"Many of the people who were there with Mary believed in Jesus when they saw this happen. But some went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. Then the leading priests and Pharisees called the high council together. "What are we going to do?" they asked each other. "This man certainly performs many miraculous signs. If we allow him to go on like this, soon everyone will believe in him. Then the Roman army will come and destroy both our Temple and our nation."
Caiaphas, who was high priest at that time, said, "You don't know what you're talking about! You don't realize that it's better for you to that one man should die for the people than for the whole nation to be destroyed."
He did not say this on his own, as high priest at that time he was led to prophesy that Jesus would die for the entire nation. And not only for that nation, but to bring together and unite all the children of God scattered around the world.
So from that time on, the Jewish leaders began to plot Jesus' death. As a result, Jesus stopped his public ministry among the people and left Jerusalem. He went to a place near the wilderness, to the village of Ephraim, and stayed there with his disciples.
It was now almost time for the Jewish Passover celebration, and many people from all over the country arrived in Jerusalem several days early so they could go through the purification ceremony before Passover began. They kept looking for Jesus, but as they stood around in the Temple, they said to each other, "What do you think? He won't come for Passover, will he?" Meanwhile, the leading priests and Pharisees had publicly ordered that anyone seeing Jesus must report it immediately so they could arrest him." (John 11:45-57 NLT)
Maybe you have been wondering what it is that I have been dealing with, this tribulation thing that I have been talking about. I usually don't like to share my problems, because I usually try and hide anything that might be wrong, and just focus upon and share about the good things, leaving the bad things for God to just work out.
However, yesterday's message about Peace, made me think that this tribulation might actually be a thing that I need to share, because the peace we have in tribulation isn't realized by others, until they know what is really going on in our life. At least that is what I took away from Rick's message, that God will allow us to be in certain trials, not just to correct us, but to also allow us to be used in our trial so that others might grow also.
Anywho, here it goes. For the last several months, maybe most of this year, I have been struggling with keeping up with my bills. It's usually not something that I worry about, because I am usually always confident that God will supply for all my needs. I will trust God enough to make sure that I have used all my resources to pay for all my current bills, and then some. If there is money left over, I will usually pay extra on something that I owe, or I will donate the money to something else the Lord might lead me to do.
My tithes are based upon everything that goes through me; if it comes into my right hand, 10% of it that goes out from my left hand gets given automatically as a tithe. So, it is not something I seldom worry about, the money all belongs to God! We are just a conduit that His money goes through. I don't even really have a savings account or money stashed away for a rainy day.
If anything, my credit cards are my savings account, but lately, they have become my master! I have been struggling to keep up with Pay Roll, taxes, and most any other thing that requires a monthly payment; so much so, that I have used and taken from my credit cards to the point of being almost in the largest debt that I have ever been in, without having a mortgage!
I felt that God spoke into my heart yesterday morning, and I feel that He showed me what one thing was that I had been doing wrong, so I have decided what it is I must do; besides that I need to stop worrying about money! Because I have been in sales, for the last 40 years, I have pretty much been basing the majority of my tithes upon the amount that I generate in sales. Most of which is really not realized until that job actually gets paid.
Therefore, I felt the Lord told me that I must keep a daily record of everything I actually receive on a daily basis, using that for my accounting on what to give, not based on that which I have not yet received. Crazy as it might sound, but that is the way I have done it, since as far back as I remember. To be totally truthful, as far as I can remember, I have always struggled with finances. I am good at making money, I am terrible at handling and managing my finances!
All that said, I got a kick out of Rick's illustration of the Frozen song, "Let it Go," because that is really where I feel that I am right now, letting it all go, if that is what God wants me to do; it all belongs to Him anyways, so it is not mine to hold unto to. I just need to focus on two things: Holding on to Jesus and taking care of my wife!
This morning as I was praying for what God would have me do, this very small and quite voice spoke into my heart, just two barely audio words: "Be still"...
"Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth." (Psalms 46:10 KJV)
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