November 24, 2024

Crazy Love: Chapter 9 – “Who Really Lives That Way?” (pp 157-161)

March 6, 2013 by

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.
The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 
2 Corinthians 5:17

Do you all remember those Transformer toys? Now, my memory is not what it used to be, but I think they would change from figures into vehicles or into different creatures and such. Am I close?  As I was reading through the three profiles in this section, the Lord kept whispering to me. Over and over again.  The same word.

Transform.

Transformed.

A life transformed.

All of the profiles we are reading in this chapter illustrate lives of regular, everyday people. People like you and me. Some went through struggles with gambling, addictions, even prostitution. But then they met Jesus Christ. And, similar to those transformer toys, once they met Jesus, their lives were transformed. Jesus washed away the ugliness of their past. He took their shame, their hurt, their despair, and transformed it into something beautiful for His glory. Their lives were forever changed by His love and grace at work in their lives.

George Mueller and his wife started an orphanage and did not seek out donations. When they had a need, they went to God in prayer. Every need they had was met. By prayer alone. Brother Yun was persecuted for his faith before escaping to Germany with his family. He is now involved in a movement to preach the gospel in all countries, cities, towns, and ethnic groups between China and Jerusalem. Shane Claiborne serves the very poor and broken in one of the worst neighborhoods of Philadelphia.

I am sure we can all recall a moment when we felt the transforming power of Christ at work in our lives. Maybe it was when you first accepted Him into your heart. Perhaps it was during a struggle when you leaned on Him more than you ever had before. What if you could take the gift Christ has given you—a transformed life—and partner with Him to transform lives of those around you?

Love-to-Extremes-crazy-love-francis-chan-F

We are only limited by what we think we cannot do. God does not call us to do something that is impossible. He equips us to do the work He has prepared for us in advance to do.

So, let’s put on our armor and step out in faith. Let’s begin this revival, shall we?

*****

Let’s Pray:

Father, You are all about transforming lives. You bring us out of the depths of despair and give us hope and peace that surpasses all understanding. Stepping out in faith is difficult, Lord, but we KNOW that You would not call us to do something that is impossible or that You will not equip us to do. And we KNOW Lord, that YOU will be with us every step of the journey. Stir a revival in our hearts, in our lives, and in each of our communities. Bring forth a renewed passion in us for serving You. Give us courage, Father, to take that first step. We can do ALL things through YOU who gives us strength. In Jesus’ precious name we pray, Amen!

Your Assignment:

What is one thing you can do today to help someone in your path? It can be a stranger, a friend, or a family member. Pray and ask God to show you how you can meet a need today and then tell us about it!

*****

Girls with Swords by Lisa Bevere

Girls with Swords
by Lisa Bevere

Our next online Bible study begins March 24th!

Click on the picture to sign up TODAY!! 

________________________

If you would like to send a private message to Jennifer in regards to this blog post, you may e-mail her at Jennifer@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com.

Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Crazy Love: Chapter 9 – “Who Really Lives That Way” (pgs. 153-157)

March 5, 2013 by

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

1 Corinthians 11:1

Using this verse as the basis for this chapter in Crazy Love, Chan tells the story of people who sought to live their lives fully surrendered to God.  Let’s take a brief look at the examples on pages 153-157.

Marva J. Dawn: Marva’s life is a reflection of her belief that small acts of faithfulness can have a profound and significant impact on the world.  She has written many books and all the profits of her books go to support charities.

Rich Mullins: A talented musician with much success in the music industry, Rich moved to a Navajo reservation to teach music to the children who lived there.  Rich never knew how successfully his albums sold because the profits from his concerts and albums went directly to his church, who paid him a small salary and gave the rest of the money away.

Rings:  Rings is an ex-convict, ex-addict, and ex-alcoholic.  Since he turned his life over to Jesus, his home is the cab of his pickup truck.  He uses his monthly check to buy food, then drives to the beach and makes meals for the homeless.

Rachael Saint: When Rachel was eighteen, a wealthy woman offered to make Rachel her heiress if she would be her companion for the rest of her life.  Rachel knew she couldn’t accept the offer of a comfortable life spent sipping tea and conversing.  After many years, Rachel finally went to live with the Waorani people, and translated the New Testament into their language.

