Catherine Marshall is today's inspirational author. Catherine was born in 1914 and died in 1983. She was an author and wife of Peter Marshall who was a well-loved pastor in Washington D.C. and United States Senate Chaplain. He died very young of TB and one of her most popular books was his biography. She also wrote a book titled Christy that later became a television show.
John 14:18) I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
This morning I was blessed with an idea for a wonderful topic for my blog. For quite sometime I have been guilty of not being thankful for the challenges in my life. It is normal to hear someone say, "I am so thankful for our wonderful home or my children's health, etc." It would be really weird to here another say, "I am so thankful that my husband lost his job or that I have been diagnosed with a horrible illness." I would be lying if I said often, "Lord, thank you for allowing me to have this awful hormonal condition" or "gee, I am glad my mom died of cancer." The Bible says a great deal about being thankful and content.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) Be joyful always; pray
continually; give thanks
in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
I used to read this verse as God's will was the challenge. The end of the verse says, "for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." Actually, the verse is stating that His will is for us to always have joy, to commune with Him constantly, and to have a grateful heart no matter what. Maybe it was just me that misunderstood that. I think that His will is sometimes the challenge, but that is not the point of the verse.
As I lay in bed this morning which by the way was awesome! Usually Eli and I are out the door fairly early to hit the gym before I take him to preschool. Friday is the day I do not work out hard. I might do a stretching routine or go for a walk. Even last Friday we were up early walking to power walk with my friends in the neighborhood. Today one of them needed to walk later so I took Eli to school than walked. Wow, that was a long reason for why I was laying in bed so long this morning. My daily devotion was titled Equal Parts Difficulties and Grace. This caught my attention. The devotion says we have been blessed with difficulties. If we never had them how would we know we needed the Lord. The prayer at the end of the devotion said to take time to thank God for the difficulties in your life. Am I thankful that my Mom died so young? Not so much, but I am thankful of how God has worked in so many ways through her death. In case you are wondering I did thank Him for a few certain difficulties I have now.
In my journey I have found it is necessary to put focus on the GOOD that has come out of my incredible challenges. One of my personal goals is to get more solid and consistent at practicing this. There have been occasions where Dave and I will lay on the couch together and literally go through the good that has come out of my challenges. If you look back on old posts you will find one about moving through the muck. If you have not read it yet please do so. God laid thankfulness heavy on my heart on Friday. I knew very early in the day what He was trying to teach me.
There have been times when Dave and I have laid on the couch together literally listing off the good that has come from the difficulties. It helps get our focus right. It forces us to take the focus off the negative and onto the positive that has come out of the negative. Only God can turn such messes into goodness. When I see how His hand has been in the mess the whole time my thankfulness grows. For example, rather than dwelling on Mom's death I choose to think about the person I have grown to be through it. Years ago the thought of losing her made me instantly cry. In fact, we talked about this very thing at our ladies Bible study this past Wednesday. A few ladies got choked up talking about the possibility of losing their moms. Moms are big deal, you know?! They asked how I endured such a thing. I think back to that time and remember feeling like my family was part of a scene in a movie. Can you picture it in your mind? God completely carried my family. Only by the grace of God did we all make it through. Think of the ever-so-familiar Footsteps poem. It hit me that I was grateful for the strong person I had become through her death. I have moved through parts of life that I never, ever thought I could. I told the girls that there were times when I wanted to crawl into her bed and and never let her go. You keep going though and I am so grateful of the inner strength I know have. I am also extremely thankful that I can provide comfort to another who is going through a great loss.
As I contemplate the above two verses I saw a wonderful lesson in them. John 14:18 tells me God has come to me in the way of His Spirit. BECAUSE He has come I can be joyful and thankful in all my circumstances. When I prayed to thank God for my difficulties I honestly about choked on my words. There was absolutely nothing in my natural self that was thankful for any part of them. There was, however, something in my spirit that could thank God. I encourage you to spend less time thinking about the hardship and more time thanking God for the person that is evolving out of it. It is also crucial to be thankful for your hardships so in turn, you can comfort others in the midst of theirs and reach out to them.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Thursday, March 15, 2012
How Did He Do That?!
I am on to a new section of my study now. Cyprian is the inspiration author. I can't remember if I've already summarized him for you or not. Just in case I haven't I'll briefly give some history of this great man. Cyprian was a third century bishop and early Christian writer. He was raised a pagan, but converted to Christianity. He changed his name from Thascius after a person who was responsible for his conversion. I am doing him a disservice by summarizing his life so briefly. Over the course of his life he gave most of his money away. He was beheaded by the sword after he removed his own clothes, knelt down, and said, "Thanks be to God." Actually, it is important to remember what Cyprian did before he died. How did he have the strength to do that?!
Here are two verses that my study is based off of.
John 14:17) This is the spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him because he abides with you, and he will be in you.
John 16:7) But I tell you the truth; It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.
Jesus just finished the Last Supper and now the table is clear. He sees the worry and anxiety in the faces of His closest and dearest friends. He shares John 16:7 with them for comfort and also John 14:17.
The Spirit was with the Disciples before Jesus death on the cross. The Twelve could literally see, feel to the touch, and audible hear the voice of God in Jesus Christ. He was leaving though and they felt alone. I like to think of the Spirit as God's mind. In essence Jesus was telling them they would receive the spirit of truth that IS the spirit of God. To truly have the spirit of truth one must know God personally. To know absolute truth I must receive Jesus Christ and His work on the cross. I recently did a blog entry on this concept. Please see John 14:6 to refresh your memory.
