Last month I posted a blog about forgiveness. In the blog, I encouraged you to ask God to reveal people in your life that you needed to forgive and relationships that you needed to mend. I have heard from a couple of you about how God has been revealing people to you and I am so glad! I wanted to share one story in particular about a friend of mine who messaged me just this morning about how God has been working in her life.
My friend has custody of her grandchildren and has been harboring bitterness towards one of the granddaughters' biological father for many years. She despised him and often spoke of what would happen to him if he ever tried to come back and see the granddaughter. She had good reasons to think so awful of him because he has had nothing to do with her in over 4 years, but she decided it was time to ask God to help her forgive him. This morning she messaged me to tell me that the biological father appeared at her doorstep unannounced this past weekend. He stood at the door unsure of how he will be received and I imagine fearful of what might happen. My friend welcomed him and gave him the last 3 years of her granddaughter's pictures. He told my friend that he would begin sending money to help take care of his daughter. She even invited him back to see his daughter again! Praise God!!! God knew that several years ago if he showed up at her doorstep she wouldn't be ready to welcome him. She put him on her prayer list and turned it over to God who worked a miracle in her. He gave her strength to face him and welcome him without passing judgement or reminding him of his past mistakes. She was able to face him without anger and without hatred. God can do mighty things when we allow Him to work in our lives!
I encourage you to continue to pray that God heal a broken relationship in your life and ask Him to give you courage to take the first step into totaling forgiving those who have wronged you. It may take lots of prayer and patience, but God will reveal to you the perfect opportunity to make amends and will give you the opportunity when He knows you are ready.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Sand & Stone
What is sorrow and why do we have to go through it? Webster's dictionary explains sorrow as, "a feeling of deep distress caused by loss, disappointment, or other misfortune suffered by oneself or others." When was the last time you experienced sorrow? Why does God allow sorrow into the lives of those who have eternal life in Him? Shouldn't we as Christians be exempt from all pain and sorrow?
In Romans 8:28, Paul writes that "in all things God works for the good of those who love him." This does not mean that all that happens to us will be good. Evil is evident all around us, but God is able to turn every circumstance around and make it good. We may not see the results quickly, but once we go through the valley and reach the hilltop, we realize the good that God worked out for His glory. Billy Graham mentions in his devotional that times of afflictions and sorrow are included in the "all things."
The Bible talks about three types of sorrow. The first one is sorrow over others. We experience sorrow over a family member who we know is lost and dying who continues to reject Christ even after our constant persuasions to accept Christ. Parents experience sorrow when their children and grandchildren choose paths that will lead to destruction. We experience sorrow when those we love hurt. There is no other feeling of helplessness than when we know someone is hurting and can't do anything to take away the pain. When our loved ones lose loved ones and go through things that we just can't understand, we feel helpless and inadequate. We would do anything to take away their pain. We mourn with those who mourn and rejoice with those who rejoice.
Another type is personal sorrow. Personal sorrows come into play when sorrow affects us directly. It could be the result of a termination of employment, loss of relationships, loss of loved ones, or loss of a home. Personal sorrow is the most detrimental to our Christian walk. It is through personal sorrow that we begin to doubt God and question His plans. We are more likely to get angry with God and cut off our communications with Him for awhile. We begin to blame God and sometimes turn away from Him. In the worst case scenario, we completely cut off all ties with church and God because we feel that we were unjustly treated.
The last type that the Bible describes is Godly sorrow. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians, "Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it - I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while - yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regrets, but worldly sorrow brings death" (2 Corinthians 7:8-10). Godly sorrow stems from our personal remorse for living sinful lives to such a degree that we feel guilty that Christ died on a cross for the sins we choose. It projects out when we begin to realize that we broke God's heart and contributed to Christ's death on the cross. Our daily decisions that may lead to sin causes us to regret and humble ourselves before God. It comes once we realize that we must fall down on our face before Christ and ask for forgiveness for our sins. It is the point in our lives where we come to the realization that we have betrayed Christ when we choose things of this world over Him and His plans for our lives. A Godly sorrow is when we come to the realization that we must ask for forgiveness and come to Christ heartbroken over our sinful choices. It is when we turn back to Christ and repent.
I came across a saying the other day at Mardel that made me stop and think. The thought provoking saying was printed on a rock that said, "Write your sorrows in sand...carve your blessings in stone." How often do we complain about all of the sorrow in our lives, but neglect to remember the many blessings that Christ has bestowed upon us that we didn't deserve. When we begin to reflect on this quote we can be comforted in counting our blessings instead of keeping track of our sorrows. God doesn't work to make us happy all of the time, but to fulfill His purpose in our lives. We as Christians trust in God, not life's treasures; we look for security in Heaven, not on earth; we learn to accept, not resent, pain and persecution because God is with us.
We have always heard the phrase, "God will never give us more than we can handle" and have held it close as a reminder to get us through tough situations. However, after our experiences with grief and sorrow, a new phrase is more true. "God will never give us anything that we can't handle THROUGH Him." He can give us more than we can handle, but it will never be more than He can handle. So remember the next time you experience sorrow don't keep track of the hurtful times, but remember that God's blessings will come. A popular song comes to mind when I think about sorrow. Derrell Evans' song "Trading My Sorrows" goes like this:
I'm pressed but not crushed persecuted not abandoned
Struck down but not destroyed I'm blessed beyond the curse for his promise will endure
And his joy's gonna be my strength
Though the sorrow may last for the night His joy comes with the morning.
