0ctober 2020

 Why did life turn out this way? Zachariah has a deep wound- the angels talk to him about hope in an area that has just disappointed him. Does your bitter pain of your past trumps the promises that God has made. God put Zachariah in a time out (closed his mouth) in order that he will trust the promises of God. He was disciplined but that is love. There is a difference between love and punishment. Discipline is when God get s a surgical knife and corrects things in your for your good. Jesus took the knife of judgement so we could get the scalpel of healing. The purpose of Gods discipline in your life is so that you will overflow with joy and gladness. God s intentions for our discipline is for our healing. God’s love and tenderness is seen in his discipline of us. The wrath of God allows you to keep walking in your sin. You are not going to give away your souls to idols of depression, anxiety, and self-gratification, selfishness, despair and loneliness that results in walking apart from me. Discipline is Gods way of taking away the things he know will kill us and he removes them so we can fully experience HIM! Mary never doubted- Her question was asked in wonder! No mistake in your past disqualifies you from Gods good plans for you in the future. No sin is too great that it puts you beyond God’s grace. No natural inability keeps you from fulfilling God s promises What would your life look like if you really believed Gods promises were true? Learn to trust in the promises of God. This is what gives us the ability to surrender it all. The sole thing that gives us the ability to pray bold audacious prayers for our family our marriages, etc. Psalm 23. What if I really believed that His goodness and mercy followed you all the days of your life. Isaiah 26: 3 What if you believed that he will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Jerimiah 29:11 What if we really believe plans for a hope future for those who are in Christ Jesus. Rom 8: 1 there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus and that god s intentions for you are only good, blessing and prosperity? Romans 8: 28 -all things work together for the good of those who love him and Ephesians 1:9 every molecule he has under his sovereign control working for the plan he has for you. The most amazing humbling force in the world is the Love of God- never ending never stopping Jesus is the answer to the barrenness. The reason that we are not happy is not because we do not have money marriage etc it is because we are separated from God. Jesus primary reason is to restore us to God. When we have him we can deal with the disappointment. He gives good gifts but the best gifts he gives is GOD HIMSELF! Don’t confuse Gods lesser gifts with his ultimate gift. Sometimes God gives us a token of his favor (children, marriage, etc) They are just signs the ultimate answer is Jesus himself! But find your refuge in God himself. Tim Keller When disappointments come our way we respond in one of 4 ways. 1) Blame the thing itself 2) Blame yourself- you believe the voices in your head- depression follows 3) Blame the world- life is meaningless 4) We can realized we were created for another world Our soul was created for God- Jesus alone takes our souls barrenness.