How to Live in Victory Over Your Circumstances

Life has its challenges, for sure. Some of us are facing illness or health challenges. For others, it could be a broken relationship, financial stress, or loss of a loved one. Some of us are facing more than one of these. Storms often seem overwhelming and insurmountable while we are going thru them, but the key is to keep our focus on the Resurrection power of Jesus Christ. And that my friends, is why we celebrate Easter. 

A Little History Lesson
Jesus Christ was a real person, not just a prophet, not just a teacher, who lived about 2000 years ago. More importantly, he was the incarnate Son of God which means he is personification of Holy God. He became flesh so that we may know who God is and what we wants of us, to believe in him and to follow him. The Garden of Eden didn't work out. The Ten Commandments didn't work either, so God chose his one and only Son, Jesus, to come down from Heaven to this earth to show us how it's done. 

The Problem 

Jesus did many miracles. Raised people from the dead. Gave sight to the blind. People were flocking to him everywhere. But. He was becoming too popular with the Jewish people. The Jewish religious leaders of the day were afraid of losing their power over the people and of the Roman soldiers having to step in. It was all about control, power, and ego. Not much has changed has it? Look at Putin for example. 

The Decision

Jesus was persecuted by the Jewish leaders of the time which led to a shameful and humiliating death on the cross at the hands of the Roman govenor, Pilate. He knew Jesus was an innocent man, yet he gave in to the misguided people. He, too, was weak and afraid and was already under scrutiny from Rome. It takes courage to do the right thing. 

Atonement

Until then, the only way to absolve people of their sins was by the shedding of blood, usually an animal, typically a lamb. Blood is the only way to atone for sin and Jesus willingly surrendered his life so that our sins could be atoned for once and for all eternity. This is why Jesus is called the sacrificial lamb. And this is why we take communion - to remember that only the blood of the lamb can make us holy in the eyes of God. 

 

What This Means to Us

The fantastic news is that when we meet with a situation that seems impossible to us, we can call on the name of Jesus and he can turn it around. I have seen many miraculous breakthroughs,  healings, and solutions because of prayer and calling out to Jesus. There is supernatural power in the name of Jesus Christ. Yet, so many of us fail to use this power and then wonder why we struggle. 

When we celebrate Easter, we are reminded of new life and transformation, victory over sin and death, triumph over evil. When we look at the cross, we are reminded that new life can come out of what appears to be dead. When we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, we receive Jesus' Resurrection power thru the Holy Spirit. This is why I pass on Buddhism, Islam, and all the other belief systems out there. Only Jesus rose from the dead and only He can bring life from death.

Personal Story
I have seen this power in action in my own life many times. God has restored me from several serious illnesses that the doctors could not figure out. I remember one stroke specialist at Johns Hopkins scratching his head and muttering to himself about the vestibular migraines I was having. 

After a bankruptcy and a nasty divorce, Christ has restored my finances and moved me to a place of provision and abundance. After being raised in a chaotic and dysfunctional home, he has replaced fear, worry, and anxiety with faith, peace and joy. He has given me peace after my oldest son decided to estrange himself from me for no apparent reason. And that is what I want to share with you, dear friend. No matter what painful things you have gone thru, Jesus can heal you. He can give you a peace that passes all understanding. That is why I put all this effort into writing this blog. Jesus has transformed my life. What he has done for me he can and will do for you when you put your trust in him. 

   

We were not made to endure all these things on our own. Jesus is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. 

Peace through the Pain  

Easter is a time to be transformed. God sees every pain and hurt we endure. He sees our fears, our shame, our guilt,  and he wants to renew us by transforming our minds. We were not meant to live stressed out, anxious, defeated lives fearing when the next shoe will drop. 

When we accept Jesus, we learn to trust, to have peace and hope despite our circumstances, and to forgive those who have hurt us. His plan for us is for good and not for evil. No matter what mistakes we may have made or what others may have done to us, God is able to make us new and whole again. This is the power of the Resurrection. 

A time for renewal and forgiveness.

Easter is a time to let go of the old, and embrace the new. It is a time to let God heal our hearts, by filling it with the great love he has to offer us through His son, Jesus Christ. It is up to each of us whether or not we choose to receive this free gift of grace and love. 

My life has been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb; so in a spirit of humility and thankfulness, I offer some reflections on what Easter means to me, and I trust that they will encourage and comfort you as well. When we pause to look at the cross, somehow it puts our "light and momentary afflictions" into perspective.