The next time you or someone you love experience a sorrowful time, remember this song and God's promise to never leave you or forsake you then hold on and weather the storm.
The Bible talks about three types of sorrow. The first one is sorrow over others. We experience sorrow over a family member who we know is lost and dying who continues to reject Christ even after our constant persuasions to accept Christ. Parents experience sorrow when their children and grandchildren choose paths that will lead to destruction. We experience sorrow when those we love hurt. There is no other feeling of helplessness than when we know someone is hurting and can't do anything to take away the pain. When our loved ones lose loved ones and go through things that we just can't understand, we feel helpless and inadequate. We would do anything to take away their pain. We mourn with those who mourn and rejoice with those who rejoice.
Another type is personal sorrow. Personal sorrows come into play when sorrow affects us directly. It could be the result of a termination of employment, loss of relationships, loss of loved ones, or loss of a home. Personal sorrow is the most detrimental to our Christian walk. It is through personal sorrow that we begin to doubt God and question His plans. We are more likely to get angry with God and cut off our communications with Him for awhile. We begin to blame God and sometimes turn away from Him. In the worst case scenario, we completely cut off all ties with church and God because we feel that we were unjustly treated.
The last type that the Bible describes is Godly sorrow. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians, "Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it - I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while - yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regrets, but worldly sorrow brings death" (2 Corinthians 7:8-10). Godly sorrow stems from our personal remorse for living sinful lives to such a degree that we feel guilty that Christ died on a cross for the sins we choose. It projects out when we begin to realize that we broke God's heart and contributed to Christ's death on the cross. Our daily decisions that may lead to sin causes us to regret and humble ourselves before God. It comes once we realize that we must fall down on our face before Christ and ask for forgiveness for our sins. It is the point in our lives where we come to the realization that we have betrayed Christ when we choose things of this world over Him and His plans for our lives. A Godly sorrow is when we come to the realization that we must ask for forgiveness and come to Christ heartbroken over our sinful choices. It is when we turn back to Christ and repent.
I came across a saying the other day at Mardel that made me stop and think. The thought provoking saying was printed on a rock that said, "Write your sorrows in sand...carve your blessings in stone." How often do we complain about all of the sorrow in our lives, but neglect to remember the many blessings that Christ has bestowed upon us that we didn't deserve. When we begin to reflect on this quote we can be comforted in counting our blessings instead of keeping track of our sorrows. God doesn't work to make us happy all of the time, but to fulfill His purpose in our lives. We as Christians trust in God, not life's treasures; we look for security in Heaven, not on earth; we learn to accept, not resent, pain and persecution because God is with us.
We have always heard the phrase, "God will never give us more than we can handle" and have held it close as a reminder to get us through tough situations. However, after our experiences with grief and sorrow, a new phrase is more true. "God will never give us anything that we can't handle THROUGH Him." He can give us more than we can handle, but it will never be more than He can handle. So remember the next time you experience sorrow don't keep track of the hurtful times, but remember that God's blessings will come. A popular song comes to mind when I think about sorrow. Derrell Evans' song "Trading My Sorrows" goes like this:
I'm pressed but not crushed persecuted not abandoned
Struck down but not destroyed I'm blessed beyond the curse for his promise will endure
And his joy's gonna be my strength
Though the sorrow may last for the night His joy comes with the morning.
The next time you or someone you love experience a sorrowful time, remember this song and God's promise to never leave you or forsake you then hold on and weather the storm.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Why Must I Forgive THEM??
Forgiveness....what a difficult concept! How can we forgive a loved one who has betrayed us? How can we forgive a family member who has torn the family apart? How can we forgive a co-worker who made our lives miserable? How can we forgive someone who has brought accusations against us? Believe me, this is a very difficult topic for me. There was a point in my life where I believed things were close to perfect and in a way I considered my family untouchable. Boy, did the Lord open my eyes. He allowed my family to endure something that no family should ever have to endure. Our family certainly felt like Job. When I was praying for the Lord to reveal to me a topic for the next blog entry, He kept telling me forgiveness. Since it was a rather "touchy" topic for me until just recently, I kept putting it off. The Lord really got my attention when there were three totally different people who came to me to discuss the very topic! Wow, you talk about the Lord trying to make you do something. I finally gave in and decided that the topic of forgiveness needs to be addressed.
My experiences through the last couple of years have shaped me into a totally different woman. I was perfectly content with not moving past my circumstance and was perfectly fine with NEVER forgiving those that hurt my family. I had already decided that I would NEVER see the person whom hurt our family again and I had already "forgotten" about the person. I was determined to never let the person hurt my family again. Boy, was I wrong! The whole time I harbored hatred towards the person and unforgiveness towards them I was hurting myself. I was hurting myself physically and spiritually, as well as, hurting my marriage. During those two rough years I played like everything was fine, but the anger and bitterness I felt towards the individual made me a miserable person. I can't explain it any better than I really became depressed. I put on more weight, and I had short patience in dealing with Darren and my students. I even felt further away from Christ because I was ashamed of myself. I just felt like I had this dark spot in my heart that I was allowing to take over aspects of my life and I couldn't do anything about it. Honestly when I prayed about it, I wasn't ready to let it go so as a result, I didn't fully allow the Lord to work in me.
