Therefore I am going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her. There I will give her back her vineyards and will make the Valley of Anchor a door of hope." Hosea 2:14-15.
There is something very personal and tender about the thought of descending into the valley with Christ by our side. It is a private and unique place that God will whisper and unveil truths for our lives. If we try to avoid or busy ourselves during our pain and suffering we may miss the blessings that we can only obtain through our Valley of Anchor (trouble). Whatever we may lose through our valley Christ promises to restore if we trust Him. I wrote an end note to a writing project I did addressing adversity personally in which I will end:
Dear Adversity,
My letter to you is brief. I am sure this visit was much different for you than your prior visit. Whatever you depleted God replenished; whatever you stole God replaced; whatever you destroyed God rebuilt; whatever you killed God resurrected.
You hold no power over me!
Eternally and peacefully His,
Brenda
Friday, January 9, 2009
Sunday, December 7, 2008
God's Right Hand
"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10.
Many verses throughout the Bible speaks of God ruling, upholding and delivering us through His right hand. It dawned on me that stated in the Apostle's Creed is that Jesus ascended into Heaven and sits on the right side of His Father, God. It is through the life of Christ in the New Testament that fulfilled this promise in the Old Testament of God's right hand. Through our righteous Christ we can be strengthened and carried through the most fearful circumstance we face. As 2 Timothy 1:7 states, "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." This power carries the name of Jesus Christ.
Many verses throughout the Bible speaks of God ruling, upholding and delivering us through His right hand. It dawned on me that stated in the Apostle's Creed is that Jesus ascended into Heaven and sits on the right side of His Father, God. It is through the life of Christ in the New Testament that fulfilled this promise in the Old Testament of God's right hand. Through our righteous Christ we can be strengthened and carried through the most fearful circumstance we face. As 2 Timothy 1:7 states, "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." This power carries the name of Jesus Christ.
Monday, November 24, 2008
God is Always on the Clock!
I am always amused by God's timing and how He turns evil to good. In studying the Book of Esther this morning it seems that the edict commanding the leaders of every province to destroy the Jews came out on the 14th day of the first month of the year - the LORD'S passover. It was customary for the Jewish families to recount the story of the exodus with all of the family at the dinner table. They would tell the story in great detail according to Scripture how God had delivered them out of the hands of the Egyptian Pharoah.
Centuries later, as the Jews received the word that Haman, the Persian 2nd in command had orchestrated an order for murder on all Jews they were recounting as tradition how our powerful God had delivered them. What perfect timing for God's chosen people to receive that threat - as they are proclaiming God's faithfulness!
We, too, are to recount past victories that God has brought us through. As we go into the holidays I am recounting past miracles God has performed in our family to hold on to the hope of future miracles for Daddy and Beth.
"Sometimes God uses the winds of a new threat to blow the dust off a past miracle that has moved from our active file into the archives. He who delivered you from a Pharoah can deliver you from any Haman." Beth Moore.
Lift your thankfulness to God for both the seen and unseen miracles He performs in all of our lives.
Centuries later, as the Jews received the word that Haman, the Persian 2nd in command had orchestrated an order for murder on all Jews they were recounting as tradition how our powerful God had delivered them. What perfect timing for God's chosen people to receive that threat - as they are proclaiming God's faithfulness!
We, too, are to recount past victories that God has brought us through. As we go into the holidays I am recounting past miracles God has performed in our family to hold on to the hope of future miracles for Daddy and Beth.
"Sometimes God uses the winds of a new threat to blow the dust off a past miracle that has moved from our active file into the archives. He who delivered you from a Pharoah can deliver you from any Haman." Beth Moore.
Lift your thankfulness to God for both the seen and unseen miracles He performs in all of our lives.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Hidden in Christ
"Set your minds on the things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God." Col. 3:2
With the approaching holidays it is tempting for women especially to focus on the little details which snowball into huge mountains. When we view the holidays through a stress filled lens we miss out on the big picture. Our lens fill up with anxieties of "what if's" and "how to's" instead of "thank you's" and "love you's".
Much is the same when we focus on ourselves instead of Christ. We are to be "hidden" in Christ meaning when others look at us our lives are to reflect the image of Christ - not ourselves. When we are hidden in Christ we do not cast our own shadow but the shadow of Christ.
Stay focused on the spiritual things when going through the holidays.
With the approaching holidays it is tempting for women especially to focus on the little details which snowball into huge mountains. When we view the holidays through a stress filled lens we miss out on the big picture. Our lens fill up with anxieties of "what if's" and "how to's" instead of "thank you's" and "love you's".
