The Orion's Newstart Ministries

02/06/2023

Learn how God uses broken people in the world to do amazing things. God uses the weak of the world for His purposes and we will learn the 4 main reasons why!

02/06/2023

Waiting on God is not easy for most people. Especially when you are waiting for God to deliver you or help you in difficult circumstances. There are times in our life when God does not respond immediately to our prayers. Or to our cries for help. It may seem that God is not aware of your difficulties, or that He is not going to respond. These times can be confusing. And it may even seem like God is far away, or just plain not listening.

Fortunately we have some insight and guidance in God’s word to help us during the difficult times we have when we need to wait on God. There are some examples in the Bible of other people’s struggles with God not responding immediately to their prayers. And having to wait on Him for deliverance or help. In Part 1 of this series on Waiting On God we will look at some of these examples.

Waiting On God
The story of Lazarus (John 11)

“Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. It was the Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. So the sisters sent word to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” But when Jesus heard this, He said, “This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when He heard that he was sick, He then stayed two days longer in the place where He was.” – John 11:1-6

These verses say that Jesus loved Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha. But when Lazarus was very ill, Jesus did not go immediately to help Lazarus. It was confusing as to why Jesus did not go to help his beloved friend immediately.

In fact Jesus purposely waited until Lazarus died, and then he went to them. You could understand why some people would think “What kind of friend is this ?”. They must have thought “why would you wait, if you loved us ?”. Imagine your thoughts and feelings if you were in that situation.

Your feelings & emotions and thoughts would not have been the truth about the situation, or about what Jesus was doing. Our emotions & feelings, and what we think we see in circumstances are usually not the truth about what is happening. Or about what God is doing in and through the situation. Often times our emotions and what we see are deceiving.

Waiting On God

Mary’s Reaction

Here was Mary’s reaction: Therefore, when Mary came where Jesus was, she saw Him, and fell at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled. – John 11:32-33

Jesus’ reaction to Mary’s words shows how much He cares for them (and for us). He was deeply moved and troubled by their sorrow.

But Jesus had something different in mind for this situation than Martha and Mary did. They thought he would come immediately and heal Lazarus. Like He had healed so many before.

Instead Jesus waited until Lazarus died, and then raised him from the dead. The result was that God and Jesus were greatly glorified. And ultimately many people believed that Jesus was the promised Messiah.

“Therefore many of the Jews who came to Mary, and saw what He had done, believed in Him.” – John 11:45

Waiting On God – God Is God And We Are Not
God is God, and we are not. He does not do things the way we would do them. Or the way we think He should do them.

God even tells us this in His word: “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor 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

Even though waiting on God is difficult, we must learn to trust God, especially in difficult circumstances. Especially when we do not understand at all what He is doing. Or when He appears to not care about us. Or when it appears like He is not listening to our prayers or is not going to answer. Going through these circumstances helps to strengthen our faith in the Lord. And it leads to a powerful personal experience of God’s faithfulness, power, and wisdom.

Biblical Examples of People Who Had to Wait On God
There are many other examples in the Bible of people who went through the experience of waiting on God. In some cases they needed to wait many years before God responded to their prayers or cries for help. Or they had to wait for something that God had promised.

Waiting On God – Job
Job suffered more than most people would ever have to suffer in their life. For a long time God never answered Job’s prayers. And it left him feeling sorry for himself and very confused. Yet he never walked away from God.

“Oh, that I had someone to hear me ! I sign now my defense-let the Almighty answer me; let my accuser put his indictment in writing.” – Job 31:35

Finally God did answer Job. “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? “Now gird up your loins like a man, and I will ask you, and you instruct Me! “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding, Who set its measurements? Since you know…” (Job 38:1 to Job 40:1 and Job 40:6 to Job 41:34)

Job was humbled by the suffering and by God’s rebuke. In the end Job knew God more intimately by experiencing Him in a real and personal way. Job said this about the experience: “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; But now my eye sees You; Therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes.” – Job 42:5-6

In the end God restored everything Job lost two-fold. But the greatest blessing for Job was that he had a deeper and more intimate knowledge and intimate fellowship with God. (Job 42:10-17)

31/05/2023

When you rise in the morning, kneel at your bedside, and ask God to give you strength to fulfil the duties of the day, and to meet its temptations. Ask Him to help you to bring into your work Christ’s sweetness of character. Ask Him to help you to speak words that will inspire those around you with hope and courage, and draw you nearer to the Saviour.—(Sons and Daughters of God, 199.) Pr 156.1