It wasn't until one day God grabbed a hold of my heart and told me, "Who are you not to forgive someone who hurt you when my own Son forgave those that nailed Him to a cross?" WOW!! I felt so ashamed and so embarrassed. If I am supposed to be a Christian and be "Christ like" then why was I not willing to forgive? Here I was, a newly elected missionary, church planter, and pastor's wife who couldn't forgive someone. Not only did I not want to forgive her, but I was so angry at her. Just the thought of the individual boiled up anger in my heart and tears would flow from my eyes. In Matthew 5, Jesus reminds us that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgement. In verse 23-24, Jesus says, "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother, then come and offer your gift." Here are some good notes from my NIV Study Bible. Killing is a terrible sin, but anger is a great sin too because it violates God's command to love. Anger refers to a seething, brooding bitterness against someone. It is a dangerous emotion that always threatens to get out of control, leading to violence, emotional hurt, increased mental stress, and spiritual damage. Anger keeps you from developing a spirit pleasing to God. Jesus said that we will be held accountable even for our attitudes. Broken relationships can hinder our relationship with God. We are hypocrites if we claim to love God while we hate others. How quick are we to call someone a hypocrite, but in reality are hypocrites ourselves? Our attitudes toward others reflect our relationship with God. I John 4:20-21 tells us, "if anyone says, "I love God", yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother." Matthew 5:21-26 encourages us to get things right with our brothers and sisters before we have to stand before God.
I refer to those awful two years as my darkest time. At the end of those two years, God sent me His personal librarian to pass on a book to me. In his book, Total Forgiveness, R.T. Kendall says, "totally forgiving another person is an achievable act. It can be done, and it is something you and I must keep doing." He also goes on to say that total forgiveness involves additional elements which is praying for God's blessings to rain down on the lives of your offenders. When we can ask God to bless those that hurt us we are allowing God's grace to work through us to remove all bitterness in regards to that person. Lastly, he tells us that totally forgiving someone doesn't mean that we take a vacation with them, but that we release bitterness in our hearts concerning what they have done. God doesn't expect us to become best friends with the person whom has hurt us. I know that my relationship with the individual that hurt me will not be the same. There has been a bond broken that will never be as before. For one, I am hesitant to trust the person again because I am afraid to get hurt again. God expects us to forgive and move on to healing the relationship so that the very thought of them would bring on pleasant thoughts and not unpleasant thoughts.
This week try to sit down and write a list of all the people in your lives that you have been harboring bitterness towards, people that you have held a vengeance against or those people that you have been so angry towards. Then ask God to help you forgive each of them as you mention their name to Him. One thing I did to make it more personal was to pray while holding a picture of her in my hand. At first it was very hard to even look at her picture and after many tears and struggles, I was finally able to actually see her again. Ask Him to allow you to heal from their actions towards you and then ask God to forgive YOU. Yes, I said to ask Him to forgive you. I didn't realize that the whole time I was resenting the individual and thinking awful things about her would be considered a sin. I mean SHE was the one who hurt my family. However, because I hated a sister in Christ and wanted her to hurt just as much as me, I sinned. I literally hated one of God's creations. So you need to ask God to forgive you. Then pray for God to reveal to you steps towards mending the relationship and reconciling. Before Thanksgiving I finally took a BIG step towards mending the relationship. I met her face-to-face and talked. As we shared tears and hurts, we were finally able to heal as we forgave each other. Today, we are continuously strengthening our relationship as we work towards a healed friendship. This was one of the final steps in relieving so much weight that I didn't realize I was carrying for so long. I was overcome with a sense of peace and my spiritual life has been strengthened. God gave me an experience that I can now use to help others overcome their obstacles in regards to forgiveness.
Remember we must forgive those that have hurt us and we must get rid of all anger and resentment towards them. Although the task is difficult for US to achieve alone, it is NOT difficult for us to achieve with Christ. When we let go and let God handle the situation we will feel like a new and improved person. Believe me, I NEVER thought this day would come. Remember I was content with how things were, but I wasn't right. R.T. Kendall sums it up when he writes, "When everything in you wants to hold a grudge, point a finger, and remember the pain - God wants you to lay it all aside."
I haven't ever included a concluding prayer in my blog before, but I feel compelled to close this blog with a prayer for everyone reading it:
Most gracious, Heavenly Father, I thank you for the individuals who lift me up and have helped me during my times of need. I thank you for each of the individuals reading this blog for they have been important parts of my life and have been a blessing to me. Lord, I ask that you give strength to the ones reading this blog about forgiveness. I ask that you reveal to them relationships that need to be mended. I know from experience we deny that someone has hurt us and we pretend that we harbor no bitterness towards others. Lord, I ask that you open their hearts to the truth and that you heal them. I pray that they seek your wisdom and guidance as they reconcile relationships and as they work towards becoming a stronger person in you. I pray that they feel your presence every step of the way as they seek your wisdom and guidance. Lord, I thank you for allowing me to be your vessel and allowing me to speak to these individuals reading this blog through you. I thank you for burdening my heart to write about forgiveness and never giving up on me. Thank you for our many wonderful blessings and for sending your Son to die on an old wooden cross so that I can have an eternal life with you. In your Holy Name, Amen.
