joseph4inspiration

(Luke 10:38-40)

We all have, at one time or another, been frustrated with someone because of their ways. Waiting for someone to pick you up for something important and they're late can be frustrating, listening to someone lie to your face can be frustrating, or having someone tell you they were going to do one thing, but went and did another.

Actions and ways like these can really get on our nerves - mainly because they don't line up with what we are seriously expecting from the person.

But we can also become frustrated with God and with how He does things.

Here, Martha was already overwhelmed with having to do all the serving by herself while her sister, Mary sat down to hear Jesus speak. In her frustration, she went from asking Jesus a question, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone?" to tell Him what to do, "Tell her then to help me.”

We can become frustrated with God for many reasons, but in her case, her frustration stemmed from what she thought was a lack of compassion on Jesus' part.

But Jesus wasn't without compassion towards her, He was just focused on what was more important - His teaches. He probably didn't care if Martha served or not, what He desired from her was what her sister desired from Him, to receive the Bread of Life.

You may be in a situation where the wait, the isolation, the single life, or your finances, have worked up feelings of frustration towards God in you. You wonder why God hasn't moved yet or why He hasn't provided like He said He would yet.

God's ways are perfect, which means so are His reasons and His timing. But when we start doubting Him or become impatient we can find ourselves frustrated. Learn to always let God have His way and always follow His lead. Don't let frustrating cause you to try and do things on your own or cause you to quit.

The best weapon against frustration is to humble yourself, pray, and know that God is God.

God loves you!

Give your life to Christ

(Matthew 26: 50)

When Judas came to betray Jesus, it was this question that He asked him. Sure Jesus already knew why Judas came - He always knew. But we, on the other hand, don't always know the intentions people who enter into or back into our lives have and therefore there are questions we should often ask ourselves, such as why is this person in my life? Or why is this person back in my life? The enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10), and he will send people into your life to try and accomplish his plans. I'm not saying to look at everyone in your life as an enemy, but there are people who will cause havoc, who are untrustworthy, who reject the changes you've made and are always trying to get you to go back to your old ways; and who's presence does not bring peace but take away what peace you do have. To these people you have to use the judgement that God gave you and start asking yourself, why are they in your life?

So many people ignore using good judgement and discernment when it comes to people they see as their friends and will become angry with God after that person does them dirty.

But we can't blame God for consequences that we chose to willingly ignore.

(1st John 2:15)

We are living in times where people are under the delusion that all love is the same. But this is nothing more than a lie from the enemy. Jesus said in Matthew 22:37, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind". There's a reason He said with all your mind. He knows Satan targets the mind with lies. If you allow Satan access to your mind because you desire to live in sin, he will easily deceive you, we see this clearly in the LGBTQ+ community. Satan has convinced them that homosexuality is all about love, but he leaves out the fact that homosexuality is something that God is against, and will judge. Jude 1:7 says, "Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire".

(1st John 2:15)

We are living in times where people are under the delusion that all love is the same. But this is nothing more than a lie from the enemy. Jesus said in Matthew 22:37, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind". There's a reason He said with all your mind. He knows Satan targets the mind with lies. If you allow Satan access to your mind because you desire to live in sin, he will easily deceive you, we see this clearly in the LGBTQ+ community. Satan has convinced them that homosexuality is all about love, but he leaves out the fact that homosexuality is something that God is against, and will judge. Jude 1:7 says, "Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire".

(Ezekiel 20:32)

When you are separated by God you need to learn how to separate your will from the things of this world.

So often we hope in God to fulfill our OWN plans - plans we had since before we got saved - plans that do not include glorifying God.

The children of Israel wanted to be like the surrounding nations who worshipped idols and did not recognize the God of Israel as the One true God. Those nations lived according to the plans of their own hearts, and not according to the commandments of God. Their sinful ways were so appealing to the children of Israel that they wanted to live the same way. But God made it clear to them that the thoughts they were thinking were not gonna happen!

This is something we, too, need to accept and remember as we walk with God. Although our plans may not be to worship idols and/or sacrifice children to false gods, any plans we have that blesses us but does not acknowledge God will not be plans that God brings to pass. Any plans we have to be like the world (plans that definitely do not glorify God) will not be plans God brings to pass.

(Judges 8:33)

After hearing the cries of His people, God raised up Gideon to deliver the children of Israel from their oppressors, the Midianites. But it wasn't long after the death of Gideon that the children of Israel turned away from serving God and back to worshipping idols.

The children of Israel were never able to maintain faithfulness to God because they kept taking their eyes off of Him, and onto what pleased their flesh. The pleasures of the flesh lasted for a while, until they found themselves right back under the control of their enemies, crying out to God for help.

(Romans 2: 28-29)

When the gift of the Holy Spirit fell upon the apostles they were led to preach the gospel not only to the Jews, but to the Gentiles as well. But there were Jews who didn't agree with this and questioned the apostles. For the Jews there was a clear distinction between Jew and Gentiles - all traits of the outward man. But God looks at the heart, and in Paul's letter to the Romans he wanted to make that fact clear to the people - that it was no longer about customs, but about a personal relationship with God. It was no longer about separation, but about coming together as one to make-up the body of Christ.