TODAY WE REMEMBER 9/11
WE THINK OF THE SORROW
AND WE WONDER IF THE RETURN OF JESUS IS NEAR
WE KNOW HE TOLD US TO BE READY
WE LONG TO BE THE KIND OF BRIDE
THAT WILL NOT BE ASHAMED WHEN HE APPEARS
AND SO WE ARE RETURNING TO A STUDY THAT HAS BEEN CHANGING OUR HEARTS
AND TO THE PROMISE FROM EZEKIEL THAT
GOD WILL REPLACE OUR HEARTS OF STONE
WITH HEARTS OF FLESH
TO REPLACE DEAD, UNRESPONSIVE HEARTS
WITH PASSIONATE, REAL, AND POWERFUL HEARTS
Welcome to those of you who have done parts of “The Stonecutter” study before — I’m counting on you to be mentors!
Welcome to those who are just joining us. We are so glad you are here.
I don’t think it is coincidental that Leslie Vernick, author and counselor, is visiting me this week — for she pours her wealth into my heart as I prepare. We biked ten miles yesterday (she pushed me!) and then dined on butternut squash and whitefish at an outside cafe. I have been pondering a question, and so I posed it to Leslie, as we lingered over supper. “I know we will have many begin The Stonecutter study Sunday, but drop out — a smaller percentage will be faithful. And then even among the faithful, some will see dramatic changes, and others will not. Why?”
Leslie quoted Tozer, the words flowing out of her heart:
True spirituality manifests inteself in certain dominant desires. These everpresent deep-seated wants are sufficiently powerful to moderate and control a life.
“What are those desires?” I asked.
“To please God, to honor God, to love God, to glorify God with your life.”
“Yes,” I said, “that is what it is.”
May we ask God to give us these dominant desires. To want Him instead of just what He gives.
HOW THE STUDY WORKS
This study will have three or four parts. The first two are essential, and I pray you will be able to do all of it. But go at your own pace. I suggest doing some each day, same time, same place, to develop a habit. It is more important to experience God than to look at this as a task to be accomplished and hurried through. Having said that, I must say that the sermons I am suggesting in Part III. (usually by Tim Keller) are igniting hearts. If you have an Ipod or similar device, you can download them and listen as you work, drive, exercise… They are saying that his sermons are resulting in the first “internet revival.”
PART I. THE FOUNDATION (THIS IS REVIEW, BUT ESSENTIAL FOR THE NEW PEOPLE AND HELPFUL FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN WITH US. AFTER READING, ANSWER THE ICE-BREAKER.)
PART II. BIBLE STUDY (AGAIN, ESSENTIAL)
PART III. THE SERMON (I will try to give you free sermons, but sometimes they will be 2.50 to download. This is optional. Redeemer is using the money for ministries in New York City, so the money is well spent.)
AND SOMETIMES: PART IV. THE TESTIMONY (If you have been in this study and want to send me a half page or, at most, page testimony of how God is working in your life, you can send it to comments@deebrestin.com.) Anne, who has been with us since almost the beginning, will start this week, though I am incorporating her testimony into Part I.)
NEWCOMERS:
Because the participation is growing, and we are so glad, if you have a common name, you might give us a middle name, or even give us something unique such as Mary from Indiana or Linda the nurse the first time you log on. There are directions on how to get started on the right side of this page — and if you have trouble, contact my great website manager at david@deebrestin.com The first time your comment will need to be approved — but after that, you usually will come right on. Think about what you write before you write it, for it is hard for me to delete it. Many have found it is helpful to copy the study to a word document and then paste their answers when they are satisfied with them. Thoughtful careful answers are so very appreciated by all because as we grow, there can be a lot to read. Please pray for God’s anointing for us all!
DON’T LOOK FOR A QUICK FIX. THE NEXT FEW WEEKS WILL HELP YOU GRASP THE CONCEPT. BE PATIENT.
PART I. THE FOUNDATION
Why is it that some believers in Jesus Christ are set free from besetting sins, and others remain mud-bound? Each group seems to know the Lord, each group wants to change, but only one does. Though the mud-bound group is weary of repeating their failures and weary of their wilderness wanderings, they are stuck. In despair, they cry:
I don’t want to be so anxious, but nothing seems to help.
