Part 1 of 2 of "The Tide Always Comes Back" Series Entering Into God?s Rest _ PK 12/28/08 _ Sunday AM NOW is the time to put faith in God! Bolster and shore up faith! The NTSB investigates airplane crashes. They do this to learn how to make the planes safer. When we investigate the mistakes and failures we learn how to do it better safer. We learn how to prevent failures in a certain areas however perfection will NEVER be attained. This is true in our own personal walk with the Lord. Perfection will NEVER be attained. We may make great strides in the beginning but the closer we get the smaller the steps. it may look you?re getting nowhere but remember ?your labor in the Lord is not in vain.? I Corinthians 15:58. The reason you feel as if you?re getting nowhere is that you?re not dealing with the enormity that you once were. The more you walk it the closer you get even though it seems to be illusive. The distance is shorter and shorter the longer you walk it. Therefore the steps are smaller and smaller. it doesn?t matter how far away you feel ?the tide always comes back?. Life is full of cycles. Life isn?t over until you declare it to be over. ?The tide always comes back?. No matter how small your strides seem to be you?re making progress. God is still in the throne. When challenges come it?s just a cycle. Nothing?s permanent until you say it is. ?When these things begin to take place stand up and lift up your heads because your redemption is drawing near." Luke 21:28. Why do you look down when you?re discouraged? Look up expecting God to do something for us in the middle of the mess. Peace with God = peace in circumstances ? Some of the pressures in life are good for you. They motivate you and push forward to get you to do what you need to do. These types of pressures provoke you into action. ? Other pressures your are not designed to deal with anxiety worry etc. The times after an extremely stressful situation are the times that you are most susceptible to colds aches pains and the things that usually come from emotional stress. You have to protect your heart. You need to control the input so that you can control the output. To stop the ugly from coming out you have to keep the ugly from coming in. ? Psalm 119:34 Give me understanding and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart. ? Psalm 119:69 I keep your precepts with all my heart. ? Psalm 119:12 My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end. ? Proverbs 3:1 My son do not forget my teaching but keep my commands in your heart ? Proverbs 4:4 "Lay hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands and you will live. ? Proverbs 4:21 Do not let them out of your sight keep them within your heart ? Proverbs 22:17-19 Pay attention and listen to the sayings of the wise; apply your heart to what I teach for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart and have all of them ready on your lips. So that your trust may be in the LORD I teach you today even you. ? Proverbs 23:19 Listen my son and be wise and keep your heart on the right path. ? Proverbs 23:26 My son give me your heart and let your eyes keep to my ways. Mark 4:14 _ 15 _ The sower sows the Word and Satan comes immediately to steal the Word from their hearts. ? The Word goes into the heart. Proverbs 4:20-22 My son pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body. When peace is lost you?re in fear! Faith will change the circumstances! The tide always comes back! Never ease up! Never give in! Never lay down! You have the power to bless or curse. It?s not fate. You are not a pawn in the hand of God but a co-laborer with Him. Don?t curse your blessings. Don?t say that the circumstances are going to do you in. When you let that come out of your