I am so proud of my son and his wife for how they have trusted God through the tumultuous waters of the past few years. For such young souls they have been through so much, yet, through it all they have always landed on the shores of God's grace, mercy and love.
I can't help but think about the Apostle Paul's list in (2 Corinthians 6:3-10), where he records the litany of trials that he went through in the name of Jesus. I won't list all my son's and his families trials but they were daunting and unrelenting, from his wife's near death and unimaginable suffering to his daughter's severe burns to his son's battle with a deadly virus and his own heavy burden of carrying them all physically, mentally, emotionally and financially. The two of them survived the onslaught that came upon their lives and family and they emerged with a powerful and unshakable faith that few their age can even dream of.
This past year I was especially proud of them as they sought wise counsel from their elders as they were navigating through the decisions that needed to be made post-serving over-seas for four years. They moved back to the states, re-settled in temporary accommodations, re-established every aspect of their lives, searched for a house, transportation, a new church, etc. Not everything went smoothly but it was their character that impressed me most. They acted like human beings who felt every emotion yet didn't act fake. They shared honestly about their journey and their feelings while at the same time taking it all to God.
Their story ended with blessings, not because they did everything right but because they always ran back to God after their own strength failed. Even when their faith was thin or nil, they kept believing in God and continued faithfully to go to church, read their bible and to pray. They allowed God's mysterious hand, that sometimes made no sense, finish its work and when the clouds of despair dispersed, the rain had always left a blessing of new growth behind! What Satan intended for evil God worked out for good (Genesis/Joseph)! What could have broken them, made them strong because they refused to believe that God would give up on them. Even when we give up on God, He does not give up on us! We may fall and fail to express faith but God uses every part of our trial like a compost pile for our new faith to grow!
When life seems shattered beyond repair, go to church, read your bible and pray even when you don't feel like it. God says in (James 4:8a) that, if we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us. Reach out into the darkness and be patient, for your Savior will grasp your hand and save you. Maybe not in your timing but His timing is always perfect, He is never doing just one thing, He's always working many things together for good! If your mind is disciplined by God's Holy Word, then that truth will inhabit your heart and no matter what you're feeling, those feelings will never trump your faith permanently! It may feel like He is gone but He's not, He will never leave you (Joshua 1:5). Faith is what hard times build and it is only that faith that will get you through the hard times!
God did not bless my son and his family because they deserved it or because they earned it! God blessed them because He loves them. They were saved through faith by grace. That's not just our eternal salvation but that is every situation that we need to be saved from! We are saved through faith by grace! God gives us the faith to draw near to Him even when we feel empty of it and that faith is given to us through His grace. All that we need is IN Him but if we don't draw near to Him then we will experience lack. The fullness of everything He desires for us is just beyond our diligence for seeking Him! There is a difference between God's blessings and His abundance poured out upon us! Don't sit back and throw a pitiful prayer God's way and expect Him to pour blessings all over you! Then, if things don't work out the way you wanted them too, you get angry at Him or you treat Him aloofly with a heart of indifference! Draw near to Him with a humble heart and stay near to Him, then, you will begin to see His mighty hand at work in your life and for your good. Keep doing the right things even when everything is going wrong!
He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him! Hebrews 11:6c
James 4:6b-8a, God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Come near to God and He will come near to you.
The diligent seeking of God by my son and his wife shows in the character of their children also. They sing with their unbridled voices and dance on their tiny toes while praising the Lord out of sheer innocence and joy! They go to Sunday school because their parents are faithful to take them and God shines through them, being glorified all the while! Psalm 23:6 says, "Surely Your goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life." We can all have God's blessings poured into our lives if we would just diligently draw near to Him! Seek Him and have a more personal relationship with Him this year! Take your spouse, children, grand-children, friend or family member to church, or just get there yourself. God wants to have a bond with you that becomes unbreakable and respected. Think about it.......How do you get to know and love someone? You start spending time with them and you nurture the kinship by investing yourself. Jesus was sent by the Father for this specific reason! His investment in you was a complete sacrifice of Himself and all He asks in return is that you invite Him into your heart so He can be Savior of your soul, Lord of your life and friend through all things! John 3:16 reads, "For God so loved (your name here), that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life!" Invite Him into your heart, tell Him you need Him and He is the only hope that you have. Ask Him to be your Savior, Lord and friend, then, seek Him with all your heart! The Father sent Jesus to earth so men could see the perfect likeness of God (Hebrews 1:3), Christ then sends us out among men so that they will see Him through us! That's why we're here.........to let God love us, love Him back, then, go and share that love to the lost and hurting.
