Results 1 - 3 of 3
|
|
|||||
Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Where are you now? | Ps 119:105 | Mommapbs | 103326 | ||
part 2 . . . As for re-engaging . . . I was asked to participate again (this is two years now) as a small group leader, and once again I was admonished not to prepare anything for the group. Well, the study was of a "book" about THE Book, and although I have found it to be excellent, it is NOT a substitute fore personal time IN God's Word - that is where HE will speak directly to you! So I have ignored the discouragement and have shared what God has placed on my heart to bring forth for these precious women. Just today, the passage that God impressed upon me was about the healing of the paralytic. In Mt 9:2 Jesus said, "Take courage, your sins have been forgiven" was so significant to me - for even if God allows a circumstance to remain in our lives HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT! During our prayer time, one of the women was burdened for her unbelieving cousin who is a QUADRAPLEGIC! And to top if off, the video portion of the "lesson" focused on the same healing (but the passage was from the Gospel of Luke!) The part of the message that stuck home with me was that the friends of the paralyzed man were persistent - they did not let a roof get in their way - they did not let discouragement keep them from their mission - through this I heard very clearly God "shouting" to me, "Don't give up!" - To which I wrote in response, "Thank you Lord!" Sidebar: I recalled that last week, I was meditating on Mt 3:3 "Prepare the way for the Lord, make His paths staight." Now, it is clear to me that I have put some pot holes and road blocks in His path! It has taken a while, but the Lord is indeed teaching and disciplining me! I am learning to be obedient to His Word, to change the way I THINK (this is the heart of repentence!)and act. At the conclusion of our discussion, one of the women asked if I was a teacher,(She had no idea what she was asking or the significance of her question!)to which I replied that teaching was one of my "gifts." After we were dismissed, another woman with whom I had worked in the past approached me and told me that God had given her a vision for a local group of women in the arts to form some sort of group and she wanted to include me! (And all this was AFTER I had briefly read your post to me exhorting me to RE-ENGAGE and be obedient!) The only part of your post that gives me a little angst is when you state that we should not spend so much time studying God's Word, but rather just obey it - well, meditating upon the Word is also obedience. My passion is for others to be so into God's Word that they desire to know Him and be able to discern what is His good and perfect will is and then yield themselves in obedience to it! Too many folks flock to this program and that trying to figure out what God wants it becomes their "to do" list - but the truth is that God wants us to just BE devoted to Him, yielded to His Spirit; allowing HIM to be at work in and through us. The elementary teachings of the faith - what it really means to BE, IN CHRIST - are so undertaught or emphasized. Yes, obedience is the key - and this is HOW we love God - we are to do what He says! 1 John 3:11. 16; 4:12,21; 5:1-4 and on and on! Thank you for your encouragement - you have been God's instrument of affirmation to me and I covet you prayers that I will walk IN OBEDIENCE with Him - as HE has prepared the Way for me! Blessings! mommapbs |
||||||
2 | Where are you now? | Ps 119:105 | Aixen7z4 | 103452 | ||
I am very happy to hear. It is good to hear that you are re-engaged and encouraged. The way is hard, but he told us so. The saints who have gone before us testify that it is so. But the Lord has a way of saying, “Go. Return“. I trust that you will have the sense of God’s presence and support, and that the human element will be there as well. It does seem that some of our brethren do have a “To Do” list that they are looking to fill. On the other hand there are those who are forever studying and do not have the time or the inclination to practice what they know. What we need, I think, is balance. A case could be made against studying the word of God at all, but we should not do that, I suppose, especially to one called to be a teacher. I believe we should search the word. We should meditate on the word. We should discover the Lord’s will in his word. If those equal study, then so be it. My point is that we should not go to the word of God for knowledge only. Deuteronomy 29:29 reminds us that God reveals his will to us so that we may do it. And yet, the Lord also reveals himself, ourselves, the future. I think it is all so we can live in the light of what we know. Knowing the Lord, we should fear him, love him, follow him, fellowship with him. Knowing ourselves, we should be humble, careful, teachable. Knowing the future, we should live in the light of eternity. Those who study only to show and to share what they know are not wise. I would suggest, even to a teacher, that the knowledge they pass on be relevant. There should be a purpose in searching the Scriptures, and that purpose should be to relate it to life. Indeed, the word will not make much sense or move us until we realize that they are spirit and they are life. It is my experience that most people shy away from the practical application. Legalism is charged and performance Christianity is feared. And yet the word of God should be the foundation for our every thought and action. Consider what I say; and may the Lord give you understanding in all things. |
||||||
3 | Where are you now? | Ps 119:105 | Mommapbs | 103461 | ||
Indeed I DO hear what you are saying, but more importnantly, you are the conformation of my experience with the Lord IN His Word. THIS is where at times I experience some resistance . . . as I read and study God's Word, it is not for historical accuracy or doctrinal support, but it is for relevance to life TODAY. I can't believe that so many folks miss the outpouring of God's desire to actively participate in our lives moment by moment. He IS my closest companion (interesting, I wrote "closet" first! - I suspect this is where He is relegated at times . . . ?). Thankfully, the Lord has brought "Jesus in skin" folks to minister to me. Perhaps the most profound incident of this was 10 years ago when our 13 year old son had cancer.(He went into complete and total remission from a stage 4 cancer in 4 months and is planning to be married next year praise God for His miraculous healing power!) I was devestated by the lack of support shown by our church and our "Christian" friends. Infact, I became angry and bitter toward my Pastor . . . BUT GOD had a BETTER IDEA! (This discipline taught me to forgive and to depend upon God!!) One day my doorbell rang and I found a woman standing there. She told me that she heard about our son from my mother (she attended my mom's church) and just wanted to make herself available to me, to walk with us during this "valley" experience. Now, this really blew me away for in my wildest dreamsn I could not imagine anyone wanting to enter into a situation where the loss of a child was a possibility. But there she was and through her obedience to God's direction, she has become one of my closet friends. a mentoring peer and a source of accountability for me. I thought I knew how God should and would provide, boy did He have the last laugh, and I am SO glad! Again, thanks for your encouragement! mommapbs |
||||||