Casting All Your Care Upon Him

HEY HEY GUESS WHAT?

"What?"

I REALLY WANT A DOUGHNUT!

"Oh Houze! Get out of here."

AND TOPPED OFF WITH BIG PEANUT!

"Umm, okay?"

:Waits: BE SURE NOT TO TAKE A SHORTCUT!

:Laughs: 30 seconds later... :Runs out door to the nearest bakery:

OH COULD YOU PLEASE ADD A CHESTNUT!

:Silence:

HURRY UP PLEASE I NEED A HAIRCUT!

:Runs back in: Here, here's your doughnut with a peanut!

Mmm...wait, WHERE'S MY WALNUT!?

"You didn't ask for one..."

:Falls to knees: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

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Good morning, afternoon, evening? What ever time it is for you, I am glad you're here.

I've been thinking recently, "why don't I know God like I should, or want to?"

It seems like a crazy question, I know. At least, maybe one that you wouldn't think of asking. Yes, I realize maybe I think too much, or too deeply into things (my family can tell you I do that a lot).

I've come up with a couple of conclusions, now they may not be concrete things, however I certainly think these things can keep us from knowing God in a more personal way.

1) The thing that separates us from God - sin.

I know this is hard topic, but nevertheless it's important. You see, the last 2 years ish,  I've been struggling with a "besetting" sin, as Hebrews 12:1 calls it.

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

It has consumed my time, my mind, and my energy. Last week, I decided to put that thing off to the side and not touch it for 30 days. That thing is YouTube. I've said, I struggled with it before. However, over the last year it's gotten worst. It got to the point it was all I did! Now, it wasn't easy to give it up, nor are the coming days. I've fallen and watched a few, but I'm trying. I've asked for forgiveness, and God forgave me. Yesterday, I decided the best thing to do when I feel the urge to grab my phone and watch YouTube, was to pray. For He said, 

Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. - Matthew 26:41 

It's been hard, the temptation has certainly been there, but I know He'll guide me through it. I know He gives me a way out of the temptation, for 1 Corinthians 10:13 states, 

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 

It's tough to give up the thing you're holding onto and it can be a number of things, it's doesn't have to be visible. It can be a sin of the heart such as, bitterness, unforgivness, covetousness, or even unthankfulness. However, it does need to be taken to God, because it can bring you closer to Him. 

Not only are you living a more holy life by doing this, but you realize that God is a God of help. He doesn't leave you down here to figure all of it out on your own, rather He helps you along the way. He's a personal God. 

2) Not casting all our cares upon Him.

I am guilty of not doing this. It took a piece of bad news for me to realize I needed to bring my cares to God, though I knew the verse in 1 Peter, pretty well. 

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. - 1 Peter 5:7 

I think we can get caught up with the decisions in front of us that we forget to bring them to God. However, this is exactly what He asks for us to do. It reminds me of the song, What A Friend We Have In Jesus, one of my favorites! In the first verse it says, 

Oh, what peace we often forfeit
Oh, what needless pain we bear
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer

We, or I, carry pain that I really don't need to be. It's as simple and getting down on your knees are crying out, saying "Lord, I am hurting."

I've hurt in the middle in the night, my heart broken into a million pieces, but during that time I've felt Him wrap His tender loving arms around me. I've felt the peace of bringing my cares and problems to Him. I've felt the weight of decisions a head of me vanish.

3) Being thankful

I've realized, God likes people who are thankful for both the good and the bad. Psalms 100:4 says,

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

Being thankful brings you into the gates. It brings you closer to Him, and praise brings you even closer. 

A few verses that speak of giving thanks are:

Ephesians 5:20 - Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; 

Philippians 4:6 - Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 - In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

I feel that it's important to give God thanks. It seems to bring you just a little closer to Him, especially when bad things happen. It doesn't make sense I know. However, it tells God that He is still good, even though it seems your world is crashing all around you. It shows Christian maturity on your part. God likes that. 

In matter of fact, in the last days people become more and more unthankful. So, it's even more important to be thankful now.

For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, - 2 Timothy 3:2 
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That's all for today. I hope you all can incorporate one or more of these things into your life. As I think it's important to be close and know God on a more personal level. It makes life more enjoyable.

Today's Encouraging Quote:

My home is in Heaven. I'm just traveling through this world. - Billy Graham 

Today's Bible Verse:

Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. - Matthew 10:31 (KJV) 

 

Remember, the best friend you have is Jesus Christ.