Trust God To Help Us Achieve The Impossible
Posted by Louise on Mar 7, 2010
I have chosen these inspirational Bible verses to remind us that there will be many occasions when we are obliged to face something where the odds are stacked hugely against us, or perhaps we are surrounded by hostile, threatening circumstances. Today’ s inspirational Bible verses are taken from Samuel, 14, verses 3 to 6. Jonathan faced overwhelming odds when just he and his armour bearer went into battle against the Philistines – however Jonathan put his absolute trust in God.
For me this passage is particularly relevant because we are selling our family home at a time when the real estate market is pretty sluggish. Not only that, but we live in France and our family home is in Ireland. Both geography – as in great distance – and the economy are difficult odds to overcome. However losing faith and giving into fear only makes the battle even more intimidating. It is a time for cool nerves, ABSOLUTE TRUST IN GOD, and leaving doubt out of the equation. I know that this is the wisest route for us to follow: I can panic and writhe and moan but it will not help us in the least. Or I can surrender my fears and doubts to God and allow pure trust to accompany me throughout the challenge.
Without further ado, here are those inspirational Bible verses***:
“No one realised that Jonathan had left the Israelite camp. (4) To reach the Philistine outpost, Jonathan had to go down between to rocky cliffs that were called Bozez and Seneh. (5) The cliff on the north was in front of Micmash; and the one on the south was in front of Geba. (6) “Let’s go across to the outpost of those pagans,” Jonathan said to his armour bearer. “Perhaps the Lord will help us, for nothing can hinder the Lord. He can win a battle whether he has many warriors or only a few.”
I can find great comfort in the idea that the Lord will help me. Furthermore, no problem is too big or too complex for God to solve. It reminds me of Norman Vincent Peale who wrote something along the lines of ‘if God is for me, who can be against me?’ (the exact wording may not be correct as it is taken from memory).
These inspirational Bible verses remind us that we never really have to go it alone. Gigantic challenges and massive odds can be overcome if we share the responsibility with God. Challenges and difficult times can be a time of learning to trust. Giving our Lord the opportunity to find the most perfect way. It is an opportunity for me to stop meddling and micro-managing and just TRUST. *
**Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Inspirational Bible Verses: Don’t just feel Gratitude – Express Your Thanks Aloud!
Posted by Louise on Feb 19, 2010
These inspirational Bible verses were taken from Luke, Chapter 17; verses 12 – 19. I chose these verses as a source of inspiration about gratitude. One never knows when we will be in a position of not being able to help ourselves, when we will have to place our faith and trust in God or others. When we do receive help it is essential that we not only feel gratitude but express it to our benefactor(s). In so doing, we stand to gain even more.
[12] As he entered a village there, ten lepers stood at a distance, [13] crying out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”
[14] He looked at them and said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy.
[15] One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, “Praise God!” [16] He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaratan.”
[17] Jesus asked, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? [18] Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” [19] And Jesus said to the man, “Stand up and go. Your faith has healed you.”***
Understanding the historical context of having leprosy:
Leprosy or Hansen’s disease is a chronic bacterial disease of the upper respiratory tract and the peripheral nerves, resulting in very disfiguring skin lesions. Popular myth suggests fingers, toes, noses drop off due to the infection, this is incorrect. In fact while affected parts may become numb there is permanent damage caused to skin, eyes, limbs and nerves. Leprosy spreads via close contact and nasal droplets.
At the time of St. Luke, in order to prevent the spread of leprosy, sufferers were expected to keep themselves separate from others, hence the double burden of a social stigma plus enforced isolation. On occasion, leprosy appeared to go into remission, and sufferers were then entitled to visit a priest, who had the power to declare them well (Leviticus 14). It is interesting to note that the sufferer was a Samaritan, a race particularly despised by the Jews.
What do these Bible verses really mean?
Jesus was travelling through Samaria on his way from Galilee to Jericho, when he encountered ten opportunistic lepers who had sufficient faith to beg Jesus for mercy, and then visit their priests for the ‘all clear’ even before they knew they were cured. This demonstrated their faith in the power of Jesus to heal. Luke uses this story to illustrate that God’s grace is for everyone, even leprosy-ridden Samaritans.
It is wry that nine out of ten cured men failed to thank Jesus. Interestingly, Jesus indicates it is appropriate to thank God, so it is important to go beyond feeling gratitude, he expects us to express our thanks to God also. We can read between the lines, that only the grateful man discovered why he had been healed – due to his faith that he would be healed.
How can we apply this lesson in faith and gratitude to our lives today?
What I find interesting about these inspirational Bible verses is it was social outcasts (not just leprosy-sufferers but also a despised ethnic group) who had sufficient faith to believe Jesus would and could heal them. I know from my own life, when things have been very difficult I have been at my most receptive to help, from whichever quarter it came. In fact it was this vulnerability which forced my hand to request outside help in the first place. Knowing I couldn’t solve my difficulty alone served to strengthen my faith and trust in my helper.
