King David ~The Wounded Son~

Posted on May 3, 2014 by darla05

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As I dig deeper in the series study of King David by Jimmy Evans, I am intrigued. I have countless books on David and yet Pastor Jimmy shows me a different perspective that I have never thought of before. We all know of David’s great victories, killing lions and bears, killing Goliath, the songs written about David killing ten thousand. He was the mighty warrior. The poet. The warrior that made beautiful  music that  even the demons would flee. We also know of David’s greatest sin of adultery and murder. We know David is called a man after God’s own heart but  have you ever thought of David as the wounded son?

When the prophet Samuel went to Bethlehem to anoint the next king of Israel who is one of Jesses sons,  the elders of the town trembled when they met him and asked if he came in peace? Samuel  got word to Jesse the father of David to bring his family to him. Jesse brought seven of his eight sons with him.  The eldest Eliab was tall and handsome and Samuel thought surely this was the next king but the Lord said, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” The Lord said no this is not the one chosen seven times. Samuel asked Jesse , do you have any more sons? Jesse told him there is still the youngest and he is tending sheep. Of course when David the youngest walked in the Lord said this is the next king and Samuel anointed him in front of all his brothers and the Holy Spirit came upon David that day.

Father hurt or pain is the worst kind of pain to endure. Pastor Evans said of all the counseling sessions he has done in his thirty plus years of ministry, Father pain has always been the worst and the deepest.

Jesse did not think enough of David to have him join the other brothers to meet Samuel.  Talk about feeling like the black sheep of the family.  It does not look like  David had a father that thought that much of him.  We do not know much about Jesse but what we do know and reading in between the lines, David  did not have a great role model as a  father.  Maybe he could have a father figure in his oldest brother Eliab, no again, we are told how Eliab burned with anger against David on the battlefield against Goliath. I am sure it was jealousy and envy there since Eliab was there when Samuel said David would be the next king. Next, David is loyal and serves King Saul, another father figure in his life and Saul is jealous of this faithful servant and tries to kill him on several occasions. David is still so loyal to Saul. He has the chance to easily kill him and chooses not to kill him.  David’s father and each father figure in David’s life rejected him.  David definitely fits  a definition of a  wounded son.

In looking at David in a different light it sure does look like David did not deal with his pain. We all have pain and do we deal with it or do we medicated it?  Do we stay so active and work, work , work to quiet the pain. I call it a Martha spirit. Do we sit and mediate on it and stew on it and make plans to get even? Do we medicate it with drugs, alcohol, pornography, food, accumulating things, sex, etc.  We look at all of these things to be the problem when really the base of the problem is pain. One of the first steps to the Alcoholics Anonymous program is to get honest. Fess up. Alcohol is really not the problem. It is the pain that they are trying to medicate and numb.

David medicated his pain with a  sexual addiction. He had countless wives and concubines. He committed adultery and murder over a sexual act. David would not deal with his pain. He had council and advisors at his beckon call. He had the great counselor of all the Sovereign God but David set with his crown on straight on his throne while his family was melting down around him.  David transferred his pain down to his next generation.

One of his sons, Amnon raped his half sister Tamar. Tamar’s brother was Absalon. David hears what happened and he does NOTHING. Imagine how Tamar felt? The most powerful man in the country and her life is her father and he does nothing to protect her or defend her.  Her brother Absalon demands that the King his father do something about it. Make Amnon marry her which would have been custom to do in that time. Ammon is just following the actions of his Dad. David, acting as king over Israel, used his power as king to obtain Bathsheba so that he could lay with her, even though he knew all along that she belonged to another man. In like manner, Ammon forced himself upon his sister Tamar to lay with her. David had used deception in arranging for Joab to murder Uriah the Hittite, the husband of Bathsheba, and now with the help of his cousin Jonadab and Jonadab’s suggestion to Ammon, Ammon now uses deception to lure Tamar to his bed so that he could lay with her.

  Absalon waits for two years and sees that his father does nothing so he took matters into his own hands and killed Amnon.  Absalon flees from David after killing his brother. David eventually summons Absalon back but will not see him. Absalon leads a revolt against his father and his father David had to flee for his life. David left ten concubines to take care of the palace and Absalon had sex with them on the rooftop in the sight of all Israel.  Think of the ridicule that Solomon acquired knowing how his Mother and Father got together. Solomon had over a 1,000 wives when he was king.  Reading all of this it sure does look like the pains/addictions of the father were passed down the the children. 

