When Trouble Comes



In the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion. - Psalm 27:5



When trouble comes, do these three things:



(1) Get alone with God! The Psalmist writes, "In the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion." The secret place in a king's palace was called a "pavilion." There you were protected from the enemy. All hell could break loose around you but it didn't matter; in the secret place there was peace. Are you allowing things to overwhelm you that really don't make a difference? Are you upset over things that should be dismissed as trivialities? Get alone with God!



(2) Refuse to live beyond help because you have an image to uphold. The Bible says those of us who are strong ought to bear the burdens of the weak. There are times when we need to do the lifting; and times when we ourselves need to be lifted. Jesus healed a woman who had been bowed down for 18 years and "Could in no way raise herself up" (Lk 13:11).



Sometimes you need help because you can't help yourself. David understood this so he turned to the men of Issachar because they "had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do" (1 Ch 12:32). God has provided help, reach for it!



(3) Be sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit for He will constantly remind you of God's plan, and show you how to carry it out. Jesus said, "The Holy Spirit...will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you" (Jn 14:26). What has the Lord said to you? Have you done it? Obedience is your doorway out of trouble. (See Ps 143:10 NAS).



SoulFood Bible Readings: 2 Ch 18-20, Jn 11:45-57, Ps 114, Pr 27:20-22



--------------------------------------------------------------------

Please tell your friends about The Word For Today e-mail service. If you've been encouraged by The Word for Today, then your friends will be too. Go To: http://www.rhema.co.nz

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Challenged To Reach Higher



He who walks with wise men will be wise. - Proverbs 13:20





Certain people stoke the fires within you to be all you can be. When you find them, feed off them! When you have little or no water in your own well, be willing to draw it from theirs.



Elisha spent many years living in Elijah's shadow. But he saw it as a privilege, not a put-down. He was willing to set up tents, cook meals, wash clothes and run errands because it meant he would experience first-hand some of the greatest miracles in history. As a result Elisha said to Elijah, "I want a double portion of the Spirit that's at work in you" (See 2 Ki 2:9). And before his life was over Elisha worked twice as many miracles as Elijah.



Understand this: you must have a foundation - and you can't build it without help!



Seeing God bless someone else should challenge you to reach higher. This is not envy - just a strong desire to receive more. Look at Hannah, Elkanah's wife. She wanted a child. In order to stir her up God used Peninnah, who was married to the same man but able to bear children.



The more Hannah saw Peninnah have children the more she wanted her own. Peninnah challenged her. She also made Hannah pray. That's the right response! It wasn't that Hannah was jealous and didn't want to see Peninnah have children, it was just that she wanted her own.



If seeing others succeed makes you want to sabotage their success, you'll never prosper. Learn how to rejoice over the blessings of others, and realise that the same God who blessed them can bless you too. Let their blessings challenge you to reach higher!



SoulFood Bible Readings: 2 Ch 6-8, Jn 11:17-27, Ps 102:12-17,

Pr 27:10-12



--------------------------------------------------------------------

Please tell your friends about The Word For Today e-mail service. If you've been encouraged by The Word for Today, then your friends will be too. Go To: http://www.rhema.co.nz

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Beautiful. I just hope the Webmaster will think more about opening a special head for God's Word For Today. It would also help us prepare for Xmas.

Pursue...Overtake...and Recover



Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them, and without fail recover all. - 1 Samuel 30:8





David and his men were doing well until the Amalekites destroyed their homes and took their families captive. So:



(1) The enemy will attack your family to get to you! He'll do it through big stuff like your husband losing his job or your wife discovering a lump in her breast. Or little stuff like family tension and lack of consideration for each other. Be alert, discern his attack so you can defend yourself against it.



(2) Learn to depend on God, not people! When things turned sour the same people who praised David yesterday wanted to stone him today. Sound familiar? Love people because they need it. Learn from them because their wisdom will benefit you.



But lean only on God. Your strength, strategies and solutions for living must come from Him. David said, "Bring me the ephod (religious garment)" (1 Sa 30:7 NIV). That's what Israel used to get direction from the Lord. Smart move!



