May 2, 2024

You Have a Friend in Me

June 6, 2014 by

On the very day that David killed Goliath, Jonathan pledged his loyalty to him. God did this.

The soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David,
and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
1 Samuel 18:1

Jonathan loved David and gave him his own sword.  He gave David his garment and crowned young David as king.  And then, he protects him.

When Jonathan hears of Saul’s plot to come after David, Jonathan tells his new friend, and hides him.

My father Saul seeks to kill you.
Therefore please be on your guard until morning
and stay in a secret place and hide.
1 Samuel 19:2

Jonathan gave David a promise, a wardrobe, and protection from his own father. David found a good friend.

Do you have a friend like Jonathan?  A soul mate to protect you and who seeks nothing but your interests.  Only your happiness matters to them.  You feel safe with that person and you can be yourself.  You don’t have to think before you speak…they already know what you’re about to say.  They know what you’re thinking.  You know that their hand will shield you.  And you know that you matter.

David had that kind of friend, sent from God. You have a friend that God gave you like this. Remember these words from Matthew 28:20?

“I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Hasn’t Jesus clothed you?  (He really outdoes Jonathan, don’t you think?)  He took your sin so that you can go to His home with Him.

God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us,
so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
2 Corinthians 5:21

Hasn’t He equipped you, like Jonathan did with his sword? He tells us to put on all His armor so that we can resist the devil and his strategies (Ephesians 6:11).  As part of His armor, He gives us a belt of truth and a body of righteousness.  And He gives us the sword of the Spirit in the form of His Word.

You have the truest friend of all.  No one can, or ever will, love you more. No one can take your sins from you so that you can enter into Heaven’s gates.  No one but Jesus.  He is your Hiding Place from all that wants to harm you.  He is the Lover of your soul.  He alone can fill that empty place.  And until you know and receive His love, you may not have the joy and peace that He wants to give you.

Do you know Him?  He is waiting for you with arms open wide.  He is so ready to be your friend.  He will always have your interests first.

Do you want to know Him?  It’s never too late and you’re never too far that His arms can’t reach you. If you are ready to receive Him, will you pray this prayer?

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Dear Jesus, I know I am a sinner. I need You to come into my heart and be my Lord and Savior. You alone can set me free.  I need forgiveness.  I want to walk with You in this life.  Thank You for paying the price for me.  It’s in Your precious name I pray, amen.

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Get Off Your Mat

May 30, 2014 by

If you have been to Sunday School in your lifetime, you heard the story of the four friends who brought their paralyzed friend to be healed by Jesus. It was so crowded that they carried their friend up to the roof and let him down, through the roof, into the house on his mat. I colored the picture. Four men on the roof of Jesus’ home, cutting a hole in the roof and letting their friend down through the hole in that roof to see Jesus. They couldn’t use the front door because the crowds were so big, inside and outside of the house. So they had to get creative. That’s when they cut the hole themselves and let him down on the mat. He landed right in front of Jesus. I still remember coloring that picture.

Mark 2:1-5

When Jesus returned to Capernum, several days later, the news spread quickly that He was back home. Soon the house where He was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. While He was preaching God’s Word to them, four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above His head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed  man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.

This was Jesus’ fifth miracle. He had just begun His public ministry and He had been out teaching and preaching and healing for the past few days. I imagine that He was tired when He came home that night, after teaching and He wanted a little rest. He goes to close the door and the people won’t let Him. They are everywhere.They have come from everywhere, from Galilee to Judea.  Outside, these men are carrying their friend. He is sick and paralyzed and people assume it is because of some sin his parents committed sometime in their life. So they find the stairs and take the stretcher up and get creative. They dig a hole in the roof to lower their friend down. Which meant they had to dig through a mud roof, not a wooden one.