My experiences through the last couple of years have shaped me into a totally different woman. I was perfectly content with not moving past my circumstance and was perfectly fine with NEVER forgiving those that hurt my family. I had already decided that I would NEVER see the person whom hurt our family again and I had already "forgotten" about the person. I was determined to never let the person hurt my family again. Boy, was I wrong! The whole time I harbored hatred towards the person and unforgiveness towards them I was hurting myself. I was hurting myself physically and spiritually, as well as, hurting my marriage. During those two rough years I played like everything was fine, but the anger and bitterness I felt towards the individual made me a miserable person. I can't explain it any better than I really became depressed. I put on more weight, and I had short patience in dealing with Darren and my students. I even felt further away from Christ because I was ashamed of myself. I just felt like I had this dark spot in my heart that I was allowing to take over aspects of my life and I couldn't do anything about it. Honestly when I prayed about it, I wasn't ready to let it go so as a result, I didn't fully allow the Lord to work in me.
It wasn't until one day God grabbed a hold of my heart and told me, "Who are you not to forgive someone who hurt you when my own Son forgave those that nailed Him to a cross?" WOW!! I felt so ashamed and so embarrassed. If I am supposed to be a Christian and be "Christ like" then why was I not willing to forgive? Here I was, a newly elected missionary, church planter, and pastor's wife who couldn't forgive someone. Not only did I not want to forgive her, but I was so angry at her. Just the thought of the individual boiled up anger in my heart and tears would flow from my eyes. In Matthew 5, Jesus reminds us that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgement. In verse 23-24, Jesus says, "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother, then come and offer your gift." Here are some good notes from my NIV Study Bible. Killing is a terrible sin, but anger is a great sin too because it violates God's command to love. Anger refers to a seething, brooding bitterness against someone. It is a dangerous emotion that always threatens to get out of control, leading to violence, emotional hurt, increased mental stress, and spiritual damage. Anger keeps you from developing a spirit pleasing to God. Jesus said that we will be held accountable even for our attitudes. Broken relationships can hinder our relationship with God. We are hypocrites if we claim to love God while we hate others. How quick are we to call someone a hypocrite, but in reality are hypocrites ourselves? Our attitudes toward others reflect our relationship with God. I John 4:20-21 tells us, "if anyone says, "I love God", yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother." Matthew 5:21-26 encourages us to get things right with our brothers and sisters before we have to stand before God.
I refer to those awful two years as my darkest time. At the end of those two years, God sent me His personal librarian to pass on a book to me. In his book, Total Forgiveness, R.T. Kendall says, "totally forgiving another person is an achievable act. It can be done, and it is something you and I must keep doing." He also goes on to say that total forgiveness involves additional elements which is praying for God's blessings to rain down on the lives of your offenders. When we can ask God to bless those that hurt us we are allowing God's grace to work through us to remove all bitterness in regards to that person. Lastly, he tells us that totally forgiving someone doesn't mean that we take a vacation with them, but that we release bitterness in our hearts concerning what they have done. God doesn't expect us to become best friends with the person whom has hurt us. I know that my relationship with the individual that hurt me will not be the same. There has been a bond broken that will never be as before. For one, I am hesitant to trust the person again because I am afraid to get hurt again. God expects us to forgive and move on to healing the relationship so that the very thought of them would bring on pleasant thoughts and not unpleasant thoughts.
This week try to sit down and write a list of all the people in your lives that you have been harboring bitterness towards, people that you have held a vengeance against or those people that you have been so angry towards. Then ask God to help you forgive each of them as you mention their name to Him. One thing I did to make it more personal was to pray while holding a picture of her in my hand. At first it was very hard to even look at her picture and after many tears and struggles, I was finally able to actually see her again. Ask Him to allow you to heal from their actions towards you and then ask God to forgive YOU. Yes, I said to ask Him to forgive you. I didn't realize that the whole time I was resenting the individual and thinking awful things about her would be considered a sin. I mean SHE was the one who hurt my family. However, because I hated a sister in Christ and wanted her to hurt just as much as me, I sinned. I literally hated one of God's creations. So you need to ask God to forgive you. Then pray for God to reveal to you steps towards mending the relationship and reconciling. Before Thanksgiving I finally took a BIG step towards mending the relationship. I met her face-to-face and talked. As we shared tears and hurts, we were finally able to heal as we forgave each other. Today, we are continuously strengthening our relationship as we work towards a healed friendship. This was one of the final steps in relieving so much weight that I didn't realize I was carrying for so long. I was overcome with a sense of peace and my spiritual life has been strengthened. God gave me an experience that I can now use to help others overcome their obstacles in regards to forgiveness.
