November 22, 2024

16 Day Love Challenge: Chapters 14 and 15 – Love Always Hopes, Love Always Perseveres

November 21, 2013 by

16daylovechallengehopesperseveres

 

Love always hopes

What does it mean that love always hopes?  In 1 Corinthians 13:7, we find four things that love “always” does. Love is not just an idea…it is an action.  The third action in this verse is that love always hopes.  Love is always hopeful.  In the Greek language, “hope” is from elpidzo, meaning ‘to hope or wait for salvation with joy and full confidence.”  This word, hope, is used 32 times in the New Testament alone.  Hope expresses more than a wish or a desire, but a confident belief in the unseen.  Hebrews 11:1 says,”Faith is being sure of the things we hope for and being certain of what we cannot see.”  Faith, hope and love are often connected in the Bible.  In Colosians 1:4-5, they are combined again: “We heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in Heaven.”

Just as God is called “Love,” Jesus is called our “Hope.”  He is the Hope within us. And the hope that will be seen by others around us.  If we are living in such a way—with such a hopeful attitude—then we will reflect the way of Jesus and bring glory to His Father.

Part of showing love is hoping, and part of hoping is seeing the good in others. If we treat others as they should be treated, then we have a part in helping them become who they should be.  As moms, we are always encouraging our children and showing them that there is hope in such a hard world.  If you have ever been in a job loss situation, what got you through?   Was it hope in Jesus, believing that at some point He would rain blessings down on you if you could just hold on long enough.  Hope holds on long enough.  Have you ever had a horrible medical diagnosis, maybe one that was a sure death sentence? What if you went ahead, planned your funeral, told your kids goodbye and moved away? That, to me, is life without hope.  Hope believes that Jesus has a miracle that is waiting just for them.

What about when you accepted Jesus as your Savior?  You had hope that His death would save you from all your sins and that you would live eternally with Him in Heaven. Without hope, where would we be? I’ve known many alcoholics and addicts.  They cling to the hope that one day they will be clean and stay sober.  Hope helps us bear the unbearable, my friends.  To a Christian, hope is the knowledge that we are being changed for the better as we trust in God’s promises.

The Bible is full of examples of men and women who hoped in God’s promises.  The patriarch Abraham is a model of hope for believers.  When he was 75 years old, God promised to bless him with many descendants, as many as there were stars. Abraham believed what he heard. Yet he had to wait another 25 years to see his hope fulfilled. Never once did he doubt God Almighty.  His hope wasn’t in his own ability to have a child at this old age, but he trusted an unchangeable God—the same God we worship today. Hebrews 6:19 describes this hope as “…an anchor for the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast.”

You may be thinking to yourself, “How did Abraham stay hopeful for that long?” And perhaps, “How can you stay hopeful for what you need?”  The Bible says that Abraham was a friend of God.  He was also His servant. He stayed obedient and God gave him what he needed. You can do it too.  How you ask?

1. Submit yourself to God.  He is the source of your hope.  He alone.

2. Strengthen your faith. Let the previous blessings that He has given you remind you of the Blesser.

3. Trust His timing. Sometimes He answers our prayers and gives us what we hope for quickly and other times He allows us to wait. Through faith and patience, Abraham’s hope was fulfilled.

4. Thank God today.  Though it is hard to rejoice as we wait for hopes to be fulfilled, rejoicing opens the heavens for blessings to rain down. (Romans 5:1-5)

Have you lost hope? You can have it again, you know. Right now, turn to Him Who is able to do so much more than we could or would ever ask and ever hope for, and rest in Him. He knows and He never goes back on His word.

Love always perseveres

Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Persevere defined, means to bear up under pressure.  It’s a military term meaning that an army must hold a vital position at ALL costs. In fact, love must mean perseverance or you shouldn’t say it unless you are willing to give all, to develop, to protect and keep that love.

When we say “I love you,” it not only means forever but it means also that we will fight anything that would get in the way of that love lasting!  Anything else is not love.  At the end of the passage above, we see love stand against overwhelming opposition as it bears all things, believes all things and hopes all things. Perseverance is the unending climax of love.  It is always on high alert and never stops fighting for the relationship.

Oh yes, the father of lies has his say and we may have some obstacles thrown at us; well… let’s say we will have some lies thrown at us.  And lies will be whispered to us like, “Love shouldn’t be this hard!” or “Love should be effortless!” or “Love is tolerance.”  Friends, this is a recipe for disaster and very un-loving relationships.  Love doesn’t just let people do what they want to do, and love doesn’t just care about happiness of the other person. Love has to make some hard choices sometimes and has to say hard things.  Our society leans more towards “God just wants me to be happy.” and gives up at the first sign of trouble. I want to give you some examples from Scripture of real, persevering love. We will start with Hosea.