Jesus saw their faith. Not only did the man on the mat have faith, but his friends believed as well. All of them came together in this time of need and brought their problem  to Jesus. Jesus healed him and told him to take up his mat and walk.. Have you ever thought about those words? Now up to this point, the man’s friends have done the work to get the friend here. After Jesus heals him, Jesus tells him to take up his mat. Jesus is asking him to take action. The man’s mat represented his paralysis. But a mat could be anything that has you paralyzed.  Sin is only fun for a time and then it turns on you. You ask Jesus for His help and you ask for forgiveness. Jesus is always ready and willing to forgive and take you back under His arms and love you.

What is your mat? After reading this, did anything come to mind that Jesus may be asking you to take up and sin no more? He is waiting with open arms. He loves you and wants you to live a joyful abundant life that He has planned for you. I pray today that you are willing to help a friend as these men did, instead of turning their back on the man. Jesus loves you. He forgives you. Let us come before Him and ask Him to reveal to us anything that would keep us from Him.

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   * 

Dear Lord,  thank You for Your Word…so full of stories of miracles just like this one. Thank You for being so willing to forgive us when we sin against you. Lord, we may not be lowered through a roof on a mat, but  we all have a mat that we need to pick up. We pray today that You would reveal to us anything that is hindering us from living the abundant life You have planned for us. We love you and praise You. In  Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

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When You Don’t Feel His Presence

May 23, 2014 by

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you,
and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
Isaiah 43:2-3

I will be honest. I don’t feel God’s Presence every minute of every day.  But I have the faith to know that He is there because He promised.  His Word tells us not to fear but sometimes there are reasons to fear, true?  If you read the news or just step outside your door, you see a few.  Did you notice that in the verse above, it says “When you pass through the waters…” ? Not “If” because He knows that because of sin, we will encounter trouble but He is with us.  He is ever present, never leaving us, and that is our comfort.  And His Word reminds us of this over and over.

If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me,
And the light around me will be night,”
Even the darkness is not dark to You,
And the night is as bright as the day.
Darkness and light are alike to You.
Psalms 139:11 and 12

Hebrews 13:5 says “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” You cannot escape the Presence of God, but you may not feel it.

In Matthew 14:25-32, in the middle of a storm, Jesus walked on water.  His disciples, who were terrified, did not feel His presence but Jesus said, “Take courage!  It is I.  Don’t be afraid.”  The storms continued to rage until Jesus got into the boat. Yes, there was something to fear—a huge storm in a small fishing boat—but Jesus’ Presence brings peace and courage.  And notice…Jesus did not say, “Take courage! I am calming the storm. Don’t be afraid.” Instead, with the winds raging, He said,”Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

The truth is—Jesus doesn’t always calm the storms, at least not immediately. However He always calms His child with His Presence.  I imagine Him saying,”Don’t worry!  Yes there are winds that are strong and blowing and the waves are really high and frightening but I am God over everything.  And if I do not calm the waves immediately, it is because I want you to watch Me walk on water.”  I still don’t enjoy the storms that I have to go through and I don’t want to go through it all again, but what I do still cherish is the closeness I have felt with Him and how much I desired to be with Him and hear His words.  I was desperate for His strength and I couldn’t get enough of Him.

Are you ready to accept His Presence in your life? Do you want to enjoy God in your life more than ever? If you said YES!, then take the time to pray and ask Him to give you faith and to teach you how to enjoy Him abundantly! He loves you and He created you with a desire for fellowship with Him. He is your Creator so He knows you more than you will ever know yourself. So you can trust Him always and know He will never leave you.

Feelings are just feelings and not facts. So not feeling His Presence doesn’t mean He is not there. Spend time in His Word and get to know Him. Hear His promises for yourself. Your faith will grow and so will your relationship with Him. Your life will blossom and there will be a peace that passes all understanding. And know that I am praying for you today, whatever you may need today. If you don’t have a relationship with Him, you can. All you have to do is ask Him into your heart.

