Quotes:
“Identify your problems but give your power and energy to solutions.” Tony Robbins
“You live longer once you realize that any time spent being unhappy is wasted.” Ruth E. Renkl
“Things work out best for those who make the best of how things work out.” John Wooden
“Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.” Les Brown
” If you are not willing to risk the usual you will have to settle for the ordinary.” Jim Rohn
“Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.” John Wayne
Ephesians 2:1-9
But God is rich in Mercy.
Let consider Noah for a bit.
He found Grace in the sight of the Lord and became a Savior of the world.
Peter said he was a preacher of righteousness.
Noah entered the ark when he was 600 years, 2 months, & 10 days old.
7 days later it started to rain.
It rained fell for 40 days and 40 nights.
The floodwaters covered the earth.
The waters were on the earth for 150 days.
74 days later the tops of the mountains became visible.
40 days after that Noah sent out a raven.
14 days later Noah saw dry land.
57 days after that Noah left the ark.
Now Noah was 601 years, 2 months, and 27 days old.
Noah spent 1 year and 17 days in the ark.
He was probably feeling a little like the Psalmist:
Psalm 42:9-10 “9- I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? 10- As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?”
But God never forgets us!
Genesis 8:1 “And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters asswaged;”
The words “But God…” are filled with hope and meaning.
Those two little words (just six little letters), made up of a conjunction and a personal noun, could well be some of the greatest words in the Bible.
Consider:
Adam and Eve… in the garden of pleasure they sinned; But God gave them a promise of hope:
Genesis 3:15 “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”
Cain killed able… But God gave them Seth.
Genesis 4:25-26 “25- And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew. 26- And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.”
Job lost everything, his children, his wealth and his health… But God turned his captivity.
Job 42:10 “And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.”
Abraham was told by God to sacrifice his son, his only son… But God provided Himself for the offering.
Genesis 22:12-13 “12- And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. 13- And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.”
Jacob was a deceiver… But God wrestled with him and blessed him.
Genesis 32:28 “And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.”
Joseph was sold into slavery… But God made him second in command of the world.
Genesis 41:41, 44 “41- And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. 44- And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.”
Samson was captured and tortured… But God used him mightily to damage the enemy’s kingdom.
Judges 16:21-29 “21- But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house. 22- Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven. 23- Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand. 24- And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said, Our god hath delivered into our
hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our country, which slew many of us. 25- And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made them sport: and they set him between the pillars. 26- And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I may lean upon them. 27- Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were upon the roof about three thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made sport. 28- And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left. 29- nd Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life.”
Samson was as a type of Christ; consider the following:
(Jesus & Samson):
The birth of both of was foretold by an Angel. (Jud.13:5; Isa.7:14)
Israel had been handed over to their enemies. (Jud.13:1; Mat.2:1)
Both married Gentiles; both were betrayed for pieces of silver.
Samson fought a lion and Christ fought the devil, which is likened to a roaring lion (1 Pet. 5:8).
Both conquered in their deaths.
No matter where you are living; no matter how hard life has been…
But God saves!
But God makes it right!
But God give hope!
But God always gets it right!
The Love Of God
Frederick M. Lehman
The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
It goes beyond the highest star,
And reaches to the lowest hell;
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled,
And pardoned from his sin.
When hoary time shall pass away,
And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,
When men who here refuse to pray,
On rocks and hills and mountains call,
God’s love so sure, shall still endure,
All measureless and strong;
Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—
The saints’ and angels’ song.
Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.
Refrain:
Oh, love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure—
The saints’ and angels’ song.
No But’s… for God can and more importantly, He Will!!
BUT GOD CAN MAKE A/THE DIFFERENCE FOR YOU!
