Luke 2:4-5 KJV “And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) [5] To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.”
Can you imagine what went through folks minds as they saw Mary pregnant and not yet married? You think some thought she and Joseph were fornicators? In their culture you could be stoned to death for such an offense. Why didn’t God wait until Mary was married to make her pregnant by the Holy Spirit? Then if anyone saw Mary’s belly, “Great with child,” they would think nothing of it. They would conclude she was pregnant by her husband. Is it unreasonable to think that Mary may have also had some concerns like, “People are gonna think I’ve sinned when they see me?” Why would God choose this timing to bring about the savior of the world? The short answer: BECAUSE HE’S GOD!
I’m sure folks have lots of answers to these questions and some of them would be right. All I can say is God’s timing to do things is His own business. HE IS GOD! He is the only person who does what He wants when He wants and it’s always perfect timing.😊 (2 Samuel 22:31) Let’s remember this when we find ourselves in challenging situations.😊 Others don’t have to know and we don’t always need to know why God chooses to do a thing at a certain time. All we need is the faith that His ways are perfect:
“God you are so wise! I never would have saw that! All I was thinking about was how uncomfortable it felt. You were protecting me the whole time! Forgive me Lord.”😥
Isaiah 55:8-9 KJV “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. [9] For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Isaiah 30:21 NET “You will hear a word spoken behind you, saying, “This is the correct way, walk in it,” whether you are heading to the right or the left.”
Doesn’t it feel like the pressure has turned up since Covid-19? If you feel like this year has been tough when it comes to making decisions you’re not alone. A lot has happened since Covid. It’s as if another level of evil has been unleashed in the air along with the disease.🦠👽 Many have lost jobs, houses, cars, etcetera. Others have lost loved ones and brethren. The evil in the air has contributed to some turning away from folks they once proclaimed to love. (Matthew 24:10-13) People are losing their minds. They’re being robbed of their own identities. (John 10:10) The pressure has certainly turned up. The days are more evil than before.
Today’s pressures remind me of the game chess (only more deadlier). In chess your opponent’s job is to restrict your freedom or moves, and force you to make moves you don’t want to make. If your opponent is successful after so many forced moves your position becomes so weakened to the point you just wonna resign, or your king gets checkmated. In either case you lose. If you feel like you’re in such a struggle or you’re stuck and don’t know which way to move I believe this article will encourage you. Or if you’ve already made a bad move but you still want to fight and win I think this piece will edify you.😊
IT’S NOT ALL YOUR FAULT
The Devil and his angels love to play deadly games.👽 They cause troubling situations similar to hard to figure out chess problems. Then once we become troubled they whisper in our ears that we are sinning, “You don’t have enough faith,” they mutter. Basically when we feel anxious or fearful and don’t know what to do evil spirits love making us feel guilty for being stuck in the same troubles they’ve caused. How sick!🤮 But let’s take a closer look at something Jesus says so that we may dispel these demonic attacks:
John 14:27 KJV “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart BE troubled, neither let it BE afraid.”
Do you know what the that 2 letter word, “BE,” means? Look it up in a dictionary; it means, ‘to be equal in meaning with, to have identity with, or to exist as something.’ When Jesus said, “Let not your heart BE troubled, neither let it BE afraid.” he was saying don’t be equal in meaning with anxiety or fear, don’t let them be your identity, and not to exist in a constant state of trouble and terror. Will we get anxious and fearful sometimes? Yes. But GETTING anxious and fearful and BEING anxious and fearful are two different things. One comes and goes, the latter always stays:
2 Corinthians 4:8-9 KJV “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are PERPLEXED, but not in despair; [9] Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.”
The scripture clearly says we go through all kinds of pressure from this world and are hit on all sides. Do you know what the word, “Perplexed,” means in the original Greek in the text above according to STRONG’S Definition? “To have no way out that is be at a loss (mentally).” Is that not how you feel sometimes, perhaps even now? Like you don’t know which way to turn or what to do? This feeling is normal and not sinful. So don’t beat yourself to death over it. All believers get perplexed the scripture says. Remember there is a difference between GETTING and BEING something. These are highly unusual times. It’s much easier to become confused and make the wrong decision. But isn’t it great to know even if you have slipped up God is willing to forgive you?😊 So why not forgive ourselves? God has given us a giant eraser. It’s called repentance. As long as we humbly admit to Him our faults and repent He is more than happy to forgive us.😊 (Proverbs 28:13)
Though believers get beat down by this world and are even confused at times we are never forsaken by God or destroyed.😊 Our God is always with us, always protecting us, always guiding us. You know what inspired me to write this article? Like you I’ve been under unusual pressures lately and was about to make a bad move. It felt like a forced move just like in a game of chess. At the moment it seemed like the right move. Now I can see my opponent (the Devil) was setting me up for that move the whole time. I even made preparations for this move that costed me financially, mentally, and even physically. But who cares? I just thank God that it didn’t cost me spiritually! Right before I was about to do it God showed me, “Don’t move there.” Sometimes it’s not until we make the wrong choices or are headed that way God intervenes. Let’s be glad He does. Or how else could this passage come true?
Isaiah 30:21 NET “You will hear a word spoken behind you, saying, “This is the correct way, walk in it,” whether you are heading to the right or the left.”
Pray often, for prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge for Satan.
Brother Lawrence
There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightful, than that of a continual conversation with God; those only can comprehend it who practice and experience it.
Like The Bereans 