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   * 

Pray with me today: Dear Jesus, I know I am a sinner and I need a Savior.  I ask for forgiveness.  I believe you died for my sins on the Cross and I am forgiven.  Walk with me now and forever more.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Living Water

May 16, 2014 by

Jesus replied,”If you only knew the gift God has for you
and Who you are speaking to,
you would ask Me, and I would give you living water”
John 4:10

We don’t know her name and we don’t know how old she is but her conversation with Jesus is the longest one recorded in the Bible.  Jesus intentionally chose this particular well as His resting stop.  He was tired from traveling.  His disciples went into town for food so He waited for them there.  As we all know, this was planned.  He knew she would be there.  She had a clay jar to fill up with the water from Jacob’s well.

Now, Jews weren’t supposed to talk to Samaritans and men weren’t supposed to talk to women without their husband being present.  But Jesus didn’t pay attention to those rules and He spoke to her directly.  He asked her for a drink.  She replied,  “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman, how can You ask me for a drink?” Jesus responded with the verse (4:10) above—that the water He was offering was Living Water and that she would never thirst again.  Of course, she didn’t understand.  She asked Him where His rope and bucket are and she wanted to know where He would get this water from.  Jesus took the time to minister to her and share with her His love and the life that was intended for her.

Jesus replies,”Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again.
But those who drink the water that I give will never be thirsty again.
It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”
John 4:13

Of course the woman wants this!  She asked Him for the water, so that she doesn’t have to come to the well ever again.  I imagine that she doesn’t enjoy the looks of other people and the shunning from the other women, for she lived a life of sin.  So Jesus told her to go get her husband and she replied,’I don’t have a husband.’ Jesus responded, ’You’re right, you don’t just have one husband, you have five husbands and you aren’t even married to them. You’re just living with them’.  She is floored that He knew all about her and she asks if He is a prophet and a couple of other questions about Samaritans and Jews.  Can you imagine what the people around them were thinking?  Don’t you know that Jesus didn’t care what they thought?  All He cared about was her and wanting her to know that she is loved and that she was forgiven and that He cared about her.

Jesus gravitated towards the mess of other people’s lives and loved on the ones the world considered unloveable.  And because He did this, she had a new story to tell to anyone who would listen.   She knew there was a Messiah coming but she didn’t know she was talking to Him.  Jesus told her eventually and the disciples returned and, of course, they asked why Jesus was talking to her.  (Did they even need to ask?)  Jesus loves her.  The story ends with the woman leaving her jar beside the well and running back to her village telling everyone to come and see the man that told her everything she ever did and that she believed was the Messiah.  So all sorts of people came from her village to see Jesus.  I imagine there were quite a few lives changed that day, all because Jesus showed this particular woman grace and love.

I don’t know what your story is but I do know that Jesus does and He loves you in spite of who you are and what you may have done.  And if you are a Jesus follower, I pray that you will go to those who are hurting and those who aren’t in your circle of friends.  If we simply stay in our comfort zones, then we will not have the opportunity to share the love of Jesus.  This is the most important decision that anyone will ever make.  This world is so full of hurt and hatred that we as His children really need to be the hands and feet of Jesus and move toward the mess of others lives. In the end, all that matters is what Jesus thinks of us. The world may shun us for choosing to love the sinners, the gossipers, the thieves, the adulterers and the addicts of the world but we are all sinners and we all fall short.  But His grace is free to all who want it!  And then life after life will be changed and all who hear will want to tell anyone who will listen about our Jesus.

  ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~  * 

What about you?  Do you want His grace today?  Do you want this living water that Jesus is offering you today?  If so, then all you have to do is ask.  Start by saying:

Dear Jesus, I know that I am a sinner.  I need Your forgiveness and grace.        I believe that You are the Savior and You died to save me.  I want You to come into my heart and be my Lord and Savior.  Thank You for your love for me.  In Your name I pray, amen.

