In the Press

     The news is good for one thing informing us of the problems that is in the world.  Those who listen often to the news usually have a negative slant on the things in life they are facing.  If I look at my life over the past few months I can see many things that a news reporter could broadcast on.  On the surface things have not looked very good, and it has been so easy to complain.  God promises He will never give me more than I can handle, but boy things have sure been close lately.

What has helped me the most through these difficult times has been His whisper in my ear, His understanding that He has given me of the times we are in.  First of all I have discovered I am not alone most if not all believers I talk to seem to be dealing with similar stuff.  So I have others who can relate with me!  Second there is something positive God is doing in the midst of what seems negative.  He is maturing His bride.  He is taking us out of adolescents.  Removing our childish, selfish, complaining, whining, critical attitudes with His character as true sons and daughters that reflect Him right. 

So I am being pressed on every side to squeeze all the world out of me until there is nothing left but Him.  He wants a people that are strong in Him and in the power of His might who will go forth and do great exploits for the glory of His name. Strength is seen when nothing can move us but the hand of God.  That means even if the state of the economy has effected us, or loved ones have turned against us, whatever it may be we still offer God nothing but praise. 

The bible says out of the abundance of heart the mouth speaks.  So when we are being squeezed what comes out of our mouth is the condition of our heart.  If we are not praising God in everything then we have issues in our heart that need to be taken to the cross. 

The Children of Israel were taken on a journey from Egypt to the Promised Land via the wilderness.  God took them on an extended journey not to just physically deliver them from Egypt but to deliver Egypt from their hearts.  He could not entrust them to represent Him as a nation if they were not yet set apart from the world.  A whole generation died in the wilderness never experiencing what God had promised them because they never got beyond complaining.  When our complaining becomes Praising we have the weapons now in hand to take the land He has promised us.  Our greatest weapon is praise!  We can not face the giants before us if we are not able to be delivered from the giants within us.

God's will is that His kingdom come, His will be done, here on earth as it is in heaven.  The kingdom is within us, for it to manifest through us, it is determined by what comes out of our mouth.  Until we are praying to God about everything and praising God through it all, we are not yet ready to enter into what He has promised us.  The call of God in this hour is to take the land, advance His kingdom, until the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdom of our God.

Over the next few weeks I will seek God for devotions that go along with this theme from complaining to Praising.  Please subscribe to this blog if you want to be in this journey with me.

Scriptures to meditate on this week:  (Matt. 16:3, 1 Cor 13:11, 2 Cor 1, Eph. 6:10, Luke 6:45, Numbers 13 Matt. 6:10, 1 Thess. 5:17, Psalm 34)