The difficulties that David reaped in his lifetime  are actually just the “natural consequences” of his actions. David’s sons are going to follow the example that their Dad set when he committed adultery and murder, and the result will be great and continual grief in the heart of David.

Having so many wives and sons, plus being a king and a busy warrior all of his life, David was an “absent father”to say the least.  Ammon had grown up without having both the nurturing and affection of a father nor the discipline that only a father can give. David should never have taken all of these wives because in doing so he was an absent father and as a result raised sons who were selfish, self-centered, and were used to getting their own way. Their mother’s probably did  the best they could do teaching them, but there is much to be learned from the role of a Father.

Pastor Evans said a powerful quote that has stayed with me,  “Every great man and woman of God has to rise above the pain of their past to reach their God given destiny.”David excelled in many areas of his life but he failed in the role of a father because he did not deal with his pain of the past in this area.

What do great men  and women of God do with their pain? We have to face it, not run from it, bury it, medicate it or ignore it. FACE IT ! Apostle Paul is a great example. He was the Pharisees of Pharisees and a murderer of countless Christians yet he let his sin and his scars be redeemed. He layed his pain and sins at the foot of the cross.  The blood of Jesus is greater than any sin. With the power of our resurrected Savior, we can face our past or our pain and decide we are the end of the pain and we will not let it transfer to the next generation.  The buck stops here with us ~

David didn’t inquire of the Lord concerning the decisions he made and suffered greatly as a result . We need to learn from David and what he did not do.  Learn to pray about everything before acting, every single decision.

We have to be willing to submit our strongholds to God. We have the power of our resurrected Savior inside of us. We just need to tap into the power that we already possess. John 16: 12-15 tells us ,When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.  He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.  All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. Claim it. There is victory in the name of Jesus.  The word of God is living and active and it is our sword for battle. In whatever battle we find ourselves in we must equip ourselves with the scriptures that focuses on that area. Mediate on them. Be able to combat the enemy with it when he arrives with his schemes, his weapons, his condemnation. The battlefield for most of us is in our minds.  We submit ourselves to God , resist the devil and he MUST  flee. It is not he may flee, he could flee, He MUST FLEE ~

As I have said many times David is my favorite person in the Bible.  There are so many lessons to learn from his life. The things he did that were extraordinary and the things he did that were devastating. There is a saying that says never follow a general without scars. Well, this man after God’s own heart had scars and plenty of them. May we learn from the good and bad of his great life. David recovered from his sins and he did many great things in his life. He ended well. May each one of us keep the end in mind because the end is going to come .

I encourage each one of you to open your Bible and read the life of David with fresh eyes. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal his truth to you.  What are you saying to me ? What life lessons of David can be applied to my life right now? It is so exciting to me to read a story that I have read countless times and see a new revelation.  The Lord is full of countless wonders that he is just waiting to show us if we will only take the time. We are told to study and show ourselves approved.

“Lord Jesus, fill us with a new pouring out of  your Holy Spirit and guide us into your way of truth. Free us  and forgive us all from our past pain, from  errors and false ways and lead us in the knowledge of your ways and your will for our lives. May there be nothing in our life that is not under your guidance, your lordship . Lord, each day MORE of you and LESS of me, I pray. Amen ~

 

 

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The Best Of You Is On The Battlefield ~ The Worst Of You Is On The Rooftop ~

Posted on April 26, 2014 by darla05

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Rejoice when we run into problems and trials?  Sounds to difficult to do right? If you are like me we try to avoid problems and trials if possible.  But, if we will look at our life from God’s perspectives, we see problems and trials in a different life. God knows that we will never grow in character unless we go through struggles.

I am studying again about King David. David grew on the battlefield. He grew in stature and strength in battle. IN the battle he gained confidence and most importantly he grew in his walk with the Lord. The best of David came out on the battlefield and the worst came out on the roof top.

