Hidden Lessons from Christmas

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What hidden lessons can we learn from Christmas? Our expectations are often different from God’s, just like it was with the Jews prior to Jesus’ birth.

The Expectation: The Jews expected a King. Mary expected a Messiah.

Both represent power. But the reality was that Jesus was born in manger. Luke 2:11 & 12 “For to you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you; you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.”

The Reality: Jesus came to deliver the Jews from their sins. God used Mary to bring forth the Messiah.

How can we apply this to our lives? Do you have certain expectations for…. your husband? kids? home? lifestyle? job? ect…

The reality of these expectations is often different than what we had planned. What can we lean from Christmas to help us with the reality of our expectations? Are we sometimes disappointed as the Jews were disappointed? What did the Jews do? Who came to know the truth?

Some looked for God’s plan in the midst of disappointment. They didn’t look just at the outward circumstances but BELIEVED GOD. They focused on the hidden jewel in the manger stall. They found power and purpose in that little baby. When the reality of your expectations doesn’t look at all as you dreamed- When your husband has flaws you haven’t seen before… When your children disappoint you…. When your physical home will not be featured in a magazine. What can you do?

Look beyond the circumstances. Look for the hidden jewel.

Psalm 127:3 says “Sons and daughters are a heritage from the Lord, and the fruit of the womb a reward.”

Can we respond like Mary in belief when there are times those children do not seem like a reward but more like punishment? When my first child, Becky, was born I knew nothing about being a mother. I was raised an only child and had never been around babies. Also, I was given no training prior to her birth as to what to expect. When she arrived, she had severe colic, volatile vomiting, and slept very little. She would sleep for 45 minutes and then cry most of the day. I remember crying out to the Lord, “What have I every done to deserve this?” Then as this baby grew into a beautiful girl, inside and out, she became a child who loved the Lord. And then she began being my great helper and helped me raise the other children. She was a great example for the other kids to follow and I cried out to the Lord “What have I ever done to deserve such a child as this?” That was truly a great lesson to me that God only gives us good gifts.

May we each learn from the hidden lessons of Christmas, some truth that will help us with the expectations of our life. May we find the hidden jewel in all of our circumstances.

Family Devotions

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I am going to share some simple thoughts and memories from Family Devotions with our children.

We started in a little house on Oxford St. when we had only Becky. She was between 2 and 3 years old. I wanted to have an atmosphere for this time and since we had no fireplace I decided to use a kerosene lamp in the center of the table and we would sit around it. It worked well and in a dark room it was quite cozy. I used the lamp even during time of the year when it was light because it still helped with making it a meaningful time.

When we moved to 35th in University Place, I liked to have devotions in front of the fire whenever possibly and in the summer at the beach cabin, in from of a beach fire on the bulkhead. I think atmosphere helps make it a special time for the children.

I think about Jane’s comment a while ago, “Mom, I think devotions meant more to you than it did to us kids.” That could be true, but I needed that time as a mom. It was the most precious time of the day for me, but I still think these times of devotions had an impact on the lives of our children as well. All are now raising/ have raised children for the Lord and doing a good job (and their children are raising children in the Lord).

As a busy mother, I needed time with my little chickens gathered around, quietly talking to them about Jesus. It was a wildly noisy time between 3-5pm  with 5 children and trying to make dinner. And then began the unwinding time. I would give them their baths and then send them down to the fire place to be dried off by Dick and put on their pajamas. I would then gather the children together and hand Dick the devotions book. I always found it important to get Dick’s approval for devotional time. But like most things, it doesn’t happen unless mom takes a little initiative.

We often began devotionals with a regular story. We went through “Laura & Mary” books, a chapter at a time for example. Dick would then read a chapter from a Children’s Devotional Book such as “Little Ones Time with God” or “Happy Acres”. There are books to fit every age group. Dick would read the story and then ask the questions at the end of the chapter which the children would answer and discuss. After reading and asking questions we would sing a few songs or choruses. Then each would pray. I still remember Bart’s regular prayer every night when he was little, “God bless all the people in the world. The ones I know and the ones I don’t know”. That rather covered it all 🙂

We would always end with the song “Now the Day is Over”. Singing one verse and humming one verse. Then bed time would start for the young ones. I could see extra benefits from these times for children, besides learning about Jesus. It taught them to pray out loud and as a result they were never afraid to pray in a group whenever they were asked. It also taught them to sing as a family. Sometimes we were asked to sing and they always had a song ready. They had several that each one would sing a verse or special things within a song. They changed the words to “Micheal Row the Boat” to “Barty Row Boat”, which had lines like: “sisters help to trim the sails” and “Nanny and Boppy on the other side” and “milk and cookies on the other side” and “Wollochet bay is chilly and cold”. All ending with hallelujah.

