Surrender- verb
a : to yield to the power, control, or possession of another upon compulsion or demand;
b : to give up completely or agree to forgo especially in favor of another
c : to give (oneself) up into the power of another especially as a prisoner
God has been reminding me over and over again lately the need to surrender. I pray, "LORD I give my son Isaac to you" and "LORD I give my husband's heart and health to you."
Why can't I pray this once and for all and know it's all good?
Well tonight I felt I needed to look up the word surrender in the dictionary. Surrender, surely enough is an action word, a verb. When we surrender our lives to the LORD, it takes action. Surrender is not a one time deal.
We surrender over and over and over again.
Maybe you have trouble in your prayers giving something to God. You want to pray big because He is a big God, but you hold back. My encouragement- DON'T HOLD BACK.
Surrender! Give yourself up completely. Surrender is agreeing to forgo especially in favor of another. IN FAVOR. Does God have His favor on you? Yes, if you are a child of God and have accepted Jesus as your savior, Lord, King and Friend. God wants to pour blessings out. That's His very nature...He's a loving, giving, Father.
Whether you are laying yourself down, laying your flesh or desires on the altar, or you are interceeding for another, surrender.
Give up.
Yield yourself to God and let Him know HE is your boss. He is in control and you are yielding. I can't help but believe God is pleased with this type of prayer. I give up LORD. I surrender. I yield. I am not going to ask in prayer for my way. I want your perfect will. Even if that means I have to suffer, endure, or be uncomfortable, I surrender, because I know you have my good always in the forefront of your plans (Jeremiah 29:11).
I joke with Chuck and tell him, "We sing I surrender all...but what most Christians mean is I surrender most." Let's not surrender most, let's surrender all. This speaks to me. I need to surrender (actively yield) all my concerns to God, not most, or the ones I think He is capable of fixing quickly. No. Surrender all, means ALL. Even the trials or pain we think are impossible to fix.
Moses said in Deut. 3:23-24: 23 "...I pleaded with the LORD: 'Sovereign LORD, you have begun to show to your servant your greatness and your strong hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do the deeds and mighty works you do?'"
I noticed something in this verse. Moses witnessed the parting of the red sea....all the plagues, all the miracles. He saw the glimpse of the Shekinah glory of God, he was given the 10 commandments, etc. and here Moses said, "you have begun." Wow! That was just a beginning. God has only BEGUN to work His miracles and love out in your love. He's only just begun....
My encouragement is this----Don't surrender most, dear friends. SURRENDER ALL.
Why? Because of God's character, God's Word, God's great love for you. He gave us His Son, will He hold anything back from you? No. He is working on your behalf so give in and surrender. Remember, surrender is a verb, an action word and requires your action.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Lead me!
Numbers 8:16, "for they are wholly given to Me from among the children of Israel; I have taken them for Myself..." numbers 32:12 says Joshua and Caleb "wholly followed the Lord" new living translation says they wholeheartedly followed the Lord. NASB says they, followed the Lord fully. Young's literal translation says they have been fully after Jehovah.
Many of us have heard the song "Lead me" where a wife is asking her husband to, "lead me with strong hands stand up when I can't...Don't leave me hungry for love chasing dreams, what about us? Show me you 're willing to fight that I'm still the love of your life...(by Sancts Real)
Well that goes for God too. Are we asking Him to lead us? Or Are we trying to do things on our own. Again, we turn to the subject of waiting on the Lord. Can we trust God will lead us with strong hands (Isaiah 59:1) Can we believe God will stand up when we can't ? Deut 20:4 Can we believe the bread of life will never leave us hungry for love? John 6:35, Hebrews 13:5
God is waiting and seeking for a generation that "wholly follows the LORD" for true worshippers who worship in Spirit and Truth. John 4:23-24
Isn't it ironic that God wants us to both be holy and to wholly follow Him?
I was touched this morning by my devotion. The people waited....for God's leading...How long? As long as it took. "Whether it was two days a month, or a year that the cloud remained above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would remain encamped and not journey; but when it was taken up they would journey. Numbers 9:22
Jesus is our good Shepherd and He leads us to green pastures and still waters. So why are we content with weeds and dirty, stale pond water? We need to learn to wait, to be still and know He is God (psalm 46:10) and wholly FOLLOW the Lord. The children of Israel, like us, failed many times...but I love their obedience in waiting for God's move. "even when the cloud continued long many days above the tabernacle the children of Israel kept the charge of the LORD and did not journey." So let's make that our aim to wholly follow the Lord to ask Him to lead us with strong Hands and to trust Him wholly, to be holy and wait on His Word and guidance.
Many of us have heard the song "Lead me" where a wife is asking her husband to, "lead me with strong hands stand up when I can't...Don't leave me hungry for love chasing dreams, what about us? Show me you 're willing to fight that I'm still the love of your life...(by Sancts Real)
Well that goes for God too. Are we asking Him to lead us? Or Are we trying to do things on our own. Again, we turn to the subject of waiting on the Lord. Can we trust God will lead us with strong hands (Isaiah 59:1) Can we believe God will stand up when we can't ? Deut 20:4 Can we believe the bread of life will never leave us hungry for love? John 6:35, Hebrews 13:5
God is waiting and seeking for a generation that "wholly follows the LORD" for true worshippers who worship in Spirit and Truth. John 4:23-24
Isn't it ironic that God wants us to both be holy and to wholly follow Him?