It is sobering to read that nine out of ten healed men failed to express their gratitude. It causes me to reflect on how much I take for granted. Not only do I need to thank God, there are many people, my family and friends included, who need to hear of my gratitude for their support.
Finally, I love the extra twist in the story. The one man who returned to express his thanks was the only one to discover why he had been healed. Jesus told him it was due to his faith. So, while God is pleased when we give thanks, there may be a second benefit too: we stand to harvest greater understanding by showing gratitude.
In keeping with what I have learned, I thank you for reading these inspirational Bible verses. I hope you will express your gratitude to God and those around you today. I shall endeavour not waste another opportunity for gratitude.
***Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Inspirational Bible Verses: Developing an Attitude of Thankfulness
Posted by Louise on Feb 17, 2010
Here we are, bang in the middle of an economic recession, when many of us are experiencing scarcity of work and income. This prompted my choice of inspirational Bible verses. What does the ancient Israelite culture have to do with our attitude to thankfulness today? Why should we be thankful today when we face financial hardship, unsatisfying work, and we lack the means to improve our lot?
Today’s inspirational Bible verses are taken from ‘Numbers’ chapter 11, verses 4 – 6. These Bible verses deal with the Israelites complaining, missing the daily luxuries they experienced in Egypt, and displaying a thorough lack of gratitude.
” (4) Then the foreign rabble who were traveling with the Israelites began to crave the good things of Egypt. And the people of Israel also began to complain. “Oh, for some meat!” they exclaimed. (5) We remember the fish we used to eat for free in Egypt. And we had all the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic we wanted. (6) But now our appetites are gone. All we ever see is this manna!”***
What do these Bible verses really mean?
We know the foreign rabble refers to a large group of Egyptians who accompanied the people of Israel out of Egypt. En route to the Promised Land the travelers were insecure as they moved through the wilderness, uprooted and separated from the life they knew in Egypt.
This sense of change and rootlessness caused the crowd to see their time as slaves through rosy glasses. Forgotten were the whips and brutality of their Egyptian masters, their time as slaves. Instead the travelers remembered the fine food, meat, fish and succulent vegetables, that they had eaten during their time as slaves.
What does this ancient group of disenchanted travelers have to do with how we experience life today?
Like us living in an unstable economic climate today, the band of travelers were facing the unknown and finding it challenging to adapt to change and uncertainty. Rather than focus on the new life God was creating for them (a new life in the Promised Land where they could be free, a nation settled in their own land), dissatisfaction reared its ugly head. Grumbling and complaining replaced thankfulness and trust. Selective memories of good food were in the forefront of their minds while they omitted to remember the dreadful experiences of servitude while still in Egypt.
The contemporary lesson appears to be that it is all too easy for us to oversee the magnitude of things we have to be grateful for in times of hardship. When we focus on what we don’t have, dissatisfaction with our lot sets in. Dissatisfaction then colors our perception of life. We complain and feel a strong sense of lack, while this is only part of our current situation. For every lack, there is a multitude of things to be genuinely thankful for.
How can we apply the dissatisfaction and resistance to change the ancient travelers experienced to our lives today?
The human mind is capable of great duplicity, and we are masters of selective vision at any time. We can focus on the rosy aspects of the past, omitting the painful times. Equally we can mislead ourselves and paint our current situation as being far, far worse than it really is by concentrating on the negative aspects and airbrushing our blessings out of mind.
These inspirational Bible verses give us pause to think about what occupies most of our attention right now. Dissatisfaction occurs when we shift our attention from what we have to what we don’t have. Are we thankful for what we have or are we magnifying the sensations of frustration at what we don’t have at the moment?
Today’s understanding of the necessity for Thankfulness:
Christianity and several of the world religions appreciated the benefits experiencing deep thankfulness. The inspirational Bible verses quoted above are but one example of how Christians are exhorted to live a life of thankfulness, putting our focus on the bountiful experience of daily life.
The advent of positive psychology, which developed rapidly over the past decade, has produced convincing evidence that grateful people are happier, more content with life, less stressed and depressed, sleep better, and have a greater sense of control over their lives, less prone to substance abuse, adopt better coping strategies and numerous other unexpected side-benefits. (For more fascinating insights, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gratitude.)
New-Age philosophies embrace an ‘attitude of gratitude’ as a stepping stone to well-being and a prerequisite to manifesting abundance. Keeping a Gratitude Journal and recognising the positive is seen as a critical part of the manifestation process.
I hope you have enjoyed discovering how inspirational Bible verses can have a very real application in our lives today. I wish you many reasons for thankfulness and may you experience the life-enhancing gift of gratitude. If these verses inspired you in some way, don’t hesitate to share your gratitude experience.
*** Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996,2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
