You're With Me

Psalm One Hundred Thirty Nine: Verses Thirteen Through Eighteen

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother’s womb.

Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.

You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.

You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.

Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed.

How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.
They cannot be numbered!

I can’t even count them;
they outnumber the grains of sand!

And when I wake up, you are still with me!




Hebrews Chapter Thirteen: Verses Five and Six

Do not love money, be satisfied with what you have,
for God has said:
“Never will I leave you, never will I abandon you.”
So we can say with confidence, “
The LORD is my helper, I will not be afraid, what can mere mortals do to me?”



First Timothy Six verse Twelve

Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.




     I know that these verses don't seem to fit together but they will make perfect sense by the time you reach the end of this message.

     I know many of you are going through struggles in life. I feel your pain. I understand completely. I usually don't share many of my personal struggles on this post but I hope that in sharing them you find courage to face life with a smile. For we all go through struggles. I am glad we are going through and not staying in them.


     The last few months has been very difficult for all of us. I am included. Several people whom I love very much left us and moved to heaven. This was after many hours of hoping, praying and fighting with all our might to keep them here. Yes I did have many victories during the last few months but sometimes troubles have a way of piling up on us. Even those of us who are trying to live in faith and by faith.


     There are two kinds of people in this world. There are those who have struggles and there are liars. Anyone who tells you their life is a wonderland all the time is either dazed and confused or just outright lying. The so called faith message has tried to teach us that if we ever confess we have a bad day then we are in doubt. This is not true. Those who deny they have problems are only deceiving themselves.


     Along with all the heartbreak from the ones I lost, I recently fought many health problems. Most of you know that I had surgery to repair broken discs in my neck and have bone spurs digging into my spinal cord. I know Jesus is my healer and I know that it is only by his grace that I am walking and living and breathing. I have seen many miracles of healing in my body including overcoming death by heart attack years ago. I don't understand why we get some miracles easy and some we contend for. The moment I find out I will let you know immediately.

     So along with those problems a few months ago I fell off a ladder from six feet and landed on my back. Broke my sternum, another disc and busted my shoulder, but by God's grace I am still here and still moving forward.


     That is why I am telling you this story. I know it's easy to give up. I tried it. It doesn't help. A few days ago I was laying in my bed in terrible pain. One of the broken discs pressured a nerve that I never felt before. I understand pain but this was beyond bearable. I begged God to let me die and come home. I begged and pleaded and cried and asked him why he didn't take this pain from me. The only reply I got was from loving Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit said “ I am with you."  I replied. “I know you are but this hurts like hell and I can't take it anymore.” Holy Spirit once again said “I am with you.” Once again I said I knew that. This time Holy Spirit spoke to me once more and said “I am with you and that used to be enough for you.”


     Suddenly my heart broke and I remembered when I first encountered Jesus in what we call being born again. I was so full of joy and it didn't matter if you had burned me alive right there I would have died smiling. I was so in love with this person and I didn't need to eat or drink or live or die, I just needed this presence. I realized that my focus was not longer on Jesus, Father or Holy Spirit but my sole focus was on me and my problems. I knew it was time to return to my first love.


     So after weeping a few minutes I repented and said, “Oh my God, my savior, if you will only be with me it doesn't matter if I have to hurt forever. You are with me and that is enough.” In less than a minute I was fast asleep and woke up two hours later and the severe pain was gone and my pain level was bearable again.


     We know that Jesus told us that in this world we would have trouble but to be of good cheer for he has overcome the world. This is where we take comfort. Although we are spiritually complete in him we are still overcoming the physical world and putting things back in order. We can't stop until earth becomes just like heaven. 

     We will never get there if we quit. We must learn to take our joy from his presence and nothing else. Situations change and challenges come and go. We win some, we lose some but let's not lose because we quit. We are victorious because God is with us. If we win it doesn't prove we have faith. If we lose it doesn't prove that we are in doubt. We are in him and he is in us and that is our victory.

     So please my beloved brothers and sisters. Take courage. You may be in the fight of your life but you are not there alone. You may be in the dark but you are not without light. You my feel hopeless but you are not hopeless. You were loved before the creation of the world. You were formed by the hands of the almighty God in the womb of your mother. He wrote all your days in a book before you even arrived. All these hurts and pains are temporary and there will be a day when tears are gone and we are all together again. When every pain is forgotten and all things are complete. Set your minds on that day and be strong.

     So to finish my story. As I got up the next morning after my encounter with Holy Spirit a song came flowing out of my heart. The song is called “You're With Me” I hope you will learn it and sing it also. Thanks again for not being to critical of my homemade recordings. I do hope you enjoy.  

Here is the link to the song. I hope you get comfort from it as I do.

You're With Me Song


     Until next time,
Grow Rich in His Grace
I love you all
michael


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michaelottministries.org

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