Incredible Relationship
Most humans have been blinded to the incredible relationship totally yielded persons could have with God.
That awesome relationship is a loving father-son or father-daughter relationship. Wherefore come out from among them [sinful ways] . . . and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty" (2 Corinthians 6:17-18; see also 1 John 3:1).
God can be a person's literal spiritual father. This begettal and sonship comes after God's calling, our true repentance and baptism. "No man can come unto me except the Father . . . draw him . . ." said Jesus (John 6:44).
These called and yielded persons are then in a covenant relationship, which is also a family relationship with God. They are potential members of the God Family!
God's part of the covenant is to be helper, provider, corrector and deliverer. That is what his name means — the Almighty, the All Bountiful! The One who leads and guides! The One who delivers from evil!
". . . my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory," amplified the apostle Paul (Philippians 4:19). God supplies true needs, not wrong wants or desires — things we shouldn't have or should wait for.
The converted human's part is to be obedient to all of God's ways, living by faith and strengthening that faith by asking God for physical and spiritual needs daily (Matthew 6:7-15).
But we must have our priorities straight. ". . . seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness: and all these things [food, clothing, shelter, etc.] shall be added unto you." ". . . for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things" (Matthew 6:33, 32).
Millions don't receive answers to their prayers because they don't put their spiritual needs First! They are only concerned with their own selfish physical wants and desires, not in preparing for God's kingdom or serving others.
"Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all [natural human] understanding, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus," instructed the apostle Paul (Philippians 4:6-7, RSV).
Many fail to receive the help they need because they are not thankful for the blessings they have. Others fail to solve their problems and needs because of lack of a positive attitude and diligent effort.
Jesus taught those who would yield to God, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you" (Matthew 7:7).
When one applies the laws of success — among them drive, resourcefulness and perseverance — he will succeed in what really counts. These laws are explained in our free booklet The Seven Laws of Success, written by Herbert W. Armstrong.
God has immense spiritual resources to help you solve your problems and fears!
God will work through his Spirit and his Word, the Bible, to encourage, correct and empower you to live rightly and solve your problems — if you repent of breaking his law and totally yield to him. ". . . this is the man to whom I will look, he that is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word" (Isaiah 66:2, RSV).
God promises he will liberally give wisdom and "upbraid not" — but we must ask in faith, believing God's promise (Proverbs 2:6, James 1:5).
God knows no one can grow out of fear and with unforgiven guilt hanging over their head. God promises to forgive every sin, if we repent truly and turn from sin (I John 2:1-2).
Once we have done this, we must go on, ". . . forgetting those things [sins and mistakes] which are behind, and reaching forth unto the things [spiritual goals and godly character] that are before" (Philippians 3:13).
You may feel you made some big mistakes in life. What's wrong with admitting you're not perfect? No one else is either! You can repent. God will forgive you. Life is a learning matter. Learn by your mistakes. Don't let them destroy you.
Right now maybe you or a loved one is sick with a serious illness. God can intervene and heal. But if God doesn't choose at this moment to intervene to restore full recovery, is this life all there is? No, thank God there is a resurrection of hope for all who have been called and faithful ("Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints" — Psalm 116:15).
But there is more good news. There is also hope for those who never had their minds opened to understand God's ways. You don't have to endlessly grieve over the death of a young person cut off early in life, or that of a loved one who never had God's calling to comprehend God's laws and ways.
If you really understand God's great Master Plan, you know all will be resurrected and given an opportunity to repent, overcome themselves and enter God's kingdom. Our free reprint "Is This the Only Day of Salvation?" explains this great hope.
Tap God's spiritual Power
"Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help . . ." said King David (Psalm 146:5).
God reveals his hand is not shortened that he cannot intervene in our lives to help us with our problems. It is our sins, our lack of faith and willingness to obey his ways—it is our wrong priorities that cut us off from God and his powerful help and intervention — until we repent (Isaiah 59:1-2).
God wants those he calls now to start living by his spiritual laws of love to solve their present problems and fears in life.
The apostle Peter taught Christians to cast "all your care upon him [God], for he careth for you" (1 Peter 5:7).
The Bible reveals God is the God of peace, the One who leads and guides and heals his people. He is the God of wisdom and understanding, the God of mercy and forgiveness, the God who gives victory over death, who offers hope to those who have never known hope. "I [God] dwell . . . with him who is of a . . . humble spirit . . . to revive the heart of the contrite" (Isaiah 57:1 5, RSV).
These are the spiritual resources and power that the god of this world — Satan (2 Corinthians 4:4) — has blinded most of humanity from understanding or believing. And why? So they won't grasp the great purpose of their lives. So they can't experience the power of God to change their lives according to God's will. So they won't have real hope and faith in this world of failing hopes and immense difficulties.
We have our part to do. "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." "A sound heart [or mind] is the life of the flesh. . . ." "He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls" (Proverbs 4:23, 14:30, 25:28). We must build and strengthen right character.
But the Bible gives us another warning. ". . . try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets [influenced by spirits from Satan] are gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1).
How can you tell God's Spirit and teaching from a false spirit or teaching? God's Spirit leads one to obey God's laws! It leads one to live the kind of life Jesus Christ lived!
We start to conquer fear and worry by turning from the thinking and living that causes our fears and worries. We then ask God for forgiveness and mercy for our sins and weaknesses, asking him to "put a new and right spirit within me" (Psalm 51:10 RSV). We then exercise that spirit, develop that attitude — which is the right way we should be thinking and living even in the face of difficulties or wrong attitudes of others.
We build confidence and faith in God by drawing close to God in daily prayer and study of God's Word. "Draw near to God and he will draw near to you . . ." admonishes James 4:8 (RSV). We must act on what we know God wants us to do, having faith that God will work out what we need in our lives.
This growth process is summed up in II Peter 1:5-7. God inspired the apostle Paul to write to remind true Christians, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7).
Ahead for You — Growing Faith?
We are nearing the end of this age of human misrule. Satan knows the end of his 6,000 years of sway and deception is close at hand. Great difficulties and trials are prophesied to try all humans that dwell on the earth.
God has chosen to allow this suffering to show rebellious mankind the horrendous end results of breaking his laws. But Good News is, God reveals a way for the world ultimately to escape these afflictions and fears.
Before humanity would destroy itself from the earth, Jesus Christ will return to restore God's government on earth and usher in world peace. A shattered earth and broken humanity will need healing of body, mind and spirit.
God will then fulfill the prophecy: "The Lord builds up Jerusalem. . . . He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds" (Psalm 147:2-3, RSV).
Christ, then, as he does now, will offer to yielded humans the ultimate solution for fear and depression: ". . . ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32), and ". . . men ought always to pray, and not to faint" (Luke 18:1).