Struggles Are Necessary! by Myra Boozer

"But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 41:31

I have been thinking about struggles lately, maybe because I have had a few. I came across this story, and it helps put things into perspective. Maybe it will help someone else.

 A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day, a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could, and it could go no further. So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon.

The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that at any moment the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time. Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It was never able to fly.

What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

SOMETIMES STRUGGLES ARE EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED IN OUR LIVES. If God allowed us to go through our lives without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as we could be. We could never fly! Lord, help me to not doubt the path you have chosen for me because you are working ALL things for my good, even in the struggles.

This life is full of struggles, but one Day, and it may not be that far away, we are going to hear that trumpet sound and our wings are gonna open wide, lifting us right off this earth to meet our Lord in the clouds. We will be so glad we endured whatever we had to endure to make us strong in the Lord. I'm gonna lift my hands til I reach Heaven...a sign of surrender to the Almighty One and also a sign of adoration to OUR KING. Struggles Are Necessary! 

Hope?

The natural man within us is governed by conditions and circumstances. If we look only at what we see with our physical eyes, our future appears rather bleak. The dark days around us can become very distressing, discouraging, desperate, pessimistic, and hopeless. However, our life in Jesus Christ is not governed by our natural man. We can rise above every circumstance and condition by the Holy Spirit of God, which inhabits this mortal body. We are not dominated by what we see or what we perceive to be taking place around us. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me...” Psalm 23:4. He will go with me all the way. He will ensure that I finish my mission according to His plan as I put my faith and trust in Him. I will fear no evil because He goes with me and leads me in the way I should go.

Thanks be to God who gives us the victory because He reigns Sovereign over all Creation. “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord,” 1 Corinthians. 15:57-58.

There has been no trial given to man that the power of His Love and Grace cannot vanquish. We stand in the power of His Love. His Love for all mankind set Him on the cross. His Love for us brought Him forth from the grave and raised Him Victorious over death and hell. By His Grace, He extends to us the gift of His Resurrection. Believe in Him, accept His promise, and receive eternal life. https://www.youtube.com/watchv=rNXd0KQaYXg&list=RD9f2FXxDVO6w&index=2 

God Wants Your Commitment! by Myra Boozer

Many people turn to God when they have serious troubles and trials. They need help! So, they go to Church, say their prayers, but only for a short time. They turn back to their old ways until the next time, when they just can't handle their problems any longer. Over and over, they do this. So Sad! They just don't understand!

God is not a "pie in the sky" kind of God. He wants us to love Him for who He is, not for what He can do for us in times of need alone. He is not an on-and-off God. He is a full-time God and wants a full-time relationship with His Children.

Today is not the time to forget God! The battle is raging, and it is so dangerous to be out in the cold without your covering. God wants to shield you and keep you from all harm and danger of the enemy that is out to steal, kill, and destroy. Satan is sneaky and will come at you in many different forms...sometimes as an Angel of Light. Don't be deceived by him! Run to God today and find Him to be your answer. He is waiting with open arms, longing for you to make a commitment to Him. Stay the course, don't run away. "We love Him because He first loved us," I John 4:19. God Wants Your Commitment! 

Be Still And Know (Encounter) God!

Psalm 46:1, “...God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 3 Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. 4 There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. 5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early. 6The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted. 7 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. 8 Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth. 9 He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire. 10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. 11The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.”

We need to know God! We need to encounter God! We need more than an intellectual knowledge of the person in the Bible referred to as the “Lord God Jehovah.” We need a life-changing encounter with Him that will put us on track to experience His Person every day of our lives.

We need to know God in such an intimate manner that He can give us specific instructions for this hour. Now is the time to pray and seek Him for individual direction and instructions for the Body of Christ. We cannot afford to delay or be negligent in this task. There is far too much at stake. The salvation of those we love and influence is at risk. How shall we escape if we neglect this great salvation? Time is short! Our deliverance is at hand!

Will you join in this prayer with me? “Lord Jesus Christ, I want to be still and hear Your Voice. Open our ears to hear Your Message for today. Bring forth in us Your Purpose and Will. Send Your Power to explode in the lives of those who will believe, sending forth the fragments of Your Glory, penetrating the most formidable obstructions that Satan has built. Invade the darkness with the light of Your Presence, sending out disintegrating beams of Your Deliverance. As the rays of the sun warm and revive creation in the spring, may the rejuvenating Power of Your Love and Mercy call to life the sedentary soul. We pray this in the Name of Jesus, Amen!” 