30/05/2023

God's Plans the BestHDL 12Our plans are not always God's plans. He may see that it is best for us and for His cause to refuse our very best intentions, as He did in the case of David. But of one thing we may be assured, He will bless and use in the advancement of His cause those who sincerely devote themselves and all they have to His glory. If He sees it best not to grant their desires He will counterbalance the refusal by giving them tokens of His love and entrusting to them another service.
In His loving care and interest for us, often He who understands us better than we understand ourselves refuses to permit us selfishly to seek the gratification of our own ambition. He does not permit us to pass by the homely but sacred duties that lie next us. Often these duties afford the very training essential to prepare us for a higher work. Often our plans fail that God's plans for us may succeed.
We are never called upon to make a real sacrifice for God. Many things He asks us to yield to Him, but in doing this we are but giving up that which hinders us in the heavenward way. Even when called upon to surrender those things which in themselves are good, we may be sure that God is thus working out for us some higher good.
In the future life the mysteries that here have annoyed and disappointed us will be made plain. We shall see that our seemingly unanswered prayers and disappointed hopes have been among our greatest blessings.
We are to look upon every duty, however humble, as sacred because it is a part of God's service. Our daily prayer should be, "Lord, help me to do my best. Teach me how to do better work. Give me energy and cheerfulness. Help me to bring into my service the loving ministry of the Saviour." HDL 12 - HDL 13.3

25/05/2023

We cannot afford to let our spirits chafe over any real or supposed wrong done to ourselves. Self is the enemy we most need to fear. No form of vice has a more baleful effect upon the character than has human passion not under the control of the Holy Spirit. No other victory we can gain will be so precious as the victory gained over self.
We should not allow our feelings to be easily wounded. We are to live, not to guard our feelings or our reputation, but to save souls. As we become interested in the salvation of souls we cease to mind the little differences that so often arise in our association with one another. Whatever others may think of us or do to us, it need not disturb our oneness with Christ, the fellowship of the Spirit. "What glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God." 1 Peter 2:20.
Do not retaliate. So far as you can do so, remove all cause for misapprehension. Avoid the appearance of evil. Do all that lies in your power, without the sacrifice of principle, to conciliate others. "If thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee; leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift." Matthew 5:23, 24.
If impatient words are spoken to you, never reply in the same spirit. Remember that "a soft answer turneth away wrath." Proverbs 15:1. And there is wonderful power in silence. Words spoken in reply to one who is angry sometimes serve only to exasperate. But anger met with silence, in a tender, forbearing spirit, quickly dies away.
Under a storm of stinging, faultfinding words, keep the mind stayed upon the word of God. Let mind and heart be stored with God's promises. If you are ill-treated or wrongfully accused, instead of returning an angry answer, repeat to yourself the precious promises:
"Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." Romans 12:21.
"Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass. And He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday." Psalm 37:5, 6.
"There is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known." Luke 12:2.
"Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but Thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place." Psalm 66:12.
We are prone to look to our fellow men for sympathy and uplifting, instead of looking to Jesus. In His mercy and faithfulness God often permits those in whom we place confidence to fail us, in order that we may learn the folly of trusting in man and making flesh our arm. Let us trust fully, humbly, unselfishly in God. He knows the sorrows that we feel to the depths of our being, but which we cannot express. When all things seem dark and unexplainable, remember the words of Christ, "What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter." John 13:7.
Study the history of Joseph and of Daniel. The Lord did not prevent the plottings of men who sought to do them harm; but He caused all these devices to work for good to His servants who amidst trial and conflict preserved their faith and loyalty.
So long as we are in the world, we shall meet with adverse influences. There will be provocations to test the temper; and it is by meeting these in a right spirit that the Christian graces are developed. If Christ dwells in us, we shall be patient, kind, and forbearing, cheerful amid frets and irritations. Day by day and year by year we shall conquer self, and grow into a noble heroism. This is our allotted task; but it cannot be accomplished without help from Jesus, resolute decision, unwavering purpose, continual watchfulness, and unceasing prayer. Each one has a personal battle to fight. Not even God can make our characters noble or our lives useful, unless we become co-workers with Him. Those who decline the struggle lose the strength and joy of victory. HDL 25.1 - HDL 28.2

27/04/2023

20/03/2023

10 Important Considerations Before You Follow Jesus

In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, Jesus repeatedly commands, “Follow me.” While most of these instances specifically called the 12 men who would become his disciples (Matthew 10:3–4), other cases show Jesus was calling anyone throughout the ages who wanted what he had to offer them (John 3:16; Mark 8:34).

The same words personally invite us today: “Follow me.” But this invitation goes beyond adapting new habits, embracing Christian beliefs, and living moral lives. The Scriptures give ample evidence of what we should consider.

Before you follow Jesus, reflect on these 10 important considerations:

1. Be willing to obey and submit.
Following Jesus does not mean you live independently from his example and instruction. Christ’s followers trustfully obey and submit to his will by faith, even when it exceeds understanding. “Jesus answered him, ‘If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him’” (John 14:23).