I was touched this morning by my devotion. The people waited....for God's leading...How long? As long as it took. "Whether it was two days a month, or a year that the cloud remained above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would remain encamped and not journey; but when it was taken up they would journey. Numbers 9:22
Jesus is our good Shepherd and He leads us to green pastures and still waters. So why are we content with weeds and dirty, stale pond water? We need to learn to wait, to be still and know He is God (psalm 46:10) and wholly FOLLOW the Lord. The children of Israel, like us, failed many times...but I love their obedience in waiting for God's move. "even when the cloud continued long many days above the tabernacle the children of Israel kept the charge of the LORD and did not journey." So let's make that our aim to wholly follow the Lord to ask Him to lead us with strong Hands and to trust Him wholly, to be holy and wait on His Word and guidance.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Should we thank God for Trials?
Should we thank God for Trials? Yes. (James1:2-3)
I know it sounds weird but we are to give thanks in all seasons and even during the trials we go through.
It might seem weird to say, "Thank you God Isaac has Autism and doesn't speak" but I am learning to do that.
This last weekend (March 2-4) was the women's retreat. I asked the LORD, "What do you want me to learn?" and I felt His still small voice say, "You need to thank me for trials." God already spoke to my heart about 1 year ago that Isaac would one day speak using words for language.
But waiting is hard...
God is telling me to wait....and wait and wait. That's the hard part. The trial itself is not always hard...but waiting definitely is always hard for me...
The other day I was waiting for my husband to come home from work. We were going on a date, just us (woo-hoo for date nights). I was not grumpy. I was thrilled. I was (literally) looking out the window waiting, excitedly in anticipation for our great night ahead.
God told me. Do you wait like that for Me? Do you wait with excitement, with butterflies in your stomach, with joy, KNOWING that I have something awesome in store for you?
Sadly, I don't. I get impatient with God. I forget Isaiah 55:8-9 (my paraphrase-His thoughts are not my thoughts, His ways are not my ways, His thoughts are higher and His ways better)
On occasion if my husband runs late, do I doubt his love? Do I worry he is out with someone else or not coming at all? No, of course not. I just wait, patiently but excitedly knowing he is on his way. Why? Because I know his character. My husband is on time and he follows through with his word.
HOW MUCH MORE IS OUR HEAVENLY FATHER ALWAYS ON TIME AND ALWAYS, YES HE ALWAYS KEEPS HIS WORD! (Isaiah 55:11; Psalm 33:4)
Another time I was so excited to go away with my sweet husband I wrote him a thank you note, thanking him in advance for such a great weekend. The weekend had not even started and I was saying thank you! A bizarre concept. But is it? I know Chuck. He loves to take me to dinner, to treat me special, to throw surprises my way that I enjoy. Do we know God's character? Can we thank Him in advance for what He is going to do?
Once I heard Jon Courson giving a message about Miriam's song of praise after the Red Sea was parted by God. Exodus 14:31 says the people of Israel feared the LORD after they saw the great work God had done (ie., the plagues, the Red Sea split in two and Pharoah and his army destroyed in the sea)
In thanks, Moses and the children of Israel sing a song of praise (Exodus 15). Then, Miriam takes up the tambourine (or timbrel) and sings, "Sing to the LORD, for He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea" Exodus 15:21.
Jon Courson said (to paraphrase) that Miriam's response is right and is awesome. But Pastor Jon challenged us to think about this, ---what if Miriam lifted the tambourine before the Red Sea parted, before the horse and rider were thrown into the sea, before the answer to the prayer had come... What if she sang the songs of praise in the midst of peril? That would be glorious! Pastor Jon said the shortcut to getting through trials is praise...Wow. That message has stuck with me for years....
This concept of giving thanks to God in the "waiting" season of trials made me think of Joseph. (See Genesis chapters 37 and 39) Joseph was sold by his own brothers, his own flesh and blood, to be a slave in Egypt (a foreign land), he was thrown into prison unjustly, he interpreted dreams but was forgotten by the chief butler and had to endure prison for two more years until he had an opportunity to interpret Pharaoh's dreams. Yet through it all, Joseph remained faithful to God. Or to put it more accurately GOD WAS FAITHFUL TO JOSEPH. (See Genesis chapters 39, 40 and 41)
Joseph knew God's character. What the enemy intended for evil, God used for good. (Genesis 50:19-20) So let's visualize we are in prison with Joseph. We are sitting there thinking about life and God and the events of life. Imagine if Joseph kneeled and said, "Thank you Yahweh for this trial. Thank you that I am in prison because although I don't understand it, although I am miserable here, although it's dark and I get scared, you are always with me and somehow you are going to get glory through this so I choose to give you thanks for this."
That would be powerful and show a heart of faith. Joseph was a wonderful man of God, a picture of Jesus and one of my favorites in Scripture...but....we don't hear Joseph's prayers written in scripture....What we do know is our own prayer life. We can take a step of faith and say, "God this hard. I can barely breathe. God I know you are greater than this trial and I know your character is good, always good. I know and am excited about how you are going to turn this around, so I choose to say thank you. Thank you for this trial because you are not only building my character and faith, you are trusting that I can give you glory even on cloudy days. Thank you God for this trial and I am waiting with joy because you never make void your promises to those who love you."
