|
|
Post by Cindy on Jan 1, 2016 13:21:12 GMT -5
I have a feeling that you guys are not going to like our next project, but I think that it's something I should have done a very long time ago. I just always assumed you'd each do it on your own. Now though, I have no excuse because you've told me numerous times that you don't do it. Therefore, because I love you and want the best for you, I want to set up a plan to hold us accountable for reading God's Word with Him every single day. It doesn't matter how much or how little you read; what matters is that you DO spend some time in His Word with Him every single day. It would be best for you to set up a schedule for yourself so that you're doing it at approximately the same time every day; or the same time on week days and a different time on weekends, but the point is that you have some kind of schedule that you follow so you can get into a routine. What I want you to do now then is to set up that schedule after asking the Lord to help you do so, tell me what your schedule is and then each day we will post what scriptures we've read with Him that day. OK, ready, set GO!
So, for example, we'd come here each day and say something like: Today I read Mark 16:1-5 and then we'd share whatever the Lord had shown us in our time with Him.
|
|
fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397 
|
Post by fearnot on Jan 1, 2016 18:48:00 GMT -5
I just read this post so I will come back later and tell you what I read and what the Lord showed me.
I am really glad you are doing this....it feels a little scary because I fear I might miss a day like I have in the past ( well even more that A day)
but I am also excited because I really want to get closer to Jesus and this is the main way ( and prayer) to do it ( prayer is easier, but this is what I really need!)
|
|
fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
|
Post by fearnot on Jan 1, 2016 22:40:06 GMT -5
So I thought I would start with Genesis 1-19.
Right off the bat, God pointed out to me that had I been reading daily I might have been able to provide my neighbor with a refutation to her belief that God and His Creation were one and the same.
Verse one makes it clear that God created the Heavens and the earth. He was already ( actually He has always been, there never was a time when He wasn't).
My neighbor's pantheism is not even logical nor is it true.
And even verse three God pointed out to me how He separated 'light' from 'darkness' is a 'principle' that applies to our relationships....
I should have never allowed myself to get entangled with my neighbor knowing she had 'new age' leanings because at the very least I now suffer sorrow on several levels.
The phrase 'separated' is repeated several times which seemed to me that the Lord was making a firm principle of the need for separation on many different levels ( things, people, types of entertainment etc. etc.)
I am not sure how long you want us to write so I will leave it at this for now until I have a better understanding of your expectation of us :-)
|
|
|
|
Post by Cindy on Jan 2, 2016 13:45:09 GMT -5
I just read this post so I will come back later and tell you what I read and what the Lord showed me.
I am really glad you are doing this....it feels a little scary because I fear I might miss a day like I have in the past ( well even more that A day)
but I am also excited because I really want to get closer to Jesus and this is the main way ( and prayer) to do it ( prayer is easier, but this is what I really need!) So I thought I would start with Genesis 1-19.
Right off the bat, God pointed out to me that had I been reading daily I might have been able to provide my neighbor with a refutation to her belief that God and His Creation were one and the same.
Verse one makes it clear that God created the Heavens and the earth. He was already ( actually He has always been, there never was a time when He wasn't).
My neighbor's pantheism is not even logical nor is it true.
And even verse three God pointed out to me how He separated 'light' from 'darkness' is a 'principle' that applies to our relationships....
I should have never allowed myself to get entangled with my neighbor knowing she had 'new age' leanings because at the very least I now suffer sorrow on several levels.
The phrase 'separated' is repeated several times which seemed to me that the Lord was making a firm principle of the need for separation on many different levels ( things, people, types of entertainment etc. etc.)
I am not sure how long you want us to write so I will leave it at this for now until I have a better understanding of your expectation of us :-)  |
|
fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
|
Post by fearnot on Jan 2, 2016 19:29:13 GMT -5
e
Thank you Cindy:
So today I read the verses concerning putting on the 'armor of God'
Ephesians 6:10-17
I think what is one of the most amazing things about God's word is you can never come to the end of its having meaning for our lives! I could read a passage over and over during a life time, and my situation may have changed and His Word ( in this case a certain passage of scripture, will be applicable even tho my life is totally different)!