Benefits I could see as a mother:

  • taught them to pray and be concerned for one another
  • they learned how to share prayer requests
  • they learned how to ask for forgiveness from God and others
  • opened up opportunities to mend relationships in the family

It’s easier to establish this routine when they are small, before school age, and easier in grade school. It becomes more difficult for a routine as they enter Jr. High and High school. Each child in the family has a different experience and a different remembrance of their life in the family. I know Pollyann’s memories of Family Devotions are very different from Becky. I feel it provides a strong basis for praying “for everything”(tests, games, friends, disappointments). It also is a natural time to witness for Jesus when kids have friends over to spend the night. As a mother it made me feel I was daily taking a step in fulfilling Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way she would go and when he is old he will not depart from it.”

May the Lord bless you as mothers and fathers as you train up your children.

Stress

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Everyone has a different level of stress. Some people can handle great stress in the work place and fall apart around the children. For others it’s the reverse. Sometimes we bring on our stress and sometimes its just a situation or circumstance. But what we want to learn in this lesson is how to handle it. We want to learn what to do with it before it does something to us. We tend to blame our troubles and stresses on the people around us, instead of blaming our troubles on our “re-action” to those people. Our stressful situations can either be a “problem” or a “challenge”. Problem is such a negative word and generates toxic poison into our system. Whereas challenge is a positive word and implies excitement and accomplishment.

I feel I am trying to teach you to build a fence at the edge of the cliff, so that you and your family wont fall over. Things that will help your marriage be happy, your children to stay close to you and the Lord, and your personal life to be happy. The Lord also provides ambulances at the foot of the cliff to help you and care for you there. But I think much of our troubles can be avoided by simply following the plan he has for our life at the top of the cliff. As a child of God, we can handle any problem if we allow God to be the one working with us. Phil 4:13 says “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Paul tells of his reaction to trouble in II Cor. 12:7-10. His troubles made him stronger. What if you husband comes home after a hard day and is upset because the house is a mess. You could react in rage, and shorten your own life, or you could refuse to let his ulcer become your ulcer.

Jesus promises us “peace” not stress. John 14:27 says “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled neither let them be afraid.” Then John 15:1-10 all about abiding in him which is key to controlling stress. Verse 11 says “These things I have spoken to you that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be full.” Meet each challenge with the peace of Jesus.

How can we practically do this? If our load is too heavy to bear we read what we can do in Matt 11:28 “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (v. 29) Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls, (v. 30) For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Sometimes we pray for healing or relief from stress, but work against the laws of God. An example of this is the woman who prays for healing for her liver disease but wont give up alcohol. Or the man praying for healing from bronchitis and wont give up smoking. What do we do similar in our lives, perhaps more subtle but the result are the same? David in the Bible learned to handle stress. In the idle of hectic situations he would state his problem to God and then praise God. Psalm 3 is an example of this. This was written when he fled from Absalom his son. In II Sam. 13 we read of the circumstances that turned Absolom’s heart to revenge.

I know I sometimes sound like a broken record talking about taking time with God in the morning. But I feel it is so key to also dealing with stress. Committing your work to him and allowing him to establish your plans. If you allow him to establish your plans for the day, He isn’t going to give you so much to become stressed about. Prov. 3:5,6 says “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Why do you suppose he tells us NOT to rely on our own insight? Because he knows we will laden ourselves down with what we “should” do because someone else wants us to, or what we “ought” to do, because we will feel guilty if we don’t. You know the list goes on and on as why we do all the things each day, that are done on our own “insights”. Give God a chance to plan your day. Go before and prepare the way. It wont be a stressful day but a joyful one, anticipating what surprise the Lord has next in store for you.