Remember we must forgive those that have hurt us and we must get rid of all anger and resentment towards them. Although the task is difficult for US to achieve alone, it is NOT difficult for us to achieve with Christ. When we let go and let God handle the situation we will feel like a new and improved person. Believe me, I NEVER thought this day would come. Remember I was content with how things were, but I wasn't right. R.T. Kendall sums it up when he writes, "When everything in you wants to hold a grudge, point a finger, and remember the pain - God wants you to lay it all aside."
I haven't ever included a concluding prayer in my blog before, but I feel compelled to close this blog with a prayer for everyone reading it:
Most gracious, Heavenly Father, I thank you for the individuals who lift me up and have helped me during my times of need. I thank you for each of the individuals reading this blog for they have been important parts of my life and have been a blessing to me. Lord, I ask that you give strength to the ones reading this blog about forgiveness. I ask that you reveal to them relationships that need to be mended. I know from experience we deny that someone has hurt us and we pretend that we harbor no bitterness towards others. Lord, I ask that you open their hearts to the truth and that you heal them. I pray that they seek your wisdom and guidance as they reconcile relationships and as they work towards becoming a stronger person in you. I pray that they feel your presence every step of the way as they seek your wisdom and guidance. Lord, I thank you for allowing me to be your vessel and allowing me to speak to these individuals reading this blog through you. I thank you for burdening my heart to write about forgiveness and never giving up on me. Thank you for our many wonderful blessings and for sending your Son to die on an old wooden cross so that I can have an eternal life with you. In your Holy Name, Amen.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Who's First?
"Pick me, pick me!" As most of us can remember, when we were children we always wanted to picked first to be put on the best kickball team or the best "Red Rover" team. We always knew, even as a child, that when we were picked first then we would have the best chance of winning whatever game was being played. As adults the scenario is the same, but we get the chance to pick ourselves first. To many, this is a hard task because we are torn between choosing what is best for us or what is best for our friend. In most cases, we would meekly choose our friend, but deep down inside we really wanted to put ourselves first.
As Christians, we know that we are supposed to put God first, but still fall short. In Isaiah 6:8, we read about how Isaiah called out to God, "Here am I. Send me!" Isaiah, being filled with the Spirit, submitted himself COMPLETELY to God's service. He didn't say, "Lord, I will go when it is convenient for me" or "Lord, I will follow you as long as my friends go with me." He gave his life up completely to His service. No matter how difficult his task would be, he said, "Here am I, Lord. Send me!" Can you imagine if Christians followed Isaiah's example? If we all COMPLETELY gave up our lives to follow Him? Only God can fathom the numerous amounts of people that would possibly come to know Him through those that truly surrendered their lives to His service.
Every day I thank God to have been raised in this amazing country!! I thank God for giving America a strong Christian foundation that provided me the freedom to worship as I pleased. Sadly, this freedom becomes a hindrance to Christians because it gives us "flexibility" to go to church when we feel like it or the "flexibility" to pick and choose what we will do for Christ. We need to be getting into His word DAILY and developing a relationship with Him, so that when we say, "Here am I, Lord. Send me!!" we would truly be willing to do whatever it takes to follow Him. We need to develop such a close relationship with Christ that when we follow Him, we would know that we are following a "friend" that would help me reach out to those who need to hear the Good News!!
Instead of picking ourselves first and giving into our own selfish desires, we need to FIRST surrender to Christ and HIS desires for our lives. The best part of being a mission church and church plant is having the desire to reach new people and get out of our "comfort zone" a little bit. God can't be completely evident in our lives until we break down all of our barriers and all the excuses we put up and begin to look to Him for comfort. This week, make it your goal to seek out new ways to choose God over yourself and to pick Him first as you follow Him.
As Christians, we know that we are supposed to put God first, but still fall short. In Isaiah 6:8, we read about how Isaiah called out to God, "Here am I. Send me!" Isaiah, being filled with the Spirit, submitted himself COMPLETELY to God's service. He didn't say, "Lord, I will go when it is convenient for me" or "Lord, I will follow you as long as my friends go with me." He gave his life up completely to His service. No matter how difficult his task would be, he said, "Here am I, Lord. Send me!" Can you imagine if Christians followed Isaiah's example? If we all COMPLETELY gave up our lives to follow Him? Only God can fathom the numerous amounts of people that would possibly come to know Him through those that truly surrendered their lives to His service.
Every day I thank God to have been raised in this amazing country!! I thank God for giving America a strong Christian foundation that provided me the freedom to worship as I pleased. Sadly, this freedom becomes a hindrance to Christians because it gives us "flexibility" to go to church when we feel like it or the "flexibility" to pick and choose what we will do for Christ. We need to be getting into His word DAILY and developing a relationship with Him, so that when we say, "Here am I, Lord. Send me!!" we would truly be willing to do whatever it takes to follow Him. We need to develop such a close relationship with Christ that when we follow Him, we would know that we are following a "friend" that would help me reach out to those who need to hear the Good News!!