(3) Learn to talk to yourself! Words are like fuel; they stoke the fires of faith or fear within you. "David encouraged himself in the Lord" (1 Sa 30:6). If you want to get discouraged, talk about your situation. If you want to get encouraged, talk about the God who can change your situation. Solomon says: "A wholesome tongue is a tree of life" (Pr 15:4). So start talking to yourself the right way.



(4) God's plan for you is total recovery! He told David, "Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them, and without fail recover all."



These words "Pursue...overtake...and...recover all" are your marching orders - and God's assurance that things are going to change for the better in your life!



SoulFood Bible Readings: 1 Ch 19:1 - 23:20, Jn 10:11-21, Ps 50,

Pr 26:27-28

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Please tell your friends about The Word For Today e-mail service. If you've been encouraged by The Word for Today, then your friends will be too. Go To: http://www.rhema.co.nz

--------------------------------------------------------------------

When God Puts You On Hold!



Be diligent...so that everyone may see your progress.

1 Timothy 4:15 NIV





A well-known Bible teacher tells of a pilot friend who received word from the control tower saying, "You're cleared for 5,000 feet." When he got there he had to hold for further instructions. Next came the words, "You're cleared for 10,000 feet." Gradually the controller took him level by level to 35,000 feet where he was cleared to fly to his destination. God spoke to this Bible teacher and said, "I wish you would trust me like that. Instead you want to go straight to 35,000 feet in one thrust!"



Try to understand this: God sees the end from the beginning and He has already mapped out your journey. He knows that if you rise too quickly there are dangers. You may be in the cockpit, but God's in the control tower. And His Word to you today is: "Trust Me and I'll get you safely to your destination." God's plan for your life can't be rushed. When you try to move too quickly you end up in a tug-of-war with Him. And you lose every time!



Before God could trust David to lead the nation He first had to see how he'd handle his father's flock. It was here David built a relationship with God and developed the qualities that would sustain him through the tough times ahead when he was king.



God will let you practice in a place where your weaknesses can be worked on, your gifts developed, and where your mistakes won't affect too many others. That's because He cares for them too!



If God has put you on hold today, it's because He loves you and wants only what's best for you.



SoulFood Bible Readings: 1 Ch 26:20 - 29:30, Jn 10:34-42, Ps 76,

Pr 27:4-6

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Please tell your friends about The Word For Today e-mail service. If you've been encouraged by The Word for Today, then your friends will be too. Go To: http://www.rhema.co.nz

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Are You not ruler over all...of the nations.

2 Chronicles 20:6 NAS



God's Still In Charge!



This country we call 'home,' exists only by God's permission and power. "He made from one man every nation...having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation" (Acts 17:26 NAS).



In the final analysis summit conferences don't shape the geography of countries, God does. Leaders don't determine the future of countries, God determines the hearts of leaders. "The king's heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord; He guides it wherever He pleases" (Pr 21:1 NLT).



The stubborn will of the most powerful politician can be directed by God as easily as a farmer reroutes a shallow canal on his farm.



Remember the account of Cyrus, King of Persia? When God wanted the Jews to return to Jerusalem He simply prodded him to make an "official

announcement" (Ezr 1:1 TM).



God not only set the Israelites free from 400 years of slavery in Egypt, He caused their captors to equip them with supplies. "[They will] load you down with gifts...so...you will [not leave] empty-handed" (Ex 3:21). That would be like America's post-civil war plantation owners signing their cotton fields over to the slaves.



If we enjoy a great economy, personal freedom and a high tide of justice, we don't limit our thanks to politicians. No, we thank God: "He makes nations great, and destroys them; He enlarges nations, and disperses them" (Job 12:23 NIV). Tally this up.



God sets national boundaries. He determines leaders. He dispenses blessings. And we are the privileged recipients of each and every one of His blessings. Can we afford to forget this? Only at a terrible risk!



Bible-in-a-year Reading: Ruth 1-4, Mark 6:14-29, Ps 119:81-88, Pr 18:1-5



-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please tell your friends about The Word For Today e-mail service. If

you've been encouraged by The Word for Today, then your friends will be

too. Please visit: http://www.rhema.co.nz/index.php

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rhema Broadcasting Group (c) 2003