Friday, November 20, 2009

I will Love thee, O LORD, my strength. Ps. 18:1

I just recently heard this little saying. “There is strength in numbers” now I have heard this before, and in someways I suppose that it is true, there are strength in numbers, but when I heard it this time, it made me think back to a study I had been doing that I never got to finish. I went back and began to look through some notes I had wrote down, and as I read through it all a new thought came to mind, instead of “There is strength in numbers” how about “There is strength in one”


What began this search originally were some verses that I had read one morning. I will love thee, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. Psalm 18: 1-3


In these verses it mentions 2 times that God is our strength, I was always taught when you are reading God’s Word and He says something more than once then it is something He really wants you to know! I began to think about how He is our strength, how He is always there for us if we will just come to Him. We know that He knows our needs without us even telling Him, but that is His desire, that we would come to Him.


I started thinking about how this is easier said than done sometimes, to tell Him all of our needs and to trust Him, leaving it in His hands, and knowing that He is our strength and that He will take care of us, and then I began to think, “Well, why is it easier said than done?” the answer I found was not completely what I wanted to hear, but it is true!


So why is it so hard? because we have our own will, we wake up every morning with a fresh start, but we are given a choice, to serve God or live for self, to choose right or wrong, to back down or stand for what we believe. Even Paul said “I die daily”


In our own strength we are nothing, we cannot be what God wants us to be if we try to make it on our own. I have tried this, and I failed miserably. I still fail everyday because I am human, but I desire to do right, I desire to be what God wants me to be, I desire to be like Him just as much as I can be, but if we were just like Him then we would not need Him.


If we did not need Him then He would not have said, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness...2 Corinthians 12:9. If we did not need Him~we would never know the peace that He can give, If we did not need Him~we would not know of His saving power, If we did not need Him~we would not know the unspeakable joy that He gives with an answered prayer, If we did not need Him~we would not know how He can hold us by His grace, If we did not need Him~we would not know the love that He gave when He died to set us free, If we did not need Him~we would not see the miracles that He can do, If we did not need Him~then we would be perfect, and we would not know the true beat of His heart, If we did not need Him~then I would not have found 55 places in the Bible that talk about His strength, I am sure that there are others than that, that is just what I found. After finding all these places I though again about how if it is said more than once then He really wants us to know it!


So my question for you today is this...Do you know Him? Do you know of His Saving Power, His Love, His forgiveness, and HIS strength? If you don’t~I pray that you will find Him!


I am so thankful for His love and grace on my life, and with each passing day may I constantly be reminded that HE is my strength!


I WILL LOVE THEE, O LORD, MY STRENGTH. PSALM 18:1

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

What Do We Do When The Pressure Is On?

For the past 2 Sunday's Jonathan has been teaching in S.S. about peer pressure. Most of the time when we think of that we think of teens getting involved in the wrong crowd and letting their peers dictate who they are because they just want to fit in, but everyone faces pressure, from a child to a grown adult. Although a child will not face it in the same way, it is still there. We need to adopt some new ways of thinking when it comes to this topic.

Jonathan has been talking about all of this and I have enjoyed it so much...
The Bible talks about 3 young men who faced some GREAT pressure. In Daniel chapter 3, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego were faced with some big decisions..they could have easily fell down and just worshipped the image to save their own necks, but no, they told the king inverse 16, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. It was a big deal, but it was not even something they had to think about because they knew what they stood for and it was not negotiable. We need to have things in our lives that are not negotiable, Set some standards for what we believe, and not back down on them no matter what.

In the next 2 verses these men told the king~ hey look you may think that your all big and bad, But our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. We cannot fear the pressure that we are faced with because if we stand against the fight God promised to make a way of escape. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 1 Corinthians 10:13. I know this is easier said than done sometimes...I have fought this battle myself because when we see all that is around us we sometimes get scared and give in.

Another perfect example is the story of Peter walking on the water to Jesus. Matthew 14:28-31 Peter started off right...he had faith that God was there and would keep Him, but then he took his eyes off of Jesus and saw all that was around him and he began to sink. I am so thankful to know that God is there to catch us when we fall, but I hope I can learn how to see through clouds of despair and the heat of the battle andKNOW that God is right there. I am thankful to know that we as Christians can have a face in the wind and stand against the pressures we face because we have someone so much great by our side.

