Seize the Moment – Day 983

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25
Nov '22

Seize the Moment – Day 983

Posted on Nov 25, 2022 by Jerry Ingalls in Devotions, General |

25
Nov '22

Face Frustration with Faith!

Ezra 4

 

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Friday, November 25.

 

Every single one of us will face frustrations. Trials and tribulations are a part of life, just like Jesus explained in John 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

 

Having faith and seeking to walk in the will of God does not give you a free and clear passageway through the frustrations and tribulations of living under the sun. Rather, faith gives you access to the Good Shepherd of your soul, Jesus, who promises you peace by walking with you through your valleys – “I fear no evil, for you are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4).

 

The remnant of Israel had to cry out to the Good Shepherd to walk with them through frustrations and tribulations. Ezra 4 provides snapshots of nearly a century of opposition that the returning Israelites had in rebuilding Jerusalem. Ezra 4:4-5 introduces the opposition,
 
“Then the people of the land discouraged the people of Judah, and frightened them from building, and hired counselors against them to frustrate their counsel all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.”

 

These frustrations did not last for a single town council meeting or a string of difficult congregational meetings; rather, the opposition to God’s plans lasted for decades. Would you persevere in the work of God if you had your initiatives approved by one administration, only to be shut down by the next? Would your church remain unified when the neighbors disrupted your work with threats, complaints, and discouragements? How do you face frustration – in faith or fear?

 

Seize the moment and don’t walk alone when you face frustrations! Cry out to the Good Shepherd of your soul to walk with you through the valley of the shadow (Psalm 23).

 

God bless you!

 

If you would like to receive a personal phone call today, all you have to do is dial the phone number below right now and one of us will call you soon.

 

YOUTUBE:

If you prefer a video, Pastor Jerry reads his devotion on YouTube as well. Click HERE to visit the page.

Videos are posted about a week after the devotion appears in the blog.

 

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