So because of the situation with my ex-neighbor I immediately realized I had forgotten to put on my 'armor' before I went out to coffee with her:
11"..... so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil
I especially could have been protected and also more helpful to my neighbor had I
"take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one"
The weird thing is I had been upon rising every morning, begun to make it a habit ( for about 2 weeks) of saying good morning to Jesus and then just as I would put on material clothes for the day, I would put on my spiritual armor.
But a few days before our meeting, I had begun to slip out of the habit and on the day we met I for sure did not. I wonder if the meeting might had gone better had I done so?
Of course, an even bigger changer would have been if I had been reading and studying my Bible with the Lord every single day!
Well, I am so glad that better late ( very very late in my case) than never!
This is such a blessing Thank you so much Cindy!!!
|
|
|
|
Post by Cindy on Jan 3, 2016 12:30:43 GMT -5
Sounds good Barbara, and I'm glad you're enjoying it. Keep up the good work!
I started studying Luke today and enjoyed first learning about the author and the history behind the book. (taken from scripture mainly) I knew the book was written mainly for gentiles, but hadn't realized that he was a gentile himself. I just never really thought about it before, but now that I have, it's nice to know the Lord would include a gentile author for His Word. Some think that Luke may be the “brother” referred to in 2 Cor 8:18–19. I love God's Word, it's so interesting!
Eva, this is something you could easily do with us every day. Even if for some reason you couldn't come here one day, you could keep notes on what you read each day and then when you can come, just copy your notes here. Although I honestly don't see why you have a problem with coming here for only 5 minutes a day. It shouldn't take any longer than that, even with the language problem. So I hope you'll start joining us soon!
|
|
|
|
Post by evafromgreece on Jan 3, 2016 14:28:34 GMT -5
That's easier I think. But it might be better to start a new thread I believe, in order not to confuse other members that read the topic
|
|
|
|
Post by evafromgreece on Jan 3, 2016 15:14:33 GMT -5
Luke chapter 2
From the first verses we see that everything was done according to what the prophets said in OT about Jesus. So Jesus was born in Bethlehem in a manger, and He was humble, not like earthly kings who are full of pride. And the birth of Jesus filled also humble people happy, some shepherds praised the Lord for having the chance to meet the Son of God. Some angels told this humble people about this birth and they went to meet the Lord. This part of the Jewish nation acknowledged Jesus as the Son of God, just like Symeon who lived until the time he met Jesus, and prophet Anna also acknowledged the Lord. What amazes me is that it was so clear that Jesus was the Son of God and Jewish people still don't see it up to this day. At the last verses we see the difference of Jesus, from the other children. He wanted to do his Father will, and that was more important than to be closer to His earthly family.
|
|
fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
|
Post by fearnot on Jan 3, 2016 22:05:07 GMT -5
Today I read 2 Timothy 3:1-5
"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people."
My first thought was: that was me, and still is, often me to this day.
But God has worked on some of these sins, and for sure I take no delight when I find myself being a 'lover of myself or a lover of pleasure' etc..
Perhaps the thing that jumped out at me was Verse 5...."Have nothing to do with such people"
.
I asked God to help via His Holy Spirit to continue to work on overcoming these sins.
I can surely see that two people struggling with the same sins would not be good for one another, and if one has no interest in Jesus than it would not only not be a wise relationship for the struggling believer, it would be very detrimental.
|
|
|
|
Post by Cindy on Jan 4, 2016 10:56:41 GMT -5
Looks like you're both doing well. I studied Luke 1 for the last couple of days and really enjoyed it. I'm not feeling very well, so I'm going to go rest today.
|
|
|
|
Post by evafromgreece on Jan 4, 2016 15:55:08 GMT -5
Luke chapter 4
The verses 4:1-13 are similar to Matthew 6:33 "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." and we see how Jesus actually act like this, the way we should act also. He was fasting for 40 days, His human body was hungry and exhausted for sure! But He put God's will first and He continued walking the difficult way in order to fullfill His purpose. He denied food, He denied power and eartly possesions and He succesfully fullfilled 40 days in the desert.
