2 Corinthians 9:10-13
"Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else."
This passage is set in the midst of an entire chapter on giving with a heart that pleases God. I have read through it many times, but today I was particularly drawn to verses 10-13 because they correlate with a deep work God has been doing in my own heart in recent years. Even more so in the past couple of months. So I decided to dig deeper, read commentary and thank God all the more for loving me enough not to leave me as the somewhat selfish woman I once was.
Reading these verses I am reminded that all I have and ever will have, comes from God. But as of late, He's taught me that not everything He gives to me is for me. My time is not my own. My talents are not for my own good or pleasure. And my resources are not only meant to meet my needs, but the needs of others. Sometimes I am called to be the means by which God passes provision along. I guess that makes me the middle-man, so to speak.
God gives regularly to meet my needs. Other times, He gives with an accompanying impression on my heart that I am to pass it on to someone in need. Being able and desiring to be obedient, be it a little gift or an extravagant one, now overwhelms my heart with blessing. Having been in great need and on the receiving end of generous giving was a humbling place to be. My own experience made me ever so grateful for God's goodness and renewed my faith in Him. God often uses His children to bless others, encourage them, renew their hope and give them a reason to thank Him.
I believe God blessed me with the gift of being desperate in order to show me personally what "liberal sharing" (as some versions call it) looks like, so that my heart would change at the deepest levels. Change to the point that out of my own gratitude I would learn to share liberally too. He has brought me to a place where my heart is filled to overflowing with more joy when shopping for someone in need than shopping for myself. I have always found it fun to shop for someone's birthday or to bless with a little gift just because, but this is different... this is indescribable joy in giving liberally to meet the need of another who is walking in a similar place of desperation, so that they too will be filled with gratitude to God and prayerfully have opportunity to one day do the same.
The Lord is teaching me to share so that no one He speaks to my heart about would be destitute. I can't solve the problems of the world. There is desperation everywhere. But I can walk in obedience to the one's God tells me to help so their faith is renewed, they know that God has not forgotten them and they will have reason to thank Him. Prayerfully this cycle I have been blessed to be a part of will produce a pay-it-forward kind of change. My life was changed because of the generosity of others when I was in need. Hopefully when God chooses to use me, the life of another will be changed in such a way that they too will be moved to do the same. God blesses so that we might be a blessing, in His name.
Thank You Lord for loving me enough to change me and use me as You see fit. I am ever so grateful... In Jesus' name, amen.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Friday, April 8, 2011
Need Meeter
Psalm 77:7-12
7 “Will the Lord reject forever?
Will he never show his favor again?
8 Has his unfailing love vanished forever?
Has his promise failed for all time?
9 Has God forgotten to be merciful?
Has he in anger withheld his compassion?”
Selah
Will he never show his favor again?
8 Has his unfailing love vanished forever?
Has his promise failed for all time?
9 Has God forgotten to be merciful?
Has he in anger withheld his compassion?”
Selah
10 Then I thought, “To this I will appeal:
the years of the right hand of the Most High.”
11 I will remember the deeds of the LORD;
yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
12 I will meditate on all your works
and consider all your mighty deeds.
the years of the right hand of the Most High.”
11 I will remember the deeds of the LORD;
yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
12 I will meditate on all your works
and consider all your mighty deeds.
Asaph laments to the Lord in verses 7-9 because he feels forgotten. He feels unseen, like the Lord and His love and favor have vanished. He wonders if God has forgotten to keep His promises because He is delaying with the answer. He even wonders if God is angry with him.
When I am in a storm or the pressures of life are weighing down on me, or when God delays in answering my prayers, I can so relate. Sometimes I have wondered if my grace card is all used up. The one I never deserved anyway.
Then at verse 10, David shifts his thinking. He decides to reflect on all the good things God has done for him in his lifetime. He remembers the miracles and surely thinks on the provision made for his needs. He decides at that point to take all those negative, questioning thoughts captive and chooses to meditate on God's goodness instead. He gets intentional about His thought life, and when he does his outlook changes.
The same holds true for me. When I shift my focus from the problem to the Problem Solver, my gray skies turn to blue and my spirit begins to soar again. Today, I choose to focus on God, my Need Meeter and all that He has done for me so faithfully.
Father God, our list of needs is long and seems to be getting longer by the day. My prayer request list in my journal is filling up! But You O God have not forgotten me. You have not turned a blind eye and deaf ear to me. You have listened to every work I've prayed and You will answer. Your Word says You know my needs before I even ask. Thank You for knowing me better than I know myself. For knowing my needs before I do. And for having a plan to meet them that is far better than anything I could dream up. I love You Lord Jesus, amen.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
The Gift
I wanted to share my notes on another analogy from the session I went to the other night...
How often I have prayed and said, "God, make me more like You."
All acts of God in my life are to be considered blessings. And if they are blessings, I cannot question the measure by which God chooses to bless in order to sanctify me and make me more like Him. Especially if I have asked Him to mold me and make me into His likeness.
