There's A New Day Dawning

Sign courtesy of Ben's Wood Signs

Another way of saying this could be:

"No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man;

but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able,

but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it."

I Corinthians 10:13

Have you ever watched other people go through difficult trials in life, and have said to yourself, "I could never do that or go through that?"  Or perhaps sometimes we are smug and think that people go through hard places because of their own sin or stupidity, and we get all puffed up with pride and say that could never happen to me, 'cause I'm too smart or too good to let that happen?"

A good proverb to remember when we start feeling too good about ourselves is this:

"Pride goes before destruction, 

and a haughty spirit before a fall."

Proverbs 16:18

In our Bible study this morning in the book of James, chapter 4, we discussed several verses that seem to go along with this...and I wanted to write them down before I forget them for myself...and perhaps for others out there as well:

6.  "But He gives more grace.

Therefore He says:

God resists the proud,

But gives grace to the humble.

7.  Therefore, SUBMIT to God.

RESIST the devil and he will FLEE from you!

8.  DRAW NEAR TO GOD...and HE WILL DRAW NEAR TO YOU.

Cleanse your hand, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

9.  Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.

10.  HUMBLE YOURSELVES in the sight of the Lord, 

AND HE WILL LIFT YOU UP!"

If I have learned anything in this life, I have learned that God

"makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust..."  (Matthew 5:45)

Sooner or later, we will all walk through treacherous water and have deep valleys to cross and tall mountains to climb.  None of us will get through this life totally "scot-free" (see link for definition of this phrase).  We all have our trials and tribulations to face and work through.

But the beautiful thing about our life in Christ is that we don't have to face these trials alone.

Isaiah 41:10 says:

"Fear not, for I AM with you;

Be not dismayed, for I AM your God.

I WILL strengthen you,

YES, I WILL help you,

I WILL uphold you with My righteous right hand." 

I started to write all the verses that had something to say about God being with us in all of our troubles and trials...and I realized there were so many I would never be able to write them all, so here is a link to a page that lists them: http://www.openbible.info/topics/i_will_never_leave_you_nor_forsake_you.  You may want to looks these up and mark them in your own Bible for a future time when you need them.  Perhaps you need them now.

May we always have the hope we need to face each new day with confidence and faith that our God will always be there...helping us to handle whatever we've been given.

  

There's a new day dawning

"For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand,
Saying to you, 'Fear not, I will help you."
Isaiah 41:13