Hello My Friend/Guest,

Today Tuesday June 23, 2009 and we are continuing our studies on the book of Job. Please read chapters 30-33 in your Bible, or Click Here to read them. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job%2030-33&version=9

Today's Message: Just Keep Praying
When circumstances arise we as Christian's are told to keep praying and God will answer our prayers, but sometimes it seems as though we pray and pray and pray and God is not listening. God is in fact listening, it's when we stop that He backs off, but if we just keep praying He will answer, one way or another.

There is no other person in biblical history, other than Jesus Christ, that suffered so much physical and emotional pain and public humiliation as Job did. There seemed to be no end to the cruelty of the people who made his suffering even more painful and miserable. “They abhor me, they flee far from me, and spare not to spit in my face. Because he hath loosed my cord, and afflicted me, they have also let loose the bridle before me. Upon my right hand rise the youth; they push away my feet, and they raise up against me the ways of their destruction.” - Job 30:10- 12. There seemed to be no end to the anguish which Job suffered, even contempt from those who spit in his face as he cried out in prayer. Godly men and women are often falsely accused, criticized, and condemned as hypocrites. The best saint often receives the worst disgrace from the self serving crowd.

What was more discouraging to Job was that he felt as if God was not hearing his prayers. “He hath cast me into the mire, and I am become like dust and ashes. I cry unto thee, and thou dost not hear me: I stand up, and thou regardest me not. Thou art become cruel to me: with thy strong hand thou opposest thyself against me. Thou liftest me up to the wind; thou causest me to ride upon it, and dissolvest my substance. For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living. Howbeit he will not stretch out his hand to the grave, though they cry in his destruction.” - Job 30:19-24. Job, must have felt as though the whole world was against him and that he was destined to die miserably. During times like these, our faith is often put to the test. We are to walk by faith and not be dependent upon the things that we can not see. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” - Hebrews 1:1. However, that can be a challenge at times. In order to over come our circumstances, we must put our trust in God and the promises of His Word at all times, faith does not originate on it's own, it is a gift from God and we must ask Him to increase our faith every day.

One of the most difficult trials for a Christian is praying, especially when circumstances arise, and to continue praying even though there are no signs that God is listening. However, the effectiveness of our prayers can not be judged by immediate results. There are many reasons why God delays in answering prayers, nevertheless He answers them all. There is a poem that I read once, called No, Slow, Go. It relates to how God answers prayers, I do not know the poem by heart, but this will give you an idea of what I am saying.

  1. No, at times God says no, this may because what we are asking for may bring harm to us or to others. Or it may be something that He knows will hinder our relationship with Him.

  2. Slow, at times God says no for a time because He is preparing us to be able to handle what we are asking for. Or we are desiring the thing we are asking more than God, therefore we need wait a while.

  3. Go, this is when God says yes, we are ready to handle things.

One thing I would like to point out is that God rarely answers a prayer in the way that we expect, usually it is far better than what we have been asking for. Also, be very careful of what you are asking for, sometimes He just may answer a prayer that you really do not need answered to prove a point. The very fact that our requests are sometimes granted and sometimes denied is proof in itself that we are cared for by a God of love whose ways are governed by His wisdom and always for our own good. “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” - Romans 8:38,39.

Today's Psalm: 5:3
“My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.”

Today's Prayer:

Dear God,
I want to praise You, my great Redeemer, for who You are and for Your acts of kindness seen so many times throughout my day.  I never cease to praise You because You never cease to work on my behalf.  Your mercy and love, Your strength and comfort, Your sustaining power and guiding hand are only a tiny fraction of the many reasons that lead me to praise You.  Instead of a murmuring and ungrateful attitude, I want to join with the multitude of believers and sing of my Great Redeemer’s praise to everyone, everywhere, all the time. In Jesus' Name..........Amen.

Have a wonderful and blessed day/night.
God Bless,
Christina

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