  • The book of Hosea was written by the prophet and it tells a larger story of the Israelites unfaithfulness to God. It begins with Hosea marrying a prostitute and she becomes unfaithful to him, of course, and leaves him. He goes from house to house to find her and buys her back for 15 shekels of silver and some barley, a large amount. His love for his wife was a persevering love, never giving up.
  • Next is Stephen. In Acts chapter 7, Stephen is attempting to reason with the Jews and persuading them to trust in Jesus as their Savior. We all know how this ends— with them dragging him out of the city and stoning him to death.  As he is breathing his last breath, he cries out to the Lord, saying,”Lord, do not hold their sins against them.”  Even in dying, Stephen showed persevering love by reaching out to those who were killing him. He was more concerned with their salvation and knowing Jesus as their Savior than he was for his own life.
  • Then there is Jesus.  Jesus went to the Cross because He loves you with a persevering love like no other.  He took the sins of all mankind on Himself, so that we would be forgiven through our faith in Him.  And God your Father loves you with an everlasting love. Nothing you can do or say will ever separate you from Him.  There is no sin so great that can’t be forgiven.  If you are here today and you have not accepted Jesus as your Savior, I encourage you to ask Him in your heart today. Tell Him you know you’re a sinner. Confess it to Him and ask for His forgiveness. It is free. You will forever be changed and will live eternally with Him. Oh, yes—there will still be some trials and things you won’t like, but He overcame this world. Romans 8:35 says, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?” The love of Jesus perseveres through any hardship that may come your way!  No matter the circumstance you find yourself in, there is nothing that can separate us from Jesus.  His love perseveres through it all.  And this should be our example to follow…to love others in the same way.  So now when you say love, you mean that you will fight to the end for them!  As Jesus did for us….

Let us pray:

Lord, we praise You and thank You for loving us so much that You sent Your Son to die in our place, so that we may live with You forever.  Oh Lord, we, on our own, cannot love as You have commanded, and without first loving You, we cannot love like You ask us to love each other.  Please give us the desire and fill us with the kind of love that only You can give, that it will be overflowing from us to all who know us and may we never grow tired of spreading the good news of You.  If we love each other, then we want the world to have what we have, and that is You. And for those who have accepted You today for the first time, may we keep discipling them and may they truly begin to walk closely with You.  How exciting to finally be alive! Be with us as we carry the message to this dying world.  In Jesus’ name we pray.

Amen

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16 Day Love Challenge: Chapter 9 Love Keeps no Record of Wrongs

November 14, 2013 by

16daylovechallengenorecordofwrongsHave you ever played putt-putt golf?  Do you remember what the scorecard looks like? I’m thinking that it looks a little like the one we keep in our heads.  Who’s name is at the top of the scorecard?  Is it a husband, friend, sibling, parent or yourself?  Is it an ongoing score card? I know…I’m asking a lot of questions…but only because I’m concerned.  I, too, was a score keeper.  I had so many scorecards with so many names on them and I can tell you I didn’t let anything go.  No free passes and no excuses and not much grace.  I wanted grace but I didn’t give it.  Which brings me to the hard question that is in the book, “Would I want to hold another accountable for their small transgression against me and run the risk of having the Lord repay me for all of my sins?”

Hold on to that scorecard for a minute.  I want you to look up 2 Corinthians 5:14-21. “So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view” (verse 16).  “So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making His appeal through us. We speak for Christ as we plead, ‘come back to God.’  For God made Christ, Who never sinned to be an offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ” (verses 20-21).

Jesus tells us that because of His death on the Cross, we are a new creation.  We are never the same person that we were.  We are His ambassadors.  The way we do things and the way we see things has to be 180 degrees different than the rest of the world.  We are Christians and, as His followers, we do things a little differently.  So, if the rest of the world is holding grudges and taking other people’s inventory and suing his Christian brother, what are we to do differently?  I know, we are to go the extra mile for our neighbor. We are to love our enemies.  We are to wash the feet of those who have wronged us.  We are to remember that—just as our own sins were nailed to the cross all those 2,000 years ago—so are the people’s sins that are at the top of your score cards.

He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our sins…

Isaiah 53:5

 I feel that if Jesus were sitting right here today, He may just tell us to go ahead and rip up the scorecards.  To shred them into pieces and throw them away.  And He would speak words to us , maybe something like this…

“My child, I suffered evil, shame and wrong, yet I love all of you who brought Me pain.  I have never sinned, yet I gave up my rights for your sin and I was slain.  My love was rejected by sinful men, yet I loved expecting nothing in return.  I have been mocked and beaten, yet I forgave.  From me, and my example, learn.  Make my death count for something.  For when you keep a record of someone else’s wrongs against you, you are saying that my death wasn’t enough.  I ask you to love Me with everything you have—your heart, soul, mind, and strength—and second, love your neighbor as yourself.  Especially when they’ve wronged you.  And forgive, forgive, forgive and forgive again. And love, love, love them. For I love you and I forgave you and I erased your sins and the slate is clean. Remember, if you want to be My disciple…deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Me.”