Then, in the temple He read the words of Isaiah that were talking about Him and what He was doing on earth, and of course people got angry with Him, He wasnt accepted in His hometown. They wanted to kill Him, but it was too early for this , so He left. He continued curing people, end even possesed people, even demonos recognised His identity unlike Jewish people who were the chosen nation
|
|
fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
|
Post by fearnot on Jan 4, 2016 23:15:25 GMT -5
You know how I have bouts now and then of fear of death, however reading Romans 6:1-10 I discovered a few things about 'death' that was actually uplifting, first and utmost:
being 'dead' v.2 died to sin!!
Now that is something that is so wonderful, so freeing, so thrilling to be forever dead to sin!!!
But also being 'baptized into Jesus death. I always fear being 'alone' when I die ( I know this is not true, Jesus said he would never leave us nor forsake us, so I can trust that He will be with me when I die.
But vs. 4 & 8 seemed to indicate we in someway have died with Jesus, and that too is comforting.
Thirdly, v.9 says Jesus as we know was raised from the dead, and therefore he cannot die again, death no longer has mastery over Him. I believe the same principal will hold true for me.
|
|
|
|
Post by Cindy on Jan 5, 2016 11:16:18 GMT -5
Sorry I wasn't feeling up to saying much yesterday. I studied Luke 2:1-20 today. It amazes me how God's ways are so very unlike how we do things. Instead of His son being born in a hospital or in a nice home, with a midwife or doctor on hand, He was most likely born in a cave, with no one there but Mary or possibly Joseph, but as he's not mentioned, he was probably out looking for food or even for a midwife...we won't know till we get to heaven. Then, instead of letting the worlds most important people know of His birth which is who we'd do it,he only tells a very few shepherds, and shepherds were considered the lowest of all the people in Israel.In fact, they were considered "unclean" and they weren't even allowed to testify in court about anything! But God chose them to tell about the birth of His son. We would have sent out invitations with exact directions to our home, but God made them search for His Son. He only gave them enough hints so that if they tried, they'd find Him, but they still had to try. As new parents, we go on and on about our babies, but God says very little about His Son's birth. Most mothers too will tell the story of the birth of their baby to as many as will listen, but not the Lord. He only gives us two short sentences and simply says that He was born. (Luke 2:6–7) Truly, the Lord's ways aren't our ways, but I'm hoping and trying to make His ways my ways and to keep my eyes away from the worthless things of this world and on what's important for eternity. Luke chapter 4 The verses 4:1-13 are similar to Matthew 6:33 "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." and we see how Jesus actually act like this, the way we should act also. He was fasting for 40 days, His human body was hungry and exhausted for sure! But He put God's will first and He continued walking the difficult way in order to fullfill His purpose. He denied food, He denied power and eartly possesions and He succesfully fullfilled 40 days in the desert. Then, in the temple He read the words of Isaiah that were talking about Him and what He was doing on earth, and of course people got angry with Him, He wasnt accepted in His hometown. They wanted to kill Him, but it was too early for this , so He left. He continued curing people, end even possesed people, even demonos recognised His identity unlike Jewish people who were the chosen nation You know how I have bouts now and then of fear of death, however reading Romans 6:1-10 I discovered a few things about 'death' that was actually uplifting, first and utmost:
being 'dead' v.2 died to sin!!
Now that is something that is so wonderful, so freeing, so thrilling to be forever dead to sin!!!
But also being 'baptized into Jesus death. I always fear being 'alone' when I die ( I know this is not true, Jesus said he would never leave us nor forsake us, so I can trust that He will be with me when I die.
But vs. 4 & 8 seemed to indicate we in someway have died with Jesus, and that too is comforting.
Thirdly, v.9 says Jesus as we know was raised from the dead, and therefore he cannot die again, death no longer has mastery over Him. I believe the same principal will hold true for me.
“Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.” (Hebrews 2:14–15)
|
|
fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
|
Post by fearnot on Jan 5, 2016 23:32:32 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by Cindy on Jan 6, 2016 11:12:40 GMT -5
So true Barbara. God will guide you in His Word daily, as long as you ask Him to. I've shared before what I pray daily, basically I ask Him to guide me in His Word daily to what He wants me to learn and to help me apply it to my life; I also ask Him to show me any misconceptions I may have about Him or His Word and teach me the Truth from His word. That's a prayer He will always answer if we're faithful to Him and mean it. I'm afraid that I'm much sicker than I thought I was. Just got back from the doctor. I'm waiting now to see if Jennifer can pick up some meds for me. Please pray she can get them to me soon! I'm studying Luke 2:21-40 today. It's so amazing how God will use the righteous people. And amazing too that there were righteous people under the law, people who really loved the Lord and followed the law not out of duty but out of love for Him, who knew His Word (probably better then the rabbi's) and therefore knew the Lord.Zacharias, Elizabeth, Mary, and Joseph, Simeon and Anna, all were believers under the law. That just shows that God's law isn't flawed, mankind is, for there were obviously some who came to believe under it and who lived righteous lives. That doesn't mean they didn't sin, they did, as they're only human, but they, like we, repented when they sinned and turned away from it,not repeating it again.
|
|
|
|
Post by evafromgreece on Jan 6, 2016 14:32:50 GMT -5
Luke chapter 5
In 5:1-8 we first see how "warm" (I dont know what other word to use) to Jesus. Many people went to see Jesus preaching. And He met the first disciples. At these verses fish, are similar to people. Without the guidance and help of the Lord fishermen couldnt catch fish, and He planned to guide them later to "catch" people and spread the Word over the world. Jesus did some other miracles also to make them notice who He was. And He did the miracles to people who had faith in Him and His identity, He knew their heart. In 5:12 we see the faith of the leper and in 5:18-19 the faith of the handicapped person. On the other hand we see Jewish religion leaders be blind and unable to recognise the Saviour, because their hearts were not open 5:21-24 and 5:30
Later Jesus spent time with a tax collector and again the Pharises were against this. And in 5:31-32 Jesus notes His purpose as a Saviour and His role, and the role every believer and every church should have.
In 33-38 Jesus again explains to the religion leaders what they should have seen. There was not need for the desciples to fast as long as they had the Lord with them
|
|
|
|
Post by evafromgreece on Jan 6, 2016 14:33:43 GMT -5
Luke chapter 4 The verses 4:1-13 are similar to Matthew 6:33 "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." and we see how Jesus actually act like this, the way we should act also. He was fasting for 40 days, His human body was hungry and exhausted for sure! But He put God's will first and He continued walking the difficult way in order to fullfill His purpose. He denied food, He denied power and eartly possesions and He succesfully fullfilled 40 days in the desert. Then, in the temple He read the words of Isaiah that were talking about Him and what He was doing on earth, and of course people got angry with Him, He wasnt accepted in His hometown. They wanted to kill Him, but it was too early for this , so He left. He continued curing people, end even possesed people, even demonos recognised His identity unlike Jewish people who were the chosen nation
Thanks for reminding this also |
|
|
|
Post by Cindy on Jan 7, 2016 11:20:17 GMT -5
Very good Eva! I'm still in Mark, but am not up to posting anymore today, I'm sorry...
|
|
fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
|
Post by fearnot on Jan 7, 2016 18:36:40 GMT -5
I am sorry I missed posting yesterday.
Today I was reading I Thessalonians 5:12-22
I immediately thought of you Cindy reading verses 12 & 13
12 "acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you.
