Monday, August 25, 2014
Some good words when you feel overwhelmed
Thought this was a piratical and encouraging article --How to move from Overwhelmed to Overjoyed! Hope you enjoy blog post on The Better Mom by Rachel
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Joy is not the lack of trouble
Joy is not having what we want when we want.
And prosperity "gospel" teaching is simply untrue. God doesn't bless you if you get it just right. He is gracious to you and gives you things you don't deserve. And He is merciful...He doesn't give what we do deserve.
There are times we are in the will of God and are pressed, abandoned, and in hardship. A cursory look at the life of Paul will remind us of that. But it is His grace that sufficient for us, even in the times that are so difficult. It is disturbing that so often we think we must have missed God's call because it's hard or we are not having the "success" we were expecting.
We do not have His perspective. Only He knows what effect things are having here or in the heavenlies. We are to keep our eyes on our Jesus, be like Him, and worship Him. We are to obey Him. We are not responsible for the harvest. We are not in charge of the consequences. That would be us trying to usurp His place.
2 Cor 11: 22-31 From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, inperils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness—28 besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. 8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Hebrews 12:1-3
And prosperity "gospel" teaching is simply untrue. God doesn't bless you if you get it just right. He is gracious to you and gives you things you don't deserve. And He is merciful...He doesn't give what we do deserve.
There are times we are in the will of God and are pressed, abandoned, and in hardship. A cursory look at the life of Paul will remind us of that. But it is His grace that sufficient for us, even in the times that are so difficult. It is disturbing that so often we think we must have missed God's call because it's hard or we are not having the "success" we were expecting.
We do not have His perspective. Only He knows what effect things are having here or in the heavenlies. We are to keep our eyes on our Jesus, be like Him, and worship Him. We are to obey Him. We are not responsible for the harvest. We are not in charge of the consequences. That would be us trying to usurp His place.
2 Cor 11: 22-31 From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, inperils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness—28 besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?
30 If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity. 31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. 8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Hebrews 12:1-3
12 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher ofour faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls
All scripture passages taken from www.biblegateway.com
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
It doesn't always look like we expect
I was nearly half way through the blessing before I realized it was an answer to prayer. Finances are making everyday life challenging, but both my husband and I had a desire to have a little vacation with our children. It'd been a few years, and we yearned for some time to spend together and break from the stresses a bit.
We didnt' see it coming. It wasn't our plan. And we didn't have the stresses of planning it!
We were presented with an opporutnity to spend some time with a couple dear to us. They only had time on Saturday and Sunday and then they would be gone for an unkown amount of time. So we packed up the boys and took them to our favorite trail and then a cook-out in the woods, complete with smores and singing around the campfire.
Then we slept in our own beds
And after church meeting, we were off again. We went to a state park, picking up "cheap pizza" and going prepared for supper. We ate lunch and fed pizza crusts to the ducks. A game of ultimate frisbee ensued. And there was playing in the creek.
Time of refreshing, fun, together.
And a prayer answered while we were just intending to extend kindness to some friends.
Don't miss the answer to your prayer just because it doesn't look like you planned.
And humbly, thankfully, accept the gift given.
We didnt' see it coming. It wasn't our plan. And we didn't have the stresses of planning it!
We were presented with an opporutnity to spend some time with a couple dear to us. They only had time on Saturday and Sunday and then they would be gone for an unkown amount of time. So we packed up the boys and took them to our favorite trail and then a cook-out in the woods, complete with smores and singing around the campfire.
Then we slept in our own beds
And after church meeting, we were off again. We went to a state park, picking up "cheap pizza" and going prepared for supper. We ate lunch and fed pizza crusts to the ducks. A game of ultimate frisbee ensued. And there was playing in the creek.
Time of refreshing, fun, together.
And a prayer answered while we were just intending to extend kindness to some friends.
Don't miss the answer to your prayer just because it doesn't look like you planned.
And humbly, thankfully, accept the gift given.
Monday, August 18, 2014
Example of joy in suffering
Who for the joy set before Him endured....
Have you contemplated that? The God of all , took on flesh, and endured emotional, social, physical and spiritual pain.....how? By looking to the joy set before him.
When happiness is not now, sometimes we are tempted to loose heart. So often we see only now. But we are to look beyond now, to what the sure Word of God proclaims to be true. We will not always suffer. There will really come a time when we no longer sin and are truly whole in every way...because we will see Him as He is!
Some Word to consider:
Hebrews 12:1-3
Have you contemplated that? The God of all , took on flesh, and endured emotional, social, physical and spiritual pain.....how? By looking to the joy set before him.
When happiness is not now, sometimes we are tempted to loose heart. So often we see only now. But we are to look beyond now, to what the sure Word of God proclaims to be true. We will not always suffer. There will really come a time when we no longer sin and are truly whole in every way...because we will see Him as He is!
Some Word to consider:
Hebrews 12:1-3
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.
I Peter 3:2
Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears[a] we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.
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