No Matter What

http://youtu.be/OA3MSqufJP4 - No Matter What - Kerrie Roberts



This weekend, many families in Bastrop were evacuated from their neighborhoods because of the ominous threat of fire. As they drove away from their homes, looking back, this is the scene they viewed.

What a horrible nightmare! They are watching everything they own go up in flames.

This photo was posted by my friend Patty Wallace, whose family is experiencing this devastation first hand. They've lost everything. And they are not alone. Many families are facing this same great loss.

This particular picture made it all very real to me. I tried to imagine how it would feel if I were leaving my town and looking back to see that evil dark cloud of smoke filling every inch of space. How hopeless and helpless these families must feel! How overwhelmed they must be!

My heart hurts for the people of Bastrop and all the families who have lost so much because of these horrible fires. What can I do to help? What words do I say? How do I offer hope when everything is taken away? I, too, feel helpless.

What would I do if I were in their situation? What if I was told that I had ten minutes to evacuate my home? What would I try to save if I only had a few minutes of warning? The answer is easy. I'd make sure everyone in my family (including Chelsea our puppy) was out of the house safely. Nothing else would matter. It wouldn't be easy, but I know I could handle this devastation as long as my family was safe.

A few years ago, Larry's dad faced this nightmare. In the middle of the night, smoke began to fill the second floor of his home, and he and his wife were awaken by Greg, their nine year old grandson, and his little friend who was spending the night. They had managed to crawl from their room into Popeye's room. Larry's dad immediately pushed the boys and his wife into the bathroom and instructed his wife to get the boys out through the window. He charged down the hall that was full of smoke, and then down the stairs, hoping to get out side and go for help. He made it out. He ran around the house yelling to his neighbors! One neighbor ran out and immediately saw what was happening and called 911. Popeye ran to the back of the house to help the boys and his wife down from on top of the patio roof, but his wife was screaming! She couldn't get the boys out of the window! The boys were too overcome with smoke - too weak to help themselves out of the window and too heavy for her to pull through. Then Popeye did what you're never supposed to do. He went back into the burning house. He went back in to save his grandson and his friend. Popeye made it all the way up the stairs even though it was pitch black with smoke. He made it all the way into his bedroom before he collapsed from smoke inhalation.

The boys didn't make it out either. Firefighters found their bodies in the bathroom, both of them were curled up in the bathtub. It was a horrible, horrible tragedy.

Days later, when we walked through the rubble and ashes of Popeye's home, the possessions that were lost didn't mean anything. What mattered was that Popeye and those two little boys were gone.

As we mourned our loss, the only comfort we found was in knowing that this life is not all there is. Our life here on earth is just a training ground; it's such a short little moment when compared to Eternity. When our physical bodies die, our spirits leave our bodies, and our true life begins.

Whatever we face on earth can either defeat us, or it can make us stronger because we become more dependent on our Father. I am convinced that our Father doesn't allow one ounce of suffering that He hasn't first filtered through His amazing love for us.

Why does He allow us to suffer? If I were God, I wouldn't want anyone to hurt. But God's ways are so much higher than mine. He has a purpose for me that is greater than I can imagine. Sometimes the struggles He allows in my life are the very things that draw me closer to Him. My struggles are a reminder of how helpless I am without Him. When I feel weak and powerless, I turn to Him. He is my strength. He gives me a way to bear whatever He allows in my life. When I'm weak, that's when I'm the strongest - in His strength.

2 Corinthians 12:8-10 - Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

1 Corinthians 10: 13- 13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

Jesus told us clearly that will have troubles and sorrows on earth. But He also told us that no matter what those troubles are, we don't have to be overwhelmed and defeated, because He has overcome the world. John 16:33 - I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” My struggles will be tough but Jesus is tougher. He has already won the battle. I keep my eyes on Him and I find great peace in victory.

It's easy right now for me to sit in my comfortable home, surrounded with my earthly posssessions and say "no matter what, I will trust YOU, Father!" But even when we lost Popeye and little Greg and his friend in the fire, we had a unexplainable peace. We still trusted God. I don't know how anyone gets through something like that without GOD.

The people of Bastrop are facing horrific circumstances. As horrible as it is, it's going to be made worse because Satan will be attacking every family who is being affected by this devastating fire. He will be whispering defeat and discouragement. He will try to convince them that God doesn't care, and that He won't help them. "Where was God? How could He allow this to happen?" he will say. Some will believe the lies and will doubt God's love. But some will become stronger in their faith. They will call on the LORD God who can bring peace and comfort; the One who can make beauty even from these ashes. They will testify to His faithfulness in all things, even in this horrible disaster. They will proclaim: "No matter what, I will trust You, Father!" And people from all over the world will hear their testimony. And some of those people will want to know the One who has given these "victims" such amazing strength.

