God uses circumstances to develop our character.
2. Cor 4:17
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Life is a series of problems. Every time you solve one, another one is waiting.
John 16:33
I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
You are measured by the way you handle your problems.
1 Peter 4: 12-19
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.
Mat. 5: 1-12
Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Sometime we suffer for someone else.
Col. 1:24
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions.
Problems forces us to look to God and depend on Him instead of ourselves.
2. Cor. 1: 3-11
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our afflictions so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
We learn obedience in suffering.
Heb. 5:8
Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered.
We need to be like Paul when he said "whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I haven suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and be found in Him." Phil. 3
Learning how to rejoice in suffering will keep your heart right and bring peace.
Blessings
Doug
Monday, November 26, 2007
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Being Convinced that God is Faithful.
The Lord spoke to me about being convinced that He is able to bring to pass what He has spoken and that He is able to keep what I have trusted to Him.
Heb 11:6
Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for He who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those that seeks Him.
He gives each a measure of faith. Did you catch it? He gives us what pleases Him to start with so that we can please Him. How cool is that.
We must believe that He is. Is what? He is God, He's the Man, He is the beginning before the end. He holds the universe in the palm of His hand. That means He is BIG.
"Seek you first the Kingdom of God, and all these things will be added to you." He tells us that when we seek Him first all these things will be added because He knows we have need of them. How cool is that.
I made a list of things that I am convinced of:
1. God loves me. John 3:16
2. God chose me. John 15:16
3. God will never leave me or forsake me. Duet 31:6
4. Greater is He who is in me than against me. 1 John 4:4
5. His word will not return to Him without accomplishing what He sent it for. Isa 55:11
6. He is a rewarder of those that seek Him. Heb 11:6
7. All things work together for good. Rom 8:28
8. No weapon formed against me will prosper. Isa 54:17
9. Whatever I ask according to His will, He hears me. 1 John 5:14
10. That signs and wonders follow me. Mark 16:17
11. That His blessings will overtake me as I walk believing.
12. He is able to finish what He has begun. 2 Tim 1:12
I would encourage you to make your list of the things that you are convinced God will do.
He is faithful and He keeps proving Himself faithful.
Blessings
Doug
Heb 11:6
Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for He who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those that seeks Him.
He gives each a measure of faith. Did you catch it? He gives us what pleases Him to start with so that we can please Him. How cool is that.
We must believe that He is. Is what? He is God, He's the Man, He is the beginning before the end. He holds the universe in the palm of His hand. That means He is BIG.
"Seek you first the Kingdom of God, and all these things will be added to you." He tells us that when we seek Him first all these things will be added because He knows we have need of them. How cool is that.
I made a list of things that I am convinced of:
1. God loves me. John 3:16
2. God chose me. John 15:16
3. God will never leave me or forsake me. Duet 31:6
4. Greater is He who is in me than against me. 1 John 4:4
5. His word will not return to Him without accomplishing what He sent it for. Isa 55:11
6. He is a rewarder of those that seek Him. Heb 11:6
7. All things work together for good. Rom 8:28
8. No weapon formed against me will prosper. Isa 54:17
9. Whatever I ask according to His will, He hears me. 1 John 5:14
10. That signs and wonders follow me. Mark 16:17
11. That His blessings will overtake me as I walk believing.
12. He is able to finish what He has begun. 2 Tim 1:12
I would encourage you to make your list of the things that you are convinced God will do.
He is faithful and He keeps proving Himself faithful.
Blessings
Doug
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Cease striving and know
Ps 46:10
Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.
I feel that this is the time for us to be still and listen to what the Lord will be speaking to us. I believe the Lord is ready to be exalted among the lost of the world. I feel that this next season will be a time of salvation and healing for many who are lost, and a time of God redeeming those who have fallen alway.
We need to be at the place where we can hear what His heart is. John 15 tells us that we are no longer slaves but friends because we do what He commands us. Therefore He is making known to us what He has heard from His Father.
I want to be a part of what God will be doing on the earth. Not of watching it, but an active doing of it. His Kingdom is being established here on earth as it is in heaven.
Take time to be still from all your stuff and listen to what the Spirit of the Lord will speak to you.
Being still and listening so I will be a doer.
Doug
Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.
I feel that this is the time for us to be still and listen to what the Lord will be speaking to us. I believe the Lord is ready to be exalted among the lost of the world. I feel that this next season will be a time of salvation and healing for many who are lost, and a time of God redeeming those who have fallen alway.