Friend, have you been hurt?  Wronged deeply by someone you love and trusted?  Then may you ask for grace greater than all your sin and theirs because usually when we are hurt, we usually sin against the person that has wronged us.  Jesus wants you to know that He has overcome the world and, as His followers, we too will overcome the world. Freedom, my friends, comes from forgiveness.  The record of wrongs keeps us in bondage.  The person you are keeping record of usually has no idea.  It’s in our minds and hearts; and can become so big it stands in the way of our God.  Free yourself today by forgiving whoever you need to forgive and pray to your Father to fill you will such love for others that you will never be the same!  You will never be the same!

I leave you with this…Jesus praying for us and about us to His Father.

And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it,
that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.
John 17:26

* * * * *

Let us pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, You are our Maker, our Redeemer, our Provider, and You are full of mercy.  Lord, we come to You today asking for forgiveness for keeping records of wrongs made against us.  We keep score and pride slips in and makes us feel better or less. Lord, we are all sinners but You died to forgive us, You died so that we don’t have to carry the weight of our cross day in and day out.  Give us the strength to let it go, to lay the scorecards at Your feet forever and leave them there.  If we are tempted to pick them back up, help us to remember that You died for them too.  Give us a heart to respond to others and to pray for others.  Help us to know You better and to serve You with all that we have.  We love You and we thank You for what You are doing in each one of our lives. Thank You for freedom from these chains. For it’s in Jesus name we pray.  Amen.

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Broken Mirrors or Broken Hearts

November 7, 2013 by

SeekingHimLogoLooking at a mirror, one would see a hard image.  You can tap on it, and it does not give. You see your reflection and possibly vibrant colors all around as you gaze into the mirror.  What you see at surface level, the mirror reflects those images back to you.  But if the mirror breaks, you throw it away.  It is no longer of any use, or value, to you.  And since a mirror is simply an object, it can easily be thrown away if there is a crack in it or if it’s shattered into many broken pieces with sharp, razor-like edges.

I’m so glad that God doesn’t throw us away when we sin, and actually wants us to come to Him broken.  For you see, we all sin. “…For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23).  He wants us to come to Him and to ask for forgiveness.  He can heal our hearts and forgive us the sins of our past, present, and future.  We can ask for forgiveness for our words, actions, lack of words, and lack of actions.  We can even ask God to forgive us if we’re not sure if we handled a situation correctly or not.  No matter what, I want to be coming to Him—sharing and being close to Him in this life.  Don’t we all want that?

Many of the Psalms are written by David, a sinner, yet God describes him in this way, “…the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people…” (1 Samuel 13:14).  How is that so, when he was so obvious a sinner, as recorded in Scripture?  Because David loved and trusted God!  He knew that being close to God was where real life and joy was found!  Even though he was a sinner, David rejoiced in knowing that when he came to God and was broken over his sins, he was forgiven!  He could only claim any righteousness because of his faith and belief in God.  David knew he was surrounded by God’s unfailing love because he trusted in Him. In his brokenness, he was restored by God.  And it was worth singing about!!!

Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him.  Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous;  sing, all you who are upright in heart!

Psalms 32:10-11

We are so much more than mirrors!  But let our lives reflect that we know and love a Savior!  And let us be broken over our sin—coming to the Lord for forgiveness.  Just as a broom sweeps shattered glass into the dust pan, let us bring our broken hearts and sins before God so that He can sweep them away for all eternity.  He alone can truly mend our hearts with healing and forgiveness.

* * * * *

Dear Lord, let us focus on Your unfailing love and Your continuing mercy, grace, and forgiveness.  Let us always be thankful that in this life You are near to forgive and love us; to help those of us who love and trust You.  In Jesus’ precious Name I pray.
Amen.

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Forgiving and Rejoicing

November 4, 2013 by

 

SeekingHimLogoBlessed is he whose transgressions is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity,
and in whose spirit there is no guile.
Psalms 32:1-2

When we accept the gift of salvation from Jesus, our sin is covered. We become part of the blessed family of God. We are clean in the sight of the Lord. There are other expectations, but the main thing is that our sin is covered. We are given eternal life for accepting Jesus.