When I said each person has a different level of stress I didn’t mean that the level of stress is different within us. What I mean is there is a different level of stress regarding situations and problems that bring different people to high levels of stress and pain. The pain and stress is just as real, but what brought it on could be very slight for one person, but extremely heavy for another. It seems to me there are only two answers to stress, either ask the Lord how we can remove it from our life, listen to his direction and then, do it. Or, learn how to live with it and re-act to the person or situation that are giving us stress in a manner so that stress doesn’t take over. Either way, we must rely on the Lord. Either to show us how to eliminate the stress, or teaching us to live with it, so we can live “above” it and not let it kill us.

Oh Lord, show me the path of life you have for me. A path of peace, joy, righteousness and anticipation, not full of stress and anxiety.

Psalm 16:11 “Thou dost show me the path of life; in thy presence there is fullness of joy, in thy right hand are pleasures for evermore.”

Proverbs 16:24 “The wise mans path leads UPWARD to life, that he may avoid Sheol beneath.”  

Burdens- a time to cast & a time to bear

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After sharing my thoughts in “Casting your Burdens”, I continued considering and pondering further. I realized there are some burdens that we cannot cast away, but that the L0rd must help us bear them. Some of these would include:

  • Caring for an Alzheimer parent
  • Caring for a handicapped child
  • Watching parents grow older and coming to end of life
  • Watching loved ones die
  • Combatting a debilitating disease
  • Having been told you or a loved one has cancer

I think it is these kinds of burdens that Jesus is talking about in Matthew 11:28: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light”.

I was thinking of the story that someone shared with me that sometimes the burdens we carry are likened to someone pulling a little red wagon filled with rocks. Along the way of life we have picked up worry,  anxiety, sin, many “what if’s”, many fears, and they are rocks that we have piled little by little into our wagon. The wagon is getting heavier and heavier to pull but the rocks are not burdens the Lord has given us. For He says His burden is light. These are the burdens in our little red wagon that we want to cast away.

IMG_1505

This picture is a reminder of the burdens that we are to allow the Lord to help us bear. And the little wagon is a reminder to think about the rocks and burdens we are carrying that we really do not need to. These could include:

  • Worrying about what will happen next year
  • Being anxious about growing older
  • Feeling sad because someone has hurt your feelings
  • Angry with a family member
  • Being depressed because you are too thin, too fat, not as pretty as your sister, or having bad skin
  • Carrying the burden of past sin

The following verse speak about “casting” our burdens:

  • Romans 13:12
  • 1 John 4:18
  • 1 Peter 5:7
  • Galations 6:2

Lord, give us the wisdom to know when to cast our burdens and when to have you help us hear them.

Casting Our Burdens on the Lord

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These are some thoughts given to me on Thursday morning December 8, 1994.

Thinking about my missionary friend, Alma Hagen, and her illustration of actually putting out your open hand, palm side up, in a gesture of giving our burden, desire, fears, anxieties…. to the Lord, and not grasping onto it with our clenched fist.

Thinking of Romans 13:14 “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”

Give it to Jesus– Not only the bad things in your life, but also the obsessive desires for good things. Even these can rob us of peace. Give it ALL to Jesus on an open palm. “Whatever Lord, Your will.. You know Lord my desires, my hopes, but is your plan better?”

Isaiah 55:8,9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

God may it be: Your plan for how my marriage should be…. Your plan for how my children should be….. Your plan for how my life should be… Your plan for how my house should be…

1 Peter 5:7 “Cast all your anxiety on him, for he cares about you.”

Psalms 55:22 “Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved” (We might be moved from our physical house or our neighborhood, but never moved from the closeness to God).

Think about fishing. Are we like fisherman, throwing out our burden to the Lord, and then reeling it back in? Just cast it and leave it! The definition of cast: to throw with a quick motion and sudden release.

Let us quickly with sudden release- cast our burdens on the Lord and then experience the peace that passes all understanding.

Being Led By the Spirit

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“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God.” Romans 8:14

Do you ever ask yourself: How do we apply this to our lives? Can we really know what God would have us do?

Yes! But FIRST we must Listen, learn to Listen, and take time to listen….

  • Matthew 17:05
  • John 9:47
  • Job 15
  • John 10:14
  • John 10:27
  • Isaiah 55:3a
  • Matthew 11:15
  • Ecclesiastes 5:1a
  • Proverbs 1:23&33

SECOND: How do we know what we hear is God speaking and not our own thoughts or Satan?