13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work"
I feel like I can never thank you enough for all your hard work in my behalf year after year!
v. 17 "pray continually" ( in the KJV) it says pray without ceasing....
which is a Biblical reason I cannot follow the so called medical psych's way of dealing with pain, thru a type of 'mindfulness',
which is really Zen disguised.
verses 21 & 211 segue for me saying:
21 ..."hold on to what is good",( that would be for me to pray continually)
22 reject every kind of evil. ( in my most recent bout with evil the psych's 'mindfulness')
My only question is do I need to actually have to even speak to him. I know I will not follow his plan tho.
|
|
|
|
Post by Cindy on Jan 8, 2016 13:07:28 GMT -5
No, you don't have to speak to him, but I explained that in my reply to you I think. That's a great passage and thank you for thinking of me. I don't feel like I work hard, but I guess it's because I love what I do and because I love who I do it for - you guys! I'm sorry you missed posting yesterday, but in the future, when you miss posting one day, when you do post again, just tell us what you read the day you missed as well as what you read that day too ok? You don't have to go into a lot of detail about the day you didn't post, but let us know what you read in the Word that day ok? That way, we know you only missed telling us about it and didn't miss spending time with the Lord in His word.
I began studying the genealogy in Luke 3 today. I want to share with you one part that really blows me away about it all. I promise I'll keep it short, but want to post something from our study on the gospels hoping to remind you of it:
This Gospel sets out to establish that Jesus is the Son of Man, so, unlike Matthew, it traces Jesus right back to Adam. This is baffling indeed, for Jesus’ human frame is traced back to His own hand, for it was He Who created Adam in the first instance (John 1:3–4)! He, therefore, alone of all men who have ever lived or who will ever live, had the full right to His own body, for He had made it. Only He could truly lay down His life, for only He had given Himself life. He, alone, is perfectly entitled to sacrifice His life on behalf of another. Marvelous is it not?
We have considered, albeit inadequately, the marvel of the incarnation of the Son of God. We have seen Scripture affirm that He always existed, that He is God, and that He is the Creator. We pondered the tight logic of this, for in creating the human race from which He sprang He became His Own Creator, and thus fully entitled to sacrifice His own life. We considered, albeit briefly, Jesus’ dual purpose in coming to this earth, to procure salvation for man, and to reveal the Father to man, both in His love and in His might. This theme will be interwoven into the gospel fabric, for it is part of their message that every human being must ultimately face God, either His love or His might, the former in salvation, the latter in judgment.
God has laid out for us in meticulous detail the mechanics by which He brought the seed mentioned in Gen 3:15 to fulfillment. This was a mystery hidden from the 77 generations separating Adam from Jesus Christ. Yet the central biblical genealogy, from Genesis to Luke, consistently traced the bearer of the Savior’s genes which God first implanted in Eve. Ponder this a while, for no man could have had the foresight 14 centuries earlier to start this record as Moses was inspired to do, & then continue it errorless through the intervening centuries by the hand of assorted prophets, seers, & scribes! Only God can do this!
He has revealed how all His OT covenants of the Messiah find fulfillment in Jesus Christ. But lest we should make the mistake of regarding Jesus merely as a man (which He truly was) God has forcefully reminded us of Jesus’ deity. The wonder of the incarnation has been drawn to our attention as has its miracle. I bow reverently, astonished at the care the Trinity lavished on the incarnation of the Son, and on their revelation to us, their creation. All this so that I could be saved! And then I rise in awe at the privilege and responsibility entrusted to all believers, to take this glorious news of a glorious Savior to a desperately needy world. Then my spirit surges in wonder that He should provide both ability and strength to do this. The Life of Christ
|
|
fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
|
Post by fearnot on Jan 9, 2016 1:44:01 GMT -5
Romans 3: 9-18
So often Christians are accused of 'being holier than thou'.....and yet that is so far from the truth.
v9 asks: ..."are we any better? Not at all!"
V 10 Says ( unless Jesus saves us and changes us)
that there is no one righteous, not even one!!
But it gets worse ( and although this has been true since the garden of Eden) it somehow seems to fit today's world perfectly
V 14 "their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness"
and more and more each day this is true on a global scale that seems even more wide spread than usual
v 15 "Their feet are swift to shed blood"
so many people claim they are of peace and love peace but scripture says:
v 17 "and the way of peace they do not know"
because
v 18 "there is no fear of God before their eyes"
|
|
|
|
Post by Cindy on Jan 9, 2016 10:16:38 GMT -5
Good one Barbara. Did you see what I wrote to you yesterday - the first paragraph? I studied the temptation of Christ Luke 4:1–13 today. Jesus fought so hard for us right from the beginning! I'm amazed at all He did for us, and humbled by it.
|
|
fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
|
Post by fearnot on Jan 9, 2016 23:13:45 GMT -5
yes Cindy I did read it, thank you so much! I loved it!!!
