TRUSTING GOD IN THE GOOD TIMES By David Jeremiah

TRUSTING GOD IN THE GOOD TIMES By David Jeremiah

By David Jeremiah

      If the earth’s axis were not tilted 23 degrees 27 minutes away from a line perpendicular to the plane of the earth’s rotation around the sun, there would be no seasons on our planet. When the earth tilts toward the sun, it’s summer. When tilted away, winter. Spring and fall are transitional seasons which separate winter and summer. If the earth’s axis were perfectly vertical, we would only have one season all year long.

      Living on the equator, you miss the dazzling colors of fall, a cozy fire in winter, a garden in spring, the beach in summer. Many folks love the seasons’ variety–especially the summer season!

      Summer is America’s favorite season–homemade ice cream, a tan, sandals, cooking out, the beach, summer camp, long days, short nights, and the kids welcome NO SCHOOL!

      From September to May, the average family’s life revolves around the children’s school activities. So summer has become a breathing space for needed “R&R&R&R&R” –Rest, Relaxation, Recreation, Reflection, and Refurbishment–vacations, yard work, house repair, family time, winding down from a frenetic pace.

      While summer is a season, it’s also a state of mind. We go through periods in life which are summer-like–when life is just plain good. We don’t always plan the arrival of summer seasons or know when they may leave, but everyone experiences periods of prosperity and goodness. Calendar summers, as well as the summers of our spiritual lives, raise a question for Christians: Where does our focus go during the good times of life?

      When experiencing sickness, financial pressure, rocky relationships, and other anxieties, we focus on God, never letting Him out of our sight as we cry out for relief. But, what does it mean to walk by faith in the good times, the summers of our spiritual life? It’s easy to lose our normal focus from June through August. But, do we face the same temptation–spiritually speaking–when, as the sultry song says, “Summertime, and the living is easy. Fish are jumpin’ and the cotton is high?”

      Summertime Distinctives. How do I know when I’m in a spiritual summer season? Like the calendar summer season, we get contented and subtly find ourselves thinking more about the blessings than the “Blesser”–enjoying the gifts more than the Giver.

      Summertime Distractions. During the school year, life revolves around clocks and calendars. But in the summer, we often break those disciplined routines and become distracted. In the spiritual summer seasons of life, when we find ourselves with extra money, our thoughts may become materialistic. Good health can lead to carelessness about diet and exercise. No crisis?–a temptation to ignore devotional time. Things that make summer seasons enjoyable can also become big distractions.

      Summertime Dangers. God warns of danger when we live in the blessing of God--”Beware . . . Do not forget the Lord . . . when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them . . . and all that you have is multiplied; when your heart is lifted up” (Deuteronomy 8:11-14). The greatest danger in the summertime season of life is forgetting who is responsible for the good life we are enjoying.

      Summertime Directives. What evidence should we look for in a Christian to determine if he is still walking by faith during the good times in life, still focused on God? Scripture points to one compelling attitude: gratitude for the blessings of God. “When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land which He has given you” (Deuteronomy 8:10).

      If you are in a summer season of life right now–a time when things are going well and going your way–is there evidence that you are continuing to walk by faith? Let thanksgiving to God be on your lips for every good and perfect gift which has come down from above (James 1:17). Remember the 23 degree tilt–there is no such thing as an endless summer, literally or spiritually. So stay close and stay grateful to God in the summer seasons of life

Related articles

• Ravi Zacharias, John MacArthur, David Jeremiah Endorses “Way of The Master,” by Ray Comfort (hope4thecitylv.com)

• Walk in the Old Ways (haroldcameron.wordpress.com)

• No one is Safe: Guard Yourself Well! (slaughteringthesheep.wordpress.com)

• Provocative question…Would you die for you? (lightatheart.wordpress.com)

• 222: Praying, Dr. Jeremiah and Devotions (boundless.typepad.com)

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DAVID JEREMIA-A NEW BOOK -I NEVER THOUGHT I'D SEE THE DAY

DAVID JEREMIA-A NEW BOOK -I NEVER THOUGHT I'D SEE THE DAY
David Jeremiah can't believe cultural trends, still offers hope

Marvin Sanders - Guest Columnist - 10/25/2011 1:55:00 PM

"I can't believe this is happening in America!" Admit it. You have thought it. I grew up in a culture in which the alignment of the society, the church, the world of entertainment, and (to a large extent) government revolved around the teachings of scripture. The orbits, however, seem to be decaying rapidly.

