Overcomers

I honestly think this is what it means to "meditate" on the word of God...to really think about what it means and how it affects my life.  For some reason this word just stuck out to me this morning like never before as I was reading Revelation.  Yes, I'm behind and still trying to finish reading through the bible for 2010, but I'm still growing in the word, and 2010 was VERY BUSY!

To overcome?  

What does that really mean? 

 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, 

because when he has stood the test,

he will receive the crown of life 

that God has promised to those who love him. James 1:12

After my friends posted this verse on their facebook page the other day, I thought about what joy we will have when we finally overcome and receive that promised crown of life.  Just like the song says, "I can only imagine!" Friends, my heart pounds a little faster at the thought of how beautiful we will all look wearing our crowns.

I don't know about you, but many times I don't feel like I am doing a very good job handling the daily struggles of life.  Struggles like finances, health, whiny kids, students who don't care, adult children(need I say more on that one!),  and the idea that so many are hurting and dying in this world without knowing the LOVE of God. So many struggles we face leave us with the feeling of frustration and the hurt of knowing there is sometime little that we can do about it other than pray without ceasing.  My heart is burdened for babies and children that go to bed every night and wake up every morning with no family to love them or kiss them when they cry.  I pray for friends dealing with cancer and lost loved ones, drugs and alcohol that are destroying families, friends living in a foreign country without family, and the hurt that accompanies this and so much more. 

So how do we keep on through the struggles and not give up?  How do we have the joy of the Lord when our hearts are breaking? How do we build others up when we are crumbling on the inside? The only answer is....

GOD,

and the knowledge of all we will be and have once we overcome. 

The following verses spoke volumes to me today as I realized all I have to look forward to once I "overcome" this world and all it has to dish out.  I hope you will read them and reflect on all you have to overcome in 2011(much of it you may not even know will come your way yet).  The world will fight against us, but fortunately we have ONE fighting those battles for us and 

we will be OVERCOMERS through HIM.

They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the LORD.  Jeremiah 1:18-19


To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. Rev. 2:6-8

He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.  Rev. 2:10-12


To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it. Rev. 2:16-18

To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations—
Rev. 2:25-27


Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. Rev. 3:11-13


To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.  Rev. 3:20-22

And the best one of all....

He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son.  Rev. 21:6-8

Now, I'm going to overcome getting these Christmas decorations put away today if it get's the best of me or not.  What do you have to overcome?