As I was doing this study I really began to think about what the Spirit does in my life. Because I am just a human I cannot fully comprehend all He does for me. Here are some thoughts of the topic.
The Spirit empowers me to do a wide variety of things, but one very important is He empowers me to submit to God. Submission does not come naturally to me nor anyone else. I have shared in another entry about the Law and what it meant. People can keep laws. Old Testament people showed great willpower when they kept the letter of the law. Quite frankly they were afraid to disobey because of harsh physical punishment. People today can keep rules too...think of legalism. The Spirit indwelt in me enables me to obey God in my spirit. I WANT to obey Him because I love Him and long to live peacefully with Him. Sin separates me from God and I do not want that. I want to live an obedient submitted life. Now do I always succeed? No way. This is why Jesus' words in John 16:7 are so important. God is sending me a Helper. He is giving me Someone internally who can help me get the job done. On my one I cannot obey in spirit.
Let's think back to Cyprian. How could he show such strength at such an intense time of persecution? He had the living God inside of him to help in his time of need. Right until the sword cut his head off he displayed super human power. With the Spirit inside of us we too can do superhuman things.
Here are two verses that my study is based off of.
John 14:17) This is the spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him because he abides with you, and he will be in you.
John 16:7) But I tell you the truth; It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.
Jesus just finished the Last Supper and now the table is clear. He sees the worry and anxiety in the faces of His closest and dearest friends. He shares John 16:7 with them for comfort and also John 14:17.
The Spirit was with the Disciples before Jesus death on the cross. The Twelve could literally see, feel to the touch, and audible hear the voice of God in Jesus Christ. He was leaving though and they felt alone. I like to think of the Spirit as God's mind. In essence Jesus was telling them they would receive the spirit of truth that IS the spirit of God. To truly have the spirit of truth one must know God personally. To know absolute truth I must receive Jesus Christ and His work on the cross. I recently did a blog entry on this concept. Please see John 14:6 to refresh your memory.
As I was doing this study I really began to think about what the Spirit does in my life. Because I am just a human I cannot fully comprehend all He does for me. Here are some thoughts of the topic.
The Spirit empowers me to do a wide variety of things, but one very important is He empowers me to submit to God. Submission does not come naturally to me nor anyone else. I have shared in another entry about the Law and what it meant. People can keep laws. Old Testament people showed great willpower when they kept the letter of the law. Quite frankly they were afraid to disobey because of harsh physical punishment. People today can keep rules too...think of legalism. The Spirit indwelt in me enables me to obey God in my spirit. I WANT to obey Him because I love Him and long to live peacefully with Him. Sin separates me from God and I do not want that. I want to live an obedient submitted life. Now do I always succeed? No way. This is why Jesus' words in John 16:7 are so important. God is sending me a Helper. He is giving me Someone internally who can help me get the job done. On my one I cannot obey in spirit.
Let's think back to Cyprian. How could he show such strength at such an intense time of persecution? He had the living God inside of him to help in his time of need. Right until the sword cut his head off he displayed super human power. With the Spirit inside of us we too can do superhuman things.
Friday, March 9, 2012
Then Sings My Soul...
Beth Moore is today's author. Some of you may have heard of her. She is a comtemporary evangelist, author and teacher. I have completed a Beth Moore study on the Holy Spirit which was great. Beth was born in 1957 and resides in Texas. In 1994 Beth founded Living Proof Ministries in Texas. Her conferences have taken her all over the United States and overseas.
Mark 14:26) An when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Here is some quick background on the above verse. The singing concluded the Passover Fellowship. According to my Bible commentary they sang the second half of Hallel Psalms which are found in chapters 115-118. A few sources said that the praise Psalm begans in chapter 113. The Hallel Psalm is a Jewish prayer. The Mount of Olives is directly eat of Jerusalem. It is 200 feet taller than Mt. Zion. The height is about 2,700 feet. When standing on the top of the Mout of Olives you get a wonderful view of the city especially the Temple.
I read chapters 116 through 118 and it was interesting to think Jesus mouthed the same words just before He went to the cross. Psalm 118:1 is the verse that one of my favorite songs is based on. Chris Tomlin's Forever starts with "Give thanks to the Lord our God and King
His love endures forever." Another wonderful verse is verse 24. I used to sing this song to Eli every morning when I got him out of bed.
Stanza 1:
O Lord my God,
When I in awesome wonder
Consider all
The world Thy Hand hath made,
I see the stars,
I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy pow'r throughout
The universe displayed;
Refrain:
Then sings my soul,
My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art!
How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul,
My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art!
How great Thou art!
Stanza 2:
When through the woods
And forest glades I wander
I hear the birds
Sing sweetly in the trees;
When I look down
From lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook
And feel the gentle breeze;
Refrain:
Stanza 3:
And when I think,
That God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die,
I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross,
My burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died
To take away my sin.
Refrain:
Stanza 4:
When Christ shall come,
With shouts of acclamation,
And take me home,
What joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow
In humble adoration
And there proclaim,
"My God, how great Thou art!"
Refrain:
Mark 14:26) An when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Here is some quick background on the above verse. The singing concluded the Passover Fellowship. According to my Bible commentary they sang the second half of Hallel Psalms which are found in chapters 115-118. A few sources said that the praise Psalm begans in chapter 113. The Hallel Psalm is a Jewish prayer. The Mount of Olives is directly eat of Jerusalem. It is 200 feet taller than Mt. Zion. The height is about 2,700 feet. When standing on the top of the Mout of Olives you get a wonderful view of the city especially the Temple.
