice of the enemy, at the stares of the wicked; for they bring down suffering upon me and revile me in their anger.
4 My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death assail me.
5 Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me.
6 I said, "Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest-
7 I would flee far away and stay in the desert; Selah
8 I would hurry to my place of shelter, far from the tempest and storm."
9 Confuse the wicked, O Lord, confound their speech, for I see violence and strife in the city.
10 Day and night they prowl about on its walls; malice and abuse are within it.
11 Destructive forces are at work in the city; threats and lies never leave its streets.
12 If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were raising himself against me, I could hide from him.
13 But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend,
14 with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship as we walked with the throng at the house of God.
15 Let death take my enemies by surprise; let them go down alive to the grave, for evil finds lodging among them.
16 But I call to God, and the LORD saves me.
17 Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice.
18 He ransoms me unharmed from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me.
19 God, who is enthroned forever, will hear them and afflict them— Selah men who never change their ways and have no fear of God.
20 My companion attacks his friends; he violates his covenant.
21 His speech is smooth as butter, yet war is in his heart; his words are more soothing than oil, yet they are drawn swords.
22 Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.
23 But you, O God, will bring down the wicked into the pit of corruption; bloodthirsty and deceitful men will not live out half their days. But as for me, I trust in you.

4 comments:

Kc said...

This post was such a blessing to me just now. I will pray for you sister and I know that He will sustain you and furnish you in every way. I hope His will is for your soon healing and I will ask this accordingly. Thank you again. ;-)

audrey` said...

A very Blessed Easter to you and your loved ones :)

Corry said...

Cinder, you have no idea how all your sharing is such a blessing and encouragement to me.
I pray you will recover soon and may God shower you with as many blessings as you give to us:-)

God's Grace.

Cinder said...

Kc ~ He truly is sustaining me and giving me all I need to endure everything. This, like all things, will happen according to His perfect timing!

God bless ;-)

Audrey ~ Thank you so much...a very Blessed Easter to you and your loved ones too ;-)

Corry ~ Thank you so much...it's a comfort to know that on some of these days when I'm barrelling down my thoughts, that they are able to be an encouragement and blessing in some way!

God is truly showering me and our family with blessings and as I told Kc in terms of my health...This, like all things, will happen according to His perfect timing!

God bless you ;-)