The speaker recounted the way a gentleman put it after receiving the news that his wife had cancer for the third time... I look at it this way. God goes into His storeroom of blessings and very thoughtfully handpicks the gift or blessing that He deems His best for me or my wife because He loves us so much. He considers our background, experiences, personalities, and so on, and then chooses the gift that will best get us to the place He wants us to go, in order to be more like Him. Because there are so many factors, my gift may look far different than my wife's, my friend's, my neighbor's. I know that suffering is something we are invited to and that it's meant to purge us of sin and filth as a process of sanctification. When God chooses to try us in the fire it is to prove whether or not our faith is authentic. In all things, praise be to God!
Can you picture it? God going into a storeroom of blessings - I see beautifully wrapped gifts - choosing the ones that best suit me. The ones that through my suffering will bring Him the most glory and prove my faith authentic. Yes, I know there may be some tough days, but the point is for my faith to endure. I see that as pulling through those tough days eventually with a renewed sense of hope and strength and trust in the Lord. The ability to praise my Jesus in the storm...and thank Him for the gift.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Simple Obedience
I attended a Bible teaching session last night about the evidence of true conversion in a believer's life. I am reviewing my notes today, still taking some things in, and wanted to share one of many points that spoke to me...
The speaker referenced scriptures throughout the Bible that indicate how nature obeys God's every command instantly, and without question. Bodies of water were created and stopped exactly where the Lord told them to. Animals gathered themselves two by two and showed up at the ark just as God told them to. The lion shut his mouth when God told him to and Daniel's life was spared. The sun rises and sets every day as God tells it to. Lightning strikes exactly where God plans it to. In fact, an example was given from last week's storms: a tree outside this little church was struck and according to its bent, it should have fallen on the church, but God... But God told the lightning to split the tree in two and to fall into the street and block traffic instead of falling on His house, and it did just as the Lord told it to do! No questions. No complaining. Just simple obedience.
My favorite scenario was her description of the wind and the waves when Jesus was asleep in the boat with his disciples. The waves were kicking it up in the water, tossing and jumping and having a party, because that's what waves do in a storm. The speaker herself was jumping around and having a great time... until the Lord said, "Peace, be still". Then it was like she froze in a game of freeze dance, representing the waves. When the Lord commanded them, they immediately became still. No questions. No complaining. Just simple obedience.
Everything in nature obeys the Lord. Why should we not as humans? All of creation (except us humans) obeys Him immediately and without complaint or questioning His ability. Why should we? If only we obeyed Jesus like the waves... go when He says go, instead of continuing to pray in hopes He'll change His mind; stop when He says stop, instead of pressing on in sin; obey when He says "yes" and obey when He says "no", instead of procrastinating. We all do it from time to time. Hopefully less and less. I thank God for His amazing grace knowing that Jesus died for every rebellious act in my life. But I pray that as He makes me more and more into His likeness that I disobey less and less, and walk more often in immediate obedience like the wind and the waves. To delay, to procrastinate or to not follow through with the Lord's promptings essentially says, "God, I don't think You're able" or "I think I have a better way" instead of believing that He knows best and responding immediately. No questions. No complaining. Just simple obedience.
Think about it...
The speaker referenced scriptures throughout the Bible that indicate how nature obeys God's every command instantly, and without question. Bodies of water were created and stopped exactly where the Lord told them to. Animals gathered themselves two by two and showed up at the ark just as God told them to. The lion shut his mouth when God told him to and Daniel's life was spared. The sun rises and sets every day as God tells it to. Lightning strikes exactly where God plans it to. In fact, an example was given from last week's storms: a tree outside this little church was struck and according to its bent, it should have fallen on the church, but God... But God told the lightning to split the tree in two and to fall into the street and block traffic instead of falling on His house, and it did just as the Lord told it to do! No questions. No complaining. Just simple obedience.
My favorite scenario was her description of the wind and the waves when Jesus was asleep in the boat with his disciples. The waves were kicking it up in the water, tossing and jumping and having a party, because that's what waves do in a storm. The speaker herself was jumping around and having a great time... until the Lord said, "Peace, be still". Then it was like she froze in a game of freeze dance, representing the waves. When the Lord commanded them, they immediately became still. No questions. No complaining. Just simple obedience.
Everything in nature obeys the Lord. Why should we not as humans? All of creation (except us humans) obeys Him immediately and without complaint or questioning His ability. Why should we? If only we obeyed Jesus like the waves... go when He says go, instead of continuing to pray in hopes He'll change His mind; stop when He says stop, instead of pressing on in sin; obey when He says "yes" and obey when He says "no", instead of procrastinating. We all do it from time to time. Hopefully less and less. I thank God for His amazing grace knowing that Jesus died for every rebellious act in my life. But I pray that as He makes me more and more into His likeness that I disobey less and less, and walk more often in immediate obedience like the wind and the waves. To delay, to procrastinate or to not follow through with the Lord's promptings essentially says, "God, I don't think You're able" or "I think I have a better way" instead of believing that He knows best and responding immediately. No questions. No complaining. Just simple obedience.