*****

Just reading about those people inspired me.  Without a doubt, they lived their lives following the example of Christ as they served others.  They are now being read about in Mr. Chan’s book all over the world.

If you are like me, you personally know people who radically lived their lives for Jesus, and impacted their generation, yet their names never made it inside the cover of a book that has sold over a million copies. 

Would you bear with me as I pay tribute to a couple of  people who played a big role in my salvation and spiritual growth?

Edgar Bethany: It was under his ministry that I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior. One never forgets their moment of salvation, nor the person who lead them to the Lord.

Paul Radke: A man of wisdom, who taught me the importance of accepting people of all backgrounds in order to share Jesus with them. 

David Berkeheimer: You might say it was under his ministry that I began the process of becoming healed emotionally and spiritually.

Melbab Berkeheimer: She was my mentor that paved the way for me to begin a teaching and writing ministry.

Sylvia Thompson: A lady with the gift of prophesy that spoke many encouraging words into my life during trying circumstances.

Yes, because of these five people giving of themselves, my life was changed.  They did it without wanting any recognition, but I have always wanted to honor them publicly in some way.  Never have I dreamed that I could actually send their name to the other side of the world. But, because God had been preparing one woman to make this possible, I have been able to do just that! Christi Wilson, the Founder of Girlfriends Coffee Hour opened the doors for me to reach across the globe through my writing.  

Christi Wilson: A woman with a heart for online Bible studies that encourages women across the globe to develop a deeper walk with the Lord by studying His word.  She radically lives her life for Jesus to be a vessel that is impacting this generation.

*****

My prayer is that I will be an influence to others in some way and when I get to heaven, someone will say to me: “Thank you for giving to the Lord! I am a life that has been changed.”

Be Blessed, 

Martha

*****

 

Let’s Pray: 

Father God, we ask that You open our hearts to the convicting power of the Holy Spirit to show us where we can best serve You and impact our generation.  In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.

Your Assignment:

What legacy would you like to leave?

GWS_Slider1

 

Our next Online Bible Study

“Girls with Swords” by Lisa Bevere begins March 24th.  

To join us for this amazing study, click on the picture above!

Once we receive your registration, we will email you further details!

_____________________

If you would like to send Martha a personal message in regards to this blog,

you may email her at: Martha@girlfriendscoffeehour.com.

 

Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Crazy Love: Chapter 9 – “Who Really Lives That Way?” (pp 149-153)

March 4, 2013 by

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

~ 1 Corinthians 11:1

I have attempted 3 times to write this blog post to no avail and then BAM…in my quiet time this morning God showed me why.

YOU were meant to write this blog post, not me, dear sisters!  In today’s reading, Chan gave us 3 stunning examples of people on this earth who truly embody this life that God commands us to live—crazy in love and obsessed with Him. It’s not just about adoration, my friends, it’s about walking your love out in your life in every way possible…no matter what the costs.

We met Nathan Barlow, Simpson Rebbavarapu and Jamie Lang today. The rest of this week, you will continue to meet others like them. I pray they all have a huge impact on YOUR story!

How will you write today’s blog post? Well, I think it’s safe to say that most of us are not yet living up to the character God intends us to have to land ourselves as one of the names in this chapter. Please do not let that discourage you! What I would like you to do TODAY is to write out YOU as one of these people…. Write out your future, changed to be living out this divine life God intends. Write your story how it WILL be. CLAIM it here today with all of us as witness!!!! May God get all the glory!

Revelation 3:1, 2

…you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.  Wake up!

Strengthen what remains and is about to die,

for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God.

Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes.

They will walk with me, dressed in white,for they are worthy.

The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white.

I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life,

but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels.

