Friday, January 29, 2016

Five Minute Friday: Quiet

This is out of the normal for me, but I am going to try Katie Motaung's Five Minute Friday. The word is

"Quiet"

So here I go...

Lately my heart has been thinking about this world. It leaves my heart feeling burdened and heavy. So much hurt, anger, and need to be in control. And when I continues on feeling this way it really only makes things worse.

But what I have learned through those times when I feel like the world is bearing down on me, I draw near to God. When I think about how others say that they just quiet their souls, I laugh. To me that's impossible! Sometimes I am the most emotionally uptight person there is. But God who is faithful quiets my soul within me. He does that through two ways:

1) Music
Like right now I am listening to Pandora on my Lindsey Stirling station. No words just music. It speaks volumes but calms the soul.

2) His word especially Psalm 119.
This whole Psalm is filled with emotions and feelings that describe heaviness. Its states that the cure is of course the word of God.

Five minutes up!

Ok I still need to add my favorite Psalm 119 verses : )

"My souls clings to the dust; revive me according to Your Word" v. 25
 
"My soul melts from heaviness; strengthen me according to Your word." v. 28
 
"Establish Your word to Your servant, who is devoted to fearing You." v. 38
 

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Ways to be in an Accountability Relationship

Accountability is one of the keys of success for meeting the goals we set for ourselves and our families. It has always been exciting to see through the years how God has put people in my life to keep me accountable. They gave me so much wisdom and insight through the good and bad times. Their lives were examples to me on how I wanted to live my life. Their presence has made me a better person, which in turn has helped me to meet the goals I have set for myself and my family.

God has shown me through the ladies in my life who have kept me accountable how to be accountable to others.

1) I need to be intentional.
I need to pray and step out in faith intentionally to that person He guides me to. If I am not intentional, it is so easy to just slack off. I know that the friend of mine with four c sections was intentional with me, especially during those countless times I was not able to answer the phone. I am thankful for her being intentional with me.

2) When I am keeping someone accountable I need to share with them the promises of God.
He is the one that made this relationship happen. He deserves the credit. He is the one who knows my heart and this person's heart and how we can encourage each other. All of that is from His Word. It is His faithfulness to us and in return, our faithfulness to that other person.

3) When we are in an accountability relationship, we have to depend on God and not the other person.
That person is going to let us down--no doubt about it. They are as imperfect as we are. God is the only One who is perfect and reliable. In order to be there for someone, we need a God who is reliable and stable, especially when we feel unable to help that person.


Sometimes in our lives we might be the one who needs accountability. I know when I was discovering new things about myself that I didn't like, I really needed someone to come alongside of me.

One way one can find accountability is asking their pastor if he knows anyone in the church. That is how I met my mentor Jo. She walked with me through a dark time in my life where she directed me to God's word and helped me to see how He is intimately involved in every detail of my life.

Another way one can find a person of accountability is to seek out a group of ladies through a Bible study. I know that when I found out I was pregnant, my mommy group at my church was a huge source of accountability to me. We were able to share prayer requests and struggles we were going through and knew it stayed right there in that group.

Sometimes your pastor's wife is an amazing person to talk with. I know for me the past two churches I have been apart of, I was able to call the pastor's wife and they would give me a listening ear. One of them even set up a time to just talk in person.

Recently, I have also discovered that there is a lot of Facebook groups that also keep you accountable. They are the type of accountability one can use if you don't want strings attach. I know for me in my No. More. Angry MOB Facebook group has posted something that I need at that very moment. The group moderator always brings up the importance of scripture and the power of speaking it when I feel angry.

No matter if you are a person who wants to keep someone accountable or if you are needing someone to come alongside with you during this hard time, accountability is the key. I encourage you to look at the people in your life, past and present, to see how they have challenged you to be a better person. In return, through those relationships, you can continue to grow and be there for your family.   

Friday, January 22, 2016

Where Grace and Faith Meet- Me

I bet a lot of us can remember those times when God gives us a refresher on something that He has taught us and combines it with something that we are currently learning now. That is what happened for me this week.
 
Ever since I can remember, I have always just wanted to be a mommy. When I got married, my husband wanted to wait for have kids. It was really hard to take because I thought he was being unreasonable. But through that time God gave me some promises to hold onto.
 
1)  His way is perfect. 2 Samuel 22:31
"As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is proven; He is shield to all who trust in Him."
 
2) He knows all my days and has a plan for them. Psalm 139:16-17
"Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them. How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!"
 
3) He instructs and guides me in the way He wants me to go. Psalm 32:8-9
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, else they will not come near you."
 
4) A gentile and quiet spirit does work. 1 Peter 3:1-6
"Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives,  2 when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. 3 Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— 4 rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. 5 For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror."
 
These promises got me through five years of waiting until He graciously gave me my amazing daughter.
 