About 20 or 30 years ago, I for several years in a row, would read Proverbs every month...One each day, which worked out since there are 30.
So today I thought I would look at Proverb 9 ( since today is the 9th).
And it turns out to be all about wisdom, something I never have enough of, as I manage to get into more messes and troubles....no sooner am I out of one than I am smack dab into another....so this is timely for me!!
Thank you Lord.
v. 4 says: "To those who have no sense she says,
v. 5 Come"
Well that would be for me!
Did you not just say to me that:
No.... I did not need to explain why I can't be a part of his pain program etc. to the psych?
Soooo what do I read?
v.7 "Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults;
whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse.
8 Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you;
rebuke the wise and they will love you.
9 Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still;
teach the righteous and they will add to their learning."
Like I say, very timely wisdom and clearly you are versed a 'tad' LOL more in wisdom than I.
I know v.10 is one of your favorites and now I shall make it one of mine
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
|
|
|
|
Post by Cindy on Jan 10, 2016 11:30:11 GMT -5
LOL perfect! It's funny too because I was going to include those very verses for you! I studied more in Luke 4 today. I wrote about what I got from it, or some of it anyway in Jesus and Church
|
|
fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
|
Post by fearnot on Jan 11, 2016 0:15:30 GMT -5
I used to read a proverb each day, and I would also read 5 psalms ( 150 divided by 30)
Well, I didn't read 5 psalms today, but I did read psalm 10 as today is the 10th.
If I am reading too much into my studying let me know, but it really seems as if God is talking to me in my present life and situations.
I had not planned ahead of time to read ps. 10 and I certainly did not remember ahead of time what it said ( when I read some of these ...then...I am like: Oh yes I remember that NOW....)
Anyway, v. 2 says:
"In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak,
who are caught in the schemes he devises"
Sadly, it seems v. 4 fits also:
"In his pride the wicked man does not seek him;
in all his thoughts there is no room for God."
I was feeling a bit like v. 9 &10
"He lies in wait to catch the helpless;
he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net.
10 His victims are crushed, they collapse;
That just seems so much like my present situation!!
So instead I said:
v. 12
"Arise, Lord! Lift up your hand, O God.
Do not forget the helpless."
v.14 & 15
"But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted;
you consider their grief and take it in hand.
The victims commit themselves to you;
you are the helper of the fatherless."
|
|
|
|
Post by Cindy on Jan 11, 2016 12:18:49 GMT -5
I used to read a proverb each day, and I would also read 5 psalms ( 150 divided by 30)
Well, I didn't read 5 psalms today, but I did read psalm 10 as today is the 10th.
If I am reading too much into my studying let me know, but it really seems as if God is talking to me in my present life and situations.
I had not planned ahead of time to read ps. 10 and I certainly did not remember ahead of time what it said ( when I read some of these ...then...I am like: Oh yes I remember that NOW....)
Anyway, v. 2 says:
"In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak,
who are caught in the schemes he devises"
Sadly, it seems v. 4 fits also:
"In his pride the wicked man does not seek him;
in all his thoughts there is no room for God."
I was feeling a bit like v. 9 &10
"He lies in wait to catch the helpless;
he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net.
10 His victims are crushed, they collapse;
That just seems so much like my present situation!!
So instead I said:
v. 12
"Arise, Lord! Lift up your hand, O God.
Do not forget the helpless."
v.14 & 15
"But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted;
you consider their grief and take it in hand.
The victims commit themselves to you;
you are the helper of the fatherless."