This is my song for us today:

**************

Let’s Pray:

God, give us strength and courage to go against this world and live the life YOU have so divinely created us for.  Speak into our spirits today as we write our story of who we are to be—how we are going to take our crazy, obsessed love for You and walk that out in our lives to further Your Kingdom. Thank You for this provision, Father.  Help us to hold each other accountable and spur each other on to be our very best. May You get all the glory! Amen <3

Your Assignment:

Write  YOUR story today. If you feel led, post it as a comment below. If not, keep it in your Bible and pray over it daily. Claim this victory for God’s Kingdom as you begin to walk this new, narrow path for Him.

**************

If you would like to email a private message to Megan in regards to this blog, please email her at: megan@girlfriendscoffeehour.com

Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Crazy Love: Chapter 9 – “Who Really Lives that Way?” (Reading Assignment)

March 3, 2013 by

Last week, we looked at the profile of someone who is obsessed with Jesus Christ. This week, we are going to look at REAL-LIFE people who did some pretty incredible things for the Lord. Their lives were/are real. What they did is real. They sought to fully submit their lives to God; to surrender to His Will and His leading – and they were transformed. God has a unique purpose in mind for YOU, too. He wants to use YOU. His plans may not be YOUR plans … but His plans will result in a life more fulfilling than one we could have dreamed of on our own. Keep praying … keep seeking His will … and be faithful with what He is calling you to do right where you are.

Ready to dig in? Let’s GO!

Monday: Chapter 9 “Who Really Lives That Way?”
pgs. 149-153/ Kindle LOC 1927-1996
(Nathan Barlow/Simpson Rebbavarapu/Jamie Lang)
(Megan)

Tuesday: Chapter 9 “Who Really Lives That Way?”
pgs. 153-157/ Kindle LOC 1996-2046
(Marva J. Dawn/Rich Mullins/Rings/Rachel Saint)
(Martha)

Wednesday: Chapter 9 “Who Really Lives That Way?”
pgs. 157-161/ Kindle LOC 2046-2113
(George Mueller/Brother Yun/Shane Claiborne)
(Jennifer)

Thursday: Chapter 9 “Who Really Lives That Way?”
pgs. 161-164/ Kindle LOC 2113-2149
(The Robynson Family/Susan Diego/Lucy/Cornerstone Community Church)
(Donna)

Friday: Chapter 9 “Who Really Lives That Way?”
Weekly Review and Chapter 9 Study Video from YouTube
(Megan)

Have a Blessed Week!

Jennifer

**********

Let’s Pray:

Lord, as we study real-life examples of people who have done some incredible things for You, speak to our hearts about what You are calling each of us to do in our own lives. We know You have a unique purpose and plan for each one of us. Gently guide and direct us, open doors, convict our hearts, and lead us to the place You want us to go. We all want to be fully surrendered to You, Father. But, we need You to help us. Show us how to let go of this world and live with an eternal perspective; living only for You and doing Your Kingdom work. We pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

If you would like to send a private message to Jennifer in regards to this blog post, you may send it to: Jennifer@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com

Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Seeking Him – Quietness

March 2, 2013 by

This week in our current series, Seeking Him, we continue to look at one of the joys (and privilege!) of our relationship with our heavenly Father—our ‘quiet time’ with Him.  Each Saturday we have been looking in-depth at some of the more important aspects of a dedicated, purposeful, intentional, devoted quiet time.

Over the past few weeks we have thought about a few of these aspects, such as:

  • reading the Scriptures
  • singing our praises
  • being intentional—seeking Him
  • physically expressing ourselves: cry, kneel, raise hands, etc.
  • speaking out our ‘love’
  • praying

In addition to each of these, I do believe that quietness is required as a major component of a dedicated, purposeful, intentional, devoted quiet time.  Actual physical-absence-of-distracting-noise quiet…and perhaps even more important…quietness in our hearts.

Our Lord recognized His need for quiet.  If He, in His perfect sinless life, needed quiet time alone…we do also and even more so!  His example speaks clearly to us.

And in the morning, long before daylight, He got up and went out to a deserted place,
and there He prayed.

Mark 1:35

…and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities.
But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.

Luke 5:15, 16

There is also another type of quietness—a quiet, peaceful heart.  Isn’t this something that each of us yearns for?  Truly I believe it can only be found as we seek Him.  There is a incomparable quietness that we are promised as we trust in our Lord.

