I have a week left in my study on the book of James. When I read this book right before Christmas I don't remember looking at it with such clarity..it's amazing what God can and will reveal when the time is right.
The lesson yesterday was on patience...something we all need constant work on! Something I read really struck a chord with me: "You can't rush God. You can't push Him. You can't pull Him. You can't tug Him or taunt Him. If He has a mind to linger right were He is, you can't budge Him one inch. You can, however, try to go without Him; but, chances are, you'll come back because, if you really have a heart for God, you'll be miserable beyond his blessing,"quoted from Beth Moore.
Wow, for some reason a light bulb went off when I read this(as much as it surprised me I know it didn't surprise God). It doesn't matter how bad we want something or when we want it...it's up to God to decide when we are ready for those things to happen. Everything has to fall in place at a certain time in order for his perfect plan to occur!
The other thing that really struck a chord with me was this: "A person has hardly begun to have a real fight on her hands until she starts serving in her full-throttle giftedness and effectiveness. She who proves a threat earns an enemy you can bet will do everything he can to make her sorry," again quoted from Beth Moore. Then the other thing that goes with that is this: "Here is the sobering truth about the nature of trials in the life of righteous persons, that God allows them to be tested in order to prove their faith...In some ways their endurance proves the Lord's boast in them,"quoted from Kurt Richardson.
Isn't that remarkable? What I got from this is the fact that we will face trials, when we are in the middle of that "fire" we can bet we are doing exactly what God wants us to do...keeping our faith and depending on him to get us through that fire alive! But, isn't it amazing, that it seems that in the middle of that trial things seem to get worse? That's because the enemy knows we are operating just the way God wants us to and he will do anything in his power to shake us from our rock! In no way, can we let the enemy win...we must stand firm on our rock and know that God is doing this to refine us and develop our perseverance, patience and faith:)
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Thursday, February 9, 2012
James
We went to an amazing church while on vacation! It was a baptist church with an average membership of 14,000 people...yep, that's right! While there they had a cute little book store and I found a new Beth Moore bible study. It's on the book of James.
Since starting the book of James it has now become my favorite book. It has a lot of insightful messages in it and asks us to do some very hard things. From my commentary in my bible: James 1 tells us to act out our faith. James 2 reminds us to treat everyone the same and follow with deeds.
Acting out faith can be a very hard thing. For example, believing for more children when the doctors here on earth say it is not going to happen. Faith says, it can, because God tells us to be fruitful and multiply, anything is possible and ask and you shall receive. Part of faith is believing when you feel like everyone thinks your crazy. Another example, believing that a house you fell in love with will stay on the market until your house sells! Believing this, isn't not knowing reality, it's believing God for something and knowing that if the doors open then it's meant for you.
In James 2 the first half of this chapter is on favoritism. Which I didn't even know was here..even though I just read this whole entire book..I must have missed that point! That we are to treat everyone the same, even if they just walked off the street or if they just donated a million dollars to the church. It doesn't matter where they came from or what they look like, everyone deserves the chance to contribute and have a say.
The second half of James reminds us that faith without deeds is useless. For example, buying a bigger house when there are going to be 2 empty rooms, but knowing if that is the house you are meant to buy that God has a plan and you have to have faith for that plan. Don't worry about the why or the how, but having faith for the unseen and following through with what God has laid on your heart. No matter what we are having faith for we have to follow it up with deeds. We can't believe God to provide for us and then go out and get a loan, or believe God for change and then say it's not going to happen. It doesn't matter if our friends and family think we are crazy as long as we following through with what God wants and asks from us that is all that matters:)
Since starting the book of James it has now become my favorite book. It has a lot of insightful messages in it and asks us to do some very hard things. From my commentary in my bible: James 1 tells us to act out our faith. James 2 reminds us to treat everyone the same and follow with deeds.
Acting out faith can be a very hard thing. For example, believing for more children when the doctors here on earth say it is not going to happen. Faith says, it can, because God tells us to be fruitful and multiply, anything is possible and ask and you shall receive. Part of faith is believing when you feel like everyone thinks your crazy. Another example, believing that a house you fell in love with will stay on the market until your house sells! Believing this, isn't not knowing reality, it's believing God for something and knowing that if the doors open then it's meant for you.
In James 2 the first half of this chapter is on favoritism. Which I didn't even know was here..even though I just read this whole entire book..I must have missed that point! That we are to treat everyone the same, even if they just walked off the street or if they just donated a million dollars to the church. It doesn't matter where they came from or what they look like, everyone deserves the chance to contribute and have a say.
The second half of James reminds us that faith without deeds is useless. For example, buying a bigger house when there are going to be 2 empty rooms, but knowing if that is the house you are meant to buy that God has a plan and you have to have faith for that plan. Don't worry about the why or the how, but having faith for the unseen and following through with what God has laid on your heart. No matter what we are having faith for we have to follow it up with deeds. We can't believe God to provide for us and then go out and get a loan, or believe God for change and then say it's not going to happen. It doesn't matter if our friends and family think we are crazy as long as we following through with what God wants and asks from us that is all that matters:)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)