Why David was not out leading his army in the Spring as King’s did will always be a question. Kings went to battle in the Spring because the majority of these men were farmers and cattlemen. They needed to protect their land and their boundaries from the enemy. It is in the Spring when you plant your harvest.   The Bible does not say why David checked out from leading and serving his people.  I am taking some liberties here. Was it he was loosing his nerve since he was getting older? Well, that did not matter because all his victories were due to God.  Did he get complacent because of  the power and wealth he was given? Was it because he had seen Bathsheba before on the roof top? People in those days had flat roofs and had gardens on the roof and would bath in the warm weather on the roof. It was Spring , the days were getting warmer and Bathsheba once again would be bathing in the warmth.  Did David know she would be there because he had seen her before? Who knows? We do know it was a pretty package for a poison pill as Pastor Jimmy Evans said. This is how the devil always works. It is beautiful, he entices us with our eyes. our  own desires. The pleasure is always temporary. He only comes to kills, steal and destroy.

I ask you to pick up your Bible and read Psalms 51. This is the prayer that David said after he was confronted with his sin by Nathan the prophet. IF you ever wonder why David was called a man after God’s own heart, this is it. He made  a devastating mistake. This mistake brought more pain in David’s life than any enemy soldier but he got an A +++ on repentance. It is the most beautiful prayer.  David said to God, “Against you and you only have I sinned.” He blamed no one ~ He took responsibility. He OWNED it.  This is why David was a great man. David recovered and ended well. May we learn this lesson that  every great man and woman of God takes responsibility. 

My question to myself and to you is, are we on the battlefield fighting the devil for our destiny or are we on the roof top because of complacency, fear or sin?  Are we walking in to the enemies camp laying our weapons down? As I write this an old song from thirty years ago starts playing in my head. Here are the words …

Are we walking into the enemies camp
Laying our weapons down
Shedding our armor as we go
Leaving it on the ground

We’ve got to be strong in the Power of his Might
Prove to the enemy

We are the army of the Lord and we’ve won the victory

All around us the war is going on between the wrong and the right
We got choose which side we’re on the darkness or the light

Cause some of the soldiers of the Lord
Just don’t realize that the captain of the army of darkness
Has come to blind their eyes

Are we walking into the enemies camp
Laying our weapons down
Shedding our armor as we go
Leaving it on the ground

We’ve got to be strong in the Power of his Might
Prove to the enemy
We are the army of the Lord and we’ve won the victory

Can’t you see were in a battle there’s no place to hide
Our shields of faith are full of darts
There shooting from every side
Shake out the darts and run right at them
Remember who your fighting for
And don’t fall asleep because if they catch ya
They’ll tag you prisoner of war

Are we walking into the enemies camp
Laying our weapons down
Shedding our armor as we go
Leaving it on the ground

We’ve got to be strong in the Power of his Might
Prove to the enemy
We are the army of the Lord and we’ve won the victory

Are we walking into the enemies camp
Laying our weapons down
Shedding our armor as we go
Leaving it on the ground

We’ve got to be strong in the Power of his Might
Prove to the enemy
We are the army of the Lord and we’ve won the victory

We are the army of the Lord
We’ve won the victory~

We must believe that on the battlefield we cannot loose. We are the army of the Lord. We are destined for victory because of the God that walks before us. Claim it…. We have ALREADY WON THE VICTORY ~We have all made mistakes and we have all visited the roof top. We all have abandoned the battlefield at times. We must look at trials as something to learn from and not run from. When we take that view, we will be able to become more like Christ. I always pray less of me and more of you God. It is not always easy. The growing pains are painful at times. This prayer warrior has been wounded and I have been laid at the enemies feet before for not being prepared  but my God reached down and came to my rescue and saved me. We must always remember to put on the full armor of God daily ~  Romans 5:3 tells us we can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us, they help us learn to endure. Know we are victorious  because our God is faithful ~

 

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~ Set Apart~ From His Princess Love Letters From Your King

Posted on April 22, 2014 by darla05

~ Set Apart~ From His Princess, Love Letters From The King

Posted in Christian Inspiration, Confidence, Encouragment, Faith | 5 Comments

This Warrior Needs Her Battery Recharged ~

Posted on April 21, 2014 by darla05

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Have you ever been in the place where you felt your battery needs to be recharged? This is where I find myself the last few weeks.

This year has been a game changer since I have been back from our missions trip. I can truly say I am closer to the Lord in my walk than I have ever been. He has shown His faithfulness over and over. The opportunities to encourage others have been such a blessing. God has created this writing tool to truly reach others and I am so thankful for the counsel of the Holy Spirit. Also, thankful for the feedback and testimonies that have been shared with me.