Be still and rest in the Lord; wait for Him and patiently lean yourself upon Him;
fret not yourself because of him who prospers in his way,
because of the man who brings wicked devices to pass.
Cease from anger and forsake wrath;
fret not yourself—it tends only to evildoing.
For evildoers shall be cut off,
but those who wait and hope and look for the Lord
shall inherit the earth.

Psalms 37:7-9

Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”
The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah.

Psalms 46:10 and 11

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened,
and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.]

Matthew 11:28

Keep seeking Him and enjoy your quiet time with your Lord!  As you seek Him, He will be found…He has promised!

Jeremiah 29:12,13
Then you will call upon Me, and you will come and pray to Me,
and I will hear and heed you.
Then you will seek Me, inquire for, and require Me [as a vital necessity]
and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

Praying for each of you!  I know that the Lord will answer your heart’s cry as you are seeking Him with all your heart!

♥  coleen

Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Crazy Love: Chapter 8 Review – “Profile of the Obsessed”

March 1, 2013 by

My friends…. Week 8 is coming to a close, and this chapter has been necessary to complete our Crazy Love journey. This chapter was all about what it looks like to really be obsessed with God.

On Monday, you and I discussed being a lover and a risk taker in our faith. Martha had a wonderful blog post for us on Tuesday where she explored with us about being friends of all, crazy ones, and being the humble. On Wednesday, Jennifer had us consider ourselves as servers, givers, sojourners, and the engrossed. On Thursday, Donna shared with us about being unguarded ones, the rooted, the dedicated, and ones who sacrifice for God.

We were all forced to take a hard look at ourselves and see our lives through God-lenses as to how we are truly living out our faith and what it shows our culture about our Crazy Love for Jesus. What is your profile? Are you lukewarm…or are you OBSESSED?

Please take a few minutes and watch this video from Francis Chan:

http://youtu.be/VidzmquOi60

Since when does our culture dictate what we do and don’t do?

_______________

Your Assignment:

It’s time to ask yourself “Why not?” What makes it so that we can/cannot live today the way they did in the early church…obsessed with God? Why wouldn’t we do this?

To live out biblical christianity in the biblical church is a very difficult thing. How is this an issue of trust?

How badly do you want this mission and are you going to live this way? Are you ready to make this commitment?

_______________

Let’s Pray:

Dear Lord, I pray that You break our hearts in this area and I know it much break Yours. As we seek You today, help us see what You want us to see in how we are letting the world get in the way with living obsessed with You. Show us step by step what You need from us in this area and give us a boldness to live freely crazy in love with You with all of our actions and interactions. We love You and thank You for all You will work within us. Thank You for the message of this chapter and may it forever change us. Amen <3 

_______________

If you would like to email a private message to Megan in regards to this blog, please email her at: megan@girlfriendscoffeehour.com

Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Crazy Love: Chapter 8 – Profile of the Obsessed (pgs144-148)

February 28, 2013 by

Two things stood out to me that Mr. Chan said in this part of our book today….

First: God desires true intimacy with each of us, and that comes only when we trust Him enough to be fully transparent and vulnerable.

I think you would agree with me that it is really hard to be fully transparent and vulnerable in this world today. When we open ourselves up like that we often get hurt. I know I have. So we hold back. We don’t trust and we lose that special something called intimacy with that other person because we just don’t want to be hurt again.

When I had my first baby back in 1979, I felt so blessed and amazed by her! First I KNEW she was a gift from God. Second I was responsible for her every need in life. It was sometimes overwhelming when I thought about it. But it was a joy, too! She trusted me to feed her, to clothe her, play with her, and love her. My heart almost burst with joy as she learned each new thing. And when she learned to say “mama”— WOW!! When she would run to me when she was hurt or because she wanted to be with me, I almost cried! I felt so proud to be her mom. Those of you who have children, nieces, or nephews (or even pets) know what I’m talking about.