I’ve tried so many times to lose weight – it’s hopeless.
I hate it that I get so angry, but I cannot change.
Kim Yoeung Seng PHOTOGRAPHY: LAS VEGAS DESERT PICNIC SITE
A mediocre Christian life with occasional picnics in the desert is not what God wants for us.
The salvation God promises is a “double cure.” Remember the lyrics in Rock of Ages?
Be of sin the double cure
Save from wrath, and make me pure.
We not only can be saved from the penalty of sin, (save from wrath) but indeed, He is saving us from the power of sin (make me pure). The first cure is instantaneous, and the second is a process, but the same power that brought us new life can also transform our hearts, freeing us from the sins that have bound us for so long.
One of the rich metaphors God gives for this transformation is from Ezekiel, where He promises to transform “our heart of stone” into a “heart of flesh.” He is the Cardiovascular Surgeon who can give us a heart transplant, excising our lifeless cold hearts and replacing them with pulsating and passionate hearts, hearts that have the power to overcome sin.
ANNE’S TESTIMONY:
Anne, of our faithful bloggers who has a rich contemplative spirit, and has been through this study, writes this:
The Stonecutter series has been the most life changing study I have ever done. I won’t say that it was easy or that I don’t need to do it again because neither is true. I will continue this fall so that I may continue on the path to freedom. When we began the study there was a picture of a heart of flesh with stones dropping off it — I so wanted that heart.
When we began to discuss what idols we would like to be free of Dee made it clear that we should choose just one so that we would not be overwhelmed. I looked at what seemed my greatest struggle and thought it was comfort. Fortunately I also prayed and God began revealing one so deep that I was not even aware of it. It controlled me like a rudder and I did not even see it. One pivotal incident happened at work through an offhand comment from one of my coworkers that opened my eyes. This person saw in my soul with startling clarity. As we learned on the blog about how to recognize our physical reaction to idol threat I knew that I must first deal with the idol of approval because it was setting off all the sirens. When I began to take steps against my approval idol, I saw assault from everywhere. I think it was for about a week that I suffered deeply. I felt weak and shaky at times but as we studied I learned how to speak truth to my soul which brought victories. Just a month or so later I had a dream that spoke deeply to me of God’s love for me. Realizing His love for me gave me just the kind of strength I needed for my battle. Another thing the dream helped me to understand is that my idolatry is an attempt to cover myself before God and that prevents intimacy with Him. Greater intimacy led to victory in the area of the comfort idol also.
I am learning that God is the Stonecutter. He will remove the stone from my heart. My job is to allow Him. It is heart surgery and painful at times, but if I allow it, I will quickly be healed. If I pull away it could take 40 years in the wilderness!
Anne referred to idols — we aren’t talking about the stone gods of the Old Testament or even the little Buddha that may be in the place where you get a pedicure. Ezekiel says we have idols of the heart — these are our “functional gods.” We may think we trust in Jesus, but often we trust instead in the approval of others, or our comfort, or having control over our lives. These are hidden stones in our hearts, like hidden boulders under water that can cause a shipwreck.
These treacherous stones lurk beneath the deep waters of our souls – stones that have stymied our journey and cut us to pieces. But God’s light is shining down into the deep dark waters revealing the Scylla that have shipwrecked lives. (In Homer’s Odyssey, “Scylla” looked from a distance like a dangerous rock shoal, but was in actuality a six-headed sea monster. Her long necks stretched down to the ship as she passed, seizing six of Odysseus’ sailors.)
In response, many of us are crying out to the Stonecutter, asking Him to remove the stones. And He’s doing it. An amazing excitement is rippling out, the joy so characteristic of revival. The Stonecutter is exposing that we are, indeed, idolaters. Even though we love God, there are others things in our heart of hearts we think we must have to be fulfilled. We think thoughts like:
Unless I succeed in my career… unless people love me… unless I get out of this crummy apartment…unless I get married…unless ___________________then I have no life.
When we make money or marriage or ministry our foundation, our security, and our identity we are idolaters. These stones in our hearts block the presence of God. Jesus, the Stonecutter, is in process of chipping those stones away so we can experience real life.