I believe for us Christ followers to change this world we need to be real, transparent and giving of our time and resources. The problem that I am finding is I have given until I am drained. There are some in my life that have drained my energy. I feel exhausted and it is both the physically and soul kind of exhausting. I have been on a quest to unveil why I find myself in the same lesson so many times in my life. The one where the line has been crossed from friendship to being taken advantage of so many times. I tell myself it is something I am attracting. The Lord will allow the lesson to continue to come around until the lesson is learned. I talked to a few that I value their words of wisdom and I have searched many articles and I find that people seems to see Christian fall in categories for the most part. The holier than thou group and the take advantage of you group and yes, the hypocrite group which I don’t even want to dive into that one. There is a group that are the real deal, they are the difference makers and they are turning this world upside down. During my search, I found this quote, “People who are givers by nature naturally draw people who are takers by nature. ” I could hear in the back of my mind. JACKPOT…. Johnny , we have a winner, Ding… Ding… ding. I think I might have found the key in this quote.

I am finding myself telling the Lord that I KNOW your word says that the joy of the Lord is my strength but I am finding less joy these days. Loving and serving others is not for wimps. Lord, you know my thoughts anyway so I have to tell you sometimes I just don’t like people. Talk about being transparent. Well, that is about as real as it gets.  I KNOW in these less than joyful times to get in the word. It is time to get in the trenches and dig deeper. Pray harder. So, of course I open the word and turn to David and Paul. Theses men were warriors for the Lord and yet very transparent. Paul, speaks many times of being thankful and in need of encouragement. He speaks of friendships he treasured and companionship he needed. Paul felt it strongly when he was in prison or in a difficult situation. He writes about how much he relied on the encouragement of others around him.
Philemon 1:7 “Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints”
Philippians 2:19 “I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know your state” . He wanted good news about the Philippians, and he said the report from Timothy would be encouraging to him.
In Colossians 4: 11 Paul talks about a man named Justus. Paul said of these people, “These are the only Jews among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me” .

Then there is King David. Yes, my favorite. So many scriptures tell us where David renewed his strength in the Lord. There are many scriptures where David is drained physically and emotionally. He found himself many times on his face in grief. King David needed flesh and blood to help him also. There is one time when David is being hunted. He’s a fugitive. He is running for his life from the most powerful man in the land. He’s running from the king. He needed someone to come alongside of him and rejuvenate him, someone to help him with his weak battery. God sent just that kind of person in the person of Jonathan. 1 Samuel 23:16 tells us, “Then Jonathan, King Saul’s son, arose and went to David in the woods and strengthened his hand in God” Other translations will read this way, “Jonathan encouraged David in God.” He strengthened his hand in the Lord. They loved each other deeply. What kind of love did Jonathan have when it was his rightly place in tradition to be the next reigning king and yet he knew it belonged to David. Think of the jealousy and competition and all the other feelings that Jonathan could have felt but his true love for David conquered them all. Jonathan put his own life in danger by helping David. What a loyal friend to David.

I believe the Lord gave us these scriptures to remind us that even the fiercest warriors needed encouragement and refueling . I still have many questions. Like, how can certain people not see that they have taken so much and given so little and yet they still think they have done nothing wrong. How can they be walking with the Lord and not be aware of their actions that have hurt so many. How can they know what it is like to be encouraged when they are down or be remembered during their birthdays with beautiful things to open and yet when our birthday rolls around there is nothing. When I am sick I don’t even get a phone call or a meal like I have brought on many occasions has never graced our doors from them. The endless dinners and giving them money and then you see these same people purchase crazy things the very next week after they were crying to you how broke they were and so happy to take our money.

I give because it is my love language. I know I have been given the gift of encouraging others. My App test showed me two things. One, the gift of Exhortation which is the divine strength to encourage others through the written or spoken truth and Biblical truth. Mercy- The ability to feel empathy and to care for those who are hurting in any way. This is so my personality. I am called a Phlegmatic personality on my app test by 70 percent. The test states that the achilles heal of this type is in order to not be taken advantage of they need to be stronger and learn how to say NO. I battle this still at 48 years old. Two simple letters, really why is it so hard?

This really is not just a rant. I really want to emphasize that everyone needs to be an encourager. It’s easier for us to focus on how we need to be encouraged. But it’s more important to remember that all of us need to be encouragers.