That's my prayer. May we learn to fall on our face before Jesus and thank Him in advance for the victory is won and He is working through all things to make them form the portrait of God's "good" in our lives...why? For His glorious Name and for rewards in heaven.
(See Gen 50:19-20, Rom 8:28, 1 Thess 5:16-18, James 1:2-4, James 1:12)
Rejoice in the LORD O you righteous!For praise from the upright is beautiful! Psalm 33:1
I know it sounds weird but we are to give thanks in all seasons and even during the trials we go through.
It might seem weird to say, "Thank you God Isaac has Autism and doesn't speak" but I am learning to do that.
This last weekend (March 2-4) was the women's retreat. I asked the LORD, "What do you want me to learn?" and I felt His still small voice say, "You need to thank me for trials." God already spoke to my heart about 1 year ago that Isaac would one day speak using words for language.
But waiting is hard...
God is telling me to wait....and wait and wait. That's the hard part. The trial itself is not always hard...but waiting definitely is always hard for me...
The other day I was waiting for my husband to come home from work. We were going on a date, just us (woo-hoo for date nights). I was not grumpy. I was thrilled. I was (literally) looking out the window waiting, excitedly in anticipation for our great night ahead.
God told me. Do you wait like that for Me? Do you wait with excitement, with butterflies in your stomach, with joy, KNOWING that I have something awesome in store for you?
Sadly, I don't. I get impatient with God. I forget Isaiah 55:8-9 (my paraphrase-His thoughts are not my thoughts, His ways are not my ways, His thoughts are higher and His ways better)
On occasion if my husband runs late, do I doubt his love? Do I worry he is out with someone else or not coming at all? No, of course not. I just wait, patiently but excitedly knowing he is on his way. Why? Because I know his character. My husband is on time and he follows through with his word.
HOW MUCH MORE IS OUR HEAVENLY FATHER ALWAYS ON TIME AND ALWAYS, YES HE ALWAYS KEEPS HIS WORD! (Isaiah 55:11; Psalm 33:4)
Another time I was so excited to go away with my sweet husband I wrote him a thank you note, thanking him in advance for such a great weekend. The weekend had not even started and I was saying thank you! A bizarre concept. But is it? I know Chuck. He loves to take me to dinner, to treat me special, to throw surprises my way that I enjoy. Do we know God's character? Can we thank Him in advance for what He is going to do?
Once I heard Jon Courson giving a message about Miriam's song of praise after the Red Sea was parted by God. Exodus 14:31 says the people of Israel feared the LORD after they saw the great work God had done (ie., the plagues, the Red Sea split in two and Pharoah and his army destroyed in the sea)
In thanks, Moses and the children of Israel sing a song of praise (Exodus 15). Then, Miriam takes up the tambourine (or timbrel) and sings, "Sing to the LORD, for He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea" Exodus 15:21.
Jon Courson said (to paraphrase) that Miriam's response is right and is awesome. But Pastor Jon challenged us to think about this, ---what if Miriam lifted the tambourine before the Red Sea parted, before the horse and rider were thrown into the sea, before the answer to the prayer had come... What if she sang the songs of praise in the midst of peril? That would be glorious! Pastor Jon said the shortcut to getting through trials is praise...Wow. That message has stuck with me for years....
This concept of giving thanks to God in the "waiting" season of trials made me think of Joseph. (See Genesis chapters 37 and 39) Joseph was sold by his own brothers, his own flesh and blood, to be a slave in Egypt (a foreign land), he was thrown into prison unjustly, he interpreted dreams but was forgotten by the chief butler and had to endure prison for two more years until he had an opportunity to interpret Pharaoh's dreams. Yet through it all, Joseph remained faithful to God. Or to put it more accurately GOD WAS FAITHFUL TO JOSEPH. (See Genesis chapters 39, 40 and 41)
Joseph knew God's character. What the enemy intended for evil, God used for good. (Genesis 50:19-20) So let's visualize we are in prison with Joseph. We are sitting there thinking about life and God and the events of life. Imagine if Joseph kneeled and said, "Thank you Yahweh for this trial. Thank you that I am in prison because although I don't understand it, although I am miserable here, although it's dark and I get scared, you are always with me and somehow you are going to get glory through this so I choose to give you thanks for this."
That would be powerful and show a heart of faith. Joseph was a wonderful man of God, a picture of Jesus and one of my favorites in Scripture...but....we don't hear Joseph's prayers written in scripture....What we do know is our own prayer life. We can take a step of faith and say, "God this hard. I can barely breathe. God I know you are greater than this trial and I know your character is good, always good. I know and am excited about how you are going to turn this around, so I choose to say thank you. Thank you for this trial because you are not only building my character and faith, you are trusting that I can give you glory even on cloudy days. Thank you God for this trial and I am waiting with joy because you never make void your promises to those who love you."
That's my prayer. May we learn to fall on our face before Jesus and thank Him in advance for the victory is won and He is working through all things to make them form the portrait of God's "good" in our lives...why? For His glorious Name and for rewards in heaven.
