Faithful Friday #6 / Sadness and thankfulness

Hi dear friends.

What a week its been, my grandfather has been in and out of the hospital and my sweet nephews have all had the stomach bug. Needless to say, its been a FULL week with hospital visits and changing a million diapers.

The past 10 weeks have been a rough stint for my grandfather. He is my only living grandparent and since before Christmas has now been in and out of the hospital about 5 times with 3 hip surgeries, been in rehab again and again. 

He told my Mom not long ago, he didn't think dying would be this tough. He thought he would just fall asleep and not wake up. He definitely wasn't expecting his rapid declining health and all the issues that come along with getting old. 

It's been especially difficult for my parents. I looked at my Dad the other day and could see the effect it was having on him. My Dad is his oldest son and my uncle lives 12 hours away. 

I live 4 hours away from my parents and grandfather, so I went this past weekend to see them. Two days into my visit is when he dislocated his hip for the third time. 

Can I just say this whole situation stinks. 

I hate that people get older. 

I hate that injuries and sickness happen.

 I hate having to emotionally prepare myself for a death in the family. 

He hasn't passed, but I feel as if he already has. I'm already mourning him and I fell the loss of my grandmothers with his illness too.

2 Corinthians 5:6-8 

 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

Revelation 21:1-4 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Among the sadness, frustration and tears though, I feel great thankfulness. 

Thankful that I got to know 3 of my grandparents. 

Thankful that one has seen 3 grandchildren married and knows 5 great grandchildren.

Thankful that I live close enough to see my grandfather and parents.

Thankful for my wonderful, loving parents who would do anything for their children and give their time, energy and love to their children and parent.

Psalm 28:7
"The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.
My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song."

Psalm 69:30
  "I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving."

2 Corinthians 4:14-16 "...because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence.  All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day."

“Has this world been so kind to you that you should leave with regret? There are better things ahead than any we leave behind.”  ~ C.S. Lewis

Faithful Friday #5 / To Delight in the Lord

We had just broken up and I was falling apart. Months continued on and I couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel. I tried to explain myself, but he wanted nothing more than to leave me with hurtful words and a broken heart.

Have you ever felt like me? 

I have a feeling you do. 

In the midst of turmoil, I've often turned to Psalm 37:4 and meditated on it. I love the idea of God giving me the desires of my heart, but that promise has a condition - delight myself in the Him. That’s the hard part of the verse - the place where I have to ask myself whether I am truly delighting myself in the Lord.

Psalm 40:8

“I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart” 

Romans 7:22

For in my inner being I delight in God’s law.

Now, how do we delight ourselves in the Lord you may ask? 

By doing what pleases Him and putting His law in our hearts. Then, as we are sanctified, He gives us the desires of our heart. 

Pretty awesome, right!

Here’s how Matthew Henry put it: “He has not promised to gratify all the appetites of the body and the humors of the fancy, but to grant all the desires of the heart, all the cravings of the renewed sanctified soul. What is the desire of the heart of a good man? It is this, to know, and love, and live to God, to please him and to be pleased in him.” *

Think about what our desires would be and how God would meet them if we spent more time on the first part of Psalm 37:4 than the last part.

Here are some practical, though -  provoking questions to go over this week:

1. How have you dealt with your longing for love?

2. Describe your thoughts when reading Psalm 37:4 in the past.

3. After looking at two other Scripture verses about delighting ourselves in the Lord, and after reading Matthew Henry’s quote, how have these helped you better understand Psalm 37:4?

4. What can you do to delight yourself in the Lord?

5. How do you think your desires will be different if you do the things you listed in the previous question?

Love you all and so very thankful for you. 

 

Faithful Friday #4 / Scripture Memorization

I am not a fan of memorization. At best I struggle with it. If it isn't repeated or used often, its hard to retain and soon forgotten. Growing up, I couldn't grasp the importance of why it was good to memorize God's word - it was already written down, right?

As I got older, I started to realize that it is worth the effort and also, expected of us. It is vital to our relationship with God to know His word  and it's a fundamental way of filling our minds with what it needs. 

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 2:14-17)

Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:20-21)

John Piper, who wrote Desiring God lists out six reasons why it is important to have the Word imprinted on your heart and tongue.

1. Conformity to Christ

Paul wrote that “we all, . . . beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another” (2 Corinthians 3:18)) If we would be changed into Christ likeness we must steadily see him. This happens in the word. “The Lordrevealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord” (1 Samuel 3:21). Bible memorization has the effect of making our gaze on Jesus steadier and clearer.

2. Daily Triumph over Sin

“How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. . . . I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:9, 11). Paul said that we must “by the Spirit . . . put to death the [sinful] deeds of the body” (Romans 8:13). The one piece of armor used to kill is the “sword of the Spirit” which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:17). As sin lures the body into sinful action, we call to mind a Christ-revealing word of Scripture and slay the temptation with the superior worth and beauty of Christ over what sin offers.

3. Daily Triumph over Satan

When Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness he recited Scripture from memory and put Satan to flight (Matthew 4:1-11).

4. Comfort and Counsel for People You Love

The times when people need you to give them comfort and counsel do not always coincide with the times you have your Bible handy. Not only that, the very word of God spoken spontaneously from your heart has unusual power. Proverbs 25:11 says, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.” That is a beautiful way of saying, When the heart full of God’s love can draw on the mind full of God’s word, timely blessings flow from the mouth.