Knowing the voice of God is a very personal and different thing to each person. I am going to give you some guidelines from various people and myself for you to wrestle with. Also this ability to know when God is speaking to you does not come instantly. It takes time. Time of praying, time of reading and meditating on the word, time of listening and time to PRACTICE listening. Let us not be like the scribes or Pharisees of whom Jesus spoke in Matthew 23:3 “…. for they preach but they do not practice”.

So please take the following as guidelines to help you in your search of knowing when God is speaking to you.

1. Test the spirits: In 1 John 4:1-3 we are told not to “believe everything we hear”.

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are of God; for many false prophets have done out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God; every spirit which confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit which does not confess Jesus is not of God…”

BUT- even if the enemy is taunting you with something that is true such as past sin, or something not pleasing in your life to the Lord, remember 1 John 2:1 “My little children I am writing this that you may not sin; but if any one does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

Also remember Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

2. God promised in the Old Testament that He would be our guide. Psalm 48:14 “That this is God, out God for ever and ever. He will be our guide forever.”

The third part of the Trinity was sent to be our guide.

  • 1 John 5:7
  • 2 Timothy 1:14
  • 1 Corinthians 3:16
  • Psalm 25:4,5

Ok, so God’s spirit is now in us- How can the Holy Spirit get our attention and tell us what he wants us to do?

This is a very childlike example of God’s plan for us.

But remember the verse: Matthew 18:3 “…Truly I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Childlike Version

God was looking out at his beautiful world all messed up by men. He thought “How can I tell them I love them so they will understand?” So He decided to send his Son as a human to talk to them in their own language and to die on the cross for their sins. Some listened and some did not. But when Jesus died for our sins and rose again and then went to be with His Father, God did not want us to be left alone. Sooooo he sent the third part of the trinity. He sent the Holy Spirit to come inside those who would believe.

John 16:13 “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.”

I John 5:7 “And the Spirit is the witness, because the Spirit is the truth”.

NOW… we know that the Holy Spirit is in us and has promised to guide us. But how do we know what the Spirit is telling us?

We need to quiet our Spirit and get into a quiet place if possible to listen to what the Spirit is telling us. 1 Kings tells us that God speaks in a still small voice. With the noise of the world all around us and our minds spinning, are we able to hear that still small voice?

Psalm 46:10 tells us “Be still and know that I am God.”

 Two wonderful promises of the Holy Spirit’s guidance are found in Galations 5:16 & 25

“I advise you to obey only the Holy Spirit’s instructions. He will tell you where to go and what to do, and then you wont always be doing the wrong things your evil nature wants you to do.”

” If we are living now by the Holy Spirit’s power, let us follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. Then we wont need to look for honors and popularity which lead to jealousy and hard feelings.”

The following are thoughts from a tape by Kenneth Hagin entitled “How to Train the Human Spirit”. This tape has been very helpful to me and a blessing in my life as I searched for how to know when God was leading me. I know that Kenneth Hagin has been getting some bad press lately as perhaps into the Prosperity Gospel preaching, but I want to point our to you, that many men are used by God at various times in their lives and are a blessing to many, and perhaps at another time go off on a tangent, but that doesn’t take away from their early ministry. I have also been blessed by Robert Schuller who is given bad press many times in Christian circles. But there again let the spirit guide you and not necessarily believe everything one man tells us or disbelieve another. Measure it up to scripture and ask God to show you. Anyway for what it is worth there are some of his thoughts. May they be a blessing to you as you search out this subject.

He is basing these thoughts on Pro. 20:27 “The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all his innermost parts. And also basing his thoughts on Joshua 1:8 “This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it, for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success.”

Often we are very diligent to build up our minds and our bodies but neglect our spirits. These are four rules which will help us to build up our spirits.

  1. Comes by meditation in the Word
  2. Comes by practicing the Word
  3. Comes by giving the Word first place in our lives
  4. Comes by instantly obeying the voice of our spirit

Proverbs 20:27 tells us that God and the Holy Spirit will use OUR own spirits to enlighten us and that our own conscience can be guides.

BUT our conscience can only be right guides as we follow the 4 rules.

Rule 1: MEDITATING IN THE WORLD

Realize the value and power of quiet meditation. We cannot spend 5 minutes in the world each day and 5 hours watching TV and reading magazines and expect our spirit to be growing in the things of the Lord.