If you just prayed this prayer for the first time or, if you have rededicated your life today, we want to celebrate with you!  It’s the first day of the rest of your life!

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God Will Provide the Lamb

May 9, 2014 by

And Isaac said to Abraham, My father! And he said, Here I am, my son.
[Isaac] said, See, here are the fire and the wood,
but where is the lamb for the burnt sacrifice?
Abraham said, My son, God Himself will provide a lamb for the burnt offering.
So the two went on together.
Genesis 22:7-8

We all know the story.  Abraham is asked to give the ultimate sacrifice.  He obeys and, at the last minute, as Abraham is about to kill his son…God stops him.  He hears a word from the Lord.  It was a test to see if Abraham was willing to be obedient, and he was.

It’s almost beyond our comprehension, right?  That we would take our child by the hand and lead them to a place where we knew we would take his life.  Abraham truly loved God and trusted Him above all else.  He knew that if God made a covenant with him that He would follow through.  Remember, Isaac was the promise that Abraham would be the father to many nations.  But how would that happen if God was telling Abraham to kill Isaac?  Abraham believed that God would provide.  As the two walked up the mountain, Abraham trusted His Creator.  Abraham built the altar…still no word from God.  He laid Isaac on the altar…God still had not provided.   Abraham took the knife to sacrifice his son…and still no provision.  Then a word from God came, saying the sweetest words that Abraham had ever heard, telling him not to lay a hand on Isaac.

But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said,
Abraham, Abraham! He answered, Here I am.
And He said, Do not lay your hand on the lad or do anything to him;
for now I know that you fear and revere God,
since you have not held back from Me
or begrudged giving Me your son, your only son.
Verses 11 and 12

Abraham then saw a ram and offered it up to God. He even called the very place, “The Eternal One Will Provide.”

In verse 8, Abraham states, “…God will Himself provide the lamb….”  What is it that God is asking you to do today?  Is it something you are putting before God that He’s asking you to sacrifice?  Maybe it is your time. I know today He asked me to step out of myself and do flood relief cleanup.  Oh yes, it was a beautiful day on the beach, the last pretty day for a while and I would’ve loved to relax but I knew my time was better spent helping clean houses that were still saturated.

Friend, if this is you and you don’t know what God is asking or telling you He wants you to give up, I encourage you to spend some time at His feet, praying and seeking His will for your life.  Prepare your heart to hear and then be obedient.  It may be a test—like Abraham’s—or it may be for your own good. But this we know for sure…it will be for His glory!

  ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~  * 

Let us pray:  Dear Lord, thank You for always providing a lamb.  We are in awe of Your love for us and Your sovereignty.  Thank You for guiding us and asking us to do Your will.  And that we can have faith that no matter what…You have our best interest at heart.  Your will is perfect and I hope that I would lay down my life to serve You.  Help us to listen, and prepare our hearts to be willing to serve You.  We love You so much!  In Your Son’s name we pray, amen.

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Where is God in the Storms?

May 2, 2014 by

holdontohopeencouragement

This past week I have seen so much devastation and loss.  It has happened to good people, in fact, our worship pastor lost his home and all his furniture and memories as his home flooded in a matter of thirty minutes. It was scary, yet there was peace because we know Who is in control. Still, people are hurting as memories and keepsakes are now in ruins. God is still good and His heart breaks for His children. As He watched the floods and storms  that affected so many, “His heart was filled with pain” (Genesis 6:6).

So what do we hold on to in the midst of all the chaos? It is this: that God is good, all the time and that “He works all things to the good for those who love the Lord” (Romans 8:28) All things, my friend. This verse doesn’t say that God makes bad things good or that bad things are good. It says that God can take the bad and use them to bring about good in His children’s lives.  God is a loving God. He is not a punishing God that is constantly looking at ways to reprimand us.  When things happen in our lives that are not what we want, or what we think we need, please know that God is still loving you and He may be allowing this for a purpose.  If we could see the big picture, I am sure we would not write our story any differently. He loves you and He walks with you and He promises to never leave you or forsake you.