What I have shared with you this past month is something God has taught me. He showed me that I needed to actively apply what I have written.
 
So first of all remember faith is two things from Hebrews 11:1,6
1) Having hope in things that are not seen
or having a heavenly perspective
 
and
 
2) Believing that God exists and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him 
 
But through grace, we still have to seek Him every day while waiting on Him. His grace will enable us to have faith to rest in Him with the day-to-day and the long-term.
 
 
This last week I had a pregnancy "scare" (lets use that loosely though). I was past due over for four days. During those days I was left in uncertainty on what to do. Yes, I have started to think about having another one but my husband is not quite ready yet. So all the feelings I felt before all started to come up again. But then my blog posts came to mind.
 
Just like Abraham and Moses, you and I need to have faith in the promises that God has given to us over and over while we wait. We also need to put our faith in God so during those hard times, you and I can resubmit to our husbands again just like Sarah. In the long-term, God knows the bigger picture and wants to reward us. All you and I need to do is put our faith in Him and diligently seek Him holding to the promises He has given to us.
 
What about the day-to-day living while waiting? Through His grace, He can help us refocus on what is important in the here in now.
 
1) Release those things that you can't control
     I can't control my body or my husband. Only God is in control. He is the God of Psalm 139,
       He knows my sitting down and my rising up...He comprehends my path and is acquainted with all my ways...His hand shall lead me and His right hand shall hold me
 
2) Be content now with what you have
     God has given me an amazing 18 month old that I need to cherish my time with. I need to redeem  the time because the days are evil. Each and every one of us has someone God has given to us. Lets us be content in what He has given to us.
 
3) Hold onto the promises God has already given to us
I will never forget those verses that God gave to me when I had to wait on Him. His word is life changing hold onto His words
 

 
God is forever faithful. Yes, it was a rough week but I can now continue on in faith, as I wait, that He knows when it is best for my husband and I to have another one. I don't have to do it alone because His grace surrounds me day by day moment by moment through His word. Thank you Lord for your faithfulness. 


 

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Where Grace and Faith meets- Moses

Remember faith is two things from Hebrews 11:1,6

1) Having hope in things that are not seen
or having a heavenly perspective
 
and
 
2) Believing that God exists and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him 
 
But through grace, we still have to seek Him every day while waiting on Him. His grace will enable us to have faith to rest in Him with the day-to-day and the long-term. As we continue on, we need to remember these guidelines as we now study about Moses in Hebrews 11 verses 24-27
 

 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.



 

When I read the verses above, I respect Moses for his faith because he didn't care about the things of this world. His prestigious and royal upbringing did not hold him back from feeling the rejection and oppression of his family. Just as God gives us the ability through His grace to choose His ways over the ways of pleasure, He gave Moses the ability to think of his family and to step out of his comfortable lifestyle. Apparently, Moses was so passionately against his family's oppression that he killed an Egyptian. Through God's grace, He spared Moses' life for doing something wrong.

 
Now I am typically not a person who likes to come up with side stories if it is not in the Bible but in the case of Moses, what do you think he did in the 35 years while he was away in Midian? I mean he was only there because he killed an Egyptian. Did God have him wait there for a time to develop him into a person that He wanted Moses to be? I don't know. But Moses must have thought of his people and longed to see how they were doing. Whatever God planned for that time, we do know that He still had a plan for Moses despite his shortcomings.
 
It is always exciting to see how God uses people who reject the things of this world and uses them despite their struggle. In Exodus 3, God approaches Moses in the burning bush in the land of Midian with His plan. Moses still shows how he struggles with desiring the things of this world. How does he struggle, you ask? He is afraid that because he is not an eloquent speaker that he is not the right person for the job. But God responds,
 
     “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the Lord? 12 Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.”
 
But Moses continued to hold onto fear. Despite Moses' lack of faith, he still steps out in the faith and trust God's plan.
 
Moses gets to Egypt and tells the children of Israel God's plan. They receive him with open arms. Moses and Aaron then approaches Pharaoh and everything goes bad. He makes it even harder for the Israelites to work by taking away the straw to make the bricks. The Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron and once again, Moses responds in fear. God then responds
 
  "Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh. For with a strong hand he will let them go, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.”
 
God tells him to wait. Trust in my greater plan and it will work out. Moses steps out in faith and tells the his people again the plan of God. Poor Moses receives rejection again. But even though Moses frets two more times telling God that he was not fit for the job, he still steps out through God's grace and does what God commanded him to do. He had to wait to see what God was going to do in order for Pharaoh to let the Israelites go.
 
Several chapters and nine plagues later, Moses is a different man. Through faith in a God who says what He will do and do it, Moses forsakes his fear and has become more confident in God. It states in Exodus chapter 11 verse 3 that the servants and people of Pharaoh found favor in  Moses. And as we already know Pharaoh lets God's people go because he too saw that Moses served a God that was in control. Through God's grace after rejection after rejection, Moses completely let go of his need for the things of the world and had faith in God's greater plan.  
 
