God’s promises
through
4 Promises
That Will Carry You
Through Any Crisis
Through Any Crisis
J. LEE GRADY
I've spent the past week
sitting by my father's bed in a hospital in Georgia. He fell while doing yard
work (no 89-year-old man should be trimming weeds) and he hit his head on the
concrete walkway behind his house. He has a fractured rib, 12 stitches in the
back of his head and two bruises on his brain.
After a week, he still
has no idea where he is.
On Monday, he said my
name. On Tuesday, when I asked him the name of his church, he answered
correctly. But when a nurse asked him who I was, he told her I was his
grandson.
We don't know what the
next day holds for my dad, or the next month. Hundreds of people are praying
for his healing, and there are signs that his motor skills and brain function
are slowly coming back online.
But whether he pulls out of this and goes back
to driving his car, or whether he ends up in months of rehab, or if he dies,
I've had to face the reality that we all get old, life is terribly fragile and
death is inevitable.
We don't do a good job
preparing people for death and dying. I never had a class on it in school. We
rarely even talk about it in church until someone has a funeral. It's easy to
develop a notion that life goes on and that we will never get old.
Yet the Bible does not
dance around the topic of death.
In Genesis, the word
"death," "die" or "died" appear 68 times. It
reminds us: "And Adam died,"
"And Abraham died," "And
Isaac died."
One entire chapter,
Genesis 23, is devoted to the death and burial of Sarah. On and on it goes,
like the somber toll of a bell. Death is a cold, dreary specter that is an
undeniable part of our existence on this side of eternity.
King David talked about
walking "in the valley of the shadow
of death" (Psalm 23:4a).
He could write those words because he faced
life-and-death crisis regularly.
I have felt that fog this
past week. I felt it when I had to restrain my dad from pulling out his IV
tube. I felt it when I asked him a simple question and got a blank stare. I felt
it when I heard another patient in the hospital scream in pain.
Yet David was sustained
in that dark season. He was not overcome. He wrote: "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I
fear no evil, for You are with me" (verse 4).
We have the promise of God’s
presence no matter what is going on around us.
If you are walking
through the valley right now because of a death, an accident, a serious medical
condition, a financial crisis, the loss of a job or any other tragedy, stand on
God's immovable promises and let His words bring security to your soul.
These four promises have
meant the most to me during the past seven days:
Nahum
1:7 says, "The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and
He knows those who take refuge in Him."
"God
is good, all the time," has
become a religious cliché. But it is a powerful truth if you let the words sink
in.
.
When we walk through dark times we are tempted to doubt God's goodness. Don't let the devil accuse God of abandoning you; run into the Lord's strong arms and let Him remind you of His faithful care.
.
When we walk through dark times we are tempted to doubt God's goodness. Don't let the devil accuse God of abandoning you; run into the Lord's strong arms and let Him remind you of His faithful care.
John
16:33 says, "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may
have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have
overcome the world."
It does not matter what
the world throws at you. Jesus said we would face trials and tests, but those
words are followed by a comma, not a period.
.
He calls us to face our difficulties with faith. He has already overcome every possible problem we could face. Knowing this will give you supernatural peace.
.
He calls us to face our difficulties with faith. He has already overcome every possible problem we could face. Knowing this will give you supernatural peace.
Philippians
4:6-7 says, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the
peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your
minds in Christ Jesus."
When we face a crisis,
our first reaction is to worry. But the antidote to worry is prayer. Share your
fears and anxious thoughts with Jesus and let His peace override them. His
peace will shield you from the darkness of despair.
John
11:25-26 says, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me
will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never
die." This is the ultimate source of all our joy.
Death is not final when
the person who dies is a Christian.
Jesus removed the sting of death; it has
been swallowed up in Christ's ultimate victory. Do not let death or the threat
of death steal your hope.
Let God's promises guide
you like signal lights through your dark valley.
Are
you struggling with a big decision or wondering how your eternal future will
play out?
Why
not talk to the God of the universe and let Him work in your behalf?
He
says, “I will instruct you and teach you
the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you" (Psalm
32:8).
Ask
God to show you what to do. Pray the following prayer:
“Heavenly Father,
I admit that I am
a sinner and my sins have separated me from You. I now want to turn away from
my past sinful life and begin a new life with You.
Please forgive
me. I now receive your Son, Jesus Christ as my Savior, my Master and my Lord. I
believe and confess that Jesus Christ died for my sins, was buried, and rose
from the dead.
I want to receive
all that Jesus Christ has provided for me as my Savior. Your Word says, ‘Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved’ (Romans 10:13).
I believe and
confess that Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no man comes
unto the Father, but by Him.
Lord Jesus, I
pray and ask You, to come into my heart and be Lord of my life. I thank You
that you have given me eternal life, and according to Your Word, I am born
again.
Heavenly Father,
thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit Who is in me now. I surrender my life
to You. I promise to study Your Word - the Bible.
Use me for Your
glory.
In Jesus Name.
Amen.”
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It is
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lyrics
God sent His son, they called Him Jesus
He came to love, heal, and forgive.
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because He lives.
How sweet to hold a newborn baby,
And feel the pride and joy he gives.
But greater still the calm assurance,
This child can face uncertain days because He lives.
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because He lives.
And then one day I'll cross the river,
I'll fight life's final war with pain.
And then as death gives way to victory,
I'll see the lights of glory and I'll know He lives.
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone!
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living just because He lives!
J. Lee Grady is the former editor of Charisma. You can follow him on Twitter at leegrady. He is the author of several books including 10 Lies the Church Tells Women, 10 Lies Men Believe, Fearless Daughters of the Bible and The Holy Spirit Is Not for Sale. You can learn more about his ministry, The Mordecai Project, atthemordecaiproject.org.
He came to love, heal, and forgive.
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because He lives.
How sweet to hold a newborn baby,
And feel the pride and joy he gives.
But greater still the calm assurance,
This child can face uncertain days because He lives.
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because He lives.
And then one day I'll cross the river,
I'll fight life's final war with pain.
And then as death gives way to victory,
I'll see the lights of glory and I'll know He lives.
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone!
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living just because He lives!
J. Lee Grady is the former editor of Charisma. You can follow him on Twitter at leegrady. He is the author of several books including 10 Lies the Church Tells Women, 10 Lies Men Believe, Fearless Daughters of the Bible and The Holy Spirit Is Not for Sale. You can learn more about his ministry, The Mordecai Project, atthemordecaiproject.org.
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http://www.charismamag.com/blogs/fire-in-my-bones/26582-4-promises-that-will-carry-you-through-any-crisis
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