***Thank/Praise God at all times*** The reason we need to be thankful for hard times is because of the enemy. Though God allows hard times to come, it is the devil that brings those hard times. Job chapters 1 and 2 show clearly that the devil brings hard times upon everyone, especially followers of Jesus Christ. The reason God allows the hard times is to make us stronger, but the devil brings the hard times so that we will “curse (God) to (his) face.” (Job 1:11, Job 2:5). The devil wants us to turn away from God, grumble, complain, whine, and eventually turn against him. No wonder he (satan) was referred to as the accuser of the brethren, in REVELATION 12:10 and in JOB 1:9-11 he proves to be the accuser. Have you ever heard someone say “Why is God doing this to me?” or “Where is God in my trouble?” This is why the devil brings trouble. Think about the children of Israel when Moses led them out of Egypt. How often in the Books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy do the Children of Israel grumble and complain about the hardships of their travel to the Promised Land? How often did they accuse Moses and God of “brining us to the desert to die”? What happened to these ungrateful Children of Israel? Instead of taking a trip that was about a year or two at most, the grumbling and complaining of the Children of Israel resulted in them wandering in the desert for 40 years. This is what the devil wants from us! He wants us to turn against God, to complain, to “curse (God) to (hid) face” and die! But when we praise God in the face of hard times, we do something to the devil that is like punching him in the eye. The devil wants us to complain, but when we praise God for the hard times, instead of curse him, we stop the devil in his tracks. Praising God in the hard times instead of cursing him proves the devil a liar. In the hard times, Praise God (don’t curse him), because it helps to defeat the devil. ***Prayer*** I pray O LORD, this day, for anyone who is reading this who is going through some hard times. For those who know you not, Father, I pray that they will come to know you, in spite of the hard times, and that they will see this as the day in which they came to know you. I pray for the believer, Father, the brother and sister who may be going through a hard spot or a tough time. I pray, LORD, that you will comfort them in the hard time, and strengthen them, helping them to rejoice despite the pain, and praise You, in the face of the hurt! I pray all of this in the Mighty Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen God Bless You!!!
Posted on: Thu, 28 Nov 2013 16:42:47 +0000