I see what you mean about those verses, but hon, we are ALL helpless. Those verses refer to each one of us every single day. The times we look at a situation and think, "Oh, I can handle this!", that's when we've got BIG problems, because we can't. Whenever we handle anything, no matter how small, by ourselves, we will get into trouble. It may seem like we did just fine at first, but sooner or later, it will always fall apart on us. You do well at realizing that you can't handle things on your own, but I'm concerned that you may take that too far and not trust that the Lord not only can handle it, but will handle it through you if you ask Him to.
The thing that gets us in trouble a lot of times, is that when the Lord handles things through us, we don't see it, because it often looks like what we'd do in our own strength. But God works through us using our own talents, abilities, and disabilities. In other words, He didn't take the stutter away from Moses, He used it. When He wrote His Word through all the various authors, He used their style of writing, their language, their individual styles of speaking/writing and story telling, to get it done. He didn't make them all write the same way in the same language etc. So to them, it wouldn't have appeared any different to a letter they wrote their mom or something like that,
See what I mean?
The other reason we often don't realize that the Lord has indeed worked through us, is because we see what to us looks like "mistakes" or we think that the situation didn't turn out the way we think it would have if the Lord was doing it. For example, if we knew a loved one was in danger, and someone was going to hurt them, but they didn't realize it, we'd expect the Lord to convince them in plenty of time to get away from whatever that danger was, right? But look at how God worked with Joseph when the guys wife accused him of trying to rape her. Now, if we were in that room, and had asked God to work through us in this situation to help Joseph, or, if we were Joseph, we'd have been very upset and sure that we'd blown it when the guy didn't believe us and put him in prison anyway, right? But God's plan for Joseph included that stay in prison. It was in that prison that God was able to work on Joseph, and clean away all his pride and selfishness, teach him to rely solely on Him, and make him ready to be the head of all of Egypt.
To us, most of the time, we tend to think that if the Lord is doing things through us, that everything will work out perfectly so that there will be no trials, no stress, no complications, no pain, or sorrow etc. So when we see anything like those things, we assume it's a bad thing, that it's outside the Lord's plan, and that we or someone anyway, messed up. But that's obviously not true, when we study His Word. For a NT example, look at all that Paul went through! This goes for us as well as our loved ones.
We have to realize that God is totally in control of every single thing that happens, good or "bad", and accept it, submit to it, and continue to do our part by staying in His Word so we can learn and know His Truth which sets us free. For you, in your current situation, it means that God already knows what's going to happen, and He knows exactly how each person is going to feel and how they will react. He has a plan for you, not to make you rich and happy in this life right now, but to make you like Jesus so you can sit on a throne and rule this whole world with Him one day. (2 Corinthians 3:18; Revelation 1:6; 1 Peter 2:5; 1 Peter 2:9; Revelation 3:21 etc) I've begun to think that the big thing that tends to get us all in trouble and cause us to misunderstand so much is that we hang onto this life thinking it's so important and thinking that "God's plan is to make us happy in this life here and now". After all, that's generally the reason we'll quote Jeremiah 29:11 to people when they're going through something hard. And that's not at all what that scripture is saying, not when it's read in context anyway! See Did God Promise You Prosperity? I don't mean to imply that God doesn't want us to be happy, but when we really think about it, most of us don't really even understand what brings true happiness in this life, and that's one of the things the Lord is teaching all of us. We think it's all about ourselves, but in reality, it's all about God. Whenever I think about this, it always reminds me of the story of the guy that starts cursing David and David's guard wants to kill him for it, but David reminds him, that he's being cursed because God told the guy to curse him, so he should be left alone. It reminds me too of that quote I've always loved, that "The challenge is to change from living life as a painful test to prove you deserve to be loved, to living it as an unceasing "yes!" to the Truth of your belovedness. So the life that we are being prepared for is our eternal life, which has really already started. But it's started in this broken world to teach us, so we'll be ready to handle pure love and joy without any of the bad junk, for eternity.