Need Confidence? by Myra Boozer

If you are in need of confidence (trust, reliance, assurance), turn your eyes to the Lord Jesus. That is where our help comes from. There is no greater power or greater force than God. Yes, God uses man sometimes to take care of the things that we may need. But, for the one who created this whole universe and hung it in space, He really doesn't need anyone to help Him, but He allows us to be part of His great plan.

Put your trust in Him, and your confidence will rise knowing this. Psalms 40:11, "Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD, let thy loving kindness and thy truth continually preserve me." It is He who gives us life and all that we need, ONE DAY AT A TIME. “For in thee O Lord, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God,” Psalm 38:15.

When we truly BELIEVE, then we will be filled with confidence, not in ourselves, but in God. "Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies," Psalm 40:4. 

Hope When Times Are Hopeless!

John 14:1, “Let not your heart be troubled…”

The storms of life will continue to rage. They will continue to take their toll on both the body and mind. They will become more intense before they are concluded, and all human ingenuity and effort cannot contain them. Only Divine intervention can change their course.

But tomorrow is coming when they will all pass away. The clouds will be dispersed, and the Son will rise and shine at the beginning of a perfect day. The Day Star will rise, casting all imperfection into yesterday, and will lead us into our pure, unspoiled future. Jesus gave us this promise.

John 14:1, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

At this very moment, as we battle the storms in our lives, Jesus is making provision for us. He is providing the spiritual fortitude to bring us through the storms and also preparing our final destination to be with Him. We must place our hand in His and let Him lead us there. There is no storm, no trial, no test, or battle that He cannot navigate. In fact, He allows the storms to come to help us grow and mature as His disciples. He is teaching us to recognize the best path. He is teaching us that He is always with us, and we are learning to recognize Him in our storm. God uses the storms to fashion His faith, His trust, and His assurance in us. Faith that His promises are sure, trust that it is His voice we hear, and assurance that no matter where the storms may carry us, He is always there. Matt. 28:20, “...and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world...”

Christ has promised to go with us, sustain us, and deliver us. What we must do is walk with Him. We belong to Him, and He has paid a great price for our deliverance. Nothing can take us out of His hand if we will only trust and obey Him.

My soul craves the peace of God's presence. In His stillness, I find peace and rest. He lifts me above this world's raging storm. He quiets the winds and calms the blustery waves. He commands “peace, be still,” and my life returns. He is my Hope When Times Are Hopeless! 

My Safe Place! by Myra Boozer

Life is full of troubles, trials, and disappointments, and many days our hearts can be broken because of all that is going on in our world. Neglected children, the forgotten elderly, the sick and dying, and the lonely with no one to share the day. It is a beautiful thing to know that God has a place that provides protection and shelter, a place one can turn to for help, relief, and escape. The Lord tells us He is with us at all times. But we must leave our little world of survival and focus our hearts and minds towards Him who is our refuge.

When we give all our TRUST to Him alone, then it happens. He comes and sits with us, talking with us, wrapping His big arms of love around us. It is then that we realize we are not alone or overtaken by any burden that He cannot handle.

When we allow the Holy Spirit to renew our minds, we are actually surrendering to what is going on and receiving our life vest for survival during our storm. Spiritually, we are taken into that safe place of His protection, His pavilion, and none of the things of this world can defeat us. Not that we are not there already, but when our hearts don't stay FIXED on Him, we do not REST in His PRESENCE.

We must stay awake and aware that the world will pull us in, leaving us vulnerable to Satan and his lies of defeat. BUT Jesus says Come unto me, ALL of you that are troubled or overtaken, and I will give you REST. He is our safe place in a world of calamity. He is our shelter in the time of the storm. He is the one who lifts us up above the shadows and puts our feet on solid ground.

To really know Him is to TRUST Him...To Trust Him means that your soul will be at REST... When all around us is crumbling down...Our heart is fixed on the Lord and we are safe and secure in Him...Jesus is My Safe Place!