I read chapters 116 through 118 and it was interesting to think Jesus mouthed the same words just before He went to the cross. Psalm 118:1 is the verse that one of my favorite songs is based on. Chris Tomlin's Forever starts with "Give thanks to the Lord our God and King
His love endures forever." Another wonderful verse is verse 24. I used to sing this song to Eli every morning when I got him out of bed.
Stanza 1:
O Lord my God,
When I in awesome wonder
Consider all
The world Thy Hand hath made,
I see the stars,
I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy pow'r throughout
The universe displayed;
Refrain:
Then sings my soul,
My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art!
How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul,
My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art!
How great Thou art!
Stanza 2:
When through the woods
And forest glades I wander
I hear the birds
Sing sweetly in the trees;
When I look down
From lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook
And feel the gentle breeze;
Refrain:
Stanza 3:
And when I think,
That God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die,
I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross,
My burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died
To take away my sin.
Refrain:
Stanza 4:
When Christ shall come,
With shouts of acclamation,
And take me home,
What joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow
In humble adoration
And there proclaim,
"My God, how great Thou art!"
Refrain:
Thursday, March 8, 2012
In Jesus Name?
I am on Day 85 of the devotional book I'm working my way through. Jesus and His Disciples are participating in the Last Supper. Andrew Murray is today's author. Here is a quick history lesson on Mr. Murray. He was born in South Africa in 1828 and he passed away in 1917. He was a pastor, author, and teacher. At a very young age he and his brother were sent to Scotland for their education and remained there until they received their Master's degrees. I have noticed that quite often parents sent their children away for education in Murray's generation. I can't imagine doing that with Eli. This teaching and writing was very influential and still is. I have read one Andrew Murray book titled Divine Healing. To say it was good is an understatement. Authors from this time wrote in a different style which is unfamiliar to me. It was a deep book to say the least.
John 14:13-14) "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it."
This is one of those verses that can easily be misconstrued. I have done it myself and if not careful can do quite often. So what does Jesus mean in John 14:13-14? My parents taught me to pray in Jesus name, but it wasn't until later in life where I understood what that meant. It is a constant battle to keep check on my motives when I pray so even though I have a head knowledge of what the verse means I don't always have a heart knowledge.
Praying in Jesus' name means praying according to the will of God. When I evaluate my motives honestly when praying the state of my heart is revealed. By that I mean my heart does not always have pure motives even in prayer. Knowing the will of God is not some grand 'ah-ha' moment that comes when we have finally arrived as Christians. The will of God is revealed as we seek Him in all we do. It is in even the smallest decisions we make that seem to not affect anything large. I seem to look for His will in the huge decisions, but huge decisions are made of many small decisions. Because of this it is crucial to look for Him in each and every decision we make. They add up. So authentically praying in Jesus' name is desiring His will in each and every area.
In some of my most desperate times I have said "in Jesus' name," at the end of my prayer time almost as a command. The phrase is not part of a magic formula or a way to boss God around. To be honest, authentic prayer can only be done in Jesus name because He is our bridge to God the Father. Above all us I should desire God's will above mine. I have included a wonderful promise from Proverbs below.
Proverbs 37:4) Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.
When I find all my satisfaction in God alone my true desires change. They become meshed with God's desires. When this happens He provides my deepest desires because all I do should be done to the glory of God. Praying in Jesus' name acknowledges what He did on the cross and acknowledges He has all authority. God will never do anything that does not bring glory to Himself.
I would love to have every answer on prayer. I will be honest and say I struggle with prayer. I really do. There are so many questions I have. How exactly do I pray in agreement with Him and I struggle to know what He desires? When I would cry out to God on my behalf of my dying mother I struggled with saying "whatever you will God, I am okay with that." Here is what I do know. He loves us. He wants me to share my heart, my wants, my desires with Him. He also desires me to be a person of substance. By that I mean to keep praying even when things look like they are not working out. He also wishes that I let Him shape and mold me (and my prayers).
1 Thessalonians 5:15-18) Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
When I truly pray in Jesus name I am faced with a few things. I am faced with the need to evaluate my own motives and to work on submitting to God desiring what He wants more than what I want.
John 14:13-14) "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it."
This is one of those verses that can easily be misconstrued. I have done it myself and if not careful can do quite often. So what does Jesus mean in John 14:13-14? My parents taught me to pray in Jesus name, but it wasn't until later in life where I understood what that meant. It is a constant battle to keep check on my motives when I pray so even though I have a head knowledge of what the verse means I don't always have a heart knowledge.
Praying in Jesus' name means praying according to the will of God. When I evaluate my motives honestly when praying the state of my heart is revealed. By that I mean my heart does not always have pure motives even in prayer. Knowing the will of God is not some grand 'ah-ha' moment that comes when we have finally arrived as Christians. The will of God is revealed as we seek Him in all we do. It is in even the smallest decisions we make that seem to not affect anything large. I seem to look for His will in the huge decisions, but huge decisions are made of many small decisions. Because of this it is crucial to look for Him in each and every decision we make. They add up. So authentically praying in Jesus' name is desiring His will in each and every area.
In some of my most desperate times I have said "in Jesus' name," at the end of my prayer time almost as a command. The phrase is not part of a magic formula or a way to boss God around. To be honest, authentic prayer can only be done in Jesus name because He is our bridge to God the Father. Above all us I should desire God's will above mine. I have included a wonderful promise from Proverbs below.
Proverbs 37:4) Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.
When I find all my satisfaction in God alone my true desires change. They become meshed with God's desires. When this happens He provides my deepest desires because all I do should be done to the glory of God. Praying in Jesus' name acknowledges what He did on the cross and acknowledges He has all authority. God will never do anything that does not bring glory to Himself.
