Dear Friends, 1-28 ARE YOU HANGING IN OR HANGING ON TO THE MASTER?

There is a major difference between the two concepts. When you ask, how are you doing, a large number of people reply, "I’m hanging in," which is a way of saying, it’s hard but I’M struggling with little hope. Just wishing something better would come along." Friends, we have more than a vague wish. We have a God who loves us so much more than any of us can imagine. He has a plan for our lives, and He knows the ending of all things. And like in the poem "Footprints in the Sand" He is carrying us.

A little quoted Bible verse says this:

Ho 11:3 I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them.

We too, often do not know that God has already healed us. I spoke a while ago of how we pick the scabs of our wounds, so that they do not heal. We are told to put the past behind us, but we love to dredge it up again and tell how this one or that one has wronged us. Looking for more sympathy, bathing in the glory of our scars. But also putting ourselves in the danger area of not forgiving as we relive the torture over and over again until we feel like martyrs, savoring every hurt, even crying again ourselves.

Be honest, have you not at one time or another loved to throw yourself a pity party? Isn’t that the basis for many friendships, commiserating with one another over how your parents, or society has wronged you? I know that I have. I spent years wallowing in self pity, using it to get attention. But it was swimming against the stream. Healing never took place. Nor did I want it to, I used it as an excuse for my own wrongdoing. While blaming others for the terrible life I had, I inflicted a terrible life on others around me. And it was awful!

Php 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

Isa 43:18 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.

The past cannot help us, nor can it be changed. Those who hurt us may have long ago repented, but cannot get over guilt, (or self righteousness, which is how they justify to themselves what they did, and which you can be doing now by hanging on to the past), as long as we continually throw it into their faces. So let go and let the healing begin.

With our present problems, give them up to God. You can’t change them, but you can be at peace through them by hanging on to God, and His promises to you.

De 31:6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

De 31:8 And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.

Jos 1:5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

Heb 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

God has not forgotten you, nor could He:

Isa 49:15 Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.

Trust in God and you will have perfect peace to go through any ordeal!

Isa 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

In Jesus’ Love,

Patt

READ AND PRAY, AND THEN OBEY, THE B-I-B-L-E!

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