Dr. David Jeremiah has given us his new book, I Never Thought I'd See the Day! Subtitled Culture at the Crossroads, the book -- in typical Jeremiah style -- gives a brilliant analysis of where we have drifted as a society and the warning signs of impending catastrophe. In detailing the things he never thought he would see, Dr. Jeremiah lays out the evidence for each of the areas of degeneration and clearly shows how it moves us from order to chaos in our society. More importantly, he warns us about the dangers these changes create in our personal lives.

Among the changes Dr. Jeremiah sees are marriages becoming obsolete, the Bible being marginalized, America turning its back on Israel, and atheists aggressively attacking religion. Much more telling, though, are the dying embers of the spiritual fire in the nation, in the Church, and in the individual believer.
Dr. Jeremiah builds an airtight case that we are being conformed to this world, rather than being transformed by the renewing of our minds. The apostle Paul issued a similar caution in Romans 12:2. Why, you may ask. From beginning to end, the Bible tells the story of a world heading from order to chaos to ultimate destruction. But the biblical story's grand theme is that there is a way to transfer from the train bound for destruction to the train bound for glory.
The author speaks of the "good old days." We all remember them. He reminds us, though, that we tend to selectively remember the good and forget the bad. In the decade of the 1950s, his and my "good old days" were marked by the end of World War II, families reuniting, children being born into families with love and not a lot of commercial distraction. We were getting back to the basics of life. We remember the happy times. But we tend to forget such things as the Cold War, Korea, the fact that we and the Soviet Union had enough nuclear weapons pointed purposely at each other to destroy the world several times over. The Last Days will be marked by the idea that if Christ does not return the world will self-destruct.
Okay. That's the bad news. The good news is still the Good News: Christ came to set us free from the fear of the future.
There is great encouragement in Dr. Jeremiah's book. If we follow Paul's admonition found in Romans 12:2 concerning the renewing of our minds, we can escape the coming destruction. If we allow the Holy Spirit to resynchronize the orbit of our spiritual life around His Word, we can better understand and emotionally cope with the world as it spins. In the end, it comes down to a choice. We get to choose whether to be conformed ... or to be transformed. If we choose to be transformed, David Jeremiah offers us some guidance in helping the Holy Spirit to do His work in us.
I highly recommend I Never Thought I'd See the Day! But then, I always recommend David Jeremiah's books and messages to others.

http://www.onenewsnow.com/features.aspx?id=1465348

PE SCARA CERULUI AM GASIT ....O FLOARE

DRAGII NOSTRII PRIETENI SI CITITORI

OBISNUESC SA VIZITEZ ZILNIC ,,PE SCARA CERULUI'' SI ADESEORI STAU SI MA UIT IN JOS SA VAD CAT AM URCAT SI IN SUS SA VAD CAT A MAI RAMAS -SI MA MINUNEZ CAT DE PUTIN MAI E PANA SUS!! UNEORI INSA MA OPRESC SI SAVUREZ CATE O FLOARE CA CEA DE MAI JOS DUPA CE L-AM ASCULTAT PE IUBITUL NOSTRU FRATE DAVID JEREMIAH ,IERI LA RADIO PE PROGRAMUL KBRT-740 AM LA 4 P.M. LOS ANGELES, DAND UN INTERVIU DESPRE ACEASTA CARTE ,FLOAREA A DEVENIT SI MAI ATRAGATOARE PENTRU MINE SI M-AM GANDIT CA SI CITITORII MEI O VOR MIROSI LA FEL CA MINE SAU O VOR MANCA CA PE O PRAJITURA ASA CUM SPUNE EMI PAVEL=ARTZAR ,AUTORUL ACESTEI FOARTE REUSITE RECENZII SI AL INTERESANTULUI BLOG,,PE SCARA CERULUI''

http://blog.punctul.com/2009/10/15/3766/

pe scara Cerului

pentru ca dragostea lui Dumnezeu invinge atractia gravitationala

Virginia Brasov

Traind cu incredere

intr-o lume aflata in haos

– David Jeremiah

Thursday, October 15th, 2009 | Author: artzar

http://blog.punctul.com/2009/10/15/3766/

Am citit-o mai rapid decat credeam. Puncte forte pentru asta, subiectul si stilul autorului. “Living with Confidence in a Chaotic World” scrisa de apreciatul David Jeremiah era “prajitura” de care vorbeam in urma cu cateva zile. Cartea incepe ca un jurnal de stiri: O economie cu mari deficiente si probleme, cadere libera in piata imobiliara, bursa de marfuri se misca greoi, catrastrofe naturale in lumea intreaga. In fata unor astfel de informatii ai o alegere de facut; sa devii temator, anxios, stresat si ingrijorat sau sa incerci sa vezi ce vrea Dumnezeu de la tine cand iti este dat sa traiesti astfel de timpuri.