We need to be at the place where we can hear what His heart is. John 15 tells us that we are no longer slaves but friends because we do what He commands us. Therefore He is making known to us what He has heard from His Father.
I want to be a part of what God will be doing on the earth. Not of watching it, but an active doing of it. His Kingdom is being established here on earth as it is in heaven.
Take time to be still from all your stuff and listen to what the Spirit of the Lord will speak to you.
Being still and listening so I will be a doer.
Doug
Sunday, October 28, 2007
where is your trust
In the mid 80's, God spoke to me about getting out of farming and move to the DFW area to go full time in the ministry. So I moved to Graham Texas and got in the oil business, not what the Lord had spoken to me to do. But what my leadership said I should do, so I thought I missed the Lord in what I thought He has spoken to me and moved to Graham.
The oil business went south and I had lost a bunch of money. I didn’t understand what was going on. I then heard the Lord say, go back to Oklahoma, so I moved back and bought a restaurant, and it went broke. I thought well, I could get back in to farming and every thing would be good and I could get out of debt.
I starting farming, and it looked like things where going good, my cattle where getting fat and the price was good. The week before I sold my cattle, they started dying, and I thought that is weird. But I said it’s ok because my wheat was looking good and would make up the difference. But the week before I started cutting the wheat, a hailstorm come and hailed out my wheat. I thought, that is weird. But it’s ok; my cotton crop is looking good. The week before I starting harvesting my cotton a hailstorm came and hailed out my cotton. So I said to the Lord. What is going on? He said, I am showing you what you can do.
That is when the Lord gave me Jer 17:5-8
I learned that I couldn’t trust in the arm of my flesh, but had to make the Lord my trust. It is one thing, to trust in the Lord, and another thing to make the Lord your trust. When the Lord is your trust you will be fruitful, even in dry places. The blessing of the Lord are always before you; you just can’t see them because you are trusting in the arm of your flesh or your gifting.
That is when I made the Lord my trust, and not my ability. So the next year I planted cotton and made the best cotton in the county.
The thing that I learned was the Lord had to be my trust and my hope, I couldn’t trust in what I could do or even in what the Lord had gifted me to be. He is my trust, and I can do nothing outside of Him that will bring life or produces fruits.
I have been serving the Lord for 33 years, I am debt free, out of farming and travel the world preaching His kingdom and making disciples.
I pray that this will help you from making some of the same dumb mistakes that I have made.
Make the Lord your trust, He is faithful.
Blessings
Doug
The oil business went south and I had lost a bunch of money. I didn’t understand what was going on. I then heard the Lord say, go back to Oklahoma, so I moved back and bought a restaurant, and it went broke. I thought well, I could get back in to farming and every thing would be good and I could get out of debt.
I starting farming, and it looked like things where going good, my cattle where getting fat and the price was good. The week before I sold my cattle, they started dying, and I thought that is weird. But I said it’s ok because my wheat was looking good and would make up the difference. But the week before I started cutting the wheat, a hailstorm come and hailed out my wheat. I thought, that is weird. But it’s ok; my cotton crop is looking good. The week before I starting harvesting my cotton a hailstorm came and hailed out my cotton. So I said to the Lord. What is going on? He said, I am showing you what you can do.
That is when the Lord gave me Jer 17:5-8
I learned that I couldn’t trust in the arm of my flesh, but had to make the Lord my trust. It is one thing, to trust in the Lord, and another thing to make the Lord your trust. When the Lord is your trust you will be fruitful, even in dry places. The blessing of the Lord are always before you; you just can’t see them because you are trusting in the arm of your flesh or your gifting.
That is when I made the Lord my trust, and not my ability. So the next year I planted cotton and made the best cotton in the county.
The thing that I learned was the Lord had to be my trust and my hope, I couldn’t trust in what I could do or even in what the Lord had gifted me to be. He is my trust, and I can do nothing outside of Him that will bring life or produces fruits.
I have been serving the Lord for 33 years, I am debt free, out of farming and travel the world preaching His kingdom and making disciples.
I pray that this will help you from making some of the same dumb mistakes that I have made.
Make the Lord your trust, He is faithful.
