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Showing posts with label LFL (Lessons for Life). Show all posts
Showing posts with label LFL (Lessons for Life). Show all posts

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Whether ye eat or drink...

(So, whether you eat or drink), or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God
1 Corinthians 10:31 (emphasis mine)

I had a LFL (lesson for life) moment in church this past Sunday. This is something that will seem so simple to you! However, it was an aha moment for me which was a reminder from the Holy Spirit to apply this verse to where I am in my life right this moment.

Above is how I usually read/quote this verse. I emphasize the italicized. I use it as a reminder to myself when I'm cleaning, cooking, doing a mundane project for someone else, the list goes on endlessly! I quote it to my children, probably far too often, but there are so many situations to which it applies - whatever you do, do all to the glory of God! (Now I'm singing - "Do everything you do to the glory of the One who made you, 'cause He made you, to do everything you do to the glory of the one Who made you" - "Do Everything" by Stephen Curtis Chapman)

BUT, I have always conveniently ignored the part of the verse that says whether you eat or drink. I know in context Paul isn't referring to overeating when talking about what you eat, but it's another "whatever you do"! I struggle with my weight/diet/exercise which I have blogged about before. I have a hard time keeping motivated in this area and have come to the realization that this is a lack of self-discipline in my life. But I have never connected this verse to this struggle! And when I read this verse in church on Sunday, it was like a light went on. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for this gentle reminder that God's Word is a sword in my battle to strive to be more like Christ.

God, help me to throw off every weight so I can run with patience and abandon!


Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Raindrops

Just recently, on Pinterest of all places, I was challenged to start my home school mornings in God's Word TOGETHER with my children. So this week we are meeting at the table at 8h30 in the morning with our Word of Life Quiet Times. (Not that the Word of Life Quiet Time is anything magic - just a tool to keep us on the same page, yet still at our own levels, as they have a journal for each age.)

So, WOW! I have been blessed beyond measure in just two mornings! We have started the book of Job this week, and I thought, "Again?" You see, we have recently finished reading through Job in our evening prayer readings as we are reading through the Bible chronologically in a year. And, the kids have studied Job in home school this year. BUT, I guess God knows I need to hear things a few times before they really sink in, so here we are again, in Job! I'm listening, Lord!

My greatest blessing during this time with my children has been the opportunity to be vulnerable with them. We talked about how Job was "blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil." We talked about how God blessed Job - He gave him MANY blessings! And how God allowed Satan to take those blessings away - his crops, his animals, his children! And yet Job said,
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
And naked I shall return there.
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away.
Blessed be the name of the Lord.” 
And "Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God."

I shared with my children that I would like to believe my faith is strong enough to stand. I don't want to go through hard times and have my faith waver! But until I'm in the midst of a trial, how am I to know? We discussed those that HAVE wavered in their faith in times of trial and that we can't judge them, because we've never been in their shoes, but also our desire to be different if we experience similar trials of our own. I have to live DAILY in His Word, so that I have a solid foundation to stand on, and cling to Him in times of need!

We have been singing Blessings by Laura Story in our house a lot the last couple of days, so I'm going to include the lyrics.

We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

'Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win we know
That pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home,
This is not our home

What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy
What if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are your mercies in disguise
I was able to go back to our break in, almost 2 years ago now, and remind them that maybe it happened so that we might better know God. And we decided it was worth it!

We discussed many more things, and our home school day was still a bit rough - even starting with Bible doesn't make my children perfect! ;) But I'm so glad that we started TOGETHER in the Word, and I don't want to forget this LFL.

This still gives me goosebumps - "What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near". If you haven't heard the song, I urge you to listen.


And of course, when it comes to Job, I want to "Live Like That".

Friday, October 15, 2010

Our Great High Priest and A Perfect Sacrifice!!!

WOW!!!! That was the first thing I wrote in my Word of Life Quiet Time this morning.... (Now, for those of you in the US using the Quiet Time, we're on a different schedule here in SA, so don't think I'm crazy. You've already done this. ;)) But, back to WOW! I love how God works.
You see, 1). I am in week 10 of Beth Moore's study, A Woman's Heart, God's Dwelling Place (about the Tabernacle), 2). AND my pastor has started a series on the tabernacle Sunday nights at church, 3). AND about a month ago, God brought me in my QT to Hebrews - which brings to light that JESUS is the only sacrifice that takes away my sins, the only priest that can sit because His sacrifice is once and for all, that He is a better priest, a better sacrifice....

Now, do you think God is trying to teach me something?? Well, I KNOW He is, always! But, specifically today, I HAD to share. I'm STILL going WOW!!!