Many sorrows shall be to the wicked:
but he that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about.
Verse 10

When we accept the gift of salvation, we are given mercy by God.  If we trust in the Lord then we should not be worrying about anything.  Trusting in the Lord means turning everything over to Him.  For those who do not know, sorrow will befall them.  Sorrow, in this sense or interpretation, means that the wicked will face the wrath of God.  Because we are part of the family of God, He will bestow mercy on us.  We will get to live with Him in eternity.

Our God is a loving God.  He shows mercy to those who ask for it.  He is the Shield for the defenseless.  He is the Solace for those who do not have much.  He loves us no matter what we do.

Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous;
and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.
Verse 11

Rejoice!  God rejoices when we accept His gift of eternal life.  We are like the prodigal son. We wander astray from the life that God has set before us.  But, like the prodigal son, we return to God when we accept Jesus into our heart.  We should rejoice when we accept Jesus.  We should rejoice when another person accepts Jesus.  The children of God are returning home when they accept this wonderful gift.

* * * * *

Dear heavenly Father, Thank You for Your wonderful gift and many blessings. Thank You for Your mercy. Thank You for Your forgiveness. In Jesus name.
Amen.

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Esther – Chapter 6:10-11

October 9, 2013 by

Be honest.   Don’t you just LOVE it when hateful people get what’s coming to them?  Of COURSE you do!  Me too.  This is the part of the Esther story that almost makes me laugh out loud.   We see in verses 10 and 11 that Haman is utterly humiliated –publicly!  Can you imagine what that must have been like for Haman to dress Mordecai in the King’s robe and crown, and then have to parade him around town proclaiming “This is what is done for the man the King delights to honor!” (verse 11).  Haman (the man who, no doubt, made sure to tell anyone who would listen how much he hated Mordecai ) not only had to do this in front of his peers and subjects, Haman obviously was not the man the King delighted to honor!   In the chapter to come we will see the full extent of his downfall.  Take that, you jerk!

But even as I read the scriptures this morning, the Holy Spirit convicted me of my attitude and asked me a couple questions.  Is this how you really are supposed to think, Robin?  Did I delight in Haman’s punishment?   

Wk6_Caddell_EstherWhoa. I just got checked by the Holy Spirit.  Time to take that thought captive and make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). Let’s answer the second question first…just so we’re on the same page.  The answer is NO.  Evil will be punished, because God is a just and holy God, and therefore cannot (and will not) tolerate sin.  He does not, however, delight in it.  2 Peter 3:9 says “The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness.  He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”  Do you see what the Scripture says –He wants EVERYONE to come to repentance. Even hateful Haman.  You know those people in your mind that are the worst scum of the Earth, ever?  He wants them, too.  Which brings me back to the first question the Holy Spirit is using to correct me (and perhaps you, too…).

Is this really how I am supposed to think?   Well, sisters, the answer is… no, not really. To know that evil will eventually be no more and that God will even out the score brings a great amount of comfort!  But let’s get back to the focus of this study, shall we?  Submission.  If I want to truly be more like Christ, if I want my will to decrease so that His will can increase in me (John 3:30), then I MUST submit my will, in all things. That includes wanting to get even or to get revenge.

Haven’t we all had a “Haman” in our lives, at some time or another?  Maybe not so drastic that they wanted us dead – but haven’t we all had someone who “got one over on us?”  Perhaps there is someone who makes your life miserable at work.  A “friend” who insists on outdoing everything you do, and rubbing your nose in it. Maybe you have a neighbor that HATES you.  Or maybe someone just cheated you out of something you worked hard for.  It could be something as simple as getting cut off in traffic!  But it could be more heinous – you or your family has been victim of harm or abuse.  The bottom line is, we all have at one time or another wanted to get revenge for an offense made against us.   We definitely haven’t prayed for God’s favor on that person!

But we should.

Romans 12:17-21 presents a challenging passage about love:

Do not repay anyone evil for evil.  Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.  If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.  Do not take revenge, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge, I will repay,” says the Lord.  On the contrary, ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.  In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.’   Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Wow – is that some heavy lifting, or what?  Give your enemy a drink if he’s thirsty?  I know sometimes I would rather hit someone upside the head with a full bucket of water than give that person a drink out of love.  But as I am called to be more like Christ, and as God keeps trying to skim out the garbage in my life to make me more pure, then I MUST  think of any offending person as someone that God desperately wants to reach for his Kingdom.  He doesn’t want ANYONE to perish, remember?  All people are created by God – in His image – and He wants all people to come to Him.  This is not going to be an easy one to master.  But forgiving someone an offense and PRAYING for those who persecute us brings us to such an incredible place of submission and humility that God can work miracles – in our hearts AND in our enemies!

