Isaiah 30:1 "The rebellious children are as good as dead," says the LORD, "those who make plans without consulting me, who form alliances without consulting my Spirit, and thereby compound their sin.
Forming an alliance is an act of dependency upon another entity, among other definitions. In tough situations we may be more inclined to seek help from sources that are strong and sure based on our perceptions... But let us not forget that we have the Almighty God on our side. I'm not saying that we shouldn't go to anyone else for help, but before we do anything else we should never forget to acknowledge the absolute power and sovereignty of our God.
Again, this serves as a reminder for us to stop, look, and listen:
Stop - do not fall into the trap of acting on emotions. Remember that though you can be weighed down by the situation, God is always faithful. Acknowledge the fact that He is strong, and He knows exactly what you are going through.
'Stop' also means Stop what you're doing, if you know you're doing something against God's Will! Ask the Lord to reveal anything that you aren't aware of that could have brought you to the situation you're in, and confess it right away!
Psalms 139:23 Examine me, and probe my thoughts! Test me, and know my concerns!
1 John 1:9 But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness.
Look - assess the situation. What part of the problem is real and needs to be handled? What part of the problem is just being overemphasized, underestimated, or just not true? Seek God's help. Present it
all up to Him.
Listen - One great thing about the Lord is that He is always with us, that He will never leave not forsake us.
Joshua 1:9 I repeat, be strong and brave! Don't be afraid and don't panic, for I, the LORD your God, am with you in all you do."
We don't need to be anywhere special to be in His presence, but we do need to have our hearts ready if we want to hear what He has to say. So far we've cast aside our emotions, we've confessed all sin, and we've presented our situation to the Lord. We've acknowledged the facts, and we've recognized the one absolute truth that God is mighty to save. What's left to do is to listen to God's instruction, or God's results, as mentioned here:
James 5:16 So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness.
I've always cherished that last verse. Stop. Look. Listen.
Forming an alliance is an act of dependency upon another entity, among other definitions. In tough situations we may be more inclined to seek help from sources that are strong and sure based on our perceptions... But let us not forget that we have the Almighty God on our side. I'm not saying that we shouldn't go to anyone else for help, but before we do anything else we should never forget to acknowledge the absolute power and sovereignty of our God.
Again, this serves as a reminder for us to stop, look, and listen:
Stop - do not fall into the trap of acting on emotions. Remember that though you can be weighed down by the situation, God is always faithful. Acknowledge the fact that He is strong, and He knows exactly what you are going through.
'Stop' also means Stop what you're doing, if you know you're doing something against God's Will! Ask the Lord to reveal anything that you aren't aware of that could have brought you to the situation you're in, and confess it right away!
Psalms 139:23 Examine me, and probe my thoughts! Test me, and know my concerns!
1 John 1:9 But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness.
Look - assess the situation. What part of the problem is real and needs to be handled? What part of the problem is just being overemphasized, underestimated, or just not true? Seek God's help. Present it
all up to Him.
Listen - One great thing about the Lord is that He is always with us, that He will never leave not forsake us.
Joshua 1:9 I repeat, be strong and brave! Don't be afraid and don't panic, for I, the LORD your God, am with you in all you do."
We don't need to be anywhere special to be in His presence, but we do need to have our hearts ready if we want to hear what He has to say. So far we've cast aside our emotions, we've confessed all sin, and we've presented our situation to the Lord. We've acknowledged the facts, and we've recognized the one absolute truth that God is mighty to save. What's left to do is to listen to God's instruction, or God's results, as mentioned here:
James 5:16 So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness.
I've always cherished that last verse. Stop. Look. Listen.