Much is the same when we focus on ourselves instead of Christ. We are to be "hidden" in Christ meaning when others look at us our lives are to reflect the image of Christ - not ourselves. When we are hidden in Christ we do not cast our own shadow but the shadow of Christ.
Stay focused on the spiritual things when going through the holidays.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Working it Out
"--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his own purpose." Phil 2:12b-13.
Our salvation was realized and secured on the cross a couple thousand years ago. Although we have eternal life promised to us we must still work on our salvation out of respect to and for God so that we may hear, see and discern His purpose, His will and His agenda.
When our circumstances don't match our will and we are suffering as a result of our valleys it is crucial to trust God totally and completely for whatever resolution we may face. We must not try to calculate or manipulate the workings of God and must simply kneel, meditate and "know" that He is in charge of every detail of our life which will always be based in love.
Please continue to pray for Beth, Paul and Sydney as they battle her cancer and pray for each to discern what the Holy Spirit is revealing to them as they work out their salvation.
Father, through the Holy Spirit reveal to each of us the manner in which our salvation will be worked out aligning our lives with your spirit. In your holy name, Amen.
Our salvation was realized and secured on the cross a couple thousand years ago. Although we have eternal life promised to us we must still work on our salvation out of respect to and for God so that we may hear, see and discern His purpose, His will and His agenda.
When our circumstances don't match our will and we are suffering as a result of our valleys it is crucial to trust God totally and completely for whatever resolution we may face. We must not try to calculate or manipulate the workings of God and must simply kneel, meditate and "know" that He is in charge of every detail of our life which will always be based in love.
Please continue to pray for Beth, Paul and Sydney as they battle her cancer and pray for each to discern what the Holy Spirit is revealing to them as they work out their salvation.
Father, through the Holy Spirit reveal to each of us the manner in which our salvation will be worked out aligning our lives with your spirit. In your holy name, Amen.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Ordained Days
"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb...When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." Psalm 139:13-16
These verses are so important to me during this season in the life of my family. Yesterday my mom and dad received a timeline for my dad regarding his cancer in an effort to determine whether he wanted to take treatment. Earlier this year, my sister was given a timeline for her cancer.
Our earthly minds and hearts carry these timelines right on the surface and tempt us to accept this "educated guess" instead of remembering that we were wonderfully and fearfully made according to the timeline of our Creator and only He has determined how many days have been ordained on this earth for each of us.
When the heaviness lays on our hearts let us replace that burden with the words of our Father as He assures us that nothing we experience and endure is random and careless but everything about our life has passed through the filter of God.
These verses are so important to me during this season in the life of my family. Yesterday my mom and dad received a timeline for my dad regarding his cancer in an effort to determine whether he wanted to take treatment. Earlier this year, my sister was given a timeline for her cancer.
Our earthly minds and hearts carry these timelines right on the surface and tempt us to accept this "educated guess" instead of remembering that we were wonderfully and fearfully made according to the timeline of our Creator and only He has determined how many days have been ordained on this earth for each of us.
When the heaviness lays on our hearts let us replace that burden with the words of our Father as He assures us that nothing we experience and endure is random and careless but everything about our life has passed through the filter of God.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Setting Our Hope
"On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many" 2 Corinthians 1:9-11.
I am a very "achievement oriented" type of person. I make lists, check it throughout the day and mark off my achievements as they are accomplished. When I "set" my mind on something I also "set" my actions in motion to accomplish the task at hand. These are intentional and conscious decisions with an intended goal in mind.
Such is our decision to "set our hope" on Christ. We must choose deliberately and faithfully to place or lay down our hope in the One who promises to deliver and help us through our seasons. We are to pray with petition and thanks for our fellow pilgrims who are journeying through this life and acknowledge that through our firm faith gracious favors and blessings will be made ours from the Father who loves us more than we can ever fathom!
Father, help me when I am burdened to set my hope on You and thank you for the prayers of many and I ask you to show gracious favor to my brothers and sisters in Christ. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
I am a very "achievement oriented" type of person. I make lists, check it throughout the day and mark off my achievements as they are accomplished. When I "set" my mind on something I also "set" my actions in motion to accomplish the task at hand. These are intentional and conscious decisions with an intended goal in mind.
Such is our decision to "set our hope" on Christ. We must choose deliberately and faithfully to place or lay down our hope in the One who promises to deliver and help us through our seasons. We are to pray with petition and thanks for our fellow pilgrims who are journeying through this life and acknowledge that through our firm faith gracious favors and blessings will be made ours from the Father who loves us more than we can ever fathom!
Father, help me when I am burdened to set my hope on You and thank you for the prayers of many and I ask you to show gracious favor to my brothers and sisters in Christ. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
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