I would love to have every answer on prayer. I will be honest and say I struggle with prayer. I really do. There are so many questions I have. How exactly do I pray in agreement with Him and I struggle to know what He desires? When I would cry out to God on my behalf of my dying mother I struggled with saying "whatever you will God, I am okay with that." Here is what I do know. He loves us. He wants me to share my heart, my wants, my desires with Him. He also desires me to be a person of substance. By that I mean to keep praying even when things look like they are not working out. He also wishes that I let Him shape and mold me (and my prayers).
1 Thessalonians 5:15-18) Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
When I truly pray in Jesus name I am faced with a few things. I am faced with the need to evaluate my own motives and to work on submitting to God desiring what He wants more than what I want.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
I Got Nuthin'!
I sat down to work on my Bible study and blog today about 12:30. By 1:10 I still had a blank sheet of paper and a blank computer screen. There have been days when the Lord has laid something on my heart and it was very clear. There are other days when I have to dig in deeper and see what He has for me. Today it felt like he was silent. I texted my friend Kristin and told her I had nothing definite nailed down for my blog today. I was reading about the relationship between God and Jesus and if Jesus was referred to as "Son" in the Bible how could that be because Jesus is God. I did learn through my aimless studying and reading that the word son used in John 3:16 is not the same as the word son we use. I also read more details about the Holy Trinity which made my head spin. Kristin said she hoped I got it figured out so I could tell her! Love Kristin! It all seemed so above my head. At the end of my 'study' time it became apparent that I was not supposed to understand this in the way I desired.
I read three pages from the book I use for my daily inspirations. Oh all the readings were fantastic, but none really were a springboard for any of my own thoughts. As I was going about my duties this afternoon I thought of something. By it appearing God had nothing for me He had so much. Let me explain.
This may be a repeat of part of another blog so bear with me. I was on a certain treatment plan for my hormone problems for nearly three years. It did not turn out well and in fact, many symptoms got worse. It has been mind numbing. It is incredible the delicate balance our Creator has given us. When this balance is out of sync it can make life really hard. Actually, there have been times too many to count that this imbalance has brought me to my knees begging God for relief. God lead us to Georgia and to new care providers. Someday I'll tell the story of how I found my new compounding pharmacist. It's rather incredible. They have DRASTICALLY changed my course of treatment. They don't have a time line for me though. I desperately want a time line. When will this get better or when will that get better, etc. It took many, many years to get here and it will take time to a better place. If I knew in July, 2012 I would not have such severe and numerous symptoms I could hang out now much easier. Nope. They do not know and God isn't seeming to answer this question either. I also consult with another specialist and she had no definite answers for me either the last time we talked. It appears that I am not supposed to understand this in the way I desire. Did I just not type a similar sentence at the end of paragraph one?! You see my point?
God was not telling me exactly how the relationship between the Father and Son works. Throw in the Spirit and you get total confusion. It is possible that this Trinity can't be explained in human words and only by spiritual wisdom. Remember I said by Him not giving me anything He was giving me something? He was teaching me that He is so far above me and what my mind can handle. If I could totally get Him what kind of God would He be? In the same way, He's not giving answers with my health issues either. He's teaching me that He is God and He's got it. By not giving me any answers He's teaching me to trust Him.
He is a merciful God though. All through my journey to hormonal hell and back He has given me saliva test results that show just how messed up my hormones are. It sounds crazy to say, but I have been very thankful for these because after awhile you start to think your making things up and your possibly going crazy. When the ratio between your estrogen to progesterone should be about 1:200 and it's .9:11,391 your going to feel like complete trash...and your body will think it's pregnant which is SO NOT COOL. My point is He has been merciful to give me test results to show much is off. I have been thankful for this.
I am hoping this blog meets someone where they are at. It seems rather jumbled to me. My point could have gotten missed with all my rambling so I'll try and summarize. Here it goes. When you think God is silent rest assured He's working in ways we don't even know and probably could not believe even if we did know. He can teach us treasures even when we think He's leaving us hanging...just like He did to me today. It's okay to not understand things. As hard as that is to except and believe me, I get how hard that is. He's got it and many times He does not desire us to understand.
I read three pages from the book I use for my daily inspirations. Oh all the readings were fantastic, but none really were a springboard for any of my own thoughts. As I was going about my duties this afternoon I thought of something. By it appearing God had nothing for me He had so much. Let me explain.
This may be a repeat of part of another blog so bear with me. I was on a certain treatment plan for my hormone problems for nearly three years. It did not turn out well and in fact, many symptoms got worse. It has been mind numbing. It is incredible the delicate balance our Creator has given us. When this balance is out of sync it can make life really hard. Actually, there have been times too many to count that this imbalance has brought me to my knees begging God for relief. God lead us to Georgia and to new care providers. Someday I'll tell the story of how I found my new compounding pharmacist. It's rather incredible. They have DRASTICALLY changed my course of treatment. They don't have a time line for me though. I desperately want a time line. When will this get better or when will that get better, etc. It took many, many years to get here and it will take time to a better place. If I knew in July, 2012 I would not have such severe and numerous symptoms I could hang out now much easier. Nope. They do not know and God isn't seeming to answer this question either. I also consult with another specialist and she had no definite answers for me either the last time we talked. It appears that I am not supposed to understand this in the way I desire. Did I just not type a similar sentence at the end of paragraph one?! You see my point?