(See Gen 50:19-20, Rom 8:28, 1 Thess 5:16-18, James 1:2-4, James 1:12)
Rejoice in the LORD O you righteous!For praise from the upright is beautiful! Psalm 33:1
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Same Concern---With A New Prayer
As you may know, Isaac will turn 4 very soon...on January 2. Still no mama, dada, cat, dog, cup, mcdonalds...Jesus loves me. He doesn't use words to communicate. He uses pointing and says, "ah-tah" when he really wants something...He is what the world calls "non-verbal."
I was not too concerned in the beginning as I knew boys talk a lot less than girls (same is true of men v. women by the way) and my brother didn't talk until he was 4.
However, the School District and medical professionals are concerned and the new catch-phrase is this, "Early intervention is the best." Of course my God is a God of the impossible so we trust Jesus, send him to pre-school for special needs boys and pray, pray, pray...
They say he needs intervention. Intervention? It sounds like Isaac is on drugs or something. He is a vivacious, fun loving, energetic, unique boy...who just doesn't talk. He is different in addition to the speech delay...he hates crowds, is sensitive to sounds and does have occasional tantrums, etc. I diagnose him as moderate on the spectrum, but who am I? I'm just the mother....
Anyhow, in September the School District said they determined he was on the Autistic Spectrum. He has either, Autism, Social-Behavioral-Speech Delay, Cognitive Delay, Asperger's, Pervasive Development Disorder, or something else....(stay tuned).
My concerns were not with his behavior, energy, disobedience to teachers/parents, lack of fears, anti-social behavior, non-typical behavior, etc. My main concern was SPEECH. I was and still am waiting for Isaac's speech. I can't wait to hear, "Mom" or "Jesus love me" or "I want an ice cream." Oh glorious day!!!
God is teaching me soooooo (add 10 to the 25th o's) much through this. I am learning to pray. I am learning to surrender and I am learning to pray big because God is a Big God. I am learning to pray scripture over Isaac, over my family, over my needs and the needs of others. I am learning compassion for special needs kids, adults and families with special needs loved ones.
I am also learning to trust in His Word and lean not on my own, or the world's understanding.
Just yesterday I was reading in my One-Year-Bible and came across one of those verses that made me stop and cry and praise at the same time...
Ezekiel 33:22 reads---
Now the hand of the LORD had been upon me the evening before the man came who had escaped. And He had opened my mouth; so when he came to me in the morning, my mouth was opened, and I was no longer mute.
I prayed, wow LORD! I didn't even know (or remember) that Ezekiel was mute for a season. You came to Him in the morning and His mouth was opened and he spoke! But what did he speak for? For the LORD of course!!!
Such a powerful verse God gave me...another reminder from God's Word that there is a time to speak and a time to be silent. God will open Isaac's lips to praise Him and give glory to Him. Sometimes God closes our mouths for a reason. God wants us to LISTEN.
When Chuck and I asked my brother recently (now 39) what were you doing in your toddler years when you didn't talk, when you didn't use language to communicate? He said, "I was listening."
I pray daily over Isaac that God would, "Unseal his lips that he might praise you" Psalm 51:15. But I never though to pray for Isaac's listening ears. Now I am I going to pray that God would bless this time of listening. I sing God of Wonders to Isaac when he goes to sleep. We have praise music in the car. We listen to God's Word on the radio through KWVE. He hears Chuck, Olivia and I praying over meals. Although he doesn't yet communicate with words, HE IS LISTENING and I pray and ask God to annoint Isaac's ears. May the scriptures and truths about God be upon Isaac's heart during this precious season of listening....Thank you LORD for giving me a new prayer for my concern over my son!
I was not too concerned in the beginning as I knew boys talk a lot less than girls (same is true of men v. women by the way) and my brother didn't talk until he was 4.
However, the School District and medical professionals are concerned and the new catch-phrase is this, "Early intervention is the best." Of course my God is a God of the impossible so we trust Jesus, send him to pre-school for special needs boys and pray, pray, pray...
They say he needs intervention. Intervention? It sounds like Isaac is on drugs or something. He is a vivacious, fun loving, energetic, unique boy...who just doesn't talk. He is different in addition to the speech delay...he hates crowds, is sensitive to sounds and does have occasional tantrums, etc. I diagnose him as moderate on the spectrum, but who am I? I'm just the mother....
Anyhow, in September the School District said they determined he was on the Autistic Spectrum. He has either, Autism, Social-Behavioral-Speech Delay, Cognitive Delay, Asperger's, Pervasive Development Disorder, or something else....(stay tuned).
My concerns were not with his behavior, energy, disobedience to teachers/parents, lack of fears, anti-social behavior, non-typical behavior, etc. My main concern was SPEECH. I was and still am waiting for Isaac's speech. I can't wait to hear, "Mom" or "Jesus love me" or "I want an ice cream." Oh glorious day!!!
God is teaching me soooooo (add 10 to the 25th o's) much through this. I am learning to pray. I am learning to surrender and I am learning to pray big because God is a Big God. I am learning to pray scripture over Isaac, over my family, over my needs and the needs of others. I am learning compassion for special needs kids, adults and families with special needs loved ones.