For You are my rock and my fortress;
For Your name’s sake You will lead me and guide me.
Psalm 31:3

What do you picture when you read that verse? He is a Rock, always strong, always firm and He is a Fortress, a place to dwell in hard times.  One thing we know about life is that it is hard; another is that God is our Strength and our protection. He goes before us and walks with us. He carries us when we can’t put one foot in front of the other.

So if today finds you in a hard place, hide in Him. If life is too much today, trust His heart and His promises. And if you don’t know Him, I invite you to accept Him today. This could be the first day of living free! He loved you enough to die for you so that you could live forever with Him! Jesus took your place and He took all your sins and mistakes and nailed them to the Cross.  Are you ready?  I invite you to pray this prayer with me:

*  ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~  *

Dear Lord Jesus,

I know I am a sinner and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I want You as my Lord and Savior and I trust and follow You today. Guide my life and help me to do Your will and to come to know You more. In Your name I pray, amen.

If you took this step today, we are celebrating with you!

Holy Spirit give them courage!

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Hear My Heart

January 23, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjvFor several years I have been praying for something specific—and that prayer is still yet unanswered—but I know without any doubt God is waiting in the wings to answer at just the right moment when “He is ready” for it to come to pass.    When I sit and think about when “that moment” will be, this song always comes to my mind and gives me so much comfort!

As I sit and wait in what I have named “God’s waiting room” I open up a book that is sitting on a table in this room, a most wonderful book, “The Holy Bible” that gives me encouragement and strength while I wait and cry out to Him. These two verses below have given me strength beyond strength during my years of waiting.

Wait for the Lord;
Be strong, and let your heart take courage;
Yes, wait for the Lord.
Psalm 27:14

O Lord, God of my salvation, when, at night, I cry out in your Presence,
let my prayer come before You; incline Your ear to my cry.
Psalms 88:1-2

When He calls my name to come forward into His presence from the waiting room, I am sometimes scared to meet Him because I know what I want the answer to be,  but  it’s not always what He gives…so I must accept His answer and move forward.

When I have reached the place where I am willing to accept God’s will/His answer instead of my own, it is then I have reached the turning point of prayer and have realized it’s not about me.   It’s about God and God’s Will for me!  And it’s then I realize God did indeed “Hear My Heart.”

~  Stop and listen to these beautiful words, please  ~

Sometimes I feel no one’s ever been in this place before
This is hard, and I’m not sure that I can do this anymore
I know someday I’ll look back, and all this won’t seem real
Lord, right now I need You to know just how I feel

When there are no words to say, and no prayer that I can pray,
Hear my heart
When I don’t have strength to try, and I’ve cried all I can cry,
Hear my heart
‘Cause You know every fear and every doubt I cannot speak
You know all the ways I need You and all the ways I’m weak
So I’ll be quiet, so You can hear my heart

Every now and then, I recall a simple phrase or melody
It comforts and it quiets, it lifts me up and then it carries me
Far above the pain and hurt I think will never end
The song speaks words I cannot, and it calms the fears within

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * 

A beautiful quote from Corrie Ten Boom that I love to remind myself of is:
Don’t pray when you feel like it…
Have an appointment with the Lord and keep it.
A man is powerful on his knees.

 * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Dear God, I pray for each one who has prayed for something specific and have been waiting for an answer, give them knowledge and confidence Lord to know the prayer is in Your hand and You will answer when the time is “right.”   Help us to accept the waiting and be comforted to know that Your will is worth the wait.   In Your name I pray.  Amen!