 *****

Let’s pray:

God, thank You for being a just AND loving God!  Thank You for Your forgiveness of my offenses and help me to forgive others as You have forgiven me.   Lord, help me when I want to seek revenge for wrongs done to me and when I would rather wish harm on someone than good.  Pour me out so that YOU can increase in me. Help me to rest assured that my life rests in the palm of Your hand and know that You will avenge any wrong done to me – the daughter of the King!  May my words, thoughts and actions reflect Your love in my life – help me to be more like Your beautiful Son every day.  In His name we pray.

Amen.

 

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Glorious Living w/ Coach Megan: Praising God…Even in the Hard Times

September 20, 2013 by

GL header

More and more it seems that suffering and hurt are prevalent everywhere we look.  Maybe you have recently lost your job or you are living with a chronic illness….  Maybe you are grieving a loss or have recently been handed a major disappointment.  If you are hurting right now while reading this, know that your tender, loving Father has His arms open and He is always ready to hold you if you just let Him.  Many people who are hurting today are cursing God and some believers have abandoned God.  They did not have Christ as their solid foundation.  It is so important to have a strong faith through the best of times so when the winds blow, we will not be moved.  Trials and hard times come for a reason and that is to grow closer to our Father.  So, how can we praise Him during the darkest hours?  Let us look at scripture for some clear examples.

Remembering Christ 

2 Timothy 2:8-9 says, “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal.  But the word of God is not bound!”   Remembrance of Christ and His death at Golgotha needs to be the centerpiece through which we praise God in the hard times.  When we suffer, we can remember that He suffered, and His suffering gave us freedom!  This is one reason some leave the faith…they forgot what even brought them into God’s loving hand.  Praise be to God, our Almighty King, that gave us the final sacrifice to atone for our sins!

Trials and hard times come for a reason and that is to grow us ever closer to our Heavenly Father.

Prayer 

Every time we connect with God in prayer, we are praising Him because we are acknowledging our need to set our burdens on His strong shoulders.  Isaiah 25:4a says, “For you have been a stronghold to the poor, a stronghold to the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat.”  These are things we can praise Him for while we are praying!  He takes care of His children!  Even in the darkest part of the storm, He is there as a stronghold to keep us standing against the crashing waves and raging winds.  A woman on her knees in prayer can stand before any tragedy.

Through Song

When you read Psalms, you can find so many verses about God’s children singing praise even in the midst of hard times.  David writes in Psalm 142:4b-7, “No one cares for my soul.  I cry to you, O Lord; I say, “you are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.”  Attend to my cry, for I am brought very low!  Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me!  Bring me out of prison, that I may give thanks to your name!  The righteous will surround me, for you will deal bountifully with me.”  This particular psalm was a written prayer, but it could just as well be sung.  So many songs today are written straight from the Psalms.  One particular song that has always touched my heart on this issue of hard times and suffering is “There Will be a Day” by Jeremy Camp.  This song always brings tears to my eyes as it offers so much hope!  What songs speak to your heart as you praise your Father?

Time in the Word 

Anything that we do as Christians that focuses our time on God brings Him glory and praise.  When we look to His word for healing and guidance, we again are telling God that we need Him and we praise Him for His sovereign nature in all circumstances.  In Hebrews 4:15-16 it says, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.  Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”  This is a passage of love that speaks to all who are hurting.  Jesus was tempted in every way so we can be completely firm in our belief in Him.  My fellow sisters, write these verses on your hearts.  We can have confidence in our Father in all circumstances.  Stay in the word!  It can heal the brokenhearted.

Fasting

Fasting is an outlet that provides a spiritual and physical reliance on God.  Fasting is not set on any particular facet.  Many people fast from food for an extended amount of time, but fasting really involves giving up anything that means a lot to you in order to spend time with God instead.  This is a precious way to praise Him!  When you fast you stop “me” and focus on Him.  He has sustained me every time I have fasted.  The spiritual bond always grows with fasting because God is feeding that bond as you rely on Him…and you are creating the space He so desperately needs to move!

Forgiveness 

Forgiveness always reflects praise on the Father.  We forgive out of obedience to Christ.  We forgive because it is always the right thing to do.  There is real spiritual maturity and growth when we can look at specific people who have wronged us personally and forgive them.  This is because sin always comes from the devil and not from the individuals themselves.  There is massive spiritual warfare fighting for us every day.  Satan’s legion of demons are always hunting.  It is our job as believers to always forgive those who trespass against us.  The true fault is always against the devil and his wicked schemes.  Even Christ on the cross asked His Father to forgive those crucifying Him (Luke 23:34).  May we all strive to be like that!  Praise be to our Sustainer in all circumstances!  The next time you are having trouble with another person, remember that your battle is NOT with them and it is not of the flesh….  Your battle is a spiritual one and your Mighty Creator is BIG enough to guide you and sustain you to forgive.

