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Thursday, July 7, 2011

Are you offended? ~ Repost from 7/7/2011

Yesterday at Church I was a mess. I did the ugly cry {I'm talking hyperventilating ugly cry} on my Pastor/friend's shoulder. I'm a little embarrassed today but I think he's pretty used to it by now. I was greatly offended by what's happening in my family right now. Angered that healing for my grandpa isn't taking place, in shock that this thing is actually happening....so so angry, God reminded me of this post this morning so I felt I should post it again. Today I'm better, I was honest with God (He already knew my feelings anyway) and we had a long talk and I did the ugly cry on God's shoulder this morning and I choose to think on the good things now, the praise worthy things.

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Repost from 7/7/2011

The other night I read a book. It was a small book, not a lot of chapters or pages. Nothing extraordinary, just a book. But it wasn't just a book to me. In it's pages it held something that God has been trying to tell me probably for a long long time.
Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of Me. Luke 7:23

If you read this passage, it's Jesus answering John's question on whether or not Jesus is the Messiah. He doesn't give a direct answer to John He just says many are healed, and if you don't get offended with me you are blessed.

This book, The Prisoner in the Third Cell, was centered around this passage. Have you ever wondered why a loving and just God would put you in the positions that He does? A family member dies, friends desert you for no apparent reason. Maybe the bills are piling up, you've lost your job, you don't have food to put on the table and no one will hire you because you're "over-qualified".

Have you ever asked God why? But received no answer.

Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of Me.

This book is all about that. God wants to answer our why's..He wants to answer our cries, He wants to answer our questions, He HATES HATES HATES when His children are hurting, but He is soveriegn. He is Just, He is God.

Be still and know I'm God. All things work for the good for those that love Me.

John the Baptist died without ever knowing that Jesus was the Messiah, he got his head chopped off and served on a platter without knowing that his life was not a waste, that Jesus the true Messiah was the one he had spent his life preparing for. He died without answers but he was faithful to the end.

When we are facing a trial, when we are locked in a jail cell with no way out, remain faithful. There is good that will come from your trial. God loves you and He will hold you through your test.

Remain faithful, and read the book.

9 comments:

Jenifer Metzger said...

Great post Mandy. Sometimes it is hard when we do not know what the future holds. But we can remain faithful because God does know.

Kandi said...

Lovely post Mandy, I am definitely going to find that book.

You offered such great words today, so many people are struggling with the why questions, and sometimes we struggle with how to answer to them, you offered such great advice, remain faithful and read the word. Amen.

Blessings to you Mandy.

Unknown said...

It was such a good book! Your post goes along with what Kandi wrote today. :) As I wrote on her blog, we don't need to know why, we just need to know WHO. Great post! I'm going to share it. :)

Eileen said...

Great thoughts. I will need to put this book on my list to read. Thanks.

Unknown said...

Looks like a good book...it's so true that our trials seem to be in vain so many times, but they do have a purpose. A greater purpose that usually only He can see. Our role is to remain steadfast in Him!

Kelli said...

As I have gotten deeper in my walk with Jesus, I have stopped asking "why" and instead ask "what." What is it I am to learn from this? What is it I'm suppose to see in this? Looks like a wonderful book...thanks for sharing this!!:)

Deane said...

Mandy, a great post. There are questions I would like answered and then I think when I go home I will know. When we get home the answers probably won't matter. It would be nice to know but as long as God knows that is all that matters but at times it doesn't keep us from wondering. Thanks for the post and blessings to you.

Kim said...

Hi Mandy, good post and encouragement. However, I do believe that John the Baptist knew that Jesus was the Messiah. I think a large part of that passage was meant to show how we, no matter how much we know of Jesus and how our hearts are devoted to him, are human. When things get HOT in the kitchen and you can't find a way out, we, too, ask "are you the Christ, or should we be looking for someone else??"

Deep inside we know that Jesus is sovereign and that he reigns, but this Christian life is TOUGH and sometimes we loose focus when the gates of hell are loosed against us. This is what John the Baptist was experiencing and why Jesus did not put him down for asking the question. I think of Peter denying the Christ in a similar fashion. Our hearts are willing but the flesh is indeed weak at times, and Christ does not disown or despise us because of our failures and shortcomings. Hallelujah!!!!

Phather Phil Malmstrom said...

Hands down Mandy, my favorite post of yours to date. :-)

It's difficult sometimes when we're going through times of adversity, to see that God's intentions for us are always for our good. Thankfully, our faith and God's Presence in our lives can embolden and comfort us through those times.

I'll be looking up that book as well... Thank you for sharing!

Have a Blessed Day!