Why is it that a study on idolatry leads to victory when other studies have failed?
ATTACKING THE ROOT PROBLEM
So often we have failed to conquer a besetting sin because we have attacked the symptoms of our sin instead of the root problem. Alcoholics Anonymous knows that there is no hope for deliverance until an alcoholic sees and names his root problem. She must come to the point where she can stand up before a group and admit, “Hi – my name is Jane, and I am an alcoholic.” As long as she denies her root problem and attempts to control the symptoms, she is doomed to failure. She may try to control her anger by counting to ten, her frequent accidents by naming a designated driver, and her absenteeism at work by asking her spouse to get her out of bed in the morning. But as long as she denies the root problem, her alcoholism will win.
In the same way, unless we as believers identify the root problem that leads to a multitude of surface sins, we are doomed to failure. Though our surface sins are many, there are three categories that cover most of the deep idols that lead to these surface sins. They are:
- Control/power
- Affirmation/approval
- Comfort/security
Why does understanding our root problem free us when other plans fail? Consider. Someone with the deep idol of comfort/security may want to overcome over-eating, over-spending, or a lazy devotional life – but she can’t seem to stop running to the refrigerator, buying impulsively, or hitting snooze on the alarm clock. She hates herself for failing and renews her efforts to attack the near sin: “I’ll start a better diet, a better budget, and buy a better alarm clock.” But her DEEP idol of comfort will CRY OUT when he is restricted. He will tell her lies: Just one potato chip… just window shop… just a little more sleep… He is crouching at the door, waiting for her to open it a crack, and when she does, he barrels in, attacking her.
She must open her eyes to the beast, the liar, the stone god within her heart. He promises relief but delivers bondage. THEN SHE MUST LEARN, AS LEAH DOES IN OUR BIBLE STUDY THIS WEEK, HOW GOD CAN BE WHAT HER IDOL NEVER COULD BE, TURN FROM HER STONE IDOL, AND ALLOW GOD TO COME IN AND FILL THAT SPACE.
ICEBREAKER:
1. Tell us your name, one thing that will help us identify you (I’m Cyndi the homeschooling mom from Ohio; or I’m Terri who leads prison ministries in Texas…) and one reason you have decided to do The Stonecutter.
2. What is one thing you want to remember from Part I.?
PART II. BIBLE STUDY
Leah and Rachel. Sisters. They were real women, like you and me. They wanted to have meaning in their lives, to be loved, to feel like their lives mattered. Though each might have told you, that they loved the God of their ancestor Abraham, each had “functional idols,” something from which they really thought they could get their meaning in life. God is The Stonecutter. With one, He successfully removed the stone. The other died, seemingly, with a heart of stone.
Let’s go.
Jacob is fleeing his brother, having tricked him, and comes to his Uncle Laban’s home. There he meets the love of his life, Rachel.
3. Read Genesis 29:9-20 to understand the background.
A. Find evidences that Jacob has fallen deeply for Rachel.
B. In verses 16 and 17, what contrasts do you find between the two sisters?
Though some translators diplomatically describe Leah as having “delicate or weak eyes,” as if she simply needed glasses, the context reveals otherwise. If, indeed, she simply had poor vision, the contrast between her and her sister would be: “Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel could see very well.” Instead, the contrast is:
Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance.
It is likely Leah had an eye malfunction, such as cross-eyes or a lazy eye.
C. How long did Jacob agree to work for Rachel’s hand? How long did it seem to him and why?
4. Read Genesis 29:21-30
A. Describe Laban’s ruse.
B. When morning breaks and the sun falls on Leah’s face, after the marriage has been consummated, how did Jacob respond?
C. How do you think Leah felt? How would you have felt?
LEAH’S STONE
READ GENESIS 29:31-34
5. What evidence in verse 31 do you see of the Lord’s compassion for Leah? How might this speak to you in whatever pain you are facing right now?
6. Leah’s first three sons. Find the names she gives each son, what they mean, and what they tell you about what Leah thought she had to have to be fulfilled.