I am also learning to trust in His Word and lean not on my own, or the world's understanding.
Just yesterday I was reading in my One-Year-Bible and came across one of those verses that made me stop and cry and praise at the same time...
Ezekiel 33:22 reads---
Now the hand of the LORD had been upon me the evening before the man came who had escaped. And He had opened my mouth; so when he came to me in the morning, my mouth was opened, and I was no longer mute.
I prayed, wow LORD! I didn't even know (or remember) that Ezekiel was mute for a season. You came to Him in the morning and His mouth was opened and he spoke! But what did he speak for? For the LORD of course!!!
Such a powerful verse God gave me...another reminder from God's Word that there is a time to speak and a time to be silent. God will open Isaac's lips to praise Him and give glory to Him. Sometimes God closes our mouths for a reason. God wants us to LISTEN.
When Chuck and I asked my brother recently (now 39) what were you doing in your toddler years when you didn't talk, when you didn't use language to communicate? He said, "I was listening."
I pray daily over Isaac that God would, "Unseal his lips that he might praise you" Psalm 51:15. But I never though to pray for Isaac's listening ears. Now I am I going to pray that God would bless this time of listening. I sing God of Wonders to Isaac when he goes to sleep. We have praise music in the car. We listen to God's Word on the radio through KWVE. He hears Chuck, Olivia and I praying over meals. Although he doesn't yet communicate with words, HE IS LISTENING and I pray and ask God to annoint Isaac's ears. May the scriptures and truths about God be upon Isaac's heart during this precious season of listening....Thank you LORD for giving me a new prayer for my concern over my son!
Friday, September 23, 2011
New Insights on Romans 8:28
September 23, 2011
Today, September 23, 2011 I took Olivia to science lab at school. My kids are both in school…something I am not used to…Isaac’s first week of school for pre-school boys with autism, Olivia now in Kindergarten….
Listening to Kwve and the LORD in His perfect timing puts on a message for ME. I pull over and listen, cry and type these notes….I hope this blesses you as it did me. This is Allistair Begg’s Commentary on Romans 8:28 paraphrased my me and with my thoughts too…
Allistair Begg’s Commentary on Rom 8:28
My notes from Allistair Begg's message--
There is much to discover from this familiar passage---
Rom 8:28
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them. (New Living Translation)
Rom 8:28
We have to be careful to keep Romans 8:28 in its context
Love for God is the chief distinguishing feature of the child of God. (Romans 8:28 applies to the child of God)
The Child’s Attitude towards God- one of love. Supreme love. Loving God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.
God’s action toward us-the love of God expressed through the call of God
God’s the initiator- HE LOVED US FIRST
Instead of going to Rom 8:28 as a “mantra” like this, “Don’t worry, God works all things for good…”
He writes to all believers in Rome, who are LOVED by God and called to be His saints and who LOVE GOD
The comprehensive nature of this statement is that is limited to those who identify with God as their Father.
This is not a “self help” scripture that can be applied to everyone
Has this “call” reached you?
To those who are CALLED according to His purpose
Are you one who says, “I am His and He is mine”
How do you know if you are “called” ?
You know by the way God providentially, divinely and gracefully called you to Him (a drawing…a pulling, like a chords that draws you in)
God uses Sunday school teachers as a privilege to effectually plant a calling in a child’s heart. (wow)
“God works”
NIV- In all things God works
Its not a jig saw puzzle where the puzzle haphazardly fit together…
Example of Joseph’s life- it was A BAD THING for him to get sold into slavery, A BAD THING to get thrown into jail, etc. It appeared, the things were working against him. In all of the stuff, good bad and ugly GOD WORKS
John Murray- not one detail God works for evil to the child of God. Not one thing that happens in the child of God’s life will work for evil…in the end….even sufferings work GOOD (see Rom 8:18-27)
In the present life there is suffering…there are so many things that work AGAINST US. But things are not working haphazardly, in all things GOD WORKS.
All these things (good, bad and ugly) are working for a purpose
Rom 11:33-36 ----How unsearchable are his ways
You can’t use Rom 8:28 to remove you from the storm…(wow)
The foreknowledge of God-
God’s foreknowledge doesn’t mean this, “He knows those who would believe and so He gives them a little bit of help.”
Deut 7 paraphrased God says, “the reason I have loved you is because I have loved you” He loves because he loves….
Romans 8:28 provides fundamental encouragement to all believers.
My thoughts---
I needed to hear this. I remember things when I take notes so I took notes as Allistair Begg spoke on the radio air waves.
Divine- I JUST READ this morning a passage in Psalms about Joseph and it spoke to my heart about trusting in what God’s Word says, WILL come to pass. So awesome that I read about Joseph, I shared my thoughts, and then again, within only 2 hours, God repeated it for me on the radio air waves.
My heart—
My heart has been so heavy missing Isaac as he is in a new school. He cried when He got on the bus this morning. God over and over keeps telling me, “I have a plan.” I choose to cling to God’s Word and all of those scripture promises of God’s love, God’s sovereignty and God’s divine WORKING out of His plan.