I would love to hear all about how YOU show God praise through the hard times!  Please leave me a comment below all about how He is your Sustainer and Redeemer!

Blessings,

Coach Megan 🙂

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Tender Mercy

September 12, 2013 by

SeekingHimLogo

The other day, one of my precious children was irritable.  He didn’t want to sit down for breakfast.  He didn’t want to be touched.  He didn’t want anyone to talk to him.  He didn’t want to go to the potty.  He didn’t want his Pull-Up changed.  He just wanted to be left alone.  (I just wanted him to be happy.)

So, I left him alone and just watched him.

Eventually, he began to follow me around. When I decided to sit down, he walked up to me and said, “I sit.”  I knew what he wanted.  He was waiting for me to sit and cross my legs….

He had been less than loving to me earlier.  He didn’t want anything to do with me, then.  I didn’t get a “good morning!” or even a smile.  All I got was an irritated response to everything…even when I was trying to comfort him!  How rude!!  Did his behavior deserve my kindness or love?

Lord, don’t hold back your tender mercies from me.
Let your unfailing love and faithfulness always protect me.
Psalm 40:11

Have you ever had a moment when your behavior was, nicely put, less than stellar?

  • Peter did…when he denied Jesus three times in one night.
  • Paul did…when he was zealously busy persecuting Christians.

Yet, God extended mercy, forgiveness, love and kindness to both men.

We need to be careful how we behave when we are in a funk, but we also need to be forgiving of others who treat us poorly—because they are in a funk. No, it is not your fault they are unhappy, but we don’t need to take these moments personally. Don’t hold it against them! We are all imperfect human(s).

Now, however, it is time to forgive and comfort him.
Otherwise he may be overcome by discouragement.
So I urge you now to reaffirm your love for him.
2 Corinthians 2:7-8

What happened with the little boy?  Not one ounce of any hesitation was present—I sat and crossed my legs in less than a second and was ready to hold and snuggle him.  The thought of denying him his request to be comforted, never came to my mind.

I pray I can be as understanding with adults.

* * * * *

Lord, thank You for being so merciful.  Teach me to extend this same mercy to those around me. Help me to choose to not be offended when others are rude to me, and help me to be kind when I am feeling irritable.  I want to love others, even in their less than stellar moments.  In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

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In God Whom I Trust

August 26, 2013 by

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He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the LORD,
‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.’ 
Psalms 91:1-2

Jesus is perfect!  He’s our example! He has complete dependence on God!  He trusts God!  He came to earth to do the will of the Father.

In Matthew 26, Jesus prayed for God’s will, knowing that He, Jesus, would die very soon on the Cross for the sins of the people of this world.  Three times in the garden of Gethsemane, He prayed a prayer like this, requesting God’s will to be done:

 ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.
Yet not as I will, but as you will.’
Matthew 26:39

Thank You, Jesus, for being our perfect example of following God’s will, even to the point of sacrifice and death.

My heart turns to shine a lesser light on a hero of faith—Corrie ten Boom.  After being a prisoner in a Nazi camp, she one day came to a place of forgiveness when she saw one of the Ravenbruck Camp guards that had been so cruel to her in another time and place. In her book, Tramp for the Lord she tells the story…

She was slow to forgive, but she prayed. And with this prayer as an act of surrender, she was able to forgive this man who asked for forgiveness.  “I forgive you, brother!” I cried,  “with all my heart!” For a long moment we grasped each other’s hands, the former guard and the former prisoner. I had never known God’s love so intensely as I did then.

[Corrie ten Boom, Tramp for the Lord (CLC Publications, 1974) p. 57]

Although I never have had to endure the horrific things that Corrie ten Boom had to endure, I can truly say that, when I have forgiven someone who has hurt me deeply, it is in that moment that I truly understand with a greater depth the immensely great love and forgiveness that Jesus has given to me! And that just makes me want to praise, worship, and adore Him even more!

Jesus Christ’s words on the Cross toward those who had mistreated Him, as He was hanging there in my place and yours, were these:

“…Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing…”
Luke 23:34

Christ loved God; He prayed; He surrendered to God’s will to bring God glory; and forgave others…and so did Corrie ten Boom…and I hope I do as well with each day I am given.

Can I add your name to this list?  Is it your heart’s desire to do the will of the Father?  Do you trust Him completely—even when you don’t understand some things that seem so hard to endure?

* * * * *

Oh, dear Lord, let us have hearts like Yours and submit to Your will.  You are our Fortress and our God!  Even when we do not understand, let us trust You for Your ultimate plan in each of our lives to be revealed!  In Jesus’ precious Name.  Amen!