Rule 2: PRACTICING THE WORD

Be doers of the Word. James 1:22 “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” Many Christians are in Praise of the Word, rejoice in the Word, and Talk about the Word…. But how many are DOERS of the word? This does not mean keeping the 10 commandments, for we have a new commandment, we are to love one another and walk in love.

If we are able to DO what it says in Phil. 4:6,7 we are promised peace and no anxiety. “Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which passes all understanding will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Phil 4:8,9 tells us what to DO to obtain peace. “Finally, brethren whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, lovely, gracious, if there is anything excellent, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, DO; and the God of peace will be with you.”

The more you talk about some negative thing the more it becomes true. Use Phil. 4:8 as a guide.

We give place to the devil by thinking negative thoughts. The devil wants to enter our thought life. Our spirit is God’s when we ask him in. But we can voluntarily give our thoughts place to Satan.

Matt 12:34 says”…for our of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” I often take this verse when people say something unkind or negative and then say, “I’m only kidding”. I think that is what is really in their heart and it is coming forth. But the same can be true when we are complaining and telling our worries to others. It shows our heart is full of anxiety instead of peace as we are promised by the Lord.

Rule 3: GIVING THE WORD FIRST PLACE IN OUR LIVES

Pro. 4:20-22 “My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my saying. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to him who finds them, and healing to all his flesh.”

What a promise. When you hold that with Joshua 1:8 we really have some promises for listening and doing the words of God.

Also Matt. 6:33 “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things shall be yours as well.”

Rule 4: INSTANTLY OBEYING THE VOICE OF OUR SPIRIT

The human spirit has a voice. We call it conscience, and sometimes a “gut feeling”, “woman’s intuition”, “hunch” or “inner voice”.

Every mans spirit has a voice whether he is saved or not. But when we are born again all parts of us are made new and turned over to God. 2 Cor. 5:17 says, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation, the old has passed away, behold the new has come.” (Also see 2 Cor 4:16, 1 Peter 3:4, Eze. 11:19, 1 John 4:4)

Your spirit can be trained to be a true guide of the Holy Spirit’s direction. The devil doesn’t dwell in you and God isn’t in your head,  he is in your heart. The spirit of God within you. Learn to obey your spirit. The conscience can be a safe guide in the believer when it is trained by meditating and educated by God’s word. Our conscience isn’t educated by TV or R rated movies. What are you feeding your inner spirit?

Here are the verses that talk about a “seared” or “corrupted” conscience: 1 Tim 4:2 & Titus 1:15

But when a Christian is meditating in the word and feeding and building up their spirits by doing the word, these verses bear witness to the fact that then our conscience can be a safe guide:

Romans 2:15…”Their conscience also bears witness….” Paul also adds in Romans 9:1 that his conscience is used by God… “I am speaking the truth in Christ, I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit.”

And to me this was the most convincing verse that when we have trained our spirit, we should listen to it: 1 Timothy 1:19 “holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting conscience, certain persons have made shipwreck of their faith.”

Inward voice can be the voice of Your spirit. We will miss that voice by putting out fleeces. Satan can be counterfeit and he is out there. Inside your spirit is much safer, when Christ is dwelling within.

What a wonderful promise of the Holy Spirit’s guidance in John 16:13 “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all 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.”

One of the greatest tests if it is the Lord speaking to us is if we feel PEACE about what we are being led to do. Phil 4:7 talks about the peace of God which surpasses all understanding. It is so wonderful you have to experience it to know what he is talking about. But when you do, it is real and it is something Satan cannot counterfeit, because it is the confirmation of the Holy Spirit within us.

LEARN to obey the voice of your spirit. Practice the 4 rules often. We are able to get guidance in the minor details of our life as well as the major ones. But it does not happen overnight. It takes time, training, and patience. Follow the rules and exciting things will happen for you!

Knowing God’s Will

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(Adapted from work by Pastor Erman K. Lunder).

The following is a guide created to bring clarity to the process of making decision.  After considering your options, as well as consulting with family and friends, it can be helpful to take a step back and simply listen to the Holy Spirit.

Step 1: Pray- Search the scriptures. (This doesn’t have to be scripture related to the problem. Simply being in scripture gets you in tune with the mind of God.)

Step 2: To the best of your ability, with all the facts and information you have available, make a decision.

Step 3: Wait. Give yourself a day or two without sharing your choice with anyone else. Keeping your decision private will allow you to process your thoughts and feelings clearly and without any influence from others.