Isaac just got diagnosed with Autism on September 14, 2011. My heart, mind, emotions are everywhere. Yet, again and again God is speaking to me and encouraging me. Some of my prayers this week have been ---Jesus help me. Jesus let your will be done. Jesus protect my babies when they are in school. Simple prayers from a little girl (me), who loves her Daddy (Abba Father)
Wow! I hope this encourages you….God is supremely GOOD. I am loved by Him and so are you!!
Today, September 23, 2011 I took Olivia to science lab at school. My kids are both in school…something I am not used to…Isaac’s first week of school for pre-school boys with autism, Olivia now in Kindergarten….
Listening to Kwve and the LORD in His perfect timing puts on a message for ME. I pull over and listen, cry and type these notes….I hope this blesses you as it did me. This is Allistair Begg’s Commentary on Romans 8:28 paraphrased my me and with my thoughts too…
Allistair Begg’s Commentary on Rom 8:28
My notes from Allistair Begg's message--
There is much to discover from this familiar passage---
Rom 8:28
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them. (New Living Translation)
Rom 8:28
We have to be careful to keep Romans 8:28 in its context
Love for God is the chief distinguishing feature of the child of God. (Romans 8:28 applies to the child of God)
The Child’s Attitude towards God- one of love. Supreme love. Loving God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.
God’s action toward us-the love of God expressed through the call of God
God’s the initiator- HE LOVED US FIRST
Instead of going to Rom 8:28 as a “mantra” like this, “Don’t worry, God works all things for good…”
He writes to all believers in Rome, who are LOVED by God and called to be His saints and who LOVE GOD
The comprehensive nature of this statement is that is limited to those who identify with God as their Father.
This is not a “self help” scripture that can be applied to everyone
Has this “call” reached you?
To those who are CALLED according to His purpose
Are you one who says, “I am His and He is mine”
How do you know if you are “called” ?
You know by the way God providentially, divinely and gracefully called you to Him (a drawing…a pulling, like a chords that draws you in)
God uses Sunday school teachers as a privilege to effectually plant a calling in a child’s heart. (wow)
“God works”
NIV- In all things God works
Its not a jig saw puzzle where the puzzle haphazardly fit together…
Example of Joseph’s life- it was A BAD THING for him to get sold into slavery, A BAD THING to get thrown into jail, etc. It appeared, the things were working against him. In all of the stuff, good bad and ugly GOD WORKS
John Murray- not one detail God works for evil to the child of God. Not one thing that happens in the child of God’s life will work for evil…in the end….even sufferings work GOOD (see Rom 8:18-27)
In the present life there is suffering…there are so many things that work AGAINST US. But things are not working haphazardly, in all things GOD WORKS.
All these things (good, bad and ugly) are working for a purpose
Rom 11:33-36 ----How unsearchable are his ways
You can’t use Rom 8:28 to remove you from the storm…(wow)
The foreknowledge of God-
God’s foreknowledge doesn’t mean this, “He knows those who would believe and so He gives them a little bit of help.”
Deut 7 paraphrased God says, “the reason I have loved you is because I have loved you” He loves because he loves….
Romans 8:28 provides fundamental encouragement to all believers.
My thoughts---
I needed to hear this. I remember things when I take notes so I took notes as Allistair Begg spoke on the radio air waves.
Divine- I JUST READ this morning a passage in Psalms about Joseph and it spoke to my heart about trusting in what God’s Word says, WILL come to pass. So awesome that I read about Joseph, I shared my thoughts, and then again, within only 2 hours, God repeated it for me on the radio air waves.
My heart—
My heart has been so heavy missing Isaac as he is in a new school. He cried when He got on the bus this morning. God over and over keeps telling me, “I have a plan.” I choose to cling to God’s Word and all of those scripture promises of God’s love, God’s sovereignty and God’s divine WORKING out of His plan.
Isaac just got diagnosed with Autism on September 14, 2011. My heart, mind, emotions are everywhere. Yet, again and again God is speaking to me and encouraging me. Some of my prayers this week have been ---Jesus help me. Jesus let your will be done. Jesus protect my babies when they are in school. Simple prayers from a little girl (me), who loves her Daddy (Abba Father)
Wow! I hope this encourages you….God is supremely GOOD. I am loved by Him and so are you!!
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Children Spared on 9-11, Children Spared Today
I was explaining 9-11 to Olivia and she said, “it’s sad a lot of people died…even kids.” I had to correct her… “No Olivia there weren’t children in the twin towers, it was a place where grown ups worked”
It hit me…Children saved...parents saved…another example of God’s mercy on 9-11-01.
I thought of the fact that many people were running late to work that day because it was the first day of school. This year, August 30, 2011, was Olivia’s first day of school. As a parent, my mind was not on any other obligation, errand or task…I wanted to get my child to school, meet her teacher and make sure the school year went off to a great start.
This was the same mentality for many parents who survived simply because they were fulfilling their responsibilities as parents and were intentionally “running late” to work that day…
“I knew I was going to stay at the school. A lot of parents were staying around the school anyway because it was beginning of the school year, it was a very touchy-feely school and at the beginning of the school year they let parents stay in the classroom for the first half hour or hour.” Jacques Menasche, a New York-based writer, editor, and filmmaker speaks about his experience taking his son to school on the first day, 9-11-01
I also learned that to the best of our knowledge, no child was left as an orphan as a result of 9-11.