Monday, November 9, 2009

Glimmers Of Hope Found In The Dark (Part 2)

Finding

Answers

Inspired

Through

Heaven


I promised I would share why this meant so much to me..


At first I was not sure why He gave me this little thought although I did find it encouraging I was just not sure why, but then when we got home from Church saturday night, Jonathan commented on how bright the sky was and how beautiful the stars were, when I looked up to see, the beauty seemed to almost take my breathe way, I wish I could have gotta a good picture of what it looked like, but anyway, I stood for just a moment and looked at the beauty before me, as I looked I was reminded of the devotion that Jonathan did a while back. He talked about these two verses.


Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? Isaiah 40:12


And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. Genesis 1:16


As he talked about these verses he said how that God made the Heaven in the span of His hand but also in this verse in Genesis it says that He made the stars also. Jonathan said how that it seemed like it was almost an after-thought. Almost like God was saying here "I'll put these out there too, just cause I can!" He was talking about how big God is and how He can do all this but still He cares about you and me and our needs.


My mind went back to this thought about faith that He had given me earlier in the day and it was as if He was saying "See, if you look with more than just your eyes you will see what I want you to."and I can help you find answers for what you seek and help your faith grow in something as beautiful as these stars you see.


It was then that I really realized why He gave me this thought, and how sometimes He DOES work in ways we CAN see.


Seeing those stars reminded me of these verses and how big God is and How much He does love me and cares for my needs, and once again my F.A.I.T.H did grow!


I know these thoughts are some-what scattered but it is what He gave me and I wanted to share it. I do hope it might encourage you as it did me!



Saturday, November 7, 2009

Small Glimmers Of Hope Found In The Dark

Why do you think it is that God lets such trials come into our lives? This is a thought that has been on my mind quite a lot lately. I know that He sometimes brings these times to us for many different reasons. Maybe to help our faith grow stronger, maybe to draw us closer to Him, maybe so that He can get all the glory with our lives and that somehow others might believe through our struggles, but as I look around and I see those that I love so much and they are struggling so much it makes me want to ask God "Why?" why must they face such hurt? It makes me hurt for them because they are my friends and I care and I love them.

Earlier today I was thinking about my own faith, and how I may not know all the plans He has and I can't always see how He is working, but I still know He is. I was thinking about how I want my faith to increase so that through it I can be closer to the Lord and walk with Him more. As I kept thinking on these things God gave me this little thought about F.A.I.T.H

Finding
Answers
Inspired
Through
Heaven

I certainly do not know all the answers, but I do know that He works in ways we cannot see, and sometimes He works in ways we can. This little thought meant so much to me and I will share why next week.

Monday, November 2, 2009

Our Journey, Our Wait, Our Desire, Our Hope

Today when I woke up I was faced with what seemed to be just a normal day and I began the usual tasks of the morning, which usually consist of getting Jonathan's lunch and clothes together for the day and then seeing him off to work with a hug and a kiss and my wish for his day to go well!


As the morning continued I was doing my usual chores and it seemed like all of a sudden the Devil started working hard and well at making me discouraged, but while it seemed like I was fighting with him, God began to work in my heart and I began praying and asking for His help and comfort. Sounds all spiritual right? Well, I can promise you that I am not at all what I should be but I knew that through His Word I would find strength for the day at hand. As I opened the cover of my Bible I read this verse. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever. Psalm 73:26 as I read this verse it seemed like God spoke so softly and said "Let me be your strength, I can, if you will let me." I said ok through tears and a broken heart, but still...in my attempts to find peace and guidance I did a search on Waiting on God.


I found this poem and a video(the link to the video is at the very bottom of the page under the poem) and it touched my heart so much because it seemed to fit perfectly for the day and the battle that we have been fighting, it is our desire to have a child of our own, and it is a journey that we are walking with the Lord. We are waiting and trusting in His timing for this precious gift.


