But God.......

Sunday February 1, 2015

A man dealing with despair confessed to a Bible teacher, "My life is really in bad shape." "How bad?" asked the teacher. Burying his head in his hands, the man moaned, "I´ll tell you how bad - I´ve got nothing left but God."

The man thought that life had dealt him a bad hand. He didn´t understand that "bug God" is a frequently repeated comforting expression found in the Bible.

Here´s a few examples :
- "You´ve intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good" (Genesis 50:20)
- "David now stayed in the strongholds of the wilderness and in the hill of country of Ziph. Saul hunted him day after day, but God didn´t let Saul find him" (1 Samuel 23:14).
- "My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever" (Psalms 73:26)
-"[Jesus] said, 'Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible" (Matthew 19:26).
- " You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. And we are witnesses of this fact!" (Acts 3:15).
- "Most people would not be willing to die for an upright person ..... But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners" (Romans 5:7-8).

There are times that life may seem to be hopeless. Perhaps you feel that way today. But God is there and He has not forsaken you.

Pastor and writer Ray Stedman wrote : "Whenever we face an impossible challenge or obstacle, we must remember those two words: 'But God ...' His power is limitless. His character is dependable. His promises are sure. Whatever He says, He will do."

When you find that you have nothing left but God, remember : God is all you need. - Poh Fang Chia

Read
1 Samuel 23:7-14
Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, and he said, "God has handed him over to me, for David has imprisoned himself by entering a town with gates and bars." And Saul called up all his forces for battle, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men.
When David learned that Saul was plotting against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, "Bring the ephod." David said, "O Lord, God of Israel, your servant has heard definitely that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the town on account of me. Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me to him? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? O Lord, God of Israel, tell your servant."
And the Lord said, "He will."
Again David asked, "Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men to Saul?"
And the Lord said, "They will."
So David and his men, about six hundred in number, left Keilah and kept moving place to place. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he did not go there.
David stayed in the desert strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God did not give David into his hands.

Ephesians 2:3-5
All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved.

Question to Ponder
What are some "but God" moments in your life?
How can you actively remember that He is with you today?

**Article taken from ODJ (Our Daily Journey with God) Dec 2014 - Feb 2015 issue