Nina Bernstein of The New York Times writes that there is "Not a single child who needs foster care or adoption by strangers. Not a single documented case of a child who lost both parents."
Amazing Grace….
I thought of school field trips to the twin towers…As far as we know, there were no school field trips that day…
The terrorists did not discriminate against man, woman or child….anyone could have been a victim that day… but I believe God in His mercy spared many parents and children as they were at school, the first day of school, and fathers and mothers were staying behind in the classroom to make sure all was well. Even President Bush was in a classroom with children when the twin towers were hit.
A firefighter said it best, “We talk about how many people died on 9-11 but we forget how many were saved…”
People try to explain the “why” of 9-11. Why did this happen? I cannot answer that. However, I was so blessed by something Pastor Bob Botsford said on KWAVE this week. He said the tomb is empty, the throne is and always has been occupied. That really blessed me. God is sovereign. We don’t understand His ways or why He allows certain things to happen in this life. (Isaiah 55:8)
If we read His Word and get to know His ways by studying Jesus we learn that ALL THINGS, not some things, but all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). God’s children will turn closer to Him during times of trial and God in His amazing grace and mercy will indeed bring beauty from ashes. Just look at plants. A rose plant must be pruned and cut down in order to produce blooming roses. A fruit tree must be pruned to bear “more fruit.” John 15:1-5.
One amazingly beautiful thing that came out of 9-11 was a nation brought to her knees in prayer. We saw unity in prayer as people were praying for our nation, for safety, for healing from the wounds of the attacks, for peace for the families, and for peace in trying to stand up again after such a devastating blow on our country.
I read Job this week and saw something new…Something I never saw before. Job went through trial after trial after trial. He lost his children. He lost his business/livelihood, he lost compassion from his friends, he lost intimacy with his wife, his health deteriorated…He lost a lot…but the Word clearly says that after God spoke with Job, he instructed Job to pray for his friends.
“…My servant Job shall pray for you. For I will accept him” (Job 42:8b)
Job’s friends did not have an accurate view of God and they assumed Job must have sin in his life and that was the cause of his trials. Many people after 9-11 thought God was judging America.
“And the LORD restored Job's losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.” Job 42:10
Did you catch that? Job was restored when he prayed. How can we play a part in the after math of 9-11? PRAYER.
I am sure you feel like I do…totally inadequate and unworthy of the many blessings God gives me. I am thankful for God’s amazing grace through the blood at Calvary’s cross. One of my favorite blessings is motherhood…
Just like God showed mercy on so many parents and children on 9-11 in New York, God is giving us mercy and an opportunity to be part of restoration in America through prayer, and through raising children after His own heart.
LORD Jesus, we don’t know why so many evil things occur in this world. We know Satan is at work big time in America. Father, you are no longer allowed in schools, in work, or even in public open prayer at the Sept. 11, memorial service, but we cannot be silenced. As long as there is breathe in our lungs we will pray. As long as we walk in this life, we will be people who serve you and are committed to raising our kids to know you love you and share your truth with the lost. Jesus, please, please bring beauty through ashes to the families of firefighters, police officers, first responders, twin tower workers, airplane travelers, pentagon workers, and others who died on Sept. 11. May the families and friends turn to you in their times of grief and know that they have hope in seeing their loved ones again for there is hope for those who know and trust in Jesus. We have no words at times LORD and for those moments, Holy Spirit, intercede for us. May we continue to be one nation under God and have mercy on America. In Jesus Name, AMEN.
It hit me…Children saved...parents saved…another example of God’s mercy on 9-11-01.
I thought of the fact that many people were running late to work that day because it was the first day of school. This year, August 30, 2011, was Olivia’s first day of school. As a parent, my mind was not on any other obligation, errand or task…I wanted to get my child to school, meet her teacher and make sure the school year went off to a great start.
This was the same mentality for many parents who survived simply because they were fulfilling their responsibilities as parents and were intentionally “running late” to work that day…
“I knew I was going to stay at the school. A lot of parents were staying around the school anyway because it was beginning of the school year, it was a very touchy-feely school and at the beginning of the school year they let parents stay in the classroom for the first half hour or hour.” Jacques Menasche, a New York-based writer, editor, and filmmaker speaks about his experience taking his son to school on the first day, 9-11-01
I also learned that to the best of our knowledge, no child was left as an orphan as a result of 9-11.
Nina Bernstein of The New York Times writes that there is "Not a single child who needs foster care or adoption by strangers. Not a single documented case of a child who lost both parents."
Amazing Grace….
I thought of school field trips to the twin towers…As far as we know, there were no school field trips that day…
The terrorists did not discriminate against man, woman or child….anyone could have been a victim that day… but I believe God in His mercy spared many parents and children as they were at school, the first day of school, and fathers and mothers were staying behind in the classroom to make sure all was well. Even President Bush was in a classroom with children when the twin towers were hit.
