There are many things in life that can wear away at our nerves and emotionally drain us. Jobs, family, and even hobbies can claim every minute of our time and get in the way of our relationship with Christ.

These things, in and of themselves, aren’t bad. Unfortunately, when we’re too busy, we can become frustrated and discouraged. That may lead to a mindset of “Who cares?” Like dominoes falling, your life will begin to fall in a downward spiral into despair. Your job may suffer, which leads to your being fired, and your marriage and family may suffer because you become withdrawn. Then what? These troubles weigh on your emotions, and again, you think, “Who cares?”

The simple fact is that God cares.

Ask yourself how many of the pressures in life are from God? None are. God created the world and all that we need for life. “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men” (John 1:1-4).

These verses, of course, refer to Jesus, God incarnate. It has been Satan’s goal to separate mankind from God. Think of all the things that stop you from fellowship with God. Sports, video games, television, and many other things come between us and our Creator. None of them are mentioned in the creation account in Genesis. Trust me; God didn’t create baseball or video games.

People need to take time to rest from life’s pressures and to have time with God. Families need to spend time together in God’s word instead of being separated by things of the world. No matter how much you love a particular hobby, take time to allow your thoughts to be filled with Jesus. Instead of becoming a couch potato, pick up your Bible, go outside and sit on your porch, and begin reading. You’ll find that God cares for you and gave His life for your salvation.

The Psalms were written by men who spent time with God and knew how important it was to know His ways. “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wonderous things out of thy law” (Psalm 119:18). Christians aren’t under the Jewish Law, but we are under God’s Law. The Apostle Paul makes it clear that the Law was a teacher. “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster” (Galatians 3:24-25).

A child goes to school and learns the ABCs, then builds upon knowledge until graduation. Those basics of education are never outdated. So it is with God’s truth. God’s standards taught in the Old Testament are not outdated. Putting other gods before the one true God is still a sin, murder is still sin, adultery is still a sin, and so on. Faith in Christ doesn’t change the fact that sin is still sin but that faith brings forgiveness.

The more time you spend in God’s word, the more convinced you will become of the fact that He loves you and cares for you.

King David and the other Psalmists understood how important it is to walk with God. “ALEPH. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart” (Psalm 119:1-2A). The Hebrew word “eser” is translated “blessed” and means happy or happiness. When you walk in the way of the Lord, you’ll find great happiness. Any unhappiness you may feel when walking the straight and narrow path only comes from allowing Satan to tempt you to sin. You may be walking barefoot down that path of righteousness. You need God’s armor. “And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:15). Make God’s way your way by studying His word and applying it to your life.

We all make choices in life, and if we choose to fight against God, we fight a losing battle. He cares about all of His creation and cares the most for people. “Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?” (Matthew 6:26).

Birds are beautiful and add music to nature with their songs. God provides them with food, but they never sit back and wait for the food to come to them. They do what they can, and God provides. The welfare system of today takes dignity from people and disallows the satisfaction of earning a living, which adds to discouragement. Since God cares for the birds, how much more does He care for you? You need to do your part. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33). Are you discouraged in life? Stop seeking your own way, and start seeking God’s kingdom. Then be content with what He provides.

Our salvation is a free gift from God; no works on our part are involved in salvation. Once we understand our need for Jesus, then a change should take place and a desire to walk in His ways. “BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments” (Psalm 119:9-10).

Young men, old men, young women, and old women all need to measure our lives by God’s standards, not by the ways of the world. The Holy Spirit will guide you as you study Scripture from Genesis through Revelation. You are never too old to become a child of the King.

Many pulpits today have preachers who don’t want anybody to feel uncomfortable, so God’s word is watered down. Sin is not an issue to these pastors. The congregation may fill the collection plate with money, but it would be much better to preach God’s truth line upon line rather than allow sin to flourish. “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14). Many pastors will have a lot to answer for when standing before Christ. So will their congregations.

If you are a person who thinks, “Who cares if I cheat on my wife?” or “Who cares if my life is filled with things of the world?” then you need to know the truth. God cares.

The Genesis account of Creation is the truth. Evolution is a lie. God designed the earth, the sun, and all of creation to support life. Zebras, cattle, and birds were created by God, but only Adam was created in His image. Are you teaching that truth to your children? Or do you think, “Who cares? It isn’t a big deal.” Do some research, and you’ll find that believing the lie that you evolved from a monkey brings about the idea that you don’t matter and nobody cares. On the other hand, knowing that God not only cared enough to provide all that’s necessary for life and that He also cared enough to set rules gives you purpose in life.

It’s a sad truth that all of us sin. Some sin seems worse than other sin, but to God, all sin is worthy of death. That may seem harsh, but He has done everything to let us know what is and isn’t sin, so it’s a choice we make when we ignore His word. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). God didn’t leave us in our sin. Jesus was God incarnate and entered His creation to give us the only way of salvation through faith in His death, burial, and resurrection. “And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them and rose again” (2 Corinthians 5:15).