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Esther – Chapter 5:6-8

October 2, 2013 by

Wk5_Esther_Caddell

Waiting.  I’m going to admit something that probably only my family and closest friends know – I’m not the most patient person.  In fact, I quit praying for patience, because God answered my prayers by putting me in positions that required me to be patient.  (You understand that is how it works, right?  If you pray for something like patience – you will not wake up with an unbelievable measure of patience – you will be placed in situations where your patience is going to be developed.  God is concerned with your character, not your convenience.)  God, however, is not fooled – He continues to place me in situations to develop my patience, because it is in my best interest.   If I appear patient, it’s because I work on it every day.

Is it hard for you to wait? More importantly – did you know that you will often have to wait for the Lord?  Did you also know waiting would test your strength and courage?

We often have a “microwave mentality.”  We want our food…and we want it now.  I don’t want to wait an hour for a baked potato – I want it in 5 minutes. My popcorn package says 2:30, but at 2:10 the bag is out of there – I’m ready to eat!  How often are we like that with God? ” God – give me patience – and give it to me right now!”  We want to see evidence of God working in our lives immediately. We want proof our prayers are answered today.  But if we believe Romans 8:28, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” then we must believe that in God’s timing we will see the proof that He is working in our lives.

In Esther 5:6-8 we see the setup that will be evidenced in the coming verses and chapters.  Esther has a plan to present her request before the King, but postpones her request until the banquet the next day.  We will see how the delay in her request is then timed perfectly with God’s plan for honoring Mordecai and saving the Jews.  If you look through the Bible you will see many more examples of God’s timing.  Think about Abraham: God called him to leave his country and follow him. He told Abraham that He would make him a father of many nations.  Do you know how long Abraham had to wait for God to fulfill that promise and send him Isaac?  Over 40 years!   What about David?  He was anointed King of Israel as a boy, yet he had to wait over 30 years to be crowned King – and many of those years were filled with despair and fear for his life from the reigning King of Israel!

Ladies, if you will allow me, I want to share something personal with you.  About two years ago I went through a fairly challenging year spiritually.  You see, I have felt the call of God very strongly on my life for several years, but I couldn’t quite figure out what He wanted of me. I began the year by again surrendering everything to God, and said that He could use me any way He wanted.  I prayed.  I fasted.  I studied the Scripture.  And I felt…nothing.  No urging.  No assignment.  There were things that I felt He laid on my heart to study, however, and so I did.  I poured myself into the Scriptures daily.  I was faithful to what He put in my path.

As the year progressed, I became discouraged – did God not want anything from me?   Was I not strong enough?  Did I not know enough?  Was I always going to be mediocre?  I felt as if I was in God’s classroom and He was calling for helpers – and no matter how often I raised my hand He picked someone else.  I felt this way for an entire year.  But then, one day, two women came into my small group who had serious issues: addictions, chaos in the home, doubt as to their worth in God’s eyes (one had in the past been suicidal).  And, through the Holy Spirit, I knew how to speak to them.  (They are still active friends in my life, by the way, and God is working MIGHTILY in their lives – praise God!)  I was amazed at how I responded!  And on my way home from church, God revealed Himself to me so strongly it felt like a punch in the chest – THIS is what He prepared me for.  I am an encourager – this is my primary gifting.  This is why He spent a year preparing me (and continues to prepare me) – “to know the word that sustains the weary” (Isaiah 50:4, NIV).  I learned about spiritual warfare and strengthened my prayer life so that I would be an intercessor, a watchman on the wall.   God sends me broken people – and it’s my job (and privilege) to care for them.

What is God preparing YOU for?  Will you reject this time of waiting because you need immediate proof?  Or will you ask God to strengthen you, to teach you, to grow you, to prepare you while you are waiting for His promises in your life to be fulfilled?

 

Let’s pray:

Lord, how great are Your promises, how great is Your patience!  Your timing is perfect and Your will is amazing.  Teach me, Lord, to wait for you!  Help me to see the waiting time as productive time.  Help me to see Your hand in my life.  Help me to be faithful to the small things You place before me, as You are faithful to even the smallest detail in my life.  Thank You, Lord, for Your incredible love for me, and thank You for allowing me to be used in Your service and for Your glory!  In the name of Your Son we pray.