Even if being an encourager is not your main personality characteristic , being an encourager is not an option. I read an article that stated thirty-two different times in the New Testament we read that there are things that as believers we are to do for “one another.” Be kind to one another. Love one another. One of those “one anothers” things is encourage one another.
Hebrews 3:13:- “Encourage one another.” This is not just for a select few to do; it is for all of us. We know from the Scripture that God is an encourager. Romans 15 calls Him the God of encouragement and comfort. So when we encourage others, we are being like God. We are ministering His characteristics to others. Isn’t that what this walk is all about? More of him and his character and less of us.

I hear so many people tell me you are my best cheerleader. I guess writing these words on this page is therapy for me but I am wanting it to be a reminder for us all. Each one of us is blessed with having that certain someone that is an encourager to us, please remember they need encouragement also. They need to be lifted up too. It makes their day when they are remembered every now and then. Don’t forget as the scripture says Iron sharpens Iron , well you have to do some sharpening back. Sharpening a tool is a back and forth motion against the metal. It is the same concept with relationships. Back and forth. Give and take. Encourage and be encouraged. It is a balance. I am praying for wisdom and divine discernment and revelation that I find the balance so I can continue strong. So that I can get back up on this track that I am on and I can finish this race well for my Savior’s purpose and glory. I ask for your prayers and if you have battled this and have overcome it, I would love you to share your message. Your test that became your testimony. Thank you for walking beside me in this journey ~

 

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Don’t Give Up ~

Posted on April 15, 2014 by darla05

Don't Give Up ~

Just read this about butterflies and then the very next thing I saw was this picture. I think the Lord is speaking this morning ~ I have been writing so many things about not giving up because this is what the Lord has laid on my heart and what he is teaching me. He is still placing things before me to gently remind me that he sees what is happening and he cares. How awesome is our God ? So thankful for his gentle reminders. So thankful to be called his child, his daughter.

Have you ever watched a butterfly struggle out of its cocoon? It looks likes it is never going to take it. When it finally does, it is exhausted. Is it worth it? Yes, because it is that struggle that pumps blood into the wings, enabling it to fly. That is why it does not give up. It keeps struggling to get out. We can look at our struggles that way. No matter what we go through it is producing something good in us. Therefore, we should not give up.

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Live With The End In Mind For The End Is Going To Come ~

Posted on April 14, 2014 by darla05

 

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There are always  days when we carry heavy burdens and at times we feel like we are going to drop the load. BUT GOD, yes, two of my favorite most powerful words, But God wants you to drop the load and give it to him. Drop it at HIS feet. Drop it at the foot of the cross. Please know that  He would rather carry it for you.

Entering into  this Passover week brings so many thoughts. So many things that Christ did when he died for us. He willingly wants to carry your burdens like he did His cross. He willingly took the crown on His head to give us the mental strength we need. He willingly took the 39 lashes that ripped His flesh apart so that we might have strength and healing to continue this journey here on Earth and more importantly to have life everlasting with our creator.

I sat in church yesterday as our Pastor Chris Hodges described in details what the Lord went through for us. I know the story. I know Isaiah 53. There was a silence I have never heard before in the church. His words pierced our hearts. His words pierced my heart.  Tears were falling down many cheeks. There was a fresh revealing of the scripture to me. REMEMBER  what he did for my sin. Never grow accustom to this glorious account of history in the word.  What kind of love is this? In Him we find a love that knows no bounds. He loved us in spite of all our sins. As the song goes, no greater love has any man ever known, no greater love has any man ever shown than this kind of love.

The Cross tells us that Christ will never leave us alone to fend for ourselves.  The Cross and His  glorious resurrection tells us we have a LIVING SAVIOR. We can tap into his strength and he will enable us to do things for him we never thought we could. We can forget our weakness and rely on his strength . He won’t let us stumble or fall. We can go on~ With God’s perfect strength ~ to the end of this journey. Billy Graham was asked how did he run this race so well in this life? How did he continue this fight so well? HIs answer was , ” Live with the end in mind because the end is going to come.” Powerful ~ He learned early to focus on what matters. He focused on the race that the Lord has placed before him.

The Cross is there to remind us that even though sometimes he shields us in ways that we don’t understand or expect, we must trust him. He loves us and he knows best for us. For we must meditate on his promise, The Lord is my strength and my shield, my heart trust in him, and I am helped. Psalms 28:7 and Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you, He will never let the righteous fall. Psalms 55:22.

