Love and Trust
16 “For God so loved the world,[a] that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
Think about yourself in this parable.
"Which of you men, if you had one hundred sheep, and lost one of them, wouldn't leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one that was lost, until he found it? When he has found it, he carries it on his shoulders, rejoicing. When he comes home, he calls together his friends, his family and his neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!' I tell you that even so there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance." Luke 15:3-7
Anyone who does not know Jesus as their Savior is lost. God cares so much for you that He actively sought to find you. This is how precious and how much God loves you. Isn't it awesome to know that God loves the sinner and all of heaven rejoices when they are found.
Aren't you grateful to know that God loves us so much that He didn't give up on us and declare us unworthy according to our sin? He provided a way out for us by sending His Son to die on the cross. God's love is revealed through the love of our repentance.
What is your image of God? How we see God affects our relationship with Him, ourselves and others.
So many people are reluctant to know Him. Their perception of God is overshadowed by bitterness and resentment of blame toward God for the life they live. They feel as though God must be mad at them or possibly question whether or not He loves them. This could go back to their childhood, possibly growing up in a home with an unloving mother or father. Their lack of experiencing love could be a reflection of how they view God. This is a false perception of God that the enemy would want nothing more than for you to believe. We are given free will and unfortunately, people often choose their will over God's will.
Have you ever thought there has to be something better? Well there is! Try imagining what your life would be like and look like if you fully trusted God and seen Him as your loving Father.
“31…I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.” Jeremiah 31:3 Just as you gave your life to the Lord through salvation and trusting God that you are saved, believe in His love for you. Trust God with whatever you are going through. Give it to Him and leave it. The key is to not take it back! Not trusting in His timing and that you can fix it.
God's timing is always perfect. He is making a way for you, He is fighting your battles, continue to pray your way through it, thanking Him as though it has already come to pass and trusting that He is bringing it forth.
It is easy to trust God when things are going well, but when you are faced with something that looks impossible, let your faith rise up and know that God will carry you through it. Just as the shepherd carried the lost sheep, this is how God acts on our behalf. He carries us through what we are facing. Remember it is a process of standing in faith, not having the victim mentality, trusting God and knowing how much He loves us and that we should let it go.
Nine years ago, I was literally dying from a parasite that had taken over my blood stream. My weight had gone from 165 pounds to 118. I was at a crossroads with no gleam of light, broken and desperate. A friend of mine started sharing about God and asked me to go to a healing service in Kansas City, MO. It was there that I began to see God move in my life. I gave my life to the Lord while I was there, and my life was radically changed.
Although I still came home sick, I experienced God moving in my life. It certainly wasn't an easy battle that I was facing, but this is when I developed a relationship with the Father and knew I wasn't alone. The more I pressed into know Him, the more He began to show Himself to me. I never knew that God loved me or that through me trusting Him, He would begin to reveal the life that He always intended for me to live.
Through my walk I have learned so much about my own life and now, I am able to help others understand how sin can bring sickness into their lives. At times, what God reveals can be painful, but it is all for our own good so we can live a free life for Jesus.
One of my greatest struggles is having a victim’s mentality and self-pity. For so long it had become a way of life for me. God has shown me numerous times where I would fall back into the self-pity and portray myself as a victim. This is a hard pill to swallow and something I have struggled with for years. It had become a life-style for me. God loves us so much that He wants us to be set free from the chains that are holding us bound. Maybe you can relate to the topics we have spoken about today. Maybe you can see in your own life where you have fallen into self-pity and have a victim mentality. Not trusting God or even knowing just how much He loves you.
God wants you to be set free and realize there is more to life than the lies you are believing. First, if you are not saved and would love to give your life to the Lord, I want to lead you through a prayer of salvation. If you are not a believer, you cannot reap all the benefits of the Kingdom.
If you would like to invite Christ into your life, pray with me the prayer below:
Father, I come to you as a sinner and I believe Jesus is your Son and that He died on the cross for me. I repent of all my sins and am thankful for your forgiveness. Come into my heart and be my Lord and Savior. Cleanse me in your blood and give me the life you intended for me to live.
In Jesus name Amen
If you can relate to having self-pity and having a victim mentality, pray the prayer below with us:
Father, I repent for coming in agreement with self-pity and having a victim mentality, not trusting you or allowing you to love me the way I should. I have tried to live by my will and not yours. I break an unhealthy soul tie with anything in my past that has allowed me to come into agreement with self-pity and having a victim mindset. As an act of my will I choose to lose off of my soul all self-pity and a victim mentality. And I ask You Father to restore back to me the years I gave away to self-pity and a victim mentality. That you are restoring my soul.
In the name of Jesus Amen.