Easter reminds me that:

- I always have another opportunity for transformation and change

- miracles still happen when I believe 

- God's grace is sufficient for me

- Jesus paid the price for all my sins and mistakes, past, present and future

- God is always there no matter how far away I drift from Him

- no matter how dark it may look on Friday, Sunday is coming

- when I wonder "Does God really love me?" all I have to do is look at Jesus' outstretched arms on the cross and hear him say "I love you this much"

- when I am suffering, I know Jesus has suffered so much more than I ever will and that makes my pain more bearable

- no matter what I have lost or how much I have been hurt, misunderstood, or mistreated, God can bring healing and peace to my soul 

A Prayer to Remember
Here is one of my favorite prayers that helps guide me on how to handle the adversities of love. May it encourage you today. 

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;

O
Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

For Reflection 

Where do you want to see new life? What seems dead? Do you believe Jesus is the Son of God? Do you believe in the Resurrection? If not, will you accept him into your life as Lord and Savior today and allow him to restore and renew you? 

If you are a believer, will you rededicate your life to him and live the abundant life he promises us? We are each on our own spiritual journey and it is up to us which path to choose. 

May God fill you with his great love and peace. May he heal your broken places, and make you new. Amen and amen. 

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Stay tuned for more positive and practical wisdom to help you find healing, wholeness, and harmony and discover YOUR destiny!

Until next time, keep looking up!

Ariel Paz 

How to Have Faith thru the Storms of Life

Do you ever doubt that the sun will come up every morning? Some days it shines brightly and others days it hides behind clouds and rain showers. But the sun is always there regardless of whether we see and feel it or not. It is the same with the presence of God.

Lately it seems the weather can't seem to make up it's mind. This past Thursday for instance, it was sunny and bright most of the day, and then all of the sudden I heard the pitter patter of something outside.

What is that?

I sat up and looked out the window, and noticed it had begun to gently rain. Lo and behold, a beautiful rainbow appeared in the sky. It was like a colorful gift the heavens were displaying for the world to see and I remembered the promise God made to Noah after he sent the great flood to destroy the earth.

"Never again shall I destroy the earth by water,"  God said in Genesis 9:11.

Imagine how Noah must have felt when God told him to build the ark. Until that time, there had never been rain upon the earth. People must have thought he was crazy and scratched their heads in bewildermint. Noah might even have thought the same thing, but he carried out God's instructions in faith and obedience.

Sometimes God asks us to do things we don't understand. We all have our plans and agendas, but do we stop and take time to ask God if we are headed in the right direction? We think we have it all figured out but then God interrupts. It could be a financial loss, a loss of a relationship, a dream, or even an illness. Sometimes God uses the difficult situations in life to get our attention back on Him.

I have learned it is always best to obey that still small voice and do it quickly, even if I don't understand why. I have also learned it is important to check in every step of the way, because sometimes the plan changes very quickly. Recently, I don't even know what the plan is, but still I follow, I trust, and I obey.

"Man makes his plans, but God directs his steps," (Prov. 16:9)

What do you do when the most bizarre or painful things start happening and you don't understand why? Chalk it up to coincidence? Fate? Have you considered it might be God?

No matter what ordeal you may be going through today, rest assured that God knows what He is doing. God is a good God and He works everything, including the painful circumstances in our lives for our good and for His glory. He says he has captured every tear in a cup (Ps. 56:8) and He promises to wash away every tear from our eyes (Rev. 21:4).

Some of us have shed a lot of tears in our lives, but God understands.  I'm sure God grieved when he saw his creation perish before his very eyes and  His only precious Son, die a horrible death on the cross.

What tears have you shed, dear one? Are they tears of sorrow, grief, loss? Be at peace and fear not. God has the plan and his promises are all true. Just as surely as Mother Nature brings new life to earth every spring, so too, God brings new life to us in our seasons. The mighty Resurrection power of Christ is still available to each of us today who put their faith in Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Lamb of God.

"This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it," (Ps. 118:24) hangs in my office where I can see it every morning to remind me that no matter what my circumstances, I am to rejoice. Even when we don't see the sun, we know that it will shine again another day and the rainbow reminds us that even if we don't see how or when, God's promises are still true today.

Until next time, choose to believe, keep the faith, and keep looking up!

Ariel Paz