Oct. 7, 2008 - Be encouraged today!
I read this on my homeschool support forum this morning. Be encouraged today if you are facing trials in your life.
"When "tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope," the Lord is honored by these growing virtues. We should never know the music of the harp if the strings were left untouched; nor enjoy the juice of the grape if it were not trodden in the winepress; nor discover the sweet perfume of cinnamon if it were not pressed and beaten; nor feel the warmth of fire if the coals were not utterly consumed. The wisdom and power of the great Workman are discovered by the trials through which His vessels of mercy are permitted to pass. Present afflictions tend also to heighten future joy. There must be shades in the picture to bring out the beauty of the lights. Could we be so supremely blessed in heaven, if we had not known the curse of sin and the sorrow of earth? Will not peace be sweeter after conflict, and rest more welcome after toil? Will not the recollection of past sufferings enhance the bliss of the glorified?" The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me! Psalm 138:8
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Oct. 6, 2008 - Psalm 132
I have been studying through the Psalms of the Accent written by Beth Moore. This is a fabulous study for all those looking to be challenged and comforted through one of my favorite books of the Bible.
Honestly, Pslams 132 is not one I would pick out as my favorites but I was so touched by David's oath to God and God's faithful and abundant response.
I love that through hardships, David realized that He couldn't live his next breathe without God.
But what God seemed to be shouting at me yesterday (really it did seem like a shout because I feel like I've been shouting at God for answers to our prayers), was that God answers when we talk to Him. He longs for a relationship with me. He wants to answer.
Beth writes, "God answers exceeded the pslamist's petition. God appears to thoroughly enjoy doing 'immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine (Eph 3:20)..."
"Beloved, and here's the amazing part: He's answered you above and beyond what you asked on some of the very requests you assumed He answered negatively...Our finite minds simply cannot grasp God's infinite ways of answering prayer." (And this is the part that got to me) "You have no idea how many times you've prayed and God answered affirmatively but is awaiting the proper time for its revelation."
Probably many of you have told me that things will happen in God's time. But I think I needed to hear it from Him that all will fall together in His proper time. That I can trust that He hears me when I whisper in weakness or shout in boldness. That He loves me more than I can grasp and longs to be in fellowship with Him. That He will answer beyond what I can ask or imagine. And the simple reassurance that, yes, He will answer the requests and desires of my heart.
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Sep. 16, 2008 - Seed and Bread
This was on Anna's blog the other day. It really challenged my heart.
"i was reading on beth moore's blog (http://livingproofministries.blogspot.com/) a post entitled seed and bread, taken from isaiah 55:8-11. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."
this is what beth had to say about it:
Seeds: words we're planting and waiting on. Bread: words that have endured the test of time and the heat of the furnace and finally made it to our tables. Here's what occurred to me. At any given time, we have both: words from God we're still waiting on and words from God that have recently come to pass. Sometimes we're so focused on the seed that hasn't shown a harvest that we ignore the bread sitting right in front of us. We faint from sowing the seed because we're not eating the bread. Stop a minute. Consider what God has done. Marvel over how He's answered prayer and brought words to pass. Think about a crisis five years ago that doesn't even take up ink in your prayer journal anymore. Reflect on how many things God has taken from seed to bread in your life. Note it. Meditate on it. Don't drive through it. Dine on it. Slap some butter on that warm bread and savor a slow bite of it!
so many times i am waiting, longing, pleading, whining, begging God to change my situation, answer my prayer, just do something already! and i forget what he has done for me in the past. so right now, i am going to enjoy my bread..."
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Sep. 4, 2008 - Trials
I read this in an e-newsletter that I received earlier this week.
Romans 8:28 God works all things together for the good of those who love Him.
TRIALS
If Joseph had not been Egypt's prisoner, he never would have been Egypt's governor. The iron chain about his feet ushered in the gold chain around his neck.
The finest china in the world is burned at least three times, some of it more than three times. Dresdan china is always burned three times. Why does it go through that intense fire? Once ought to be enough; twice ought to be enough. No, three times are necessary to burn that china so that the gold and crimson are brought out more beautifully and then fastened there to stay. We are fashioned after the same principle in human life. Our trials are burned into us once, twice, thrice; and by God's grace these beautiful colors are there, and they are there to stay forever. -- Cortland Myers
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Aug. 19, 2008 - Yucky
Is the day over yet? Can I go to bed and not wake up until morning?
We're having a bad day here (disobedience, not listening, bad attitudes, etc). It seems the bad days are really bad and the good really good. Not too many in between.
What do you do on the bad days?
God says that this is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad. Today, I'm having a hard time rejoicing and being glad.
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