The Bliss of Remembering

Thanksgiving is just a few more days ahead! Despite the yummy food and happy gatherings with family and friends, thanksgiving is a great time to remember and be thankful for everything that we have. Be thankful for everything because everything that you have is given from God alone. The people that he has brought to your life, such as friends and family are all from him. Always remember to be in thanksgiving not just for the next coming days but for your everyday lives. Life can easily take our minds off of God, but it is important to always remember God in our daily lives. We want to keep our eyes focused on him so we can always reflect his love and mercy in our actions. This is certainly hard to do at times, but never give up trying! Remembering God will bring you abundant blessings to your life. 

It is good to take a moment everyday in our busy lives to remember God and the sacrifice he has given for us. Remembering God and his everlasting love will renew you and give you strength, endurance, and perseverance to stay positive and keep going. Reading the bible and dispersing yourself in God's presence is a great way to remind us of God's love for us. We all need reminding to stay strong in this long and hard journey of life. While we know that God always remembers us, we also have the duty as a Christian to remember God as well. Psalm 105:5 says, "remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgements he pronounced". Remembering God will also give you the power to surrender your life to him because God has control over every part of our life. He is the source to heal any broken heart, to strengthen the weak, to love the unlovable, and to break all the chains in your life. God wants us to remember him and his glory. Psalm 105:8-9 says, "He remembers his covenant forever, the promise he made, for a thousand generations, the convenant he made with Abraham, the oath he swore to Isaac " Just like how God kept his promise of giving an inheritance of generations to come to the faithful Abraham, God will also remember you if you remember him and are faithful to God. If you live your life to serve and love God, he will bless you in return and his favor will  be upon you. 

Psalm 25:6-7 says, "Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you, Lord, are good."God will always remember us, his love never forgets. The only love that can endure forever is God's love. God's love for us is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. His blessings are always waiting for those who remember and love him. So remember, because God always remembers us, we should always remember him. 

A Worthful Suffering

We have alway heard the saying that "Life isn't fair". I hear and experience this many times in my life but every time I face this it has always been hard for me to accept. The fact is in life, we do not always get what we deserve. The world is full of humans who are nonetheless perfect including myself. However, God has always reminded me of my imperfections and the love that he has bestowed before me. We should follow Jesus's own example of self-suffering and loving others no matter the circumstance. God want's us to love everyone and that includes those who have wronged us because God himself loves everyone. Praying for your enemies is a great way to show your love for them. 

1 Peter 3:17-18 says, "For it is better, if it is Gods will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the spirit." For Jesus gave us an example of suffering and in return he was blessed with an everlasting life through the spirit. If we follow Jesus's footsteps, we too will be blessed with the kingdom of God. God see's your sufferings and he will bless you in return for your sufferings of doing good. 1 Peter 2:20 says, "But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. Our reward for enduring the pain to be the light of the world will be greater than doing what is easy. Taking the easy way will bring you simple rewards, but taking the long hard way will bring you a narrow and great reward that not many will receive. You reap what you sow so sow greatly onto your life. You may suffer now, but your blessing from God will come in it's time. 1 Peter 3:9 says, " Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing."

Be the light of the world and do not let it's dankness consume you. Win by letting the good overcome the bad. Focus on God and only him during your tough times because the blessings from God are worth more than anything this world can offer you. Your sufferings for doing good will reap great rewards in its time. So remember, suffering for good is worthful. 

Watcher of Day and Night

Did you know that you have someone watching over you 247 day and night? Someone who will never let you out of their sight? That someone is God. Sometimes life can make us forget that God is actually with us during our troubled times. I have been through times where I asked the question, "Is God really here? Does he care about my sufferings and pain?"But I am always reminded that God is always with you no matter where you are in life. He is with you during the good and bad times. We just have to trust God and be still and wait for God's time. Joshua 1:8-9 says, "Keep this Book of the law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be Strong and Courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." No matter how bad your situation is, if you love God his favor will be upon you and he will bless you in his time. 

The story of Joseph son of Israel is a great story to remind us that God will never leave us nor forsake us. Joseph experienced many bad situations throughout his life but God was always with him wherever he was. Joseph was sold as a slave and sent to Egypt by his brothers, and was later thrown in prison. However, God never forgot about Joseph and his favor was always upon Joseph because Joseph loved God and depended on him. Genesis 39: 19-23 says, "..But while Joseph was there in prison, the Lord was with him;..The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph's care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did."God never forgot about Joseph during his time in prison, and he ended up blessing Joseph as governor of Egypt. In life we may experience what Joseph experienced in prison. Joseph suffered in prison but he endured everything because he trusted that God was always with him. During your sufferings be patient and still, because your pain will never be permanent. God will never forget about you and leave you in your bad state. Allow your hope in God to be the foundation of your endurance and perseverance because your blessing from God is yet to come. Wait for God's time and trust him that he loves you and is always with you. 

Do not be let down during your waiting time for the Lord. It may seem bad now, but always expect great things to come from God. God is always watching you and he will never let you out of his sight because he loves you. He will always be there to guide you if you ask and open your heart to him. God never does a half-way walk with you if you walk with God. He will be with you through it all. So remember, God is the watcher of your day and night. 

REFERENCE: Story of Joseph, Genesis 37-45