Jesus restores the peace that I sometimes scatter along the path.  Our Savior became the redeeming lamb  so that we might have life and have it to the full. Praising His name this morning.  The only name that is worthy of honor and praise everlasting ~ Each day this week, let’s join together and  remember his ultimate sacrifice. May we lay down our burdens just like the palm leaves that  were thrown down on  the street of Jerusalem . May we say Hosannah to the Highest. He is worthy. Our Savior  demonstrated a love that cannot be measured. No greater love has ever been shown in history since the world began… than this kind of love ~

 

Posted in Believe, Bible, Biblical perspective, Christian, Christian Inspiration, Christianity, Church, Courage, Discipline, Endurance, Faith, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Grace, Hope, Inspirational, Jesus, Mercy, Perseverence | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

There is ALWAYS hope – Every time I see a sunrise I am reminded of this…

Posted on April 11, 2014 by darla05

There is ALWAYS hope - Every time I see a sunrise I am reminded of this...

It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

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What Is Church?

Posted on April 9, 2014 by darla05

 

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What is the church?

I think on this today when I listen to someone on the phone complaining about their church they attend. It is spiritually dead was one comment. It is lukewarm was another. So my thoughts turn to what is church?

For most people when you ask what is church, you will get the answer, it is a building where people come together to hear sermons from a Pastor.

According to the Bible the church is not a building or a denomination. The church is the body of Christ. The word church comes from the Greek work Ekklesia which means ” an assembly” or “called out ones”.

The church is a body of believers who have been called out from the world by God to live as people under the authority of our Redeemer Jesus Christ. The purpose of the church is to minister to believers and unbelievers. Yes, the church is two fold. We physically come together in a building to gather so we can refuel for the week ahead. We worship together, teach, pray and disciple each other and strengthen one another SO THAT… we are sent out of the doors into the world to be the church. So that… We see a need and meet that need. SO that… We become the hands and feet of Jesus.

God’s people who are in Christ Jesus are the church.

So after listening for awhile my turn came to put my thoughts into words…. If you don’t like what is happening in your church then change it. Be the change you want to see. It is not someone else’s job, it is your job. According to 2 Timothy 1:7, God has not given up the spirit of timidity, but of power and love and self discipline. We need to get disciplined about reading the word of God. It is living. it is powerful and it is stronger than any two edged sword. We need to pray. Jesus prayed continuously in scripture. He is our example. I find the more time I spend in prayer the more it changes me. My favorite writer, Max Lucado said , Our prayers may be awkward and our attempts feeble, BUT,since the power of prayer is in the one who hears it and not in the one who says it,our prayers make a difference.

Matthew 18:19 and 20 tells is that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them. I joked and said maybe you should grab four or five to be on the safe side. Complain and remain or start praising and raise from your circumstances. There is power in unity. The Bible tells us some great stories in the book of Acts when they came together in one accord. Unity is a powerful thing. Unity,the state or quality of being one, oneness, the act, state or quality of forming a whole from separate parts .

Romans 12:5 tells us that in Christ we, though many, form one body and each member belongs to all the others.

We are brothers and sisters in Christ. We need to cherish each others gifts not be jealous or tear each other down. Know one gift is not greater than the other. Without working together as TRUE brothers and sisters in our gifts we are insufficient in every way for the body of Christ.

Let us ALL start today to be the change we want to see. IT is our job to plant the seed and it is the comforter, the Holy Spirit’s job to water it. IF we do our part rest assure he will do his part.

 

 

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Fabulous Friends

Posted on April 8, 2014 by darla05

friendship2

 

A Fabulous 40’s friend shared a quote with me recently…”The very person you would take a bullet for is the one who is loading the gun and shooting you”…. and yet we still feel guilty . I shared one back with her that I found… I started praying to the Lord to protect me from my enemies and I started loosing friends.

Seriously, this has got me thinking, how are our relationships/friendships doing? What is friendship? We now have made it a verb. We will “friend” you on Facebook. How many friends do you have on Facebook? How many do you talk to EVER? True friends are a wonderful blessing. A source of comfort in good time and bad. A source of good counsel. It is not always easy to know who your true friends are. Sometimes a true friend tells you what you do not want to hear. Sometimes a false friend tells you what you do want to hear. Wisdom is knowing the difference.