I know that there are MANY other couples out there that have faced infertility and I even know a few who are now. Some have gained victory and some continue to wait... it keeps me reminded that we are not the only ones facing this battle, but at the same time this waiting process is really unlike anything I have ever experienced in my life, and until the day it is resolved the longing and desire will stay. Sometimes I find myself almost pretending or wishing it away just to find some relief but deep down inside it remains.


The dream to have a sweet little one fill my arms is a desire that is buried deep inside me. It is a longing that I cannot hide. Ever since I was just a little girl I knew when I grew up that I wanted to be a Wife and a Mommy. The same dream remains now that I am grown, I want nothing more than to serve God and have a home that is for HIS glory! To be a great wife for the wonderful husband that God has given me, and I have so much of a longing to hold a child of our own.


I have spent days on my face begging God for His grace, I have fought sleepless nights searching for His wisdom and comfort but still...we wait...I have questioned many times "God, do you still care? have you forgotten us?" I do know deep down inside that He DOES care, but I will admit that sometimes I get so tired of fighting this grueling pain that does not go away, I have cried bitter tears and begged God "Why?" but His answer is still seems to be the same~ just wait.


We will have been married for 5 years on April 16, 2010. We have been trying almost the entire time we have been married to have a baby, and yes, I know that does not seem like that long. But during this time of waiting we have cried what seems like a million tears, held each other close and prayed for God's wisdom and guidance, but through His mercy and grace we have also grown closer to Him and closer together, we have laughed a lot, and God has been so good and gracious to us. We have many special moments that will be with us forever, and I know that each day we make new memories that will continue to last a lifetime that we will spend together.


It is still the desire of our hearts to have a home that is for His glory and children to that we can teach and raise for Him.


Please pray for us that we will continue to grow in our faith as we walk this journey.


The poem I found~



Wait

by Russell Kelfer

****************

Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried;

Quietly, patiently, lovingly, God replied.

I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate . . .

And the Master so gently said, "Wait."

"Wait? you say wait?" my indignant reply.

"Lord, I need answers, I need to know why!

Is your hand shortened? Or have you not heard?

By faith I have asked, and I'm claiming your Word.

"My future and all to which I relate

Hangs in the balance, and you tell me to wait?

I'm needing a 'yes', a go-ahead sign,

Or even a 'no' to which I can resign.

"You promised, dear Lord, that if we believe,

We need but to ask, and we shall receive.

And Lord I've been asking, and this is my cry:

I'm weary of asking! I need a reply."

Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate,

As my Master replied again, "Wait."

So I slumped in my chair, defeated and taut,

And grumbled to God, "So, I'm waiting for what?"

He seemed then to kneel, and His eyes met with mine . . .

and He tenderly said, "I could give you a sign.

I could shake the heavens and darken the sun.

I could raise the dead and cause mountains to run.

"I could give all you seek and pleased you would be.

You'd have what you want, but you wouldn't know Me.

You'd not know the depth of my love for each saint.

You'd not know the power that I give to the faint.

"You'd not learn to see through clouds of despair;

You'd not learn to trust just by knowing I'm there.

You'd not know the joy of resting in Me

When darkness and silence are all you can see.

"You'd never experience the fullness of love

When the peace of My spirit descends like a dove.

You would know that I give, and I save, for a start,

But you'd not know the depth of the beat of My heart.

"The glow of my comfort late into the night,

The faith that I give when you walk without sight.

The depth that's beyond getting just what you ask

From an infinite God who makes what you have last.

"You'd never know, should your pain quickly flee,

What it means that My grace is sufficient for thee.

Yes, your dearest dreams overnight would come true,

But, oh, the loss, if you missed what I'm doing in you.

"So, be silent, my child, and in time you will see

That the greatest of gifts is to truly know me.

And though oft My answers seem terribly late,

My most precious answer of all is still . . . Wait."

I want to say a comment about this video that is at the link above, It is not something that I put together or anything, it is something that I found that comes about the closest I can explain to what we have been going through. It talks about all the years that have gone by, and no, we have not been waiting for many, many years but, I would consider almost 5yrs to be a waiting time that to us seems long. Maybe its seems selfish or wrong of me to think this way when there are so many others who have waited longer, but as I said above it is a longing that I cannot hide. I pray that as we wait God will give us the grace to wait well and ...run with patience the race that is set before us. Hebrews 12:1