2. Be prepared to endure hardship.
Are you prepared to endure hardship for Christ’s cause? Following Jesus means hardship is not only a possibility, but a guarantee. But James 1:12 explains, “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” As we endure hardship, we can be assured of Christ’s provision for it: “More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Romans 5:3-5).

3. Be ready to see the ugliness of your sin.
Walking with Jesus Christ means seeing the sin he reveals, confronting it, and asking for forgiveness. You will continue to fall short daily, and that can be frustrating for believers who assume that following Christ is equivalent to perfection. As you still succumb to temptations and earthly pleasures, you will find that having a new heart means you have a new awareness and sensitivity to sin when you never did before. But take heart, friend. Christ’s perfect sacrifice has covered us fromcondemnation, and he will supply you with the strength you need flee from sin.

4. Know that the world will not always accept you.
When you truly know Jesus Christ, it’s hard to fathom how others won’t receive him and his followers. But Jesus doesn’t shield us from this sobering reality: “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first” (John 15:18, NIV). If the world is not walking with him, they are fighting against him. Therefore, as his follower, you will find yourself in similar situations of persecution, misunderstanding, condemnation, unacceptance, hostility, and oppression. Amongst the world’s antagonism, cling to what Peter and the apostles acknowledged in Acts 5:29: “We must obey God rather than men.”

5. Be willing to step outside your comfort zone.
Christians are called to seek justice, defend the helpless, and serve the poor. None of these commands can be accomplished by sitting quietly in your home. Whether you are comfortable with the Lord’s commands or not, you will be challenged to speak up when you’re scared, intimidated, or uncomfortable. Jesus isn’t saying you must be full of doctrinal knowledge or a spiritual superstar to do these things; no, Jesus calls us to a willing and obedient heart that follows wherever he leads.

6. Prepare to be held accountable.
Through Christ’s ultimate sacrifice on the cross, and by faith in him, your sins have been cleared from your record. But this doesn’t mean you have freedom to take Christ’s sacrifice for granted and continue sinning. You will still stand before God’s judgment seat, giving an account of your actions to him (Romans 14:12). Not only must you remain accountable to God, but to others in the body of Christ. Accountability seems intimidating, but it is a gift from God to help us walk the right path.

7. Accept him at his word.
Your limited humanity means you will not always understand God’s sovereignty. You will question why he allows suffering, where he is in the silence, and why your prayers seemingly go unanswered. But you have not been instructed to fully understand; you are to walk by faith,
acknowledging that his ways are higher than yours, and that his thoughts are greater than yours (Isaiah 55:9).

8. Leave things behind.
Ephesians 4 tells us to no longer walk how we used to (v. 17) because our understanding was darkened, we were excluded from God, we were ignorant, and our hearts were hardened (v. 18). But we don’t know Christ in this way anymore (v. 20), because we have heard his truth and listened (v. 21). Therefore, we are to put aside our old self, prior to knowing Christ, and to put on our new self, which is now in the likeness of God (v. 24). Faith in Christ demands a radical change in your lifestyle from the way you once behaved. It may mean removing yourself from people or situations that ultimately do not glorify God, and this can be challenging.

9. Expect to be humbled.
Philippians 2 tells us that followers of Christ do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but humbly count others more significant than themselves (v. 3) and look to the interests of others (v. 4). Christians are to walk humbly because Christ himself did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant (vv. 6-8). Boasting in our weakness (2 Corinthians 11:30) seems counterintuitive to our culture, but it is our duty as Christ-followers.

10. Prepare to love.
At first glance, this final consideration sounds easily achievable. But in loving as Christ did, this means you cannot be selective about who you love. Following Jesus means loving without condition. But don’t be confused: Loving here means loving in action, not feelings. You may not be able to feel love for your obnoxious neighbour or spiteful relative, but you are still commanded to love them. John 13:34-35 spells this out: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

By loving others in spite of their sin, the world will see something different in you—and that beautiful difference is that you are a follower of Jesus Christ, unconditionally loved by him through his gospel of grace.

14/02/2023

No man is safe for an hour or day without prayer.
-[Great Controversey page 503]..
Pray without ceasing. -[1 Thessolonians 5:17].

The very first out-breathing of the soul in the morning should be for the presence of Jesus. “Without Me,” He says, “ye can do nothing..—[My Life Today, p15].

Each morning consecrate yourselves and your children to God for that day. Make no calculation for months or years; these are not yours. One brief day is given you. As if it were your last on earth, work during its hours for the Master. Lay all your plans before God, to be carried out or given up, as His providence shall indicate.—[Testimonies for the Church 7:44 (1902].

We should watch and work and pray as though this were the last day that would be granted us. -[Testimonies for the Church 5:200].

Thus day by day you may be giving your life into the hands of God, and thus your life will be molded more and more after the life of Christ.—[Steps to Christ, 70].

18/06/2022