This is going to be the last in this series. Thanks for reading.

link up with Jennifer Dukes Lee



Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Where Grace and Faith meets- Sarah

Remember faith is two things from Hebrews 11:1,6

1) Having hope in things that are not seen
or having a heavenly perspective
 
and
 
2) Believing that God exists and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him 
 
But through grace, we still have to seek Him every day while waiting on Him. His grace will enable us to have faith to rest in Him with the day-to-day and the long-term. As we continue on, we need to remember these guidelines as we now study about Sarah in Hebrews 11 verses 11-12,
 

"By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore"

 
From our previous post about Abraham in chapter verse 15 God says,
 
"This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come
 from your own body shall be your heir.”
 
Abraham is told that his heir was coming from his own body. Not his servant's but his own. I can only imagine telling Sarah the news that they were going to have a baby in their old age. But as what was stated before, this was when Genesis recorded that Abraham believed. 
 
What about Sarah? Their are only two accounts when the Bible actually tells us that Sarah had faith. As we know there is the one in Hebrews but the other one is found after she has Isaac (Genesis 21:6-7). So what happens before? Our only hope is found in 1 Peter 3:5-6
 
 " For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror."
 
 After Abraham was visited by God, he must have told her that they were going to be the ones. Sarah must have trusted him and submitted to him. In return, God must have given her faith to wait on Him who keeps His promises. 
 
Now for most women (there are a few exceptions) we long to fulfill our duties as women to have babies and sometimes we nag or take matters in our own hands. We don't lean on God's grace and think His timing is off. Our lack of faith in God's long term plan causes us to do things we might regret. I know I have struggled with this myself. 
 
Sarah was just like us. She took the situation in her own hands and had her servant sleep with her husband. She was having lack of faith and was not resting in God's perfect timing. It totally came back to haunt her where her servant got pregnant and Sarah became angry and resentful. But God was still gracious because years later the Lord came to visit them to remind Abraham and her that she was going to have a son even though she laughed.  
 
When Isaac was born, her laughter was no longer a weak faith but a strong one that realize that God was a God who faithfully reward those who had faith in Him. Despite Sarah's controlling and downfalls, God kept the grace coming. He helped her stay submissive to her husband even though she overstep her bounds. Through the various trials, God still kept His promise to her.

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Where Grace and Faith Meets- Abraham

Remember faith is two things from Hebrews 11:1,6

1) Having hope in things that are not seen
or having a heavenly perspective
 
and
 
2) Believing that God exists and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him 
 
But through faith, we still have to seek Him every day while waiting on Him. His grace will enable us to have faith to rest in Him with the day-to-day and the long-term. As we continue on, we need to remember these guidelines as we study about Abraham in Hebrews 11 verses 8-10
 

"By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; 10 for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God."

 

God's covenant with Abraham was established in three separate accounts:
 

1) Genesis 12:1-6- Abraham had to leave his home and go into a direction towards some land God was to give to him.


Abraham was called by God in Genesis 12:1

"Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you."
 

Abraham had to leave the land that he was living in, where his family was at, where he grew up and where everything he knew that was familiar. Talk about faith! The Bible states that he was supposed to go towards this land. No direction. No area. Just go towards this land that I will show you. I don't know about you but that must have taken a lot of faith to make that step but also tons of grace to travel day by day not knowing what direction he was going. He had to trust in the God who says what He will do. It must have been such a long journey but also a stepping stone for Abraham's faith in God   
 
2) Genesis 12:7-9; 13:14-18- God now shows the land in which Abraham and his descendants will get
 
When Abraham gets to the land for the first time, God says in Genesis 12:7
 
"To your descendants I will give this land.”
 
But that's not it, in this land are the Canaanites. Abraham was promised to get this land but there were strange people living there. And he had to live there among them. Scary! Talk about complete dependence on God but Abraham had faith to live day by day through God's grace because God said this was going to be his and his descendants.
 
Because of a famine in the land, Abraham goes to Egypt for a while, freaks out and lies and almost gets killed. He then comes back to "his" land and then there was arguing between Lot's, his brother's son, and his own men. They finally had to make the choice to separate. Lot picks the best and Abraham gets the ok part. So after all these times of trials and failures, God comes to Abraham in chapter 13 verse 14-17 and reminds him of His promise to Abraham
 
"for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever."
 
Talk about grace! Abraham lacks trust in Egypt and goes through a valley with his nephew but God rebuilds his faith and tells him again His promise.
 