Instead of picking ourselves first and giving into our own selfish desires, we need to FIRST surrender to Christ and HIS desires for our lives. The best part of being a mission church and church plant is having the desire to reach new people and get out of our "comfort zone" a little bit. God can't be completely evident in our lives until we break down all of our barriers and all the excuses we put up and begin to look to Him for comfort. This week, make it your goal to seek out new ways to choose God over yourself and to pick Him first as you follow Him.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Made to Crave
Some of us have expressed an interest in a women's book club. The book that was suggested was "Made to Crave - Satisfying Your Deepest Desire With God, Not Food" by Lysa Terkeurst. From what I have read this afternoon, the book talks about how Eve was tempted with food and we've let it tempt us away from God ever since. I have found that it has made excellent points and has grabbed my attention. A couple of us are going to start reading it, so I am inviting the rest of you ladies to join us. The chapters are really short and it has been a quick read for me. If we want to make it into an event where we meet together every other week at Starbucks to discuss it then let me know. I look forward to reading this book and allowing its content to change my food cravings into God cravings.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Pardon the Interruption
Darren often watches a show on ESPN called "Pardon the Interruption" where two men debate their thoughts on various sporting news. It isn't unusual for these two men to interrupt each other in mid sentence, so they can speak their opinion or protest the other's comment. As humans, we get very frustrated when someone interrupts us when we are telling a story or in my case, when I am trying to teach my students. The interruptions are so frustrating that it can make us irritable at everything in our paths. For those who have ever been in a car with my husband, you know that he tends to get frustrated at "slow drivers" who are on the highway. We may be running late to an appointment and there will be that one slow driver out for a "Sunday drive" when it isn't even Sunday! This morning I was awakened to my cell phone ringing before my alarm went off. On the other end of the phone was my twin sister, Beth, crying and shaken up. She proceeded to explain to me that she had just witnessed a car rolling off 635 onto the exit ramp right in front of her. She was shaken up not only by the car rolling onto the road in front of her, but thankful that she wasn't hit. She was on 635 headed for her destination and was frustrated to be stuck behind what she referred to as the "slowest driver ever!" While she was driving she was starting to get frustrated that the driver was making her late and thought about going around the car. Thankfully God had other plans. If she had gone around that car and exited the highway onto Centerville then she would have either been hit by the rolling car or hit by the cars swerving around the rolling car!
David reminds us in Psalms that God protects us each day and has plans for us. Psalm 138:7-8 says, "Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes, with your right hand you save me. The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O Lord, endures forever - do not abandon the works of your hand." When we reflect on the words, 'with your right hand you save me,' we can thank God for the little interruptions in our lives that cause us to slow down. For in Psalm 46:10, "He says, 'Be still and know that I am God." What if we began to think of the slow drivers as God's blessing to us to remind us to slow down and enjoy the moment and to thank Him for the day, and the safe commute? How often have we rushed through traffic only to avoid a wreck right in front of us or been stuck in traffic and thank God that we were not the cause of the traffic jam?
Next time you get annoyed with an interruption, remember to thank God. Let His interruption remind you to look for a purpose in the interruption. We ask God for specific things in prayers, but barely stop to reflect on what He is trying to tell us. The next time you are behind a slow driver, stop and think about what God is trying to tell you and thank Him for all the little interruptions in your life.
David reminds us in Psalms that God protects us each day and has plans for us. Psalm 138:7-8 says, "Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes, with your right hand you save me. The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O Lord, endures forever - do not abandon the works of your hand." When we reflect on the words, 'with your right hand you save me,' we can thank God for the little interruptions in our lives that cause us to slow down. For in Psalm 46:10, "He says, 'Be still and know that I am God." What if we began to think of the slow drivers as God's blessing to us to remind us to slow down and enjoy the moment and to thank Him for the day, and the safe commute? How often have we rushed through traffic only to avoid a wreck right in front of us or been stuck in traffic and thank God that we were not the cause of the traffic jam?
Next time you get annoyed with an interruption, remember to thank God. Let His interruption remind you to look for a purpose in the interruption. We ask God for specific things in prayers, but barely stop to reflect on what He is trying to tell us. The next time you are behind a slow driver, stop and think about what God is trying to tell you and thank Him for all the little interruptions in your life.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Many Hats, One Purpose
Each one us have different identities that require us to wear a different "hat." Some of the hats we use are the ones of a mother, a wife, a sister, an aunt, a friend, and a co-worker. By the end of the day we may have switched hats numerous times to fulfill a certain responsibility. When we go over to our hat collection and really begin to examine each one, we might notice that some hats are worn more than others. We can tell from the tears, the holes, and the stains which ones we put on more. We might even have some hats that still look brand new because we haven't worn that hat too much. It might be a hat that you don't want to wear because you aren't comfortable wearing the hat, but like talking about it. When we examine our Christian life, we can think of our hats as spiritual gifts. God gives each one of us a certain spiritual gift and just like our hats, we are expected to use them. God didn't bless us with a spiritual gift just so we can hang it up and admire it. He expects us to utilize it to further His kingdom!
Paul reminds us in Romans 12:6-8, that we each have a different gift according to the grace given to us. God gives us gifts so we can build up His church. In order to use them effectively, we must (1) realize that all gifts and abilities come from God, (2) understand that not everyone has the same gifts, (3) know who we are and what we do best, (4) dedicate our gifts to God's service and not our personal success, and (5) be willing to utilize our gifts wholeheartedly, not holding anything back. Our purpose is to be faithful and to seek ways to serve others with what God gave us.