5. Communicating the Gospel to Unbelievers

Opportunities to share the gospel come when we do not have the Bible in hand. Actual verses of the Bible have their own penetrating power. And when they come from our heart, as well as from the Book, the witness is given that they are precious enough to learn. We should all be able to sum up the gospel under four main headings (1) God’s holiness/law/glory; 2) man’s sin/rebellion/disobedience; 3) Christ’s death for sinners; 4) the free gift of life by faith. Learn a verse or two relating to each of these, and be ready in season and out of season to share them.

6. Communion with God in the Enjoyment of His Person and Ways

The way we commune with (that is, fellowship with) God is by meditating on his attributes and expressing to him our thanks and admiration and love, and seeking his help to live a life that reflects the value of these attributes. Therefore, storing texts in our minds about God helps us relate to him as he really is. For example, imagine being able to call this to mind through the day:

The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. (Psalm 103:8-14)

The Lord gave us His Word for these purposes - so that we may be more like Him and draw closer to Him. He also didn't give it for us just to hold on for safe keeping, but arm us for battle against the enemy and to share His glory to the world. This week, I challenge you, along with me, to begin memorizing scripture.
The easiest way for me to do it is to add a passage on a note card, write it on the bathroom mirror, keep it in my purse and read it in its context each day.

Faithful Friday # 3 / Praying with your spouse

Last week, I wrote on the importance of patience in prayer. Praying is an intimate act between you and our heavenly Father. It's vitally important for your relationship to deepen and grow with the Father. So naturally, praying alongside your spouse is important for growing your unity, intimacy, and God glorifying relationship.
 

When I got married, I became one flesh with my husband (Genesis 2:24, Mark 10:8) . However, I certainly wasn't used to being one flesh with anyone else but myself for 25 years. I quickly realized there was a learning curve and to be one with another would take time.
 

A lot of the time, I find I am trying to work through everyday life by myself - and this isn't healthy for our relationship. In our marriage, I have to share everything - my mess, my frustrations, assumptions, needs, etc. with my husband. When Stephen and I pray together, it draws us in as one unit with God and one another.

 

 

And just like our physical relationship draws us together emotionally, so does out prayer life. We aren't just communicating with God but with each other. When I hear him pray about struggles, I get to pray for him as well. I have learned so much about my husband through our prayers together that I might not hear in normal everyday conversation. Praying for my husband is a great privilege and joy - there is nothing like calling out to our father for someone else.
 

Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another,that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. (James 5:14-16)
 

To have a thriving, healthy and happy relationship, I wholeheartedly believe my marriage has three parties - my husband, me, and God. Think about it - two sinners coming into a marriage broken. But God, who ordained marriage as good, comes in the middle and draws us closer to Him. I firmly believe the more Stephen and I pray together, the closer we will draw near to each other and to God.
 

Is it easy to pray together? Not always. We both have trouble at times feeling embarrassed or uncomfortable praying aloud. I lose or fumble over myself and have trouble starting again. It's something I pray for daily for us to overcome. Regardless, if you pray well aloud or not, I encourage you to pray together. What an intimate worship between you and your spouse to the almighty God. I have seen the wonderful effects it has taken in my marriage and pray for those in yours.

Faithful Friday #2

Written by Larry Stockstill

The importance of patience in prayer and in life cannot be overemphasized! Abraham lived most of his life patiently believing that God would fulfill His promise to give him a son. In his old age, however, he succumbed to pressure from his wife to have a child by her maid, Hagar (Genesis 16:2). Abraham hearkened to the voice of his wife instead of giving her godly direction-a choice that proved to be a historic mistake.

Ishmael has come to symbolize the fruit of impatience. When you do not believe that God has heard your cry in prayer, you take matters into your own hands and create situations that you cannot successfully bring to a close. If you truly believe that your Father has seen you and heard your prayer, why struggle to come up with your own solution? Boldly assert as did Hagar, "I have seen the One who sees me!" (Genesis 16:13).

Isaac means "laughter," so you may as well keep laughing until your "Isaac" shows up. Ishmaels come quickly, but they never go away.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

I was sent the short devotional above earlier in the week and man, did it strike a cord. Patience in prayer. How hard that is to grasp. I often pray for patience, but get fed up waiting for it. Oh, the irony.

I function on "me" time more often than on God's time. I come to Him expecting my prayers to be answered when I want them - not delayed for days, months, weeks, years or even in a different method.

But, isn't that great news? God working on His own timing and in His own way?

The answer: YES!

When I trust Him completely and give Him my faith, love, gifts, hands, heart and every aspect of me, it will bring glory to His name.

I don't want to be an Ishmael. I want to call out "I have seen the One who sees me!" (Genesis 16:13). For I know the Father and I want His name to be known and shown through me, his servant and daughter.

Faithful Friday

 

My sweet friend Marquis at Simply Clarke wrote a post today entitled Faithful Friday and I can't tell you the number of times God has revealed himself through others this week, whether it be Marquis and her post, a friends email, a text message, a bible verse, a whispered prayer - He lovingly reminds me that He is the I Am, and I am not. - John 15:5

 

 I am constantly amazed and in awe of God's glory. Even as I run away from Him, He pulls me back. He reminds me that I am called to be a disciple to all nations and to shareHis truth.  - Matthew 28:18.

 

My purpose is set forth. So, regardless of what the world tells me I should believe in, who and what I should love, I know that my path has been set straight. I am a daughter of Christ. I belong to Him. And that seriously, is the best news ever.