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Glorious Living w/ Coach Megan: Restoring Broken Relationships

August 9, 2013 by

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Dear Coach Megan,

A very horrible situation happened several years ago between one of my family members and I.   Ever since then, we have not had any contact with each other.   I am very unsettled in my heart and spirit about this and I feel God pushing me towards reconciliation with this person. My question is in how I know if this is something I should pursue or not. I hope you will be able to help me with this.  Bless you, P.S.

Hello, P.S.!

My heart aches for you, knowing how grave the pain is when any relationship {family or otherwise} is ripped apart.  Not much makes me happier than to see relationships restored to even better than new, but you and I both know that sometimes, that isn’t what ends up happening. Reconciliation is the act of settling or restoring differences.  While a relationship will not always be salvaged, the spirit of reconciliation will ALWAYS reflect the heart of God.  Read with me Romans 12:18.

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

Most people do not know the when for reconciliation, but the Bible does state two specific times:

  1. When you have wronged another {Matthew 5:23-24}
  2. When you have been wronged {Matthew 18:15-16}

In order to pave the road for reconciliation, you must 100% sincerely commit to forgive and be reconciled in the relationship.  This does not need to go both ways, but your heart must be pure in motives and sincere.  1 Peter 3:9 says: “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.”

With this in mind, use the following as guide in beginning to pave your road for reconciliation….

Prepare your heart for seeking reconciliation. Be willing to:

  • view the conflict as an opportunity for growth
  • learn what God wants you to learn
  • discover that you are partly at fault
  • expose your weakness
  • be open with your feelings
  • risk the relationship
  • accept a negative outcome
  • pray for God’s will to be done

Colossians 3:15

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body
you were called to peace. And be thankful. 

 Know that the refusal to seek reconciliation affects the intimacy of your relationship with God. Humble your heart and pray:

  • “Lord, I don’t want to be prideful and unbending”
  • “Lord, I want Your favor in my life, not Your disfavor”
  • “Lord, I want to reflect Your character and be open to reconciliation”

Matthew 5:9

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

Seek forgiveness and apologize for words that have hurt the other person

  • “I have tried to see our relationship from your point of view”
  • “I realize I have been wrong in my attitude of _______”
  • “Will you forgive me”

Proverbs 6:2-3

you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth.
So do this, my son, to free yourself, since you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands:
Go—to the point of exhaustion— and give your neighbor no rest!

Recognize the ground rules of communication:

  • Offer unconditional acceptance
  • Confront the problem, not the person
  • Listen without interrupting
  • Verbalize your feelings
  • Use words that build self-worth
  • Aim for mutual understanding
  • Give more than you take

Ephesians 4:2

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

Be kind and gentle

  • Don’t harbor resentment
  • Don’t make excuses for yourself
  • Don’t get drawn into arguments
  • Don’t fail to pray
  • Don’t have expectations of immediate acceptance

2 Timothy 2:24-25

And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome 
but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 
Opponents must be gently instructed, 
in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth

Reflect the character of Christ in ALL you do.

In order to prepare your heart to reflect the character of Christ, pray:

  • “Lord I die to my personal rights” {Galatians 2:20}
  • “Lord, I die to defending myself” {Psalm 28:7}
  • “Lord, I die to relying on my own abilities” {Proverbs 28:26}

Enlist a mediator if necessary

  • Pray for God to prepare the heart of your opposer for mediation
  • Seek a person whom your opposer can respect
  • You can say, “At times an outside person can have a different perspective that is more objective. Would you consider having a mediator help us think through our problems with the hope of reaching a successful end?”

Matthew 18:16

But if they will not listen, take one or two others along,
so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’

Do not hold yourself responsible for the outcome

  • When reconciliation is refused, do not live with false guilt.
  • You cannot force reconciliation to occur
  • Everyone is individually responsible to God

Romans 14:12

So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.

Rest in the knowledge that you have done all that you can do to seek peace

  • Continue to show love and treat the other person with forgiveness
  • Thank God for giving you the desire to be at peace with everyone
  • Praise God for His commitment to orchestrate your own spiritual growth

Romans 12:18

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

Dear P.S., if your efforts are refused, remember that if your heart has been repentant, you have God’s total forgiveness {1 John 1:8-9}.  Be sure to pray for those who refuse reconciliation and for their unmet need {Matthew 5:44}.  Know that God never leaves you when you suffer the loss of a close relationship {Psalm 34:18}.  Be careful to control what you say about those who refuse reconciliation {Romans 12:14}.  Do not be vengeful toward them.. in time, God deals with those who do wrong {Romans 12:19}.  Know completely that God will bring something good out of the pain {Isaiah 43:18-19}.

