Hosea 1:2,Matthew 16:24-25, Psalm 62:5-8; Suffering He is my refuge

Hosea 1:2

When the LORD began to speak by Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea: "Go; take yourself a wife of harlotry and children of harlotry, for the land has committed great harlotry By departing from the LORD."
NKJV

We often hear Christians say things like "The Lord just wants me to be happy" or "God wouldn't ask me to do anything that I can't handle." The truth is that God often asks His people to do what seems impossible. It is also clear that happiness rarely has anything to do with His commands. Hosea was told by God to take a wife that would cause him much pain. Abraham was told to sacrifice his only son, whom he called 'laughter' and loved dearly. Mary, who was called most blessed among women, was required to stand by and watch her son die on the cross. These three, and many others in the Bible, were asked by God to do what we would think impossible for them; things that would bring pain and suffering. They had different circumstances, and different struggles, but the one thing they shared was obedience.

Matthew 16:24-25 "Then Jesus said to His disciples, 'If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.'" NKJV

Jesus went through incredible suffering and pain to free us from the bondage of sin. He did not die just so we could be happy. He did not give His life, so that we could simply pursue our own selfish desires. He died to set us free, and to give us the model of how to live free. What He taught the disciples through His words and by His example is that our calling in this life is to lay down our own lives for the sake of others.

Life Lesson: Following Christ is hard, but it's the least we can offer Him for the price He paid.

Dear Father,
Thank You for loving me so much that You were willing to die a horrible death and suffer the humiliation of my sins. Lord, I choose to follow You, wherever You lead me, because I love You. Jesus, help me to walk in obedience. Give me Your strength, Your power and Your Love, so that I can willingly lay down my life for others. I pray this in Jesus' name, Amen.

Living to tell what He died to say,
Pastor David McGee

My Comments: I have always felt God does not give us more than we can handle because I know He will equip us for anything. He will always be there to take us through as long as we are doing His will and living in His will. Yet He will as well when He wants to bring someone to His perfect will as well. I am thinking of the times before I knew to accept His Son's sacrifice.

I was baby baptized which is not Biblical yet most of my life up until just before 911 I believed that I was saved because of that and believed I was a Christian. There were many horrendous trials in my life before that time and I always knew God was there with me helping me through the fires that life kept sending my way, keeping me at peace in His loving arms. When I accepted the sacrifice of Jesus and was Born Again I knew the joy of having Jesus come into me and I was filled with the Holy Spirit.. Not I know He is in me and I in Him and we are one together and because of this I am one with the Father and as His Son went through things so shall I if asked and my Abba will give me what I need to go through. Not of my own strength yet of His.

That is why it is important to be following the Lord and all He commands and desires of us to do and He gives us the strength if we look to Him and not ourselves. Of ourselves we can do nothing.

May we always look to Him and when He says go or follow may we do so with alacrity and joy in serving Him even if there is pain. Amen

"My soul, wait silently for God alone,
For my expectation is from Him.
He only is my rock and my salvation;
He is my defense;
I shall not be moved.
In God is my salvation and my glory;
The rock of my strength,
And my refuge, is in God.

"Trust in Him at all times, you people;
Pour out your heart before Him;
God is a refuge for us" (Psalm 62:5-8).