  • If during this waiting period you experience:
    • calm peace
    • inner conviction
    • liberty of action
    • joyous anticipation
  • If so: your decision is most likely aligned with God’s will.
  • HOWEVER…. If during this waiting period you experience:
    • restlessness
    • bondage
    • dark dread
  • If so: your decision is most likely NOT aligned with God’s will.

(Be aware that fear of change, challenges, and the unknown can often complicate your ability to decipher God’s will. If you often struggle to accept changes or things outside your “plan”, spend some extra time praying and asking the Lord if your need for control is hindering your ability to hear His voice.)

 

Scriptures relating to instantly obeying the voice of the Spirit:

  • Isaiah 30:21 (The Rudder Verse)
  • Proverbs 20:27
  • Romans 8:14
  • John 10:27
  • John 8:47
  • Galatians 5:16
  • Galatians 5:25

When we have received direction from the Lord about which choice to make and then things don’t seem “just right”, here is a verse to cling to:

Proverbs 20:24 “Since the Lord is directing our steps, why try to understand everything that happens along the way?”

Lesson on Discernment

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Discernment: A power to see what is not evident to the average mind. Discernment stresses accuracy as in reading character and motives.

Synonyms:

Discrimination: Stressed power to distinguish or select the excellent, the true

Perception: Direct acquaintance with anything through the senses. An immediate or intuitive cognition or judgment

Insight: Keen discernment or understanding. Immediate apprehension or cognition

Verses Regarding Discernment:

  1. Proverbs 16:21
  2. Isaiah 27:11
  3. Philippians 1:9-11

Breaking it down:

Paul’s prayer- “That you will overflow with love, knowledge, discernment, insight.”

Why? “So that you will always see clearly the difference between right and wrong and to be inwardly clean.”

Also: “That we will be filled with the fruits of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ.”

Hebrews 5:14 RSV “But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their faculties trained by practice to distinguish good from evil.”

Hebrews 5:14 Living “You will never be able to eat solid spiritual food and understand the deeper things of God’s word until you become Christians and learn right from wrong by practicing doing right.”

The main thought seems to be: Distinguishing good from evil is the same as discernment. Also, that until we are able to distinguish good from evil, or have discernment, we will not be able to eat the solid food of a mature Christian. Until we “train our faculties” and “learn right from wrong by practicing doing right” we will never obtain discernment.

It appears as though the Lord is saying:

  1. We need to train and practice by asking the Lord to show us and reveal the difference between good and evil.
  2. As we listen and follow his direction, it will become easier to discern the difference
  3. Little by little as we practice “doing right” it will be easier to “discern” what is the good and right thing to do in the next situation placed before us.

Consider Phil 4:8,9 “Finally brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, do; and the God of peace will be with you.”

May we, with God’s help become wise and discerning children of God. Amen.

 

Quality time- Life Changing Moments

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Quality Time with the Lord Making For
LIFE CHANGING MOMENTS

 

1. We must be HUNGRY and THIRSTY for the Word and for Jesus.

Mat t. 5:6 “Blessed are those who HUNGER and THIRST for righteousness for they shall be satisfied. ”

John 6 : 35 “Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not HUNGER , and he who believes in me shall never THIRST.

Psalms 42:2a “My soul THIRSTS for God, for the living God.”

Psalms 107:9 “For he satisfies him who is THIRSTY; and the HUNGRY he fills with good things.”

Psalms 84:2a • ”My soul longs, yea faints for the courts of the Lord.”

2. Then, we must COME to Jesus.

John 14:18 “I will no t leave you desolate; I will COME to you.” John 21:12 “Jesus said to them, “COME and have breakfast.”

Psalms 34:11 “COME, 0 sons, listen to me, I will teach you the fear of the Lord.”

Psalms 95:2 “Let us COME into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!”

Psalms 119:169, 170 “Let my cry COME before thee, 0 Lord; give me understanding according to thy word! Le t my supplication COME before thee; deliver me according to thy word.”

Mat t. 14:29 “He said , “COME.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and CAME to Jesus.”

3. We must then FOLLOW Jesus.

John 12:26 “If anyone serves me, he must FOLLOW me; and where I am, there whall my servant be also; if anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.”

