IT CAME TO PASS

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (MSG)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

I pray that each of you had a wonderful day of celebrating the BIRTH of our Savior (Matthew 1:21) and celebrating with loved ones and friends. 

We sure did.

And yet our local Pastor Mark shared a hopeful CHRISTMAS message for those who found more sadness than celebration yesterday, for those who were a little more “mournful” than “merry”.  And as Mark lifted a little phrase from that familiar passage so often read on Christmas morning, “it came to pass in those days” (Luke 2:1 KJV), I was reminded of a little song the Martins recorded 10-12 years ago…

The lyric says:

Sickness must be present for healing to take place

Lives must be broken so they can be restored

We must stop looking at our hard times

Like they were dead-end roads

But avenues to prove that He is Lord

It didn’t come to stay

It came to pass

The Lord will move that mountain if you’ll ask

The trials that we see today won’t last

It didn’t come to stay

It came to pass

If I should live by sight I would be beaten down

Because I can’t see past these walls of circumstance

But faith will be my substance

And my hope is in The Lord

And He will turn my sorrow into dance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSVMLkKyDHk

Pastor took the time to share some testimonies of triumph, real stories of real folks who sorrows had turned to dancing. (Psalm 30:11).  Pastor reminded us to remain steadfast and faithful, for the sufferings in life, whatever they are, didn’t come to stay, they will SOON be overwhelmed by the glory of GOD! 

Don’t believe me?

Believe one of GOD’S anointed then.  It is one of my favorite passages and one I often use in the OFH to encourage!

Every detail works to your advantage and to God's glory: more and more grace, more and more people, more and more praise!  So we're not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. – 2 Corinthians 4:15-17 (MSG)

So, my dear friend.  I pray that you weren’t one who found more burden than blessing yesterday, I do.  But if you did, remember, that little phrase, that little lyric, whatever it is, “it came to pass”.

“You’ll get through this. You fear you won’t. We all do. We fear that the depression will never lift, the yelling will never stop, the pain will never leave. Here in the pits, surrounded by steep walls and angry brothers, we wonder, Will this gray sky ever brighten? This load ever lighten? We feel stuck, trapped, locked in. Predestined for failure. Will we ever exit this pit? Yes! Deliverance is to the Bible what jazz music is to Mardi Gras: bold, brassy, and everywhere. ―The difficulties have taken much away. I get that. But there is one gift your trouble cannot touch: your destiny.” ― Max Lucado

I love you all

OPPORTUNITIES for HOPE