Isn’t that how we should be with God? He says to come to Him like a child. My baby was a good example of why He said that. He wants us to be dependent on Him. He will not let us down. He will not hurt us. He only wants what’s best for us, just like I wanted only the best for my child. He will be our Provider, our Helper, our Father. He will love us unconditionally no matter what.  He wants us to be obsessed with him. We can run to Him when we are hurt or let down by this world.  We can open up fully and tell Him all our hurts and how terrible we are, He won’t mind!

I believe how to do that is in the second thing Mr Chan  hit me with:

God wants His word to be a delight to us, so much so that we meditate on it day and night.

If we are studying His word—spending time with Him outside the 40 minutes on Sunday morning, getting to know Him on a daily basis—we learn that He is faithful, loving, and trustworthy. We learn that He is there for us at any given moment. Then we have a real intimate relationship with Him that He so desires and is so fulfilling to us. We have real joy that only comes from our Lord. We look forward to reading His word and getting to know more and more about this Father we have. We want to spend time with Him. We want to tell Him everything. We want to live in His continual grace, and we want to sing His praises all day long.

Does that sound obsessive?? I hope so!!!

In Christ,

Donna

**********

 

Let’s Pray:

Father, immerse us in Your presence today as we seek to become more intimate with You. Reveal to us today those things that hold us back from being transparent and vulnerable with You. Teach us what a faithful and loving Father You are to us as we read Your word and get to know You more. We love You, Jesus, and want to be completely obsessed with You in our lives. Thank You for the opportunity to do that. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Your Assignment:

What things hold you back from enjoying this intimate relationship with God? What actions can you take to break that stronghold in your life and completely give yourself to God? If you can name some things, we will pray here for you and help you to live that completely obsessive life that God wants with you!

**********

If you would like to send a private message to Donna in regards to this blog, please email her at: Donna@girlfriendscoffeehour.com.

Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Crazy Love: Chapter 8 – “Profile of the Obsessed” – pgs. 139-143 (Servers/Givers/Sojourners/The Engrossed)

February 27, 2013 by

As we continue our study of chapter 8, let’s dive into four more profiles of the obsessed. What does it look like when someone is obsessed with Jesus Christ?

Servers –In Matthew 13:44, Jesus tells about the Parable of the Hidden Treasure: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field.” Chan suggests that many American churchgoers may be limiting their love for God because they are so hesitant to do anything for Him. The man in this parable discovered the Kingdom of Heaven by accident but realized its worth immediately – he sold everything he owned so he could buy the whole field.  He gave up everything he had for the Kingdom of Heaven. Yet, God offers it to us as a free gift, ready for whoever is willing to accept it.

People who are obsessed with Jesus do not consider service a burden. Obsessed people take joy in loving God by loving His people.

Givers – When I flipped the pages of my Bible to James 2:14-26, our theme verse for this section, some words that I had written there recently leaped off the page at me: “Faith in Christ spurs us to ACT”.  When we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, He begins to change our hearts to become more like His. It is a gradual, but continual, process of sanctification that only He can do. He commands us to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). If you stop and really think about that statement, it is very profound. We are all very me-centered, selfish humans. Just because we wear the label “Christian” does not mean that we are immune. We must bring our selfishness to the cross every single day. But…If we love others as much as we love ourselves, can you imagine what the world would look like? What if we stopped making excuses and started ACTing?

People who are obsessed with God are known as givers, not takers. Obsessed people genuinely think that others matter as much as they do, and they are particularly aware of those who are poor around the world.

Sojourners – Grandma Clara sounds like quite a woman. Have you ever known anyone in your lifetime that was so Heaven-focused? This earthly life is but a blip on the screen, but to us, with our struggles and challenges, joys and sorrows, sometimes we get overly focused on the here and now. We forget to look past the current situation to envision eternity with Christ, where no sickness or struggle will be found; where we will all live in glorious harmony praising our King. Oh what a day that will be!

A person who is obsessed thinks about heaven frequently. Obsessed people orient their lives around eternity; they are not fixed only on what is here in front of them.

The Engrossed – The first commandment says that we must “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (Deut. 6:5). This command encompasses every aspect of us as human beings. Heart, soul, and strength make up who we are as individuals. The Lord says we should love Him with everything that we have and all that we are. We should not limit our love in any way. So, what does that mean exactly?

