While God’s actions seem to be hidden from sight, we can trust He is working. We are not trapped in our circumstances or current situation. He wants us to faithfully keep our eyes on Him, our hearts in prayer, and our souls in the Word. Even David of the Bible recognized the power of hoping in God while he questioned how God was working, “Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again–my Savior and my God!” (Psalm 42:5). God uses other things or people to instill hope, faith, and trust. God is using everything for your good–to strengthen your faith and character. He’s orchestrating an outcome that will bless you and He will be with you through it all. all the way. We can wait in confidence and keep moving forward, one step at a time.
Where is God and what is He doing? I know that question. I’ve often asked Him in the middle of the night or when I’m really stressed. What I didn’t realize was how God is always at work behind the scenes. Even when you can’t see Him. Sense Him. Hear Him.
Are you going through a difficult season? Maybe it’s a hormonal teenager, or maybe you’ve hit a rut in your marriage. Maybe it’s something in your financial life? No matter what it is, you feel like your life is a frozen field on a cold winter day. You peek out the windows at first light to see that it is still dark, and a blanket of snow still covers the ground. Life looks dreary, cold, dead, and bleak.
5 Reasons God Is Working Behind the Scenes in Our Lives
He is revealing His will. He desires to have fellowship with us; that’s why we were created. He wants us to look to Him for today and the future even if we don’t understand what He is doing but He will show us the way.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8, 9
He is revealing His purpose. Sometimes we pray and fast, and think we’ve made the right decision, only to have everything fall apart around us. The job didn’t pan out, the diagnosis came back worse than expected, or the answer is no. But we can trust He is working behind the scenes as He works out His purpose—one day at a time.
Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” John 13:7
He is teaching us how to walk in faith. Have you ever seen a mom scold her baby for falling after taking a few steps? Of course not! She kisses his boo-boos, steadies her child, and encourages him to walk again. This is how our Abba Father works on our behalf to build our faith. Especially when He leads us to unknown places. Especially when we are grappling in the dark. And especially when we grapple with how to walk in faith that he will work all things together for our good.
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28
He is building your confidence. It’s hard to depend on God when we are used to relying on ourselves. But the Bible teaches how to build confidence in God, not ourselves. The Scriptures give us a picture of what it will look like when we genuinely develop confidence in God. His Word reveals that no matter what tomorrow holds, He is still holding us steady in His plans for His purpose.
“He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” Psalm 121:3,4
He is instilling hope. Hope is the heartbeat of God’s promises. He helps us rise in the middle of our circumstances. No matter the situation, God wants you to hope anyway.
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6
Grab your bible and let’s discuss 10 Steps to Fight Satan together…if you think I;m missing any steps and should add more please let me know so I can do that!
10 Steps to Fight Satan – Grab Your Bible
Here’s how…
Open to the Gospel of Matthew.
That’s page one of the New Testament. You can read all 28 chapters of this short volume in an hour or so.
Keep reading.
You will read three other gospels similar to Matthew—Mark, Luke, and John—but different, on the life and ministry of Jesus. Each writer has something unique to offer.
Keep reading.
Acts of the Apostles tells what happened after Jesus left.
And yes, keep on reading.
You are now to the “epistles,” a fancy word for “letters,” most of them from the Apostle Paul to churches in various locales. You won’t understand everything, but you can grasp a great deal.
Don’t worry about what you cannot understand.
Treasure all that you do understand, because there is a great deal of it.
Read it consecutively.
Not just jumping around. And, in large sections, at least one hour at a time.
When you finish, go back and start again.
You will get more the second time through than you did the first.
Pray.
Each time you open the Bible, say this: “Father, help me to understand this and to get what You want me to see. Thank you for hearing my prayer.”
Get help.
After you have read it through a few times, ask a pastor if there is a Bible study class you could attend. To hear a good teacher teach about what you have been reading can be a privilege.
Obey it.
In John 13:17, Jesus said, “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.” Also, see James 1:22. The blessing comes from obeying His teachings, not from reading or learning them.
Eventually, you will be able to say what Job did:
I have esteemed the words of Thy mouth more than my necessary food – Job 23:12
I’m not looking to date anyone until after I graduate from college, but I do ponder how Christian should go about dating in our app based dating society where everyone bases who they want to date just on how they look on the outside and not what makes them who they really are on the inside…I know this sounds “cheesy”, but I hope that the man I marry loves me for me and not for anything other than that.