God was not telling me exactly how the relationship between the Father and Son works. Throw in the Spirit and you get total confusion. It is possible that this Trinity can't be explained in human words and only by spiritual wisdom. Remember I said by Him not giving me anything He was giving me something? He was teaching me that He is so far above me and what my mind can handle. If I could totally get Him what kind of God would He be? In the same way, He's not giving answers with my health issues either. He's teaching me that He is God and He's got it. By not giving me any answers He's teaching me to trust Him.
He is a merciful God though. All through my journey to hormonal hell and back He has given me saliva test results that show just how messed up my hormones are. It sounds crazy to say, but I have been very thankful for these because after awhile you start to think your making things up and your possibly going crazy. When the ratio between your estrogen to progesterone should be about 1:200 and it's .9:11,391 your going to feel like complete trash...and your body will think it's pregnant which is SO NOT COOL. My point is He has been merciful to give me test results to show much is off. I have been thankful for this.
I am hoping this blog meets someone where they are at. It seems rather jumbled to me. My point could have gotten missed with all my rambling so I'll try and summarize. Here it goes. When you think God is silent rest assured He's working in ways we don't even know and probably could not believe even if we did know. He can teach us treasures even when we think He's leaving us hanging...just like He did to me today. It's okay to not understand things. As hard as that is to except and believe me, I get how hard that is. He's got it and many times He does not desire us to understand.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Doubting like Thomas
Henry Blackaby is a Canadian pastor, teacher, and author. He co-authored a book titled Experiencing God: Knowing and Experiencing the Will of God. It has sold over 4,000,000 copies and has been translated into 45 different languages! Why have I not read this book?! I'll add it to my ever-growing list. He has five grown children all of whom serve in ministry. I find that interesting. Claude King co-authored this book with Blackaby and others. He is the disciple specialist at Lifeway Christian Resources. In his current position he speaks, leads workshops and seminars and consults with individual pastors and church leaders. Lifeway is a wonderful resource for all of us with a vast selection of books, guides, vacation Bible school curriculum, etc.
Today's verse is John 20:24-25. Read it below.
John 20:24-25) Now Thomas (also knows as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe."
The dictionary defines doubt as to be uncertain and undecided about, to distrust, or to be suspicious. I have been uncertain that God would come through for me. I have been distrustful and suspicious of His character. As I navigate through the current uncharted waters I struggle with all of this.
When times get really tough I struggle with doubt in a big way. I am getting quicker at recognizing the doubt as it creeps in. In the past I have allowed myself to stay in this place and stew. I heard someone say once when doubt (or any other ungodly attitude or action) knock on your door we do not have to answer. We cannot invite it in and tell it to make itself at home. When I reason and stew I am allowing the attitude or action to get comfortable in my home. The verse below tells us what we need to do when those thoughts try and creep in. Taking thoughts captive takes work and is cannot be done with an apathetic attitude.
1 Corinthians 10:5) We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Another way to deal with doubt is to tell God. Be honest. He knows my every thought anyway so why not be honest. Jesus knows my struggles and is lifting them up to the Father. He is our intercessor. He may know what we are battling, but we still have a duty to tell Him. He desires a relationship with us. Any good relationship has active communication lines. I love the story in the Gospels about the father who approached Jesus for help. This poor man had a demon-possessed child. Can you imagine? The disciples could not drive out the demon. When the spirit saw Jesus it threw the boy into convulsions. Jesus told the father that anything was possible to those who believe. Read below what the father replied.
Mark 9:24) Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
I want to believe I can get better, but based on my feelings it is doubtful. My symptoms still burden me so and if I only pay attention to them my future is grim. In my heart of hearts I believe the Bible, but I want to believe it more. I cry out to Jesus, "I do believe, but I need You to help me overcome any unbelief!"
There have been times when doubt has controlled me. During these times God sometimes provides a specific encouragement to help my unbelief. It can come in the form of a song, a specific Bible verse, a thought or word from a loved one (or even an acquaintance or stranger), or a godly principle laid on my heart by the Holy Spirit. There are other times where He seems silent and simply instructs me to trust Him.
It is important to look back at times when God worked it out and came through. If we were to privy to all the information God has the times would be too numerous to count. We only get to see so much though. We grow the most during challenging times. I have matured and grown the most during these times and the times I've been pushed out of my comfort zones. When I am out of my comfort zone I only see my shortcomings. With my current struggles I don't feel adequate to handle it, but have people tell me what an inspiration I am. I FEEL inadequate to handle the load, but God provides what I need and can turn my pain into glory for His kingdom. He stretches me and it's then that my faith grows. When the next challenge comes I'm stretched again and my faith consequently grows and so on. In essence we go from faith to faith. Make sense? To counteract doubt it is necessary to look back at the faith growing experiences and see how God worked out the issues laid before us.
Romans 1:17) For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, the just shall live by faith.
Another way to counteract doubt is to suit up with the armor. I think it is important to live life wearing the armor. It is not wise to wait until the attack comes before putting it on. Part of our battle is with ungodly attitudes, thoughts, and feelings. We must be prepared ahead of time to fend of Satan's attacks. I can say from personal experience that doubt is straight from Satan. Having said that God can use it for good. He can use it grow us into stronger and more mature believers...if we allow Him. If you have never done an in depth study on the armour of God I highly recommend doing one.
Ephesians 6:10-13) Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground...
Last but not least we need to be willing to let go. Ouch. Hello Anna! My doubt stems out of fear. I have said before how much I struggle with fear in dealing with my health situation. When I demand answers and time lines it appears God is doing nothing. He is very silent during the times I demand to know certain answers. God seems to leave me hanging...enter D-O-U-B-T. Everyday I work through letting go of my demands. When I do this I find rest. Believe me this battle rages on, but I WILL NOT GIVE UP. Letting go requires me to fully submit to the Lord. It requires me to hand over the reins. One of our dear friends did a sermon years ago about letting go. He said you hand it over to God with your palms facing down. Go ahead practice because I just did. The first verse below reminds me my body (and life) do not belong to me. The second verse is the ultimate letting go verse.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20) Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
Luke 22:42) “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”
Here is a quick list of way to counteract doubt. We all need all the help we can get.