3) Genesis 15- Abraham was going to inherit this land and give it to his future heir from his own body
 
Time passes on, Abraham saves his nephew, goes through a raid, and talks to a few kings. But God then approaches Abraham again. God first affirms Abraham telling him that He is his shield and exceedingly great reward. He basically telling Abraham, hey I got your back and you and I have a good relationship. God restated this in a different way in the same chapter in verse 7 where God is the Lord who brought him out of Ur and gave this land to Abraham. Everything that Abraham had was because of God's grace and reassurance  during this time of waiting. 
 
But than Abraham brings up a good point, "I don't have any offspring. I have this guy over here who is my servant." Once again God reaffirms Abraham in verse 4
 
"This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body
shall be your heir."

And the first time since this covenant was made the scripture said that Abraham believed in the Lord and God accounted it to him for righteousness. I think the thing that I enjoy and hold onto with the most for Abraham's story is that God continuously affirmed Abraham over and over with His promise. He does the same with us. He enables us with His grace to have faith to wait on Him through His promises.

 

linkup with Jennifer Dukes Lee

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Where Grace and Faith Meets- Noah

Remember faith is two things from Hebrews 11:1,6

1) Having hope in things that are not seen
or having a heavenly perspective
 
and
 
2) Believing that God exists and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him 
 
But through faith, we still have to seek Him every day while waiting on Him. His grace will enable us to have faith to rest in Him with the day-to-day and the long-term. We need to remember these guidelines as we study about Noah in Hebrews 11 verse 7
 

"By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith"

 



 
Noah had FAITH and lived by GRACE as he waited on what was not seen
 

He knew God existed and trusted that God was going to bring rain and save him on this huge ark that he had to build. This of course only happened because Noah found grace in God's eyes (Genesis 6:8). He was different from others. The world was corrupt and only did what came from their evil hearts. It was only through God's grace that Noah was able to live in the world. Even seeing all the evil around him, Noah knew God existed and had faith in Him and walked with Him through grace.
 
In chapter six of Genesis in verses 13-22 God showed grace to Noah to pick him to build the ark. He was not going to be destroyed because he was chosen by God. Noah wasn't perfect. He just diligently sought God and God rewarded him by sparing his life and allowing him to build the ark through grace.
 
In verse 18 God states
 

" But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark—you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you."

 
Noah had faith when it concerned the covenant, even though God picked him to build the ark and be saved. What was the covenant? Noah didn't know what it was until after the flood. He had faith that God was going to tell him because God said it. He was rewarded because of his faith. Noah had to have faith in God's promise but also lived by grace motivated by something he didn't know. God gave him grace day by day to build the ark and faith as he waited to see how things were going to unfold.    
 
Every step Noah took was from God.
    God told him to build an ark - Noah did
    God told him to get the proper animals - Noah did
    God tells him to just get into the ark - Noah did
    Once they are in the ark, God shuts the door - not Noah
    Everyone not in the ark died - Noah and his family was alive
 
Noah had complete faith in God. He trusted that God would do everything that He said He would and allowed God to do it all. God rewarded Noah or did what He promised because of Noah's faith.
 
After the flood and Noah and his family gets out of the ark, because of faith and God's faithfulness, Noah makes a sacrifice out of thankfulness and devotion. This is even before God gives what the covenant was. Noah had so much faith in his faithful God that he didn't ask God about it. He trusted God. God rewarded him and all mankind.
 

Sunday, January 3, 2016

Where Grace and Faith meets


 
God really has worked on my heart lately. A lot has gone on in life and He keeps drawing me near. Changes are happening. People are sick. Others are sad and discontent. Uncertainties are lingering. It is all heavy on my heart. But God is still faithful.

Ever since listening to the sermon jam from Matt Chandler's sermon, I really have pondered on what is having faith and resting in God's grace, while waiting, looks like. Hebrews 11 verses one and six states,

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen...  But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."

Faith is two things

1) Having hope in things that are not seen
or having a heavenly perspective
 
and
 
2) Believing that God exists and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him 
 
 

Day by day we struggle with doubt and fear. It haunts us when we feel like we are not in control. There are things that we worry about moment by moment every day. But then there are situations or people who in the long-term we really don't know how it will turn out for them and we worry about them. We have to wait. That is where faith and grace comes in. 
 
We need grace to make it minute by minute, hour by hour, night and day. But we have to be still and wait on Him as He gives it to us. We cant worry and fight with our emotions. That is still leaning on our own strength.
 
We need faith to have that long-term hope in those things that just seem like they will never happen. We have to rest that we serve a God who exists and rewards us when we diligently and humbly seek Him. He is a faithful God who keeps His promises.
 
We have to seek Him every day and wait on Him. His grace will enable us to have faith to rest in Him with the day-to-day and the long-term. We just have to humbly wait for Him.
 
I'm excited to say that this is not it. The next few posts I am going to continue on with a few of my favorite stories of Hebrews 11 looking through the truths of what grace and faith means while waiting.      




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