Live for Him instead of living for yourself. Instead of watching your favorite sports team on television, organize a Bible study with your family or with friends. Maybe even at a homeless shelter where many people are in dire need of hope that’s only found through Christ.

Many people face depression because they have all the things money can buy, but they don’t know about Jesus. “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26). Is there someone you care about who desperately needs to know Jesus? If so, do you want them to continue in sin with no hope of salvation? Tell them about Jesus. They have a choice, and you can’t force anyone to believe, but if you don’t share the Gospel, then you take away their choice.

The psalmist, who lived long before Christ, understood how important it was to serve God and share His truth. “With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Blessed art thou, O LORD; teach me thy statutes” (Psalm 119:10-12).

God cares, but most people ignore Him. Seek Him with your whole heart, and then live your life as a living sacrifice. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1).

If you’re embracing sin, you aren’t being a living sacrifice for Christ. You’re not seeking Him with your whole heart. Are you living “in sin” with your girlfriend or boyfriend? If you claim to be a Christian, then shame on you. Are you unequally yoked in any relationship, whether personal or business, with a non-Christian? “Be not deceived: Evil communications corrupt good manners. Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame” (1 Corinthians 15:33). Get out of unequal partnerships so the ways of the world won’t corrupt your Christian walk. Better yet, witness to the non-believer about Christ. God does care.

You matter to Christ. He didn’t enter His creation only to heal the lame or give sight to the blind. Those miracles were added benefits. He entered His creation to give His life as the perfect and final sacrifice to take your sin away if you place your faith in Him. If you keep holding onto your sin or keep taking it back, you will be continually in despair.

Who cares? God cares.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com
ron@straitandnarrowministry.com

Recommended prophecy sites:

www.raptureready.com
www.prophecyupdate.com
www.raptureforums.com

All original scripture is “theopneustos,” God-breathed.

If you’d like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries, just drop me an email and let me know.

 

Hardships and fear are two things that can spoil the peace God wants for us. It’s up to each of us to choose how we handle our troubles. Some troubles are worse than others, but when you are the one facing a tough situation, do you choose to honor God? The best place to learn how to handle life’s troubles is to look to Scripture.

Can you find any one of the heroes listed in Hebrews chapter 11 who didn’t face adversity? Each one faced a problem but rose above the situation as they depended upon God. Abel was hated by his brother Cain but honored God with proper sacrifices. Enoch lived in a time before God’s judgment, but in spite of the wickedness in the world, he walked with God and didn’t walk with Satan. Noah chose to follow God’s ways in spite of the wickedness, and his faith was rewarded.

In the Old Testament, we read about King David, who faced lots of adversity. But as we read his story, we can see some of his problems came from making bad choices, such as impregnating Bathsheba and then making sure her husband died in battle. David’s sons, Amnon and Absalom, were bad dudes. Amnon raped his sister, Tamar, and Absalom usurped the Kingdom from David and tried to kill David. Maybe they should have been disciplined more as children, and maybe they should have been schooled in God’s law. No matter what, David found peace in the Lord.

Everyone sins. Anger is a sin. Disrespecting parents is a sin. Putting anything ahead of God is a sin. Read through the 10 Commandments and see which ones you break. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

We all deserve God’s punishment, but His love for us is greater than our sin. Jesus chose to enter His creation in order to give eternal life to anybody who truly believes in His death, burial, and resurrection. Jesus, God incarnate, shed His blood as the final atonement for sin. When we repent and accept His sacrifice for salvation, quite often we become a target for Satan’s minions to attack.

I know this was true for my husband, but his way to combat the attack was to draw closer to God. That should be how all of us face adversity. My husband, Ron, had a neurological disease that attacked his muscles. His eyelids wouldn’t stay open, and even a faint light would cause pain in his eyes. I would watch as he held his eyelids up with one hand and typed with the other hand in order to finish a commentary. His purpose was to glorify God no matter what Satan threw in his way. Ron served Christ until he drew his last breath. Ron was content in his faith in Jesus, no matter what he suffered in life.

Let’s take a look at just one of the many men who served Christ even in the face of adversity. The Apostle Paul wasn’t always a good guy. If he had been a cowboy, he would have worn a black hat. He had anger and rage against Christians. Why? Mainly because he served the powers of darkness instead of walking in the light of Jesus. He was a young man with a promising future. He was the son of a Pharisee and studied under a well-respected teacher, Gamaliel. Paul was a brilliant person who knew Jewish Law well. He was also a citizen of Rome. He never denied his Jewish roots, but neither did he deny Christ after meeting Him on the road to Damascus.

“But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question” (Acts 23:6).