1. Do not invite doubt in and allow it to get comfortable. Recognize it right away and deal with it immediately.
2. Tell the Lord you are struggling with doubt and desire to be different.
3. Look back at times when the Lord worked out issues for you (and others).
4. Live a life wearing the armor of God.
5. Let go and let God remembering to live fully submitted to Him.
Today's verse is John 20:24-25. Read it below.
John 20:24-25) Now Thomas (also knows as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe."
The dictionary defines doubt as to be uncertain and undecided about, to distrust, or to be suspicious. I have been uncertain that God would come through for me. I have been distrustful and suspicious of His character. As I navigate through the current uncharted waters I struggle with all of this.
When times get really tough I struggle with doubt in a big way. I am getting quicker at recognizing the doubt as it creeps in. In the past I have allowed myself to stay in this place and stew. I heard someone say once when doubt (or any other ungodly attitude or action) knock on your door we do not have to answer. We cannot invite it in and tell it to make itself at home. When I reason and stew I am allowing the attitude or action to get comfortable in my home. The verse below tells us what we need to do when those thoughts try and creep in. Taking thoughts captive takes work and is cannot be done with an apathetic attitude.
1 Corinthians 10:5) We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Another way to deal with doubt is to tell God. Be honest. He knows my every thought anyway so why not be honest. Jesus knows my struggles and is lifting them up to the Father. He is our intercessor. He may know what we are battling, but we still have a duty to tell Him. He desires a relationship with us. Any good relationship has active communication lines. I love the story in the Gospels about the father who approached Jesus for help. This poor man had a demon-possessed child. Can you imagine? The disciples could not drive out the demon. When the spirit saw Jesus it threw the boy into convulsions. Jesus told the father that anything was possible to those who believe. Read below what the father replied.
Mark 9:24) Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
I want to believe I can get better, but based on my feelings it is doubtful. My symptoms still burden me so and if I only pay attention to them my future is grim. In my heart of hearts I believe the Bible, but I want to believe it more. I cry out to Jesus, "I do believe, but I need You to help me overcome any unbelief!"
There have been times when doubt has controlled me. During these times God sometimes provides a specific encouragement to help my unbelief. It can come in the form of a song, a specific Bible verse, a thought or word from a loved one (or even an acquaintance or stranger), or a godly principle laid on my heart by the Holy Spirit. There are other times where He seems silent and simply instructs me to trust Him.
It is important to look back at times when God worked it out and came through. If we were to privy to all the information God has the times would be too numerous to count. We only get to see so much though. We grow the most during challenging times. I have matured and grown the most during these times and the times I've been pushed out of my comfort zones. When I am out of my comfort zone I only see my shortcomings. With my current struggles I don't feel adequate to handle it, but have people tell me what an inspiration I am. I FEEL inadequate to handle the load, but God provides what I need and can turn my pain into glory for His kingdom. He stretches me and it's then that my faith grows. When the next challenge comes I'm stretched again and my faith consequently grows and so on. In essence we go from faith to faith. Make sense? To counteract doubt it is necessary to look back at the faith growing experiences and see how God worked out the issues laid before us.
Romans 1:17) For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, the just shall live by faith.
Another way to counteract doubt is to suit up with the armor. I think it is important to live life wearing the armor. It is not wise to wait until the attack comes before putting it on. Part of our battle is with ungodly attitudes, thoughts, and feelings. We must be prepared ahead of time to fend of Satan's attacks. I can say from personal experience that doubt is straight from Satan. Having said that God can use it for good. He can use it grow us into stronger and more mature believers...if we allow Him. If you have never done an in depth study on the armour of God I highly recommend doing one.
Ephesians 6:10-13) Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground...
Last but not least we need to be willing to let go. Ouch. Hello Anna! My doubt stems out of fear. I have said before how much I struggle with fear in dealing with my health situation. When I demand answers and time lines it appears God is doing nothing. He is very silent during the times I demand to know certain answers. God seems to leave me hanging...enter D-O-U-B-T. Everyday I work through letting go of my demands. When I do this I find rest. Believe me this battle rages on, but I WILL NOT GIVE UP. Letting go requires me to fully submit to the Lord. It requires me to hand over the reins. One of our dear friends did a sermon years ago about letting go. He said you hand it over to God with your palms facing down. Go ahead practice because I just did. The first verse below reminds me my body (and life) do not belong to me. The second verse is the ultimate letting go verse.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20) Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
Luke 22:42) “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”
Here is a quick list of way to counteract doubt. We all need all the help we can get.
1. Do not invite doubt in and allow it to get comfortable. Recognize it right away and deal with it immediately.
2. Tell the Lord you are struggling with doubt and desire to be different.
3. Look back at times when the Lord worked out issues for you (and others).
4. Live a life wearing the armor of God.
5. Let go and let God remembering to live fully submitted to Him.
Friday, March 2, 2012
John 14:6 Summary
By saying He is the way, the truth, and the life He is assuring His disciples everything they need is in Him. We cannot find the way, truth, or life in anything else or anyone else and certainly not in ourselves. When I know Jesus I know God and then, and only then, can I know the way, the truth, and life.