If we have been around this world for very long the one thing we can all agree on is some of the best times in life that we have ever encountered is from relationships. On the flip side, we can say some of the deepest pits we have ever landed in is because of relationships. Through my years I have been on the receiving end of hurt many times but I have also hurt my own fair share of people. I have learned hurting people hurt people. It has taken me years to truly lay down betrayal and hurts and my own mistakes at the foot of the cross. God has been so faithful and looking back at my life I can see how he has used what was meant for harm and turned it around for good and for HIS purpose. Oh yes, there are still things I don’t understand but I know he is my Sovereign God and I must trust him. One day I will and we will all see the big picture.

I let few people have back stages passes to my life. I have a protective barrier I call “Shields” like Scotty on Star Trek. The ones that I have let in I am fiercely loyal to and would bend over backwards for them and they know it. I am still having to learn relationships lessons from time to time. I am at a different place than I have ever been in my walk with the Lord. Now, I know to apply the wisdom of God found in his word when things happen that I have no control over. IF it is one thing this middle aged woman has learned is putting God first is the key to experiencing his best. Go to the Lord first. Go to the word first not as a last resort. One thing I feel so strong about is to help others younger than myself so they will be so much further along in their journey with God when they are my age.

Properly applying the wisdom of God found in his word can assure us that we do not have to use trial and error to learn how to win friends and influence people . Let God be your guide. He has plans for us and they are for good and not for harm. We need to cherish each other and our gifts and know one is not greater than the other. We are suppose to help each other and encourage each other.

We all must learn that constructive criticism is not bad. To construct is to build something up not tear it down. True friends help you be a better YOU. Call you out when you are not acting right. Tell you when you have food in your teeth. Your zipper undone. Your nose is dirty. Girls, when shopping with you, they will tell you the truth if your butt looks great or not in those jeans. HA They will help you find the perfect outfit and tell you, “You are stunning”. They can be TRUSTED. (Trust- an assured reliance on the character, ability, strength of someone or something, one in which confidence is placed) They are there in the laughter and they are there in the darkness. Through sickness and health. Through promotions and loss of jobs. When they say they are praying for you well, you KNOW it. They pray WITH you.Godly friends, may we cherish them, may we raise them, may we be them.

Folks, life is all about relationships. Loving each other in truth. Loving each other as Christ loves us. Remember, we are COMMANDED to love each other and encourage each other. Friends are friends forever if the Lord is lord of them. Love that old song As friends of Jesus. our purpose is to KNOW him as Savior.FOLLOW him as Teacher. PROCLAIM him as Lord. GROW in our love. GROW a servant’s heart for God, for one another and all people.

We must KNOW and BELIEVE and REMEMBER- We can be the change we want to see in this world if we will embrace each other and strengthen each other. Think… who could be healed? Who could come to the Lord? Whose life can be better if we can all come together in unity and follow the teaching of our Redeemer?
After studying for days on this subject in the Bible there are more scriptures than I can list. Below are just a few…. The Lord takes relationships seriously since he spoke so much about it in his word. Obviously, it is VERY serious for Jesus, he died for you and for me that we may have an eternal relationship with our creator ~~~~ Maybe, just maybe we should invest and spend more time studying the word of God on Godly relationships.Trust in the Lord. HE IS FAITHFUL ~

Proverbs 17:17 – A friend loves at all times….

Proverbs 27:9 Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart and the pleasantness of one’s friend stings from his earnest counsel.

Proverbs 27:5,6- Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted but an enemy multiplies kisses

Psalms 141:5 – Let a righteous man strike me-it is a kindness, let him rebuke me, it is oil on my head . My head will not refuse it.

Proverbs 27:17- As iron sharpens iron so one man sharpens another

Proverbs13:20- He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.

Proverbs 17:9- He who covers over an offense promotes loves,but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.

Proverbs 26:20- Without wood a fire goes out. Without gossip a quarrel dies down.

Proverbs 20:3- It is to a man’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.

Proverbs 10:19- When words are many sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.

Proverbs 12:26 A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the ways of the wicked leads them astray.

John 15:13- Greater love has no one man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

John 15:14- You are my friends if you do what I command.

Each day is a gift from God, let us untie the ribbons~~~~

Posted in Bible, Biblical perspective, Christian Inspiration, Christianity, Faith, Faithfulness, Friendship, God | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

A Meaningful Life ~

Posted on April 7, 2014 by darla05

Posted in Faith | Leave a comment