Today I’d like to start with an encouraging scripture, found in Hebrews 12:1-3,
1  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,
2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3  For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

We all endure trials and temptations, I don’t care who we are or how “faithful” we consider ourselves to be.  Why?  Because we have a devil out there to contend with, and believe me, we do indeed “contend” with him, because, as the Lord Jesus said in John 10:10,

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

There’s nothing the devil would rather see than YOU, after having been attacked by him, give up, give in, lose hope and abandon following Jesus.  There indeed is a cost to following Jesus, and Jesus said to first consider the cost before you commit to building something, lest after having started, you cannot finish, and people mock you.  Therefore, we have the admonition, “CONSIDER HIM”.

Every day we have a choice to make: either follow Jesus as His disciple, or not.  You will notice that Jesus has no say-so whatsoever in your decision, it’s totally up to you.  It isn’t up to God, and it isn’t up to the devil; it’s up to you.  And of course, the devil is glad to give you some help along the way to give up, but keep in mind, it is ultimately YOU who will decide your eternal future, for Christ Jesus has already paid the penalty for your sins.  God has done every necessary thing to give you a future in the Kingdom of God, but again, it is YOU who will decide whether to take Him up on His good plan for you.

So everything is going along well, and WHAM, out of the blue, you get feeling bad and go to the doctor, and he tells you that you have cancer.  Been there, done that.  At that point you have a choice, consider the prognosis the doctor gives you, or CONSIDER JESUS.  Most everyone has read the story of Daniel, who was thrown in the lion’s den.  Daniel’s king issued a proclamation that anyone who made a petition for anything for the next 30 days from anyone but him would be thrown into the lion’s den.  Yet, Daniel kept praying to the LORD daily as he had done in the past.  I’m sure Daniel considered the lions, but most of all, he considered the LORD whom he worshipped first.  God created lions, you know.  Could God close the mouths of the hungry lions?  Tune in tomorrow for the conclusion of “The Lion’s Feast”…..no, you don’t have to tune in tomorrow, I will tell you now, God closed the mouths of those hungry lions, and Daniel emerged unharmed.  So the King, knowing those hungry lions had not eaten all night, threw Daniel’s accusers to the lions instead.  And it says before they even reached the bottom of the lion’s den, the lions broke all their bones and had the mastery over them.  You see, Daniel didn’t look to the problem, he looked to the author and finisher of his faith, and God came through for him.  And God will come through for YOU, too.

How about the story of David and Goliath?  Here Goliath was a giant of a man, who had been a warrior from his youth, and David was a lowly shepherd boy, who loved the LORD.  Goliath had defied the armies of Israel for many days, and all Israel cowered to send a man out to fight him.  Imagine King Saul’s thoughts as this stripling David, a youth, said HE would fight Goliath and take his head.  Yeah, right, I’m sure Saul thought.  David had a giant sized problem in front of him.  Instead of considering how big Goliath was, he considered how big his God is.  And we would do well, when faced with life-threatening circumstances, to have a David attitude.  Long story short, David killed Goliath with a single stone thrown from his sling.  Israel considered Goliath too big to fight.  David considered him a target too big to miss.  David considered GOD, and the rest is history.  Are YOU considering God? Or are you considering your circumstances?  C’mon now, be honest!  You can fool me, but you can’t fool God.

What you put your trust in will determine the outcome of your problem.  If you’re considering the problem, and putting your trust in the problem to destroy you, that’s exactly what you’ll have.  If you consider GOD, and the fact that He is for you and not against you, your problem is solved.  Can the GOD who created all the universe solve your problem?   DUHHHH!  Can you trust HIM more than you trust the problem?

I was ministering to a lady on the phone last night about healing.  I told her, it is IMPOSSIBLE for God to lie.  He couldn’t lie even if He wanted to.  His Word says we are (and were) healed by the stripes of Jesus.  I’m healed yet today after having had cancer 24 years ago, because I settled that Word of God I found in Psalm 103:2-3, and never looked back.  I CONSIDERED HIM.  I was healed, no matter what it looked like, or what I felt like, or what any doctor said, period.  That was the end of the issue, and there was no “reconsidering” or doubt or looking anywhere else.  There IS no other place to look, nor does there need to be.  Either we believe God, or we don’t.  There is no “halfway” about it.

So today, go ahead and look at whatever your problem happens to be.  Yes, it’s ok to consider your problems and have a last look at them.  Then CONSIDER HIM.  Is it that easy?  Sure is, if I can do it, so can you.  Settle it in your heart whom you trust, and dig your heels in and never look back.  God has never lied in all eternity, and He sure isn’t going to start with YOU!
The Lord Jesus said in Mark 11:23-24,
23  For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
24  Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Is God big enough to bring His Word to pass?  Sure, that’s a no-brainer. So what’s the problem?  CONSIDER HIM!