Got Obstacles?January 9, 2008
The notes from Monday night’s prayer team teaching helped me so much that I wanted to put some of the highlights here for readers’ interests.
When we sign up to go red-hot for God there are things that throw us off. One of those things is obstacles. The obstacles seem to come more than we expected. Some negative things happen to us and some of those negative things are done by us. The obstacles can be from others, from outside circumstances, or circumstances on the inside; doing things we could not imagine. We go into a tailspin of shame and condemnation and we quit.
The unusual number of obstacles are God’s way to touch deep issues and bring them to the surface. He wants to heal us to where we grow stronger in love. It is about forming in us the ability to walk in love in a far greater way. The Lord has the same strategy with all of us. Within these obstacles we discover our own sinfulness and our own brokenness. Not one of us are exempt from this reality.
Personal thoughts:
God is preparing me (Israel in Isaiah, chapters 49, 51, & 52) to be able to be red-hot even when I confront surprising difficulties. Thank you God that you have a plan and purpose for everything under heaven.
The oppositions I face are not always because of an adversary or an enemy. Sometimes they are behind the face-where life really takes place. More often than not they are God’s way of saying, “Let me do this in you! I am bringing up your brokenness and pain because I want you to place your heart in front of the bon-fire of my love.”
God does not forget about me. Isaiah 49:15-16 “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has born? Though she may forget, I will never forget you. See I have engraved you on the palms of my hands, your walls are ever before me.” I am inscribed on the palms of his hands. He was pierced for me. How lovely. How beautiful.
I shouldn’t let mistreatment or accusations of man cause me to fear. Embrace meekness and voluntary weakness. Isaiah 51:7-8 “Hear me, you who know what is right, you people who have my law in your hearts: do not fear the reproach of men or be terrified by their insults. For the moth will eat them up like a garment; the worm will devour them like wool. But my righteousness will last forever, my salvation through all generations.” The men I fear are here today-gone tomorrow, but God’s righteousness lasts forever.
God told Israel to wake up, stand up! He is telling me the same. The past is the past so leave it there and move on. Press delete and go! Move in to God’s heart, have confidence and lean into His promises. Acknowledge the bruises and hurts and lean in and touch God on a heart level. This is my only way out of the spin.
Thank you Steph for your time studying this teaching and preparing it to give to us.
Author----Rebekah Miller
I believe that the only knowledge that can feed your spirit is from the Bible. I don't read books written by Christian authors because they tend to manipulate scripture so that way it fits into what they believe. The only source of finding salvation, revelation, and purity should be the Bible. The Bible should be the most important book to a Christian, not a feel-good message book!
Want to read a book that can change your life? The Bible is the answer!
I'm saddened because I'm hearing less and less scripture being preached, and more self-improvement messages being taught in church buildings. I love these church buildings, and the people that go there. It's just feels creepy that church doesn't feel like church anymore. Preachers are starting to sound like a college instructor. I've been to college for almost 3 years, and some of the things they say I've already heard in the classroom ( I go to a secular public 2-year college). Why use secular material in a Bible sermon?
As we start this new year of 2008,let us be mindful of our unsaved friends,and family.Take the first step,by inviting them to meet Jesus for the first time as their Lord & savior.Take time to send them an e-mail,a phone call,or a post card inviting them to vist our fellowship.
GOD'S HONOR
Romans 1:18-23
Dear Father, to whom all honor and glory is due,
How sorry I am that men do not honor you as their God and King! It
is to their loss and to their hurt, but it insults you! They
wickedly suppress the truth. Through creation, you have shown them
plainly what can be known about you, so they are without excuse.
Although they know of you, the true God, they do not honor you as
God or give thanks to you as God. Their thinking is futile and
their senseless minds are darkened. Claiming to be wise, they
become fools and exchange your glory, the glory of the immortal
God, for images resembling mortal man or birds or animals or
reptiles.
How awful is your judgment! Because they exchange the truth about
you for a lie and worship and serve the creature rather than you,
the Creator, the holy God, who is blessed for ever, you give them
up to the lusts of their impure hearts, to dishonor their bodies
among themselves.
May I never be so foolish as to trade your glory for my own. In
the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, creator and sustainer of the
universe. Amen.