Deut6_5

It means not holding back from God. He already knows everything anyway, so do not be afraid to talk to Him and be honest with Him. He knows you and loves you deeply. He WILL help you through anything you are facing. And the more you lean on Him, the more deeply you will fall in love with Him.

A person who is obsessed is characterized by committed, settled, passionate love for God, above and before every other thing and every other being.

************************

Let’s Pray:

Lord, thank You for showing to us what profiles of an obsessed follower of Christ looks like. Although we are human and fall short every day, we know that Your grace keeps pushing us forward and helps us to achieve new heights day after day. Thank You for Your unending and overflowing grace, Father. Convict our hearts and show us how we can fall more deeply in love with You. It’s in Your Son’s matchless Name that we pray, AMEN!

Your Assignment:

Which of these four profiles convicted your heart? Why? What step of faith can you take to act on this conviction?

 

If you would like to send a private message to Jennifer in regards to this blog post, you may send it to: Jennifer@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com

Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Crazy Love: Chapter 8 – “Profile Of The Obsessed” (pp 134-138)

February 26, 2013 by

In this chapter of Crazy Love, Chan gives us a profile of being obsessed with Jesus.  Keep in mind that obsessed means ‘to have the mind excessively preoccupied with a single emotion or topic.’ 

On pages 134-138, Chan lists three more ways in which we should examine ourselves to see if we are obsessed with Jesus to the point that we are faithfully living out His word. 

  1. Friends of All – People who are obsessed with Jesus live lives that connect them with the poor in some way or another.  Obsessed people believe that Jesus talked about money and the poor so often because it was really important to Him.  (1 John 2:4-6; Matthew 16:24-26) 
  2. Crazy Ones – Obsessed people are more concerned with obeying God than doing what is expected or fulfilling the status quo.  A person who is obsessed with Jesus will do things that don’t always make sense in terms of success or wealth on this earth.  (Luke 14:25-35; Matthew 7:13-23, 8:18-22; Revelations 3:1-6)
  3. The Humble – A person who is obsessed with Jesus knows that the sin of pride is always a battle.  Obsessed people know that you can never be “humble enough,” and they seek to make themselves less known and Christ more known.  (Matthew 5:16)

May I share my heart with you as each of us begins to examine ourselves in view of these three ways.  It is my belief that we go through seasons of our lives where the Holy Spirit is nudging us to be more obsessed with Him, and even points to the door He wants us to enter to make that happen. 

For me personally, there was a particular season of my life when, I indeed, looked pretty Crazy to those around me for following Jesus down the path that I felt He was leading me.  Some even called me by that name!   In fact, there were even times when I felt a little crazy myself because I was traveling down a road with Jesus that was completely out of my comfort zone of faith.  We were on a road together that was, shall I say, “not my normal way” of life.  Believe me, it would have been much easier for me to turn around and go back than to face the opposition that I encountered.

But, I learned some very valuable lessons during that season of my life:

  • If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. (Galatians 1:10)
  • His grace was sufficient enough to carry me through that season of my life, despite the opposition. (2 Corinthians 12:9)
  • Probably, the most important lesson I learned during that time period was:  I had to “let go and trust Him” for the outcome of where He was leading me.  After all, isn’t that what faith is?

As for being Humble, there was one season of my life when I had to face being humbled.  Come to think of it, there were two seasons of my life—no, make that three.  Oh, my gosh, numerous  times are flooding my memory now as I write this blog when I had to face the big H.  I am beginning to see that it is  just like Chan says:  “the sin of pride is always a battle.”  So I might as well look for it to come around and around again until I reach heaven’s door.

I said all of this to show you where I’ve been and where I am at in this present season of my life ;and that is “Friends of All,” as it pertains to giving to the poor.

“Do you have a problem with giving to the poor?”  you might be wondering.