We can draw courage from Paul. He was facing trial and imprisonment, and many wanted to kill him, but he never denied Christ. This wasn’t the first time Paul faced adversity. In writing to the congregation in Corinth, Paul listed some of his hardships. People in Corinth were questioning his authority as an Apostle, and he cited his adversity as qualifications for the apostleship.

“Are they ministers of Christ (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep: in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness” (2 Corinthians 11:23-27).

That’s quite a resume. Paul wasn’t bragging but stating facts. Today, so-called ministers of Christ (whether in the pulpit or supposed missionaries) are so afraid of mentioning Christ and teaching Scripture that the Gospel isn’t being shared. We need more men like Paul.

The experiences that Paul had while spreading the Gospel would have discouraged most people. I’m not sure how much I would be able to endure, but Paul is a wonderful example of being content to serve Christ in spite of circumstances. Paul also understood the reason that God allowed such things in his life.

“And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure” (2 Corinthians 12:7).

He understood that his troubles kept him humble. That doesn’t mean he was happy about the problems. “For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me” (2 Corinthians 12:8).

There are many speculations as to what the “thorn in the flesh” was. Some believe it was a serious eye problem. Some think he was speaking of his many beatings. Some even think it was a person who followed him and tried to interfere with his ministry. My feeling is that we aren’t told exactly what the thorn was so that whatever plagues our life, we can draw strength from Paul’s plight. In his letter to the Ephesian congregation, Paul spoke of spiritual warfare. Paul was an expert in spiritual fights. When describing the armor of God, the last item listed was prayer. It’s a good thing to ask fellow Christians to pray for our troubles, and Paul did just that.

“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; and for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak” (Ephesians 6:18-20).

An ambassador represents his nation and its leader. Paul represented his Lord, and he needed to speak boldly in spite of the dangers. It is very important for all Christians to know that we are encouraged to go to the Lord in prayer for our own “thorn in the flesh,” but we need to also submit to God and represent Him well.

When we see things from God’s perspective, our outlook can change. When we can see the “why” behind the trouble, it can change our attitude and help us to be content.

Many centuries before Paul lived, there was a young man who was the apple of his father’s eye. His name was Joseph, the son of Jacob. He had 1l older brothers who were very jealous of him and resented their father’s love for him. One day their anger overcame their senses, and they sold him into slavery, then told their father he was dead.

How could God possibly bless these guys?

Joseph spent years in Egypt as a slave and suffered many hardships. He did have a gift of interpreting dreams, and one day, Pharaoh had a troubling dream. Joseph was asked to interpret it, which he did. Famine was coming, and Pharaoh needed to make provisions for the coming time of famine. Joseph was put in charge of the plans and promoted to the second highest position in government. Eventually, the famine did come, and Jacob and his family were affected. So, the 11 brothers were sent to Egypt to buy food for survival. They had no idea their younger brother, Joseph, was the one who would either give them food or deny them. It’s a long and interesting story, but Joseph did grant them the food and eventually revealed who he was. They were shocked, to say the least.

We can take a lesson from Joseph’s words to them. “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive” (Genesis 50:20).

Whatever your plight, use it to glorify God and let God work his blessings through you. You never know how many people will be blessed by your obedience to God. Be content.

One of the cities where Paul received a whipping and was imprisoned was Philippi. It was there that he and Silas were chained in a dungeon. They didn’t have a pity party but prayed and sang. “And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them” (Acts 16:25).

Then a large earthquake happened, the doors of the prison were flung open, and the chains were loosened. If the prisoners escaped, the warden would be executed. The witness of Paul and Silas changed hearts, and nobody escaped. The jailer, not knowing that, thought suicide was his only option. “But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying Do thyself no harm: for we are all here” (Acts 16:28).

Because of the singing and praying, the prisoners stayed put and the jailer came to a saving faith in Christ. He asked how to be saved “And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house” (Acts 16:31).

The jailer’s faith wouldn’t save his family; they would have to make their own decision to follow Christ, but his changed life would influence them. It seems that God did a great work in Philippi because a congregation was established there. Paul wrote a letter to them in which he thanked them for providing for his needs.

“But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in respect of want; for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content” (Philippians 4:10-11).

That’s the key to joy in the Lord. Pray for your own needs, pray for the needs of others, but be content with whatever God’s answer is to your request.

The writer of the letter to the Hebrews admonishes us to be content. “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. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what men shall do unto me” (Hebrews 13:5-6).

The word “conversation” is from the Greek word “tropos” and means your manner of life. Hold tight to the promise that Jesus will never leave you or forsake you. He loves you and gave his life to redeem you. Be content in your life, and glorify Him in all you do.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com

ron@straitandnarrowministry.com

Recommended prophecy sites:

www.raptureready.com

www.prophecyupdate.com

www.raptureforums.com

All original scripture is “theopneustos,” God-breathed.

If you’d like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries, just drop me an email and let me know.