Amen.

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I AM Free to Run … (Part 1 of 3)

July 2, 2013 by

For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been involved in a fast against media in my life: Television, Computer Games, Kindle Games, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and unneccessary texting.  It’s the first time I’ve taken on such a huge challenge all at once!  This fast is to last for 30 days.  I’ve learned a lot about myself, to say the least!  Over the next few days, I’d like to share some of what I have learned with you.

In the first week of this fast, I was ready to give up!  I was having a very difficult time staying focused, and staying away from the temptations of all of these areas of “excess” in my life.  I call them excess because the fast I am doing includes removing anything in my life that has taken time away from God, and my relationship with Him.  I had to really think about this when I was making my list of things that I was going to fast.

First of all, I had to really look at my life with a microscope.  I had to be honest about the things in my life where some days I would spend hours upon hours doing.  Facebook, as an example, is a huge area of excess in my life!  Why?  Mainly because of what I do for Girlfriends Coffee Hour, but also because I was spending HOURS a day just wasting time on “stuff” with Facebook because I was bored, or even lonely, at times!

So in my quest in looking for things that were taking time away from my relationship with God, and with my family, I had to get serious, and real with myself.  When I did that, I was really sad to see how much time media “STUFF” was taking up in my life, away from the things that needed me.  When I began the fast, I prayed “Lord, I am really going to need Your help with this because I know how drawn to Facebook I am!”

The first week…I FAILED MISERABLY!!!  The fast began on Monday, and by Saturday night I was ready to call it quits, I had failed to temptation so many times.  I prayed, “Lord, I am just not cut out for this!  I believe I have taken on way too much at one time!  I keep falling into the same temptations over and over again!  I’m just not any good at this.  I think I need to quit, Lord!”

The next day, I went to church.  My Pastor’s message was about keeping our eyes focused on the race, and on Jesus.  I just KNEW God had heard my prayer the night before, because this message was so “right on”, and just what I needed to hear!  I’d like to share some of it with you…

The whole point of this fast is to rid my life of the things that are taking time away from reading the Word, listening to God, praying, and building that relationship with Him.  It’s also about ridding the excess in my life to allow for more time with my family and other relationships.

My Pastor’s sermon was about running the good race, reaching the ultimate prize, running so others would see Jesus through this journey.  It was like this man had been reading each one of my daily blogs; which I doubt he truly is!!   But God gave him this message for today, and God knew that I needed to hear that message!

The message was titled “Free to Run”.

To start with, Pastor’s son had just finished a 100-mile run!  Yes, ONE HUNDRED miles!!! Can you only imagine!!  Never in a million years could I ever see myself running 10 miles, let alone 100 miles!  Right!?!

At one point in this 100 mile run, a friend of our Pastor’s son hit the 53 mile marker and he was just exhausted, thinking he could not go on. He was hurting so bad!  His wife kept encouraging him, and then she pulled a letter out from their daughter that encouraged him so very much!  “Come on, Dad. I know you can do it. I love you, Dad.  I believe in you!” and so on.  It was awesome!!  It was then that he stood up and continued to the finish line…running a total of 100 miles!  It just goes to show what we can accomplish when we have a team of encouragers motivating us to continue on! I loved that part of the sermon!

The overall story of his sermon today was that whenever we are doing something, anything—that includes reaching others for Christ, or showing Christ in our circumstances—we must not give up!  We must continue on toward the ultimate prize.

What is the Ultimate Prize in my fast?  To show what can be accomplished when we put our trust in Christ, and allow His strength and power to fill us up when we are weak; to be able to run and not grow weary; to walk and not faint; to shine the light of Christ through our struggles.  We should run with determination, and not toil along the way. 