Among modern evangelical Christians, there have been multiple books, movements, and rules presented as the “biblical” approach or method to dating. From Joshua Harris’ I Kissed Dating Goodbye in the early 2000s to the many rules for dating in contemporary Christian circles, there is no end to supposed scriptural views on dating.
Amid this overwhelming sea of methods and rules, many Christians wonder what the Bible says about this overly discussed topic and how they should approach dating.
Specifically, there is nothing in the Bible about dating. In fact, none of the people mentioned in the Bible ever dated but rather participated in prearranged marriages and betrothals. The modern Western idea of dating did not exist in biblical times and even many cultures today do not practice dating either.
Scripture, however, does provide a few general principles that can be applied to the modern practice of dating and courtship, including maintaining a proper perspective while dating and focusing on purity in romantic relationships.
Common ‘Biblical’ Methods and Rules for Dating In churches and Christian culture, there are many popular rules for dating. Some of these include not holding hands or not showing affection, only dating someone with the intention of marrying them, only dating for a set period, having a required chaperone on dates, or not dating at all in order to wait for a person’s “one true love” to come.
These rules are not found in the Bible since Scripture does not discuss dating. Instead, these assumptions have developed over time due to major movements in Christian culture.
In the early 2000s, Joshua Harris’ book, I Kissed Dating Goodbye, swept through the Christian world and encouraged Christians to no longer date, but wait for the one person whom they would marry.
Many believers followed the teachings found in the book and refused to date anyone to instead wait for the divinely chosen person whom God intended for them to marry. Such teachings gradually declined in popularity and Joshua Harris recanted his book in 2016 and announced he was no longer a Christian in 2019.
Currently, the popular trend among evangelical Christians is to prepare and pray for their future spouse. This is especially popular among Christian girls and women who are encouraged to prepare, pray, and dream about their future husbands. Dating is not discouraged but is rather pushed into strict seriousness by requiring Christians to date with the intention of marrying.
The problem with this view, however, is that there is nothing in Scripture about praying for one’s future spouse, someone that is unknown or may not even exist. While Christians can participate in dating, there is no biblical promise or guarantee that every Christian will have a spouse.
Maintaining a Proper Perspective While Dating For Christians, their first priority in all situations should always be the Lord (Matthew 6:33; Luke 10:27). Oftentimes in dating, people become infatuated and almost obsessed with their new boyfriend or girlfriend. Other important relationships often take a back seat to the new person they are dating.
Even a Christian’s relationship with the Lord can be negatively impacted by putting too much focus, time, and energy into pursuing dating or a new relationship. As Marshall Segel states in his article about dating, “The first step in dating should always be the step of faith we take toward our Lord, Savior, and greatest Treasure, King Jesus” (“The Golden Rule in Christian Dating,” Desiring God).
Just as each individual Christian should be deliberate about their relationship with the Lord, seeking to glorify Him in their life, they should also ensure that the person they are dating is completely in love with the Lord. Believers should not date unbelievers because of the possibility of marriage in any dating relationship (2 Corinthians 6:14-15).
Also, even if a Christian is dating a believer, they need to be aware of the other person’s relationship with God. Are they actively growing in their walk with Christ? Do they desire to love Him more than anything in the world, including being in a relationship or getting married? Believers should be aware of the spiritual state of the person they are seriously dating.
Finally, in regard to keeping a proper perspective while dating, Christians should also avoid falling into the trap of desperation. The church culture in the Western world, especially America, places a large emphasis on marriage, which places pressure on single believers to get married.
This often causes single Christians to become desperate and to date anyone because of the pressure to be married often just to have sex within the confines of marriage. Such a mindset goes against the Bible, which urges believers to seriously consider marriage or singleness based on legitimate reasons and not because of external pressure (1 Corinthians 7:35).
Although these Christians can still date with the intention of finding someone to marry, there is still the possibility that they will remain single for a part or the rest of their life. Being single is not a lesser state but has many great benefits in serving the Lord (1 Corinthians 7:32, 34).
Believers would be wise not to waste the time they have as single individuals, but instead pray and be open to God’s guidance about when, who, and if they should be dating.
The Need for Biblical Purity While Scripture does not give any rules for how a person should date, the Bible does teach about the need to maintain purity in romantic relationships (1 Corinthians 6:13). Purity is a foreign idea to the worldly system, which promotes sexual immorality.
Many unbelievers and even some believers will commonly date someone, live with them for a while, and then find another boyfriend or girlfriend. However, Christians who want to live glorifying lives for Christ according to the Bible should avoid the temptation of living with their girlfriend or boyfriend and instead maintain celibacy until marriage.