A firefighter said it best, “We talk about how many people died on 9-11 but we forget how many were saved…”
People try to explain the “why” of 9-11. Why did this happen? I cannot answer that. However, I was so blessed by something Pastor Bob Botsford said on KWAVE this week. He said the tomb is empty, the throne is and always has been occupied. That really blessed me. God is sovereign. We don’t understand His ways or why He allows certain things to happen in this life. (Isaiah 55:8)
If we read His Word and get to know His ways by studying Jesus we learn that ALL THINGS, not some things, but all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). God’s children will turn closer to Him during times of trial and God in His amazing grace and mercy will indeed bring beauty from ashes. Just look at plants. A rose plant must be pruned and cut down in order to produce blooming roses. A fruit tree must be pruned to bear “more fruit.” John 15:1-5.
One amazingly beautiful thing that came out of 9-11 was a nation brought to her knees in prayer. We saw unity in prayer as people were praying for our nation, for safety, for healing from the wounds of the attacks, for peace for the families, and for peace in trying to stand up again after such a devastating blow on our country.
I read Job this week and saw something new…Something I never saw before. Job went through trial after trial after trial. He lost his children. He lost his business/livelihood, he lost compassion from his friends, he lost intimacy with his wife, his health deteriorated…He lost a lot…but the Word clearly says that after God spoke with Job, he instructed Job to pray for his friends.
“…My servant Job shall pray for you. For I will accept him” (Job 42:8b)
Job’s friends did not have an accurate view of God and they assumed Job must have sin in his life and that was the cause of his trials. Many people after 9-11 thought God was judging America.
“And the LORD restored Job's losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.” Job 42:10
Did you catch that? Job was restored when he prayed. How can we play a part in the after math of 9-11? PRAYER.
I am sure you feel like I do…totally inadequate and unworthy of the many blessings God gives me. I am thankful for God’s amazing grace through the blood at Calvary’s cross. One of my favorite blessings is motherhood…
Just like God showed mercy on so many parents and children on 9-11 in New York, God is giving us mercy and an opportunity to be part of restoration in America through prayer, and through raising children after His own heart.
LORD Jesus, we don’t know why so many evil things occur in this world. We know Satan is at work big time in America. Father, you are no longer allowed in schools, in work, or even in public open prayer at the Sept. 11, memorial service, but we cannot be silenced. As long as there is breathe in our lungs we will pray. As long as we walk in this life, we will be people who serve you and are committed to raising our kids to know you love you and share your truth with the lost. Jesus, please, please bring beauty through ashes to the families of firefighters, police officers, first responders, twin tower workers, airplane travelers, pentagon workers, and others who died on Sept. 11. May the families and friends turn to you in their times of grief and know that they have hope in seeing their loved ones again for there is hope for those who know and trust in Jesus. We have no words at times LORD and for those moments, Holy Spirit, intercede for us. May we continue to be one nation under God and have mercy on America. In Jesus Name, AMEN.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
More Alike Than Different
I was next to Isaac the other day and had one of those special moments with the LORD and with my son....
I was looking at Isaac and realized...I am like him in many ways.
He doesn't communicate with words. Isaac has what the world calls a "speech delay." While other kids his age are talking and using language to communicate, Isaac doesn't....(yet).
He can be strong willed and desires to do his own thing...even if it can cause him danger. He doesn't like being in crowds and he much rather play by himself.
How alike you two are...I felt the LORD tell me.
I disagree. I love to talk and I love to be around people....but that's not what I felt God was showing me...
The Word says, "Ask and it will be given to you." Instead of praying, we try to do things on our own.We want to be independent and do our own thing. We think our way is the best way and we only go to God when it will help us.
I look at Isaac and think, "Just tell me how you feel. Just share with me...Just talk and open up your thoughts and communicate."
This is the LORD's heart. He just wants to be near us. He just wants to communicate with us and share and have a relationship....It's pretty simple if you think about it.
So while I continue to be a "talker" in the family, sharing and talking and communicating with words...Isaac remains non-verbal.
May this cause us to remember how important prayer is. God just wants us to chat with Him...to share our thoughts, our hearts, our lives.
As a mother of a non-verbal child, I can tell you how I long for the day when Isaac and I can sit and have a "chat." That's all God wants from us too...
Let's continue to pray without ceasing and enjoy the company of our Abba Father.
I was looking at Isaac and realized...I am like him in many ways.
He doesn't communicate with words. Isaac has what the world calls a "speech delay." While other kids his age are talking and using language to communicate, Isaac doesn't....(yet).
He can be strong willed and desires to do his own thing...even if it can cause him danger. He doesn't like being in crowds and he much rather play by himself.
How alike you two are...I felt the LORD tell me.
I disagree. I love to talk and I love to be around people....but that's not what I felt God was showing me...
The Word says, "Ask and it will be given to you." Instead of praying, we try to do things on our own.We want to be independent and do our own thing. We think our way is the best way and we only go to God when it will help us.
I look at Isaac and think, "Just tell me how you feel. Just share with me...Just talk and open up your thoughts and communicate."
This is the LORD's heart. He just wants to be near us. He just wants to communicate with us and share and have a relationship....It's pretty simple if you think about it.
So while I continue to be a "talker" in the family, sharing and talking and communicating with words...Isaac remains non-verbal.
May this cause us to remember how important prayer is. God just wants us to chat with Him...to share our thoughts, our hearts, our lives.
As a mother of a non-verbal child, I can tell you how I long for the day when Isaac and I can sit and have a "chat." That's all God wants from us too...
Let's continue to pray without ceasing and enjoy the company of our Abba Father.
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