7. CHALLENGE QUESTION: WE HAVE IDENTIFIED LEAH’S FUNCTIONAL IDOL — BUT WHAT DO YOU THINK COULD HAVE BEEN THE DEEP IDOL UNDERNEATH? (I DON’T KNOW — IT COULD ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN ANY OF THE THREE MENTIONED ABOVE — BUT I’D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK.) OFTEN WE IDENTIFY ONE IDOL, AND THEN WE LOOK AGAIN, AND SEE ANOTHER.
It was my friend Leslie Vernick who suggested we pay attention to our body language to identify our own deep idols. I can picture Leah becoming anxious, even feeling ill as she watched Jacob with Rachel. I imagine her depression at being ignored by Jacob. Often our thought life reveals our idols — and I’m sure Leah’s thought life was consumed with wanting Jacob’s love, approval, and having the security of being beloved in his eyes.
8. BE ALERT TO YOUR OWN BODY LANGUAGE AND THOUGHT LIFE. WHAT THINGS MAKE YOU ANXIOUS AND ANGRY? WHERE DOES YOUR MIND GO WHEN IT IS FREE TO ROAM? THIS WILL HELP YOU BEGIN TO IDENTIFY YOUR IDOLS OF THE HEART. BECOME SELF-AWARE AND WRITE DOWN WHAT YOU OBSERVE.
Often, it isn’t until our world is shaken that we can see the futility of our idols. After three sons, Jacob still does not love Leah. Listen to this Bonnie Rait song and imagine Leah, sitting by the fire, mourning that Jacob does not love her.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nW9Cu6GYqxo
9. READ GENESIS 29:34-35
What did Leah name her fourth son and why? What turn do you see?
10. In the following passages, do your best to find ways that God met Leah, cared for Leah, and had compassion on her.
A. Genesis 30:17
B. In this next passage Jacob is speaking — remember how unusual it is for a woman to be mentioned, to be remembered, in Scripture. Genesis 49:31
C. Ruth 4:11
D. Hebrews 7:14
E. Revelation 5:5
11. When God denies us a desire of our heart, He always has a plan, a plan not to hurt us, but a plan for our good. Have you experienced this? If so, share one illustration from your life.
12. Leah’s learning to praise the Lord was key in creating her heart of flesh. Some of the ways we can follow her model are to sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs in our quiet times and throughout the day. Try learning one simple song or verse from a hymn this week. What will it be?
13. I have also learned the power of praying Scripture. I’d like you to look at Martin French’s depiction of Revelation 19:11-16 above and then pray through those verses. Take one — and use it as a way to praise God. For example:
Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.
Lord, this takes my breath away. You are returning. You are Faithful and True. You have always been faithful to me, even when You have allowed pain in my life. You are True, and I cling to that. One day You will make war against our enemies — but not against me — for You have taken the punishment I deserve, and I will never stop praising you.
Now — you try! READ THIS PASSAGE IN REVELATION, LOOK AT MARTIN FRENCH’S DEPICTION OF JESUS ON A WHITE HORSE, AND PRAY IT, MAKING IT YOUR OWN.
PART III. THE SERMON
(FREE SERMON BY TIM KELLER ENTITLED THE GRAND MYTHOLOGIZER: JESUS AND THE IDOLS OF OUR HEART)
To download the audio: http://thegospelcoalition.org/resources/a/The-Grand-Demythologizer-The-Gospel-and-Idolatry
To watch the same on video:
14. RESPONDING TO THE SERMON
A. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY WAS KELLER’S MAIN POINT?
B. WHAT STOOD OUT TO YOU FROM THIS MESSAGE AND WHY?
15. WHAT IS YOUR TAKE-A-WAY FROM THIS FIRST WEEK?
EXTRA RESOURCES THAT MIGHT INTEREST YOU
KELLER’S SERMON “THE GIRL NOBODY LOVED” TO BE FOUND AT WWW.REDEEMER.COM
SALLY LLOYD-JONES CHILDREN’S STORY, BY THE SAME TITLE, IN THE JESUS STORYBOOK BIBLE
501 comments
1. Tell us your name, one thing that will help us identify you (I’m Cyndi the homeschooling mom from Ohio; or I’m Terri who leads prison ministries in Texas…) and one reason you have decided to do The Stonecutter.