Blessings
Doug
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
How We See One Another
Most of us spend our whole life knowing one another after the flesh. We judge people by what they do and don't do. It is all about the way people preform according to our judgements and expectations that we have. If they do this, that means this. If they do that, it's means that and so on. We get caught in the trap of trying to be what people want, instead of being who we where called by God to be.
I think what Paul was talking about in 2 Cor 5. was not to regard one another from a worldly point of view, but a Kingdom point of view. We are to know one another after the spirit and not after the flesh. When we see people by the spirit, then we see them through the heart of God's love and purpose. Remember in Christ we became spiritual beings no longer fleshly beings.
Let us try to see and encourage one another with the heart of the Kingdom, which is not counting people's sins against them, but reconciling them to God's love in Christ the King.
Blessings
Doug
I think what Paul was talking about in 2 Cor 5. was not to regard one another from a worldly point of view, but a Kingdom point of view. We are to know one another after the spirit and not after the flesh. When we see people by the spirit, then we see them through the heart of God's love and purpose. Remember in Christ we became spiritual beings no longer fleshly beings.
Let us try to see and encourage one another with the heart of the Kingdom, which is not counting people's sins against them, but reconciling them to God's love in Christ the King.
Blessings
Doug
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Cure for Anxiety
Have you ever found yourself worrying about stuff?
Stuff like what you will eat or what you will drink or what you will wear or even how you are going to pay your bills.
Mat. 6: tells us to seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
His Kingdom and His righteousness, that is the key. It is in finding your life in Christ the King. When you know who the King is and that you life is hidden in the King, then you have every thing that you need. For there is nothing you need outside what the King’s heart is for you.
We have been told that we have every thing we need in Jesus and that is true, because He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.
He tells us that His peace He leaves us. So stop worrying about the stuff and rest in the fact, that the King has called you and chosen you and appointed you for good things.
Remind the King of what He has said, and watch Him do it.
Blessings
Doug
Stuff like what you will eat or what you will drink or what you will wear or even how you are going to pay your bills.
Mat. 6: tells us to seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
His Kingdom and His righteousness, that is the key. It is in finding your life in Christ the King. When you know who the King is and that you life is hidden in the King, then you have every thing that you need. For there is nothing you need outside what the King’s heart is for you.
We have been told that we have every thing we need in Jesus and that is true, because He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.
He tells us that His peace He leaves us. So stop worrying about the stuff and rest in the fact, that the King has called you and chosen you and appointed you for good things.
Remind the King of what He has said, and watch Him do it.
Blessings
Doug
Monday, September 17, 2007
Is Life Like Golf
I was playing in a golf tournament this last weekend with a friend in Granbury, and I realized that golf was like life.
In this tournament, you had to reach a certain score to win the event, ours was 38.5 and that was what we where looking at. Then it dawn on me that we couldn’t look at the end score, we had to look at every hole, and try to get the 2.14 per hole so we could meet our goal, and not just every hole, but one shot at a time. When we hit one shot at a time then the whole would take care of itself. We couldn’t make 38.5 points on the first hole, so we didn’t try. Each hole one shot at a time, we started out making what we needed on the 1st few holes, and then something happened, we went 3 holes without making a point. We said that’s it; we won’t make our goal. But we stayed focus and played each shot at a time and made 38 points. Didn’t win, but reached our goaled. Well almost, what’s a .05?
The thing I learned is that God knows our goal, and shows it to us at the beginning, and then helps us one day at a time to reach the end. We are not to get distracted by one or two bad shots, but know, that the whole will take care of the end.
Blessing
Doug
PS
Jesus is the whole.
In this tournament, you had to reach a certain score to win the event, ours was 38.5 and that was what we where looking at. Then it dawn on me that we couldn’t look at the end score, we had to look at every hole, and try to get the 2.14 per hole so we could meet our goal, and not just every hole, but one shot at a time. When we hit one shot at a time then the whole would take care of itself. We couldn’t make 38.5 points on the first hole, so we didn’t try. Each hole one shot at a time, we started out making what we needed on the 1st few holes, and then something happened, we went 3 holes without making a point. We said that’s it; we won’t make our goal. But we stayed focus and played each shot at a time and made 38 points. Didn’t win, but reached our goaled. Well almost, what’s a .05?
The thing I learned is that God knows our goal, and shows it to us at the beginning, and then helps us one day at a time to reach the end. We are not to get distracted by one or two bad shots, but know, that the whole will take care of the end.
Blessing
Doug
PS
Jesus is the whole.
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