I do not need to know the plan, the blueprint to life, or the technique to accomplish it all. I only need to trust Jesus. This is a struggle for me right now as I began a completely new route of treatment for my hormonal issues. The old treatment was NOT WORKING and was causing symptoms to get much, much worse and was putting me at risk for ovarian and breast cancer. Nothing like being on the wrong path for nearly three years, right?! It's funny because you get used to things even if they are not the best for you. The old saying, 'you get used to hanging if you hang long enough' is totally true. For me, part of the worry of switching treatment plans is what if it doesn't work either. Satan has been tempting me lately with that notion. When you have been through something as hard as a chronic health condition it is really hard to get your hopes up. This can be the case with any struggle in life whether it be a family situation or career oriented. What if God does not change this? What if these symptoms last forever? What if this is my lot in life? These are all questions that I can spend too much time pondering if I am not careful. I want to know WHEN God will take this thorn from me and get scared to think He will not. I have talked about my husband, David, before. He is truly THE most patient man on this earth. He knows when to listen and when to speak. He reasons through the details of this situation. One thing he does not do is baby me when my attitude is sinful and he is not afraid to tell me my fear and worry are sin. He calls me out without ever losing his sensitivity.
The disciples are scared and confused and they logistically want to know how to get to where Jesus is going. In John 14:6 He basically is telling them everything they need to know is found in Himself. I think of myself here. I spend too much time looking for answers when I really just need to seek God. I have mentioned before that I am trying to improve as just sitting at the throne of God without using words. I have used more words than I can remember in praying over my health situation. Speaking with God is still important too. For me, seeking God happens more in the quiet. He is saying to them to trust Him during this scary and difficult time and He has been telling me the same thing now.
I have so many questions about why the last three years turned out this way. Dave and I prayed hard, long, and often over the decision to do hormone replacement therapy and who would oversee it. It did not turn out so well. We genuinely wanted to stay in the will of God. I have this idea in my head that the will of God is the easy way. In reality the right way remains difficult many times.
I do not need to know the plan, the blueprint to life, or the technique to accomplish it all. I only need to trust Jesus. This is a struggle for me right now as I began a completely new route of treatment for my hormonal issues. The old treatment was NOT WORKING and was causing symptoms to get much, much worse and was putting me at risk for ovarian and breast cancer. Nothing like being on the wrong path for nearly three years, right?! It's funny because you get used to things even if they are not the best for you. The old saying, 'you get used to hanging if you hang long enough' is totally true. For me, part of the worry of switching treatment plans is what if it doesn't work either. Satan has been tempting me lately with that notion. When you have been through something as hard as a chronic health condition it is really hard to get your hopes up. This can be the case with any struggle in life whether it be a family situation or career oriented. What if God does not change this? What if these symptoms last forever? What if this is my lot in life? These are all questions that I can spend too much time pondering if I am not careful. I want to know WHEN God will take this thorn from me and get scared to think He will not. I have talked about my husband, David, before. He is truly THE most patient man on this earth. He knows when to listen and when to speak. He reasons through the details of this situation. One thing he does not do is baby me when my attitude is sinful and he is not afraid to tell me my fear and worry are sin. He calls me out without ever losing his sensitivity.
The disciples are scared and confused and they logistically want to know how to get to where Jesus is going. In John 14:6 He basically is telling them everything they need to know is found in Himself. I think of myself here. I spend too much time looking for answers when I really just need to seek God. I have mentioned before that I am trying to improve as just sitting at the throne of God without using words. I have used more words than I can remember in praying over my health situation. Speaking with God is still important too. For me, seeking God happens more in the quiet. He is saying to them to trust Him during this scary and difficult time and He has been telling me the same thing now.
I have so many questions about why the last three years turned out this way. Dave and I prayed hard, long, and often over the decision to do hormone replacement therapy and who would oversee it. It did not turn out so well. We genuinely wanted to stay in the will of God. I have this idea in my head that the will of God is the easy way. In reality the right way remains difficult many times.
Matthew 14:22-31
Jesus Walks on the Water
22)Immediately Jesus
made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side,
while he dismissed the crowd. 23) After he had
dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening
came, he was there alone, 24) but the boat was
already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because
the wind was against it. 25) During the fourth
watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26) When the disciples
saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and
cried out in fear. 27) But Jesus
immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be
afraid.” 28) “Lord, if it’s
you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” 29) “Come,” he
said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came
toward Jesus. 30)But when he saw the
wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31) Immediately Jesus
reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little
faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
One of the best sermons I have ever heard was done by Pastor Dan Huckins from Lima Community Church of the Nazarene. He spoke on the above verses. It was powerful and can be found on Itunes. I want Jesus to calm my storm. The disciples I am sure did too. He didn't calm it then. He went out to them and expected something in return. He expected Peter to get out of the boat and act in faith. He wants me to do this now and to not quit believing even when the waves crash me. When Peter doubted he sank. I sink when I doubt. When my life is not controlled by fear, doubt, and worry I can live a VERY abundant life even in the midst of the storm.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
The Life
John 14:6) Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."
The last two days we have looked in greater detail at Jesus being the way and the truth. Now we'll dig in and see what we learn about Him being the life.
True life comes from having a freedom from the grasp of sin. Sin entangles us. I love what Paul tells the Romans about the flesh being weak. Read the verse below.
Romans 7:18) I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.
Humans are born with a sin nature. There is nothing good in us from day one. How can we live a full and abundant life free from the grasp of sin? We can't aside from having faith in Jesus Christ and letting Him change us from the inside out. There is more to the Christian life than just being sure we stay out of hell. The reason Jesus mouthed the words in John 14:6 to the Twelve was more than instructions on how they could stay out of hell. He wanted them to know how they could live abundantly on this earth, during this life.