Teenagers and young adults are especially susceptible to the temptation of sexual relations outside of marriage because of the inundation of lust-inducing messages from movies, TV shows, music, and celebrities.
Scripture speaks against this, however, by stating, “Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts” (2 Timothy 2:22, NLT). Sexual relations should only occur within the bonds of marriage, between a husband and his wife (Matthew 19:4-6; Hebrews 13:4).
Thus, Christians who are dating should avoid any situations for the temptation to sin (1 Corinthians 6:18). Having accountability to godly family members and friends can help protect against sinning against the Lord and the person one is dating.
Also, asking for friends to double date could also be helpful in some situations. Believers should be aware of their hearts and know what will cause temptation, which can help prevent compromising situations of impurity.
If a Christian is tempted during a date, they should pray and seek to leave the situation (1 Corinthians 10:13). Both men and women followers of Christ should pursue purity in their dating relationships to glorify the Lord and follow His Word (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
Christians and Dating Though there are many dating methods and rules suggested in Christian circles, the Bible does not explicitly discuss how a Christian should approach dating. However, Christians need to view dating differently than those in the world, which promotes impurity and sexual immorality.
Instead of merely thinking about their own preferences in finding a boyfriend or girlfriend with the intention of marrying, believers should place God first in their lives and seek to be pleasing to Him in all they do, including dating.
Staying focused on one’s love for God will provide a proper perspective for romantic relationships since God is the one who provides ultimate fulfillment and love.
We don’t observe the Old Testament Law today, but we can still fall into the same mindset when we try to live according to our works. If we approach the Throne based on how much we read the Bible, go to church, give, visit, or witness, we do the same things the Pharisees did. This works-based mentality means we are dependent upon what we do to please God and not on what Jesus has already done.
Good works should be a fruit of our relationship with God, not a means to try to obtain His acceptance. Nothing we do can bring more affection to us from our Father.
The Word as flesh fulfilled the Law. Faith in what He did is what saves us. We are to rely on His holiness and not our works.
Hi again! It’s me the Christian Tech Nerd. I hope you are having an AMAZING day! I just read the below story and it made me so sad and I would like anyone’s feedback on it! I HATE websites and companies such as OnlyFans that exploit young women and cause them to sell their souls to sinful perverted men! I am a young 22 year old Christian woman that had to delete ALL of my social media accounts because too many men kept messaging me with rude and perverse comments…and I BLAME gross “porn” sites like OnlyFans for creating a culture that rewards perverts. I DO NOT blame the women who sell their bodies on OnlyFans because I believe they are lost souls that need guidance and are being taken advantage of without their knowing. I urge all women to believe in themselves to be more than just a naked body and to pick up a bible and learn about the blessings of Christianity.
Anyways, I’ve rambled enough…please read the below story and feel free to share your comments with me.
News article starts here:
“OnlyFans has chosen to continue its exploitation, despite knowing that it will face increasing criminal scrutiny over reports of filmed child sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and other non-consensually recorded sex acts being sold on its website,” said Haley McNamara, vice president of the National Center on Sexual Exploitation.
NCOSE highlighted a BBC investigation that found minors under 18 have used fake IDs to set up accounts. The BBC investigation also discovered that a 14-year-old girl used a grandmother’s passport to create an account.
“If OnlyFans couldn’t distinguish between a girl fresh out of middle school and her grandmother, this ‘verification’ system is systemically flawed,” McNamara said. “And this problem is inherent because OnlyFans allows user-uploaded content, like other pornography tube websites, with weak age of consent verification of those depicted in the material. This problematic policy creates a platform that is rife for abuse and criminality.”
The National Center on Sexual Exploitation will hold OnlyFans accountable for “enabling abuse and exploitation,” and “we reiterate our call on the Department of Justice to join the FBI and other law enforcement agencies in investigating this platform,” McNamara said.
Earlier this month, OnlyFans said it would begin banning sexually explicit content on October 1. That announcement came after banks and companies that handle financial transactions requested that OnlyFans stop hosting pornography.
But in its Wednesday tweet, OnlyFans implied that it had rectified its dilemma.
“We have secured assurances necessary to support our diverse creator community and have suspended the planned October 1 policy change,” the tweet said. “OnlyFans stands for inclusion, and we will continue to provide a home for all creators.”
If you’re on Instagram, Twitter, or FaceBook and want to search for the best comments, posts, and pictures for “Christianity” then here are the hashtags you should be using:
TOP 10 CHRISTIANITY HASHTAGS
Best christianity hashtags popular on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr:
The Christian Tech-Nerd 