Look at this list and imagine the kinds of people who would have each gift. Prophets are bold and articulate. Servers are faithful and loyal. Teachers are clear thinkers. Encouragers know how to motivate others. Givers are generous and trusting. Leaders are good organizers and managers. Those who show mercy are caring people who are happy to give their time to others. It would be difficult for just one person to have all of these gifts. Romans 12:4 tells us that, "just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not have the same function." Our ministry cannot function if we all had the same gifts, just as our ministry won't be its best if its people don't use their gifts. Identify your gifts and ask God to reveal to you how He wants you to use them to build up His family. We are to be thankful for people whose gifts are different from ours because where one is weak the other is strong. Together, we as a family, can build up Christ's church.
A couple of months in Life Groups, we took a spiritual gifts inventory and discovered our God given gifts. When you examine these gifts can you honestly say that you wore it out from using it too much or have you hung it up to admire it and talk about it to your friends? Do your spiritual gifts reveal that you have "worn it with pride?" If your gift was serving, how have you served at the Refuge? If your gift is an encourager, how have you encouraged someone for the Refuge? If your gift is teaching, how have you taught at the Refuge? If your gift is giving, how have you given to the Refuge? As we begin to multiply our Life Groups, try not to think about leaving your comfort zone in one Life Group, but start thinking about how God can use this multiplication and your gifts to reach people through The Refuge. The opened doors at Stacie's apartment complex is a HUGE blessing for us. God is giving us a chance to really show Him how we will use the gifts He gave us to reach people. It means that we might have to get out of our comfort zone and talk to people that we have never met. It means that we might have to encourage people that we have never talked to before. This week, I challenge you to find ways to use your spiritual gifts. As we begin to use our spiritual gifts we must remember that they all serve a purpose and that is to build up Christ's Kingdom and win people for Him. We may not be comfortable using the gift because we have never had to use it before. If you never step out in faith and realize that God doesn't make mistakes in issuing us our spiritual gifts, then you will never know the blessing that you will be missing. Use your spiritual gifts so much that if they were to resemble a hat then you would see holes, tears, and stains in which you would admire and proudly say, "man, I really wore out that hat!" Then you would be comforted in knowing that God will say, "Well done, thy good and faithful servant."
Paul reminds us in Romans 12:6-8, that we each have a different gift according to the grace given to us. God gives us gifts so we can build up His church. In order to use them effectively, we must (1) realize that all gifts and abilities come from God, (2) understand that not everyone has the same gifts, (3) know who we are and what we do best, (4) dedicate our gifts to God's service and not our personal success, and (5) be willing to utilize our gifts wholeheartedly, not holding anything back. Our purpose is to be faithful and to seek ways to serve others with what God gave us.
Look at this list and imagine the kinds of people who would have each gift. Prophets are bold and articulate. Servers are faithful and loyal. Teachers are clear thinkers. Encouragers know how to motivate others. Givers are generous and trusting. Leaders are good organizers and managers. Those who show mercy are caring people who are happy to give their time to others. It would be difficult for just one person to have all of these gifts. Romans 12:4 tells us that, "just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not have the same function." Our ministry cannot function if we all had the same gifts, just as our ministry won't be its best if its people don't use their gifts. Identify your gifts and ask God to reveal to you how He wants you to use them to build up His family. We are to be thankful for people whose gifts are different from ours because where one is weak the other is strong. Together, we as a family, can build up Christ's church.
A couple of months in Life Groups, we took a spiritual gifts inventory and discovered our God given gifts. When you examine these gifts can you honestly say that you wore it out from using it too much or have you hung it up to admire it and talk about it to your friends? Do your spiritual gifts reveal that you have "worn it with pride?" If your gift was serving, how have you served at the Refuge? If your gift is an encourager, how have you encouraged someone for the Refuge? If your gift is teaching, how have you taught at the Refuge? If your gift is giving, how have you given to the Refuge? As we begin to multiply our Life Groups, try not to think about leaving your comfort zone in one Life Group, but start thinking about how God can use this multiplication and your gifts to reach people through The Refuge. The opened doors at Stacie's apartment complex is a HUGE blessing for us. God is giving us a chance to really show Him how we will use the gifts He gave us to reach people. It means that we might have to get out of our comfort zone and talk to people that we have never met. It means that we might have to encourage people that we have never talked to before. This week, I challenge you to find ways to use your spiritual gifts. As we begin to use our spiritual gifts we must remember that they all serve a purpose and that is to build up Christ's Kingdom and win people for Him. We may not be comfortable using the gift because we have never had to use it before. If you never step out in faith and realize that God doesn't make mistakes in issuing us our spiritual gifts, then you will never know the blessing that you will be missing. Use your spiritual gifts so much that if they were to resemble a hat then you would see holes, tears, and stains in which you would admire and proudly say, "man, I really wore out that hat!" Then you would be comforted in knowing that God will say, "Well done, thy good and faithful servant."