John 10:10) The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
Satan is the thief. He wants us to be in bondage to the past and the future. He wants our sin to control us. He desires to seek and destroy life. I have heard a common argument against following Jesus as being Jesus wants to take all the fun away from life. I have heard people say they can't be a Christian because there would be no more of the fun stuff in life. In my own life the "fun stuff" was the stuff my flesh wanted. It is what I desired for selfish ambition. When one lives a life sold out to Jesus Christ there is tremendous freedom. I know longer feel like I have to take part in things or want things because that is what normal people want. I want different things genuinely. Granted until we leave this earth our fleshly desires will scream and claw their way to the top. It's a never ending battle, but the battle gets easier in certain ways as we mature in Christ.
With God I am able to live the live He designed and desires for me. In sharing the Good news I am able to bring hope to lost souls. Life is more than what we experience on earth so Jesus meant we can have an abundant life (John 10:10) here and now AND for eternity. Of course earthly abundant life and heavenly abundant life are two very different things, but regardless, they both will be fulfilling.
My dictionary came in handy again for today's study. A few definitions of life are a spiritual existence transcending physical death, a way or manner for living with animation, and an opportunity for continued viability. Those are fantastic ways to look at life and I can really see where Jesus would be necessary in all of these. I want this life, a life that transcends physical death. I want an animated life and to me that has abundant life written all over it. I also would love continued viability even when earthly life beats me down. Even in those times a viable life is possible. It does not feel that way often, but it is.
The more I studied John 14:6 the more I acquired a wider range of understanding. I used to think the verse just told us how to get to heaven. I mentioned this before and believe it does still say this, but it says so much more as we've learned over the past few days.
God is the author and giver of ALL life. He creates, produces, and maintains all life. Life in Christ is the opposite of the Law. The Law took life with condemnation and in Christ we have abundant life and freedom. No man can come to the Father without first putting their faith in Jesus Christ. We have to go through Jesus Christ first. There has to be a Mediator between God and human. Jesus introduces and presents me to the Holy Father. I can only find acceptance in God's eye because Jesus first cleans me up. I have this vision of Jesus standing beside my mom presenting her to the Heavenly Father. He looks to God and says, "this is Dinah Ann Kruse...boy she is quite a lady and she's ready for the good life!"
I challenge you to look at John 14:6 a little differently. I'm going to make an effort to look at the verse not only for instructions on how to get to heaven, but on how I can live a free and abundant life NOW.
The last two days we have looked in greater detail at Jesus being the way and the truth. Now we'll dig in and see what we learn about Him being the life.
True life comes from having a freedom from the grasp of sin. Sin entangles us. I love what Paul tells the Romans about the flesh being weak. Read the verse below.
Romans 7:18) I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.
Humans are born with a sin nature. There is nothing good in us from day one. How can we live a full and abundant life free from the grasp of sin? We can't aside from having faith in Jesus Christ and letting Him change us from the inside out. There is more to the Christian life than just being sure we stay out of hell. The reason Jesus mouthed the words in John 14:6 to the Twelve was more than instructions on how they could stay out of hell. He wanted them to know how they could live abundantly on this earth, during this life.
John 10:10) The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
Satan is the thief. He wants us to be in bondage to the past and the future. He wants our sin to control us. He desires to seek and destroy life. I have heard a common argument against following Jesus as being Jesus wants to take all the fun away from life. I have heard people say they can't be a Christian because there would be no more of the fun stuff in life. In my own life the "fun stuff" was the stuff my flesh wanted. It is what I desired for selfish ambition. When one lives a life sold out to Jesus Christ there is tremendous freedom. I know longer feel like I have to take part in things or want things because that is what normal people want. I want different things genuinely. Granted until we leave this earth our fleshly desires will scream and claw their way to the top. It's a never ending battle, but the battle gets easier in certain ways as we mature in Christ.
With God I am able to live the live He designed and desires for me. In sharing the Good news I am able to bring hope to lost souls. Life is more than what we experience on earth so Jesus meant we can have an abundant life (John 10:10) here and now AND for eternity. Of course earthly abundant life and heavenly abundant life are two very different things, but regardless, they both will be fulfilling.
My dictionary came in handy again for today's study. A few definitions of life are a spiritual existence transcending physical death, a way or manner for living with animation, and an opportunity for continued viability. Those are fantastic ways to look at life and I can really see where Jesus would be necessary in all of these. I want this life, a life that transcends physical death. I want an animated life and to me that has abundant life written all over it. I also would love continued viability even when earthly life beats me down. Even in those times a viable life is possible. It does not feel that way often, but it is.
The more I studied John 14:6 the more I acquired a wider range of understanding. I used to think the verse just told us how to get to heaven. I mentioned this before and believe it does still say this, but it says so much more as we've learned over the past few days.
God is the author and giver of ALL life. He creates, produces, and maintains all life. Life in Christ is the opposite of the Law. The Law took life with condemnation and in Christ we have abundant life and freedom. No man can come to the Father without first putting their faith in Jesus Christ. We have to go through Jesus Christ first. There has to be a Mediator between God and human. Jesus introduces and presents me to the Holy Father. I can only find acceptance in God's eye because Jesus first cleans me up. I have this vision of Jesus standing beside my mom presenting her to the Heavenly Father. He looks to God and says, "this is Dinah Ann Kruse...boy she is quite a lady and she's ready for the good life!"
I challenge you to look at John 14:6 a little differently. I'm going to make an effort to look at the verse not only for instructions on how to get to heaven, but on how I can live a free and abundant life NOW.
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