Un adevar pe care trebuie sa-l repetam este legat de faptul ca Isus Christos nu a spus niciodata celor care il va urma intr-o experienta personala ca acestia vor fi scutiti de probleme. Le-a promis in schimb prezenta si insotirea Sa prin aceste probleme. Unul din capitolele cartii vorbeste despre relatia personala cu Isus Christos nu doar in maniera unei apropieri de cel Divin ci in ideea de a circumscrie gandurile si actiunile tale, principiilor christice.

Manusa pe care David Jeremiah o arunca nu este doar de prezenta si analiza solutii din Scriptura(nu liveaza retete) ci de a si experimenta personal aceste variante care privesc direct modalitatea in care Biblia iti propune sa treci peste crize. Poate esti vizitat de intrebari precum:

• Cum poti sa treci prin furtuna cu o inima linistita?
• Ce inseamna cu adevarat sa astepti?
• Ce ar spune Isus unei lumi aflate in degringolada?
• Cum ar trebui sa se comporte un crestin cand intreaga lume se scufunda sau e zguduita din temelii?

David Jeremiah are cateva propuneri/provocari pe care le-a inteles din experienta sa cu Dumnezeu. Fiecarei solutii ii acorda un capitol in noua sa carte. De fapt capitolul se poate citi si separat de contextul cartii, fiind un bun studiu al topicului respectiv.

Solutia nu este eficienta doar tie ci prin aplicarea ei poti aduce o influenta si in mediul din jurul tau. Fiecare sectiune a cartii recomanda un pozitie, o stare de a ramane, de a continua a fi:

Ramai linistit Stay Calm
Ramai Sensibil, milos Stay Compassionate
Ramai constructiv Stay Constructive
Ramai(accepta) provocat Stay Challenged
Ramai Conectat Stay Connected
Ramai Centrat in Christos Stay Centered
Ramai Increzator Stay Confident
Ramai Consecvent Stay Consistent
Ramai Atasat Stay Committed
Ramai Convins(lipsa indoielii) Stay Convinced

Fiecare din aceste sectiuni/capitole sunt de fapt o imbinare reusita a invataturii biblice si aplicarea ei in context apropiat, contemporan. Nu reprezinta un adevar abstract ci unul care poate fi practicat in masura in care doresti sa-l particularizezi. Aceasta este de fapt singura cheie de reusita; de a aseza Cuvantul nu doar in minte ci de a lasa sa traiasca, sa respire o data cu mine.

Imaginile folosite sunt foarte actuale, de la cazul ostaticelor din Coreea de Nord (Laura Ling si Euna Lee) la investigatia politiei din San Diego facuta unui pastor care a organizat un studiu biblic la el acasa, sau pana la programul nuclear iranaian.

David Jeremiah abordeaza un stil personal care nu te tine la distanta; de fapt pe tot parcursul cartii te simti aproape de autor iar ceea ce vrea sa parcurga ti se adreseaza personal. Nu este o relatie invatat-invatacel ci una a unui om care merge prin saloanele crizelor si gaseste cu tine, prin intrebari si confirmari modalitati de parcurgere a perioadelor dificile. In cateva randuri m-am trezit gandind: “dar stiu asta…” insa nu mi-am putut retine si intrebarea retorica: ”atunci de ce nu am trait asta?”

La fiecare problema ridicata, Davd Jeremiah prezinta o speranta legata de prezenta lui Christos. Dupa ce termini cartea gasesti in tine dorinta ca da, vreau sa traiesc asa. Dar pentru a putea beneficia de aspectele practice ale experientelor sprituale christice, David Jeremiah nu uita de legamantul/legatura personala cu Dumnezeu prin Christos, pe care o detalieaza pentru cei care nu o cunosc, la finalul cartii sale.

Pastorul David Jeremiah foloseste prezentul pentru a provoca pe cei crestini sa traiasca evenimentele pe baza promisiunilor si principiilor divine exprimate de Isus Christos. Ai ocazia de a iesi din furtuna ud, dar in viata!

O poti achizitiona de la

Christianbook.com

Amazon.com

Am avut posibilitatea sa citesc aceasta carte datorita participarii in programul de recenzii a unor aparatii editoriale ale Thomas Nelson.

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