Think about it...
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Priceless...
Time spent with dear friends in Tennessee...priceless! It's doing my heart a lot of good! Back With you next week.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
A Brighter Outlook
Lord Jesus, You've been impressing the word "cynical" on my spirit since yesterday. This, after revealing a picture of "revival" yesterday morning...
I agree that in one, often-times difficult, situation in my life I have become cynical, and that is so displeasing to You. As I have researched the meaning of this word I admit that I have been critical, fault-finding, at the end of my rope some days; disappointed, let down, indifferent and somewhat soured over the things I have seen and experienced.
Lord, I do not like myself this way. I do not want to be cynical any longer - it's making me miserable. I am asking You as my God, my Healer and my Deliverer, to deliver me from this place of oppression. Deliver me to a place of renewed hope, belief in the good will of others, optimism, trust and no doubt. Lord, I want to walk in confidence in You, encouraged and encouraging others, unquestioning. I am in need of a brighter outlook. (Note: The moment I penned that last sentence in my journal, the sun peeked through the window above our front doors and shone over my shoulder onto the notebook as I wrote. Thank You Jesus for the miraculous little things You do to confirm my prayers are heard!)
I know that You O Lord are in control of all things. You have granted me so much freedom and spiritual rest in my life. Do it again I pray. Grant me rest in this Lord Jesus. I want my words, actions and thought life to be pleasing to You, my Rock and my Redeemer. Thank You for revealing to me the error of my ways. Help me to walk with a right heart and spirit in You. Bring revival to my heart I pray, in Jesus' name. Amen.
I agree that in one, often-times difficult, situation in my life I have become cynical, and that is so displeasing to You. As I have researched the meaning of this word I admit that I have been critical, fault-finding, at the end of my rope some days; disappointed, let down, indifferent and somewhat soured over the things I have seen and experienced.
Lord, I do not like myself this way. I do not want to be cynical any longer - it's making me miserable. I am asking You as my God, my Healer and my Deliverer, to deliver me from this place of oppression. Deliver me to a place of renewed hope, belief in the good will of others, optimism, trust and no doubt. Lord, I want to walk in confidence in You, encouraged and encouraging others, unquestioning. I am in need of a brighter outlook. (Note: The moment I penned that last sentence in my journal, the sun peeked through the window above our front doors and shone over my shoulder onto the notebook as I wrote. Thank You Jesus for the miraculous little things You do to confirm my prayers are heard!)
I know that You O Lord are in control of all things. You have granted me so much freedom and spiritual rest in my life. Do it again I pray. Grant me rest in this Lord Jesus. I want my words, actions and thought life to be pleasing to You, my Rock and my Redeemer. Thank You for revealing to me the error of my ways. Help me to walk with a right heart and spirit in You. Bring revival to my heart I pray, in Jesus' name. Amen.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Revive Our Hearts O God
"Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways and sinners will turn back to You." Psalm 51:12-13
Read Psalm 51.
Psalm 51 is a psalm of repentance. A psalm that speaks of sinning believers, repentant hearts, forgiveness and cleansing. Upon cleansing from sin, the believer is set free, joy is restored and the heart is made ready to serve the Lord again. It is in learning from our mistakes, truly repenting and changing our ways, that we are able to turn back then and strengthen other believers. We are to teach them what God taught us through our sin, so that they too might realize the error of their ways and turn back to God and do the same.
As I read verses 12-13 again after reading over the psalm, the word "revival" kept resonating. This process - repenting, cleansing, turning back, teaching others, their repenting, their cleasing, their turning back, their teaching others, and so on - equates in my mind to revival. One heart turning back to God, which leads to another heart turning, and another, and another, and another, and another, and another, and another, and another, and another, and another, and another, and another...
Lord Jesus, oh how we need revival in the church. A movement of hearts getting right before You O Lord. Bring it Jesus. Bring revival. Let it begin with me... In Jesus' name, amen.
Read Psalm 51.
Psalm 51 is a psalm of repentance. A psalm that speaks of sinning believers, repentant hearts, forgiveness and cleansing. Upon cleansing from sin, the believer is set free, joy is restored and the heart is made ready to serve the Lord again. It is in learning from our mistakes, truly repenting and changing our ways, that we are able to turn back then and strengthen other believers. We are to teach them what God taught us through our sin, so that they too might realize the error of their ways and turn back to God and do the same.
As I read verses 12-13 again after reading over the psalm, the word "revival" kept resonating. This process - repenting, cleansing, turning back, teaching others, their repenting, their cleasing, their turning back, their teaching others, and so on - equates in my mind to revival. One heart turning back to God, which leads to another heart turning, and another, and another, and another, and another, and another, and another, and another, and another, and another, and another, and another...
Lord Jesus, oh how we need revival in the church. A movement of hearts getting right before You O Lord. Bring it Jesus. Bring revival. Let it begin with me... In Jesus' name, amen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)