"I pray that out of God's glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now, to Him that is able to do immeasurably more than all we could ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church (the people of God), and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!" Amen Ephesians 3:16-21
I can't help but think about the Apostle Paul's list in (2 Corinthians 6:3-10), where he records the litany of trials that he went through in the name of Jesus. I won't list all my son's and his families trials but they were daunting and unrelenting, from his wife's near death and unimaginable suffering to his daughter's severe burns to his son's battle with a deadly virus and his own heavy burden of carrying them all physically, mentally, emotionally and financially. The two of them survived the onslaught that came upon their lives and family and they emerged with a powerful and unshakable faith that few their age can even dream of.
This past year I was especially proud of them as they sought wise counsel from their elders as they were navigating through the decisions that needed to be made post-serving over-seas for four years. They moved back to the states, re-settled in temporary accommodations, re-established every aspect of their lives, searched for a house, transportation, a new church, etc. Not everything went smoothly but it was their character that impressed me most. They acted like human beings who felt every emotion yet didn't act fake. They shared honestly about their journey and their feelings while at the same time taking it all to God.
Their story ended with blessings, not because they did everything right but because they always ran back to God after their own strength failed. Even when their faith was thin or nil, they kept believing in God and continued faithfully to go to church, read their bible and to pray. They allowed God's mysterious hand, that sometimes made no sense, finish its work and when the clouds of despair dispersed, the rain had always left a blessing of new growth behind! What Satan intended for evil God worked out for good (Genesis/Joseph)! What could have broken them, made them strong because they refused to believe that God would give up on them. Even when we give up on God, He does not give up on us! We may fall and fail to express faith but God uses every part of our trial like a compost pile for our new faith to grow!
When life seems shattered beyond repair, go to church, read your bible and pray even when you don't feel like it. God says in (James 4:8a) that, if we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us. Reach out into the darkness and be patient, for your Savior will grasp your hand and save you. Maybe not in your timing but His timing is always perfect, He is never doing just one thing, He's always working many things together for good! If your mind is disciplined by God's Holy Word, then that truth will inhabit your heart and no matter what you're feeling, those feelings will never trump your faith permanently! It may feel like He is gone but He's not, He will never leave you (Joshua 1:5). Faith is what hard times build and it is only that faith that will get you through the hard times!
God did not bless my son and his family because they deserved it or because they earned it! God blessed them because He loves them. They were saved through faith by grace. That's not just our eternal salvation but that is every situation that we need to be saved from! We are saved through faith by grace! God gives us the faith to draw near to Him even when we feel empty of it and that faith is given to us through His grace. All that we need is IN Him but if we don't draw near to Him then we will experience lack. The fullness of everything He desires for us is just beyond our diligence for seeking Him! There is a difference between God's blessings and His abundance poured out upon us! Don't sit back and throw a pitiful prayer God's way and expect Him to pour blessings all over you! Then, if things don't work out the way you wanted them too, you get angry at Him or you treat Him aloofly with a heart of indifference! Draw near to Him with a humble heart and stay near to Him, then, you will begin to see His mighty hand at work in your life and for your good. Keep doing the right things even when everything is going wrong!
He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him! Hebrews 11:6c
James 4:6b-8a, God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Come near to God and He will come near to you.
The diligent seeking of God by my son and his wife shows in the character of their children also. They sing with their unbridled voices and dance on their tiny toes while praising the Lord out of sheer innocence and joy! They go to Sunday school because their parents are faithful to take them and God shines through them, being glorified all the while! Psalm 23:6 says, "Surely Your goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life." We can all have God's blessings poured into our lives if we would just diligently draw near to Him! Seek Him and have a more personal relationship with Him this year! Take your spouse, children, grand-children, friend or family member to church, or just get there yourself. God wants to have a bond with you that becomes unbreakable and respected. Think about it.......How do you get to know and love someone? You start spending time with them and you nurture the kinship by investing yourself. Jesus was sent by the Father for this specific reason! His investment in you was a complete sacrifice of Himself and all He asks in return is that you invite Him into your heart so He can be Savior of your soul, Lord of your life and friend through all things! John 3:16 reads, "For God so loved (your name here), that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life!" Invite Him into your heart, tell Him you need Him and He is the only hope that you have. Ask Him to be your Savior, Lord and friend, then, seek Him with all your heart! The Father sent Jesus to earth so men could see the perfect likeness of God (Hebrews 1:3), Christ then sends us out among men so that they will see Him through us! That's why we're here.........to let God love us, love Him back, then, go and share that love to the lost and hurting.
"I pray that out of God's glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now, to Him that is able to do immeasurably more than all we could ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church (the people of God), and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!" Amen Ephesians 3:16-21
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