Sorry, got carried away as usual, but this is something that's hard for me to explain, so I just keep trying lol, although I know you're already aware of it. But I keep trying so that I'll be better able to explain it to those who really don't understand it.
|
|
|
|
Post by evafromgreece on Jan 11, 2016 17:28:30 GMT -5
I read Luke ch 5-6
Luke 6:20-49 I believe we should often focus on this. Are we the way He wants us to be?
Do we love our enemies, or we love only the ones who loves us and the ones who likes us, and the ones who always agree with us.
To be honest, I am not sure. I found my self sometimes praying that God helps people that have hurt me or harmed me in some ways, but do I really love them?
I am not sure. Do I hear what God says, or what my emotions say, for example , anger, bitterness etc (all sins)...
I will write more. I have my mind on this till yesterday
|
|
|
|
Post by Cindy on Jan 12, 2016 13:05:20 GMT -5
Good Eva! But neither of you have done what I asked concerning the days you don't post here. Since I want to make sure Barbara also sees this, let me post both names to get everyone's attention:
Barbara and Eva:
The whole point of this is to hold each other accountable for spending time with the Lord in His Word daily. Therefore, when you've missed one or more days posting here, I need you to include what you read on the days you didn't post here as well as what you read today. Also, being sick, I forgot to remind you both again to tell me what you decided on for your schedule.
Let me quote what I said originally about this again. Part of the problem is because I posted the directions in two different posts and another problem was me being sick so I didn't remember to remind you guys of what we needed to do. Plus, I also forgot to tell you what my schedule is, mostly because I think you both already know it LOL, but still, that's no excuse. I'll do that at the end of this post. Here's the first part of the directions:
Although I was replying to Eva in my next post, it was actually for any of us when we missed a day, so here's the second part of the directions:
OK, here's my schedule: My time with the Lord is the same every day. I spend time with Him as soon as I wake up every day.
Today I studied the rest of Luke 5. I started with verse 17 where Jesus healed the man who was paralyzed after his friends let him down through the roof of the house he was at. I love that story and think that his friends show us how we're supposed to minister to others. We're supposed to care so much about them that we won't give up when things get hard, but will keep trying to help them no matter what. It also shows that they had a great deal of faith too because otherwise they wouldn't have bothered to go to all that trouble to get Jesus to see their friend. Again, that's the kind of faith we're to have too.
The next part was when Jesus called Matthew (Levi) to be His disciple. That part is always thrilling to me too. It's also has one of the scriptures some people will use to "prove" that it's ok to go to bars and clubs, because they'll say Jesus ate with these sinners. But in every single instance where Jesus did this, it was for the sole purpose of teaching and revealing Himself to them. He did not go to party, and did not join them in any kind of sinful activity. He went to tell them the good news. Nor did He continually go back to "keep giving them another chance" either, like people do today. He told them clearly what the good news was the first time and left. After that, it was up to them to come to Him wherever He was preaching. So people who use this as a way to spend time with unsaved sinners, are only fooling themselves.
|
|
|
|
Post by evafromgreece on Jan 12, 2016 17:06:00 GMT -5
I am on Luke 8:4-15
|
|
fearnot
Living With Pain
Posts: 8,397
|
Post by fearnot on Jan 12, 2016 20:55:29 GMT -5
Thank you Cindy, I did know some of what you posted but what was really interesting was if we had been with Joseph and had prayed for him and yet God had Joseph put in prison. I pretty much understood that God was sort of putting Joseph is another 'school/lessons'.
But what intrigued me was your saying how would we feel having prayed and seemingly 'failed'.
But my question would be what exactly did our pray accomplish?
t occurred to me that perhaps we could say God kept Joseph safe ( he wasn't killed...tho even if he had been killed, God could have used it for His glory, like the little girl that died but Jesus raised he from the dead or like Lazarus who also died. )
I missed posting yesterday so I will post two today. I had to get up at 3:30 last night to watch the grandchildren.
Hossanah's crazy work schedule makes it hard for me to have a disciplined time for Bible study....whereas grandchildren sitting started at 3:30 last night...
the next day is 1:30 in the afternoon,
then she works 10am -6pm
, then 6am to 10am
then 5am to 1 am
and so on and on.
|
|
!!