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
10 Minute Challenge
How many of us get so wrapped up in our daily routines that by the time we sit down at night we are so exhausted, but all we can think about is what needs to be done tomorrow and try to decide how many things on our "to do list" can be pushed back to another day? Like most of us, the last thing we think about is spending time with our Heavenly Father. When we sit and really think about it, we owe Christ so much. God sent us His Son to die on a cross for us so that we would be saved from an eternal separation from Him. Christ was hung on a cross, He paid the price of OUR sins, and we show Him our appreciation by praying for our food before meal time and by opening our Bibles on Sundays when we go to church. If God loved us that much to bridge a gap between Heaven and hell then why can we not set aside a time in our life to study His Word?
I would like to suggest a challenge for each of us. I am not going to ask that we take an hour of our time to get in the Word and pray every day because we know that the physical and emotional stresses of our daily lives would enable us to do that. I am going to encourage you, however, to start dedicating 10 minutes of your daily routine to Bible study and prayer. In order to keep each other accountable I would encourage you to comment on this post what Scripture you read and what God revealed to you through your chosen Scripture. My prayer for doing this is that we will be able to grow in Christ as we develop a new found relationship with Him, as well as, relating to each other on a different level.
I look forward to reading how the Lord spoke to you during your Bible study and look forward to seeing you at our next Life Group this coming Sunday.
Love in Christ,
Becky Lemons
Psalm 146:1-2
I would like to suggest a challenge for each of us. I am not going to ask that we take an hour of our time to get in the Word and pray every day because we know that the physical and emotional stresses of our daily lives would enable us to do that. I am going to encourage you, however, to start dedicating 10 minutes of your daily routine to Bible study and prayer. In order to keep each other accountable I would encourage you to comment on this post what Scripture you read and what God revealed to you through your chosen Scripture. My prayer for doing this is that we will be able to grow in Christ as we develop a new found relationship with Him, as well as, relating to each other on a different level.
I look forward to reading how the Lord spoke to you during your Bible study and look forward to seeing you at our next Life Group this coming Sunday.
Love in Christ,
Becky Lemons
Psalm 146:1-2
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Women of Refuge Outings
The Women of Refuge try to meet together in fellowship once a month. We try to plan various events so that we do not lose touch and stay connected during our busy lives. In December we went to Canton for a shopping day and lunch. We enjoyed the beautiful day God created while we shared our love of shopping! This month we met for dinner and went to Hometown Cinemas to watch Joyful Noise. We laughed and enjoyed our night out.
Next month we are planning to go to the house of Dianne Lemons to watch a movie and have pizza! Be sure to invite your friends and neighbors. Since this is a ministry, it almost seems selfish to not include all parties involved in planning events. With that being said, we are asking for suggestions for future events. Some of the suggestions so far have been as follows:
Weekend Shopping Trip to San Marcos (leave Saturday morning and come back Sunday)
Canton Shopping Trip
Spa Day
Dinner and Bible Study (study 5 Love Languages {for singles too}, Seasons of Marriage, or something related to women)
Allen Outlet Mall Shopping
Slumber Party/Bible Study (stay the weekend at Dianne's house)
Shopping Trip to Pearland, Texas
Arboretum and Lunch (Spring)
Once a Week Workout (meet to workout during the week)
If any of these sounds like something you would definitely like to do and have other suggestions, then please feel free to contact me at becky@gototherefuge.com. I look forward to spending time with each of you!
Love in Christ,
Becky Lemons
Women of Refuge Ministry
Next month we are planning to go to the house of Dianne Lemons to watch a movie and have pizza! Be sure to invite your friends and neighbors. Since this is a ministry, it almost seems selfish to not include all parties involved in planning events. With that being said, we are asking for suggestions for future events. Some of the suggestions so far have been as follows:
Weekend Shopping Trip to San Marcos (leave Saturday morning and come back Sunday)
Canton Shopping Trip
Spa Day
Dinner and Bible Study (study 5 Love Languages {for singles too}, Seasons of Marriage, or something related to women)
Allen Outlet Mall Shopping
Slumber Party/Bible Study (stay the weekend at Dianne's house)
Shopping Trip to Pearland, Texas
Arboretum and Lunch (Spring)
Once a Week Workout (meet to workout during the week)
If any of these sounds like something you would definitely like to do and have other suggestions, then please feel free to contact me at becky@gototherefuge.com. I look forward to spending time with each of you!
Love in Christ,
Becky Lemons
Women of Refuge Ministry
Welcoming Statements
Welcome to the Women of Refuge blog! Thank you for taking the time to check out our blog and for investing in our ministry. The sole purpose of this blog was that I wanted to create a personal space for the women of Refuge to go and connect with each other through devotionals and inspiring messages. My prayer for this blog is that it will connect us on a more personal and spiritual level. My prayer is that you’ll be inspired and encouraged and that what you read each week will help guide you each day as you live life. I challenge you, and myself, to connect on a deeper level with God and influence the community around you.
I am blessed to have each of you women in my life and a part of the Refuge Church.
In Christ,
Becky Lemons
Refuge Women's Ministry
I am blessed to have each of you women in my life and a part of the Refuge Church.
In Christ,
Becky Lemons
Refuge Women's Ministry
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