John 10:27 “My sheep hear my voice and I know them, and they  FOLLOW me. ”

I Peter 2:21 “For to this you have been called , because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should FOLLOW in his steps.”

Mat t. 4:19 “And he said to them ,  ‘FOLLOW  me, and Iwill make you fishers of men. ‘”

MORNING VERSES
Psalms 5:3
Pro. 8:34
Psalms 143:8
Lam. 3:22,23
Psalms 88:13
Mark 1:35-38
Pro. 3:5 ,6
Psalms 90:14
Pro. 16:3

Key Thought: Pro. 10:27 (Living )
“Reverence for God adds hours to the day.”
This is our reward for making time for Jesus. Just as endorphins are rewards of exercise.

Tips for Quality Time with God

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1. PLAN A TIME: (Preferably morning).

We need to give Him our day to help plan it. That can be challenging to do at night after the day is over and we are exhausted. We need HIM to be a part of all we do and plan.

In Exodus 16:4-7a we read of the Israelites being told by God to gather manna each day, a portion for that day, Also it says that “in the MORNING” you shall see the glory of the Lord, and “at EVENING” you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you through.

2. HAVE A PAPER AND PEN

Pro. 3:5,6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not rely on your own insight, In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make straight your paths.”Pro. 16:3 “Commit your work to the Lord and your plans will be established.”

Here is a practical way we can apply those verses…. Jot down on the paper all the things YOU want to get down that day and things you feel should be done. Particularly on very busy days. Then, give it to the Lord, saying, “Lord, this is what I want to get done this day. What do YOU want me to do? Do YOU have a better plan, better ideas? Please show me. Could some things wait, be eliminated? How much am I doing from pride rather from necessity?”

Then start your reading for the day (whatever Devotional book you have chosen, a portion of the Bible you have chosen). Then as a thought comes to your mind about the day, DON’T fight it, assuming it is an unspiritual thought and you have to get back to the business at hand. Instead, jot down the thought and continue with your reading. Imagine releasing that thought to the Lord. Often, these are not the intrusions weaking to us in this time set apart for Him. He might putname on your heart to call or write to. Jot it down and continue.

This process I liken to popping corn in a microwave. Thoughts come fast for awhile and then slow down and are over, and we can get down to the business at hand of worship­ping and praising God and being filled for that day.

Sometimes we might read a Devotional Book and the Bible, other times just cry out to the Lord, “Help Me” and make straight my path. Just acknowledging Him. (Pro,. 3:5,6) Or perhaps we are crying out FORGIVE me. Or, “There is too much for me to do today. I’m going crazy and I know this isn’t your plan for my life – my days.”

Am I saying “Yes” when you would have me say “No”? Direct me, show me your way. Psalm 119:105 “Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

I will take the first step Lord, show me the second. Pro, 16:9 “A man’s mind plans his way but the Lord directs his steps.”

And also Is. 55:8,9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”

3. WHEN THE LORD HAS ARRANGED OUR LIST TO HIS PLANS, THEN WE ARE READY TO FOLLOW
Some practical tips for helping us follow:

Matt, 16:24 “Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

What do we need to do to deny ourselves in order to have a more quality time with Jesus. Perhaps giving up 15 min. sleep in the morning to get up before the family does. Perhaps doing some of our “morning chores” in the evening, such as making lunches, laying out clothes for the children, laying out our clothes, setting the table, etc. etc.

We need to think about the “ministry” things and “serving the Lord” things on our list. Sometimes “ministry” can be more exciting than the daily duties the Lord has set before us as a wife and mother and we neglect those. OR we take on more than we should because we can’t say no.  We need the Lord’s perfect balance. A verse that was helpful to me as a young mama was Mark 1:35-38. I had been told that Jesus never said “No” to anyone so we should not. Then when I found this verse it was very freeing. Jesus did say NO, because he had been with his Father and the Father had showed him a different plan.

Let the Lord plan your day for His burden is light. When your burden is heavy, either it’s not the burden the Lord would have you carry, or you are not allowing Him to share it with you. Matt, 11:28-30 says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light,.” Isn’t that a wonderful promise?

Oh, Lord, what would you have me do this day, Go before and prepare the way.
My prayer for you:
–  To become hungry for His Word
–  To come to Him in eagerness and openness
–  Then have courage to follow Him, as He directs you
If you do, your moments with the Lord will become LIFE CHANGING MOMENTS.

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