First read what I read....
Hebrews 10:19-25
Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

Now, in the OT Tabernacle, ONLY the High Priest could enter beyond the veil to the Holy of Holies, and he had bells on his garment so that people knew that he was still alive when he moved, and a rope tied to his leg so that if he wasn't they could get him out. Our God is a holy and just God, and if they didn't follow His regulations, there was consequence!
But when Christ died on the cross, that veil was torn, top to bottom. Read the Hebrews passage again - the veil that is His flesh! When Christ died on the cross He gave us access to the Holy of Holies through faith, "having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water."
But before we get carried away, let us look at the "therefore". Now I'm sure that you've probably heard, like me, that when we see the word "therefore" we must look and see what it's there for! It's a matter of "if this", "then that"....
So, these are some of the verses that stood out to me as I looked back on Chapter 10....
For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. v. 4
By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. v. 10
Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time,  SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, v. 11-12
And I am reminded of Hebrews 7:23-28:
The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently.
Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.
For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, made perfect forever.
Is anyone else saying "Wow" yet?
Anyways, back to Hebrews 10 and the "therefore".  "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near."

It really speaks for itself, but it challenges me. This year has been a challenge toward self-discipline. I want to run the race with abandon! (see previous post) So, in light of that, this is the challenge that I received from Hebrews 10 today....
1. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;
2. let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds
3. not forsaking our own assembling together
4. encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

I could expound on each of those points, specifically how I feel God is challenging me in each of them, but I think this post is long enough and I'll save it for another day. Thanks for following down the "therefore" path with me today, and I hope someone out there is saying, "WOW" with me as we consider God's Word and how amazing HE is!!!

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Random thoughts from Bible Study

Just wanted to share some random thoughts from my Bible study, A Woman's Heart: God's Dwelling Place, Member Book UPDATED.

Exodus 33
1 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, 'I will give it to your descendants.' 2 I will send an angel before you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 3 Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way."

God was going to send an angel with them, win wars, fulfill His covenant, but He would not go with them. Moses said, PLEASE! If your presence does not go with us, do not lead us from here! Moses had experienced God's presence. Verse 11 tells us that "The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend." Moses would rather not go to the promised land if it was going to cost Him the presence of God!

I want to have the same kind of passion. NOTHING on earth is worth risking separating myself from the presence of God! Sin keeps me from the presence of God. He is Holy and cannot tolerate sin! I want to ALWAYS view sin in that point of view! Of course I can't be perfect, but in my striving for self-discipline, I want to sin less, and have a short account with sin. I want to be sensitive and confess sin quickly, turning away from it.

Verse 16 says "Or wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth." In other words, If you don't go with us, how will they know we're Your people?

I want people to know that I am God's because of the time I spend in His presence. As I spend time in His presence, I will become distinguishably His!

God, please transform my life. I want to be more like You. Please wash me with Your word, and do a work in my life that is immeasurably more than I can ask or imagine.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Lessons from God

I have been enjoying our Beth Moore study, A Woman's Heart: God's Dwelling Place, Member Book UPDATED. I must admit I have had a hard time keeping up with homework, so today, while my friend Ella is homeschooling my children to give me a break, I am playing catch-up.

I am really enjoying the reminders from God of LFL's I have learned in the past. A "LFL" is something I learned from the Kay Arthur book, How to Study Your Bible: The Lasting Rewards of the Inductive Method. It means Lesson For Life.

Here is one reminder from the life of Abraham. God told him (Gen. 12) to pack up his things and go to a place that God would lead him, and Abraham packs up his family and his belongings and goes! God doesn't give him ALL the information. Abraham doesn't say, "I'm willing to go, God, just show me where." God says, "Go forth from your country, and from your relatives, and from your father's house to the land which I will show you." And Abraham "went forth as the Lord had spoken to him."

Reminder #2 - Abraham believed and it was counted unto him as righteousness.

Sometimes someone says something in a new way, putting into words what you've thought and you are just like, THAT'S IT! Just like when Abraham was willing to obediently offer his one and only son Isaac as a sacrifice when asked, God willingly gave His one and only Son. BUT "the very heart of the gospel is realizing that God did not simply provide a sacrifice for us, but instead of us." Jesus is our ram! He took my place on the altar to pay for my sins.

And, this quote meant a lot... "Maybe, like me, you need to hear God say, 'I alone am God, my Child. I am the only One with the power to keep every promise. As they seek Me, I will enable others to forgive you for not being me." These were my thoughts I jotted down - Love it! I don't have to be perfect! As others seek God, He will enable others to forgive me for NOT being perfect Him!