My Answer:  I don’t have a problem with giving to the poor at all—it is because of the season of my life that I am in at the present time that I am a little hung up.  You see, I am retired, and though my husband and I have a comfortable income coming in, it is certainly not like it once was when we had big salaries, plus bonus checks coming in that took care of our family’s needs.  There was also enough money left over for fun and recreation, long vacation trips, and even care-free spending at the mall.

As a result of this decrease in salary, I feel a strong need to be a good steward of MY MONEY.  Wait!  I don’t believe I just said that.  “MY MONEY?”  “Lord, forgive me; it’s YOUR MONEY.”

Oh yes, I believe God wants me to be a good steward in regards to money. But, quite honestly, out of my desire to feel “secure,” I find myself “hoarding my money,”  (excuse me, God’s money) after I give of my tithes to the church. 

Right now I feel the nudge to become Friends of All and give to those who don’t even have an income coming in like I do, that is “if I want to be obsessed with Jesus.”   

And that’s my story on these three.  What about you?  What is God speaking to you about?

WhatIsGodSpeakingToYouAbout

 

 

Be blessed,

Martha

**********

Let’s Pray: 

Father God, first of all, we open our hearts to the convicting power of the Holy Spirit to show us where we are not being obsessed with You. Help us to make changes in our life as You would have us to. In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.

Your Assignment: 

Where do you feel you need to make changes in your life in view of these three areas to become more obsessed with Jesus. 

 

If you would like to send Martha a personal message in regards to this blog, you may email her at: Martha@girlfriendscoffeehour.com.

Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Crazy Love: Chapter 8 – “Profile of the Obsessed” Lovers – Risk Takers (pp 129-133/ Kindle LOC 1673-1724)

February 25, 2013 by

obsessedwithjesus

Does this describe you? Are you a LOVER?

Now…when God prompts me to give, I give freely, I really do. But how open am I to giving without prompting?

This reminds me of a time in my life when God prompted me to do a very kind, loving, and selfless act to someone who I held much unforgiveness in my heart for. This person had hurt my family and my children for a long time.  But when God prompted me to extend kindness to them, I knew it was the right thing to do; but I also knew I would be unable to do it without His help and guidance.

Have you ever been in this position? How did it turn out for you? For me, I completely gave the situation over to God, and He totally showed off in every way! It did not turn out how I ever imagined it would, but He certainly knew exactly what He was doing, and it was 100% the right thing to do. He is so good!

However, I know I would not have come up with doing this on my own. I had shown this person kindness in the past in other ways, but in ways that were far less extraordinary and disruptive to my life. Reading this part of the chapter really made me stop and think about how foolish this is if I am truly living with a Crazy Love for our Heavenly Father.

“People who are obsessed with Jesus aren’t consumed with their personal safety and comfort above all else. Obsessed people care more about God’s kingdom coming to this earth than their own lives being shielded from pain or distress.”

Are you a RISK TAKER? I know I have been known to pray before trips for God to protect my family and keep us safe. But is that the best prayer? Chan suggests in this section that what we ought to be praying something more like this: “God, bring me closer to You during this trip, whatever it takes….”

Would that be hard for you to pray? I must admit, I love it.

It is what my heart believes…truly, it is. Whatever it takes, in whatever I do, I want to become a more fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ and become closer to Him…. Safety would be nice to have, but really, that is not necessary if it is not God’s will. What is there to be afraid of, really?  If we truly trust God to provide and we trust His perfect plan and provision for our lives, then this prayer certainly is most appropriate.

Blessings,

Megan 🙂

Let’s Pray:

God, we want to be obsessed with You in every way. We want every person who interacts with us to not just think we are “nice” but that we are crazy and madly in love with YOU!!! Help us be rid of any mistrust or unbelief we might be carrying and become more fully passionate and devoted to You. We love You, Lord, and we thank You for opening our eyes and hearts to Your Truth! In Jesus’ mighty name we pray, Amen.  <3

Your Assignment:

What aspects about your faith need to change in order for you to be a lover and risk taker as you strive to be fully obsessed with loving our God? Please share with us below 🙂

_________________

If you would like to email a private message to Megan in regards to this blog, please email her at: megan@girlfriendscoffeehour.com

Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,
« Previous Page
Next Page »