In closing, my friend, please keep in mind that reconciliation is restoring a relationship based on restored trust. It requires repentance and is to be extended only when earned. Pray to God for discernment on this and I so hope that you will be able to use this as a guide when preparing your heart, mind, and spirit.

Blessings,

Coach Megan 🙂

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“I AM” Chapter 2 – Day 4: Restoration & Renewal

July 18, 2013 by

Do you need a little R & R?  I know I do.  I’m talking about Restoration and Renewal, my friend.  As a mom, we wear many hats and, as women in general, we have many responsibilities.

How about adding watchman to the list?  A watchman, as Teresa explains in this section, is a person who keeps a look out for danger.  If there is any danger, the watchman is to sound the alarm so that the people are aware and can find protection.  Isn’t that what we women do in general?  It is pretty much ingrained in all of us, for example, mother’s intuition or women’s intuition.  It can be a gift but may feel like a burden, right?  If we are followers of Jesus, our job is made a lot easier by using His words given to us in the Scriptures. The key is to stay on His word, soak it in, and really listen to what God has to say to us, so that we can spread His message of hope to others.

Let’s go to His Word and read about another watchman named Ezekiel. In this section, God is using him to deliver messages of future hope and restoration for the people who were captive in Babylon.  God is Holy, right?  But Jerusalem and the Temple had become defiled.  The nation had to be cleansed through a hard seventy years of captivity and, in the midst of this darkness, Ezekiel spreads a message of a future full of glorious restoration—that God’s people would experience the fullness of His Presence again.

Now, what if Ezekiel had not been willing to do this?  This definitely wasn’t what he had planned for his life.  He had already been through a lot and now he was a “chosen” captive just like Daniel.  Like Daniel, he chose to use his story for God’s glory.  He willingly became the light for others to see.  He lived a one piece life in hopes of leading others to the Sovereign Lord.

Ezekiel was human, just like us. We may not be held captive in a foreign land, but things of this world can become too much. There’s so much sorrow and hurt, and you may feel stuck right now. It may seem that everyone else is moving forward with life and you seem to be doing the same thing over and over.  You are wondering when you will move past this.  But God!!  He promises to break all chains that bind us and restore us to a new person.  And, when He does, He wants us to go running through the streets shouting what He has done for you!  Because not only does He forgive all we have done, He actually wipes the slate clean and never looks back.  He rebuilds you to a better you and He restores your family, your finances and gives you an abundant life.

Ezekiel 33:16

” None of their past sin will be brought up again for they have done what is just and right. And they will surely live.”  Through Jesus, our past sins are overshadowed by a new life ahead of us.

Ezekiel 36:35

“I will no longer allow these foreign nations to sneer at you and you will no longer be shamed by them or cause your nation to fall, says the Sovereign Lord.”

What if you made this verse personal? For example, “I will no longer allow ___________ to sneer at you and you will no longer be shamed by _____________ or cause your (family) to fall, says the Sovereign Lord.”

Ezekiel 34:31 

And you, My sheep, the sheep of My pasture, are My people, and I AM your God, declares the sovereign LORD.

This makes my heart swell with joy overflowing, that I am His, you are His, and He is ours. The Sovereign Lord is ours. The God of Moses, Isaiah, David, and Ezekiel, is our God. The same God that set the captives free, who shut the mouths of lions for Daniel, and brought the children of Israel into the Promised Land. Doesn’t that renew and restore your soul?

I end with this verse, as I could go on and on just sharing His goodness:

Ezekiel 39:28,29

“…then my people will know that I am the Lord, their God, because I sent them away to exile and brought them home again. I will leave none of my people behind. And I will never turn my face from them, for I will pour out My Spirit upon the people of Israel. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken.”

He will never leave any of us behind, and neither should we. We must be His watchmen here, to spread the message and sound some alarms. We plant the seed and let the Holy Spirit pour like rain into all those we come in contact with. We must live a one piece life all for Him so that others will see and know that there is something different about us. They may want what we have—the Lord Jesus, our Savior.

Let’s Pray:

Dear Sovereign Lord,

We come to You today on our knees, as Your humble servant, and we thank You for all these messengers that have come before us. We thank You for Your Word and the freedom to spread it. Oh how we take this for granted, that we can shout it in the streets that You are God, we can sing of Your goodness in our churches on Sundays and carry the message to all who will listen.  Oh Lord, when we do fail You, we thank You for being just and for always forgiving and for making us whole.  May we be so grateful that we cannot contain it and may our light be so bright that others can’t miss it. We love You!  We praise You! We ask these things in Jesus’ Holy name.

Amen

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