Have you never heard?  Have you never understood?  The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth.  He never grows weak or weary.  No one can measure the depths of his understanding.  He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.  Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion.  But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.  They will soar high on wings like eagles.  They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.  Isaiah 40:28-31 (NLT)

He will give new strength to those who trust in Him.  We will soar like eagles; run and not grow weary, walk and not faint!  I really needed to be reminded of that Scripture.  The race I have been running with my media fast has been difficult.  I’ve caved into my fleshly desires many times.  My focus has not been on God…it has been on my own wants and desires.  I was choosing what is EASY, and not allowing God’s grace to take me over the edge to the other side of this journey, which is running the race WITH Him and not just in my own power.

I needed to hear again that my flesh is no longer the one I serve.  I have only one Master, and His name is Jesus!  I am not here to serve myself.  I am here to serve the One who loves me, encourages me, motivates me to keep going on!  Pleasing myself produces nothing for Jesus; and offers nothing towards eternal life—the Ultimate Prize!

When we run any race, or face any serious trials in our life, we need to always keep our focus on Christ.  It’s in Him that we are able to do all things, and in Him that we will be able to serve others.  It’s by that focus that we will bring others to Christ.  They will see that God is truly the only reason we are able to complete the race, or face the situation like we do!  That truly should be our ultimate goal anyway: to show Christ in all that we do!

I had not been doing that in this media fast.  I had only been showing others what Christi was able to do in her own power; which turned out to be nothing!  The Lord is my power, my strength, my grace, my hope, and my prize in the end.

The Lord Is

At the end of this fast, I want to hear God say “Well done, thine good and faithful servant!”  I want to hear others say that they saw Jesus through me.  That they were encouraged through my own struggles.  That they saw the true message: with God nothing is impossible!  That quitting is NOT an option!!

When it’s all said and done, there is really only ONE thing that matters:  Did I live my life for Him?

In His Love,

Christi
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Resolution for Women – Chapter 11 – Loving My Children

September 9, 2012 by

“We must not love with word or speech,

but with truth and action.”

1 John 3:18

 

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This week we dive into Chapter 11 full force and learn how to resolve to train our kids in righteousness.  How to demonstrate to our children how to really love God with all their hearts, minds, and strength, and to train them to respect authority and live responsibly.  This is going to be yet another amazing Chapter!!

Your Reading Assignment for this Week:

Monday:  Read pages 206 thru 210:  True Love

Tuesday: Read pages 211 thru 216: The Soul Shaper

Wednesday: Read pages 217 thru 221: The Intentional Encourager

Thursday:  Read pages 222 thru 226: The Discipline Dealer

Friday: Come back here for our Weekly Overview

Be sure to come back here each day of this week to read our blog posts about this awesome chapter from The Resolution for Women by Priscilla Shirer.  We have just 2 more sections to complete before we end this current bible study!  Wow! Where did the time go!!

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I would like to take this opportunity to ask for your prayers for my family.  We lost a very dear loved one this weekend, to cancer.  He was my step-father for many years.  He and my mother were divorced many years ago, but he always remained my step-father in my heart; and always remained the PawPaw to my children, and their children.

Delvis Glenn Chandler

you will be missed by many.

We love you!

Rest In Peace

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On October 1st, right here on the Featured section of our blog, we will begin this 13-week bible study

“Winning Him Without Words…

10 Keys to Thriving in your Spiritually Mismatched Marriage”

by Lynn Donovan and Dineen Miller.

We will cover topics such as: Staying Connected to Your Man, Discovering the Essentials to Love; Trading perfection for authenticity; Cherishing each new season, and so much more!!   This book is amazing ladies, and I can’t wait to get started studying it with you!!  You will need to purchase this book for this study.  This book, a journal, and your bible is all you will need to participate.

If you haven’t already signed up for this particular study, please email us at

Womens@GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com

and we will send you all the details you need to get signed up!!

Enjoy the rest of your Weekend!

In His Love,

 

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