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednigo loved God and would not bow down to the idol King Nebuchadnezzar had erected. The King threatened death in the firey furnace if they would not bow down to this idol. Still Shadrach, Meshach, and Adebnego trusted God to deliver them.


Daniel 3:15-18

And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?” 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If that is the case, furnace,our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. 18 But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”

19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury, and the expression on his face changed toward Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. He spoke and commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. 20 And he commanded certain mighty men of valor who were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, and cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their trousers, their turbans, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 22 Therefore, because the king’s command was urgent, and the furnace exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” 25 “Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”
Nebuchadnezzar Praises God 26 Then Nebuchadnezzar went near the mouth of the burning fiery furnace and spoke, saying, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here.” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego came from the midst of the fire. 27 And the satraps, administrators, governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together, and they saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them. 28 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God! 29 Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this.”

Do hear the words? Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were in the middle of the fire! They were in the fire, but they were not alone in the fire! Most scholars believe that it was Jesus whom Nebuchadnezzar saw with them in the furnace. God didn't prevent them from facing the fire, but He protected them while they were in it. He never left them to face the fire alone. And oh, what a testimony these three men are to God's faithfulness!

God is able to deliver us from anything. HE is trustworthy and loving. His plan for us is for good and not evil; a plan to give us a hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11. My prayer is that we all can remember Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and confess along with them this confession of faith : "If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Satan. But even if He doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Satan, that we will never serve you or worship you.”


http://youtu.be/hMXpHhr_NkA - You Are God Alone - Phillips Craig and Dean

We can allow Satan to use our struggles to weaken our faith. We can choose to listen to his lies and play them over in heads to the point where we actually start believing that God doesn't really care when we hurt or love us. Our Father, Almighty God, loved us so much He sent His only Son to die in our place. If that's not love, I don't know what is.

But we have another choice: we can allow God to use the exact same struggles to make us powerful witnesses to His love and faithfulness. Our struggle become a platform for our testimony of faith in Christ.

The way I see it, I only have two choices. I either choose to believe God or I don't. When I don't, I have automatically, by default, chosen to believe Satan.

I don't always understand why God allows bad things to happen, but I trust His great love. He's proven Himself too many times in my life. I know HIM and I know HE is Good.

I also know Satan. He is committed to my destruction. He loves it when bad things shake my faith. He relishes in my pain and agony. He feeds me a steady stream of evil lies. How he must celebrate when I fall to his schemes! I hate that I might bring him even a second of happiness!!!

The choice isn't hard for me. I'll take my chances with my Father.

2 Samuel 24 - “I am in great distress. Please let us fall into the hand of the LORD, for His mercies are great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man.”

http://youtu.be/J4xm2mtDj2c - This Life - Mercy Me

Every moment is a chance to let my light shine!

Holy Father, my Rescuer and my Protector! I praise You with all I am! I'm trusting You with all my heart. I need You so much.

I'm in a battle. The Enemy wants me to doubt Your Love and sometimes, I waiver - just a tiny bit for just a flash of a second, before I remember how much You love me. How can I ever doubt Your amazing love, Father? You sent Your precious Son to pay the ultimate price for me, so that I can be with You in Eternity. That's the greatest love the world has ever known. Thank You for loving me so much. Forgive me when I doubt.

Father, help me to quickly discern the lies of the Enemy. I know he seeks to kill, steal and destroy, but sometimes, his words can sound true. He's wise, our Enemy, wise enough to give me just enough truth to make me trust his destructive garbage. Father, thank You for giving me Your Holy Spirit to live within me and to stand with me against the devil. Satan is no match for Your Holy Spirit. Remind me to call on Your Spirit and trust in Your Power and Strength, not my own.

Father, there are lots of hurting people right now in Bastrop and other areas where fire as wreaked havoc. My sincere plea is that You would squelch this fire right now. Make it stop! Speak to the Wind - "peace, be still!" because even the winds obey You. Father, help each person to feel Your presence and comfort - show Yourself to each one just like You showed Yourself in the firey furnace. Let them know without a doubt that You are there, walking them through this terrible journey. Please protect them and protect every emergency worker who is unselfishly risking their lives to save others. Father God, let this horrible tragedy be a place where believers stand up and testify to Your faithfulness - just like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Be glorified Lord! Even in the midst of this suffering, be glorified in the lives of Your children. In Jesus' Powerful Name I pray. Amen.