My name is Dawn. I am sister to Terri. She has encouraged me to do this online study. I am hoping to draw closer to God and spend more time in the Word.
2. What is one thing you want to remember from Part I.? I want to remember that God is the almighty one who can change hearts. I pray he will reveal to me idols that are keeping my heart from being closer to Him.
Dawn Mokros — welcome! We love Terri and what she brings and so that makes us extra excited to have you here. We will probably need to call you Dawn Mokros as we have another Dawn, but to keep you straight.
Welcome, welcome, welcome!
Welcome Dawn!! So glad you are here! We love Terri and how cool is it to do this with your sister! 🙂
I agree with rebecca, how cool to have your sister here, Terri!
Welcome Dawn M.
Welcome Dawn M.–so glad you are here with us.
12. Funny, I pleaded with God that they wouldn’t ask me to sing lead on this on Worship Team this Sunday because it goes high at the end starting with the Bridge-I belt it out, and I was concerned it would sound too much like a special. 🙂 The other gal wasn’t there that normally is, so I thought uh, oh-he is going to ask me most likely. :-0
I love it though because I get to shout “THE ENEMY IS UNDER YOUR FEET, WE ARE FREE! WE ARE FREE! DEATH HAS BEEN DEFEATED BY LOVE, YOU OVERCOME! YOU OVERCOME!”. Somehow I think God wants us to shout this out in praise to Him!
God encouraged me with Come Thou Fount-another great song running through my head that we are doing on worship team this Sunday,
Come, thou Fount of every blessing,
tune my heart to sing thy grace;
streams of mercy, never ceasing,
call for songs of LOUDEST PRAISE. 🙂
(This is an I Spy for me this morning as I just saw this. :-))
Here is “Alive in Us”, the link and the lyrics:
http://youtu.be/uva5jYrKcsI
Here are the words:
Great is Your love
Let the whole earth sing, let the whole earth sing
You reached for us
From on heaven’s throne,when we had no hope
You are the way, there is no other
You are the way, there is no other
You rose from death to victory
You reign in life, Oh majesty
Your name be high and lifted up
Jesus, Jesus alive in us
You outshine the sun
You are glorious, you are glorious
Lord over all
You have made us new, we owe it all to You
PRE-CHORUS 2:
In everything, Be exalted
In everything, Be exalted
CHORUS:
You rose from death to victory
You reign in life
Oh majesty
Your name be high and lifted up
Jesus, Jesus alive in us
BRIDGE: (LOVE THIS BRIDGE!!!)
The enemy is under Your feet
We are free
We are free
Death has been defeated by love
You overcome
You overcome
The enemy is under Your feet
We are free
We are free
Death has been defeated by love
You overcome
You overcome
You rose from death to victory
You reign in life
Oh majesty
Your name be high and lifted up
Jesus, Jesus alive in us
Jesus, Jesus alive in us
LOVE this Rebecca! Praying for Sunday!
Thanks Rebecca for sharing, and I am also praying for you regarding Sunday!
12.
http://matthewsmith.bandcamp.com/track/jesus-i-am-resting
Lyrics:
Jesus I am resting, resting
In the Joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness
Of Thy loving heart.
Thou hast bid me gaze upon Thee,
And Thy beauty fills my soul,
For by Thy transforming power
Thou hast made me whole.
Oh Elizabeth, LOVE this!
LOVED THIS:
Simply trusting Thee, Lord Jesus,
I behold Thee as Thou art,
And Thy love, so pure, so changeless,
Satisfies my heart;
Satisfies its deepest longings,
Meets, supplies its every need,
Compasseth me round with blessings:
Thine is love indeed!
Yes, only He can satisfy our deepest longings-our idols can’t. Excellent song to share Elizabeth!
Aren’t the lyrics so good?! And it’s one of those that sticks with me all day…I would LOVE to hear you sing it (hint) 🙂
YES the lyrics are great! Perhaps we will sing this together in the future. Can you imagine the sound of everyone-the whole Earth and even creation singing and praising God at the same time! We will see His face as we sing..Oh my… 😉
Oh, Dawn, so glad are here!! It will be fun to do this study together even though we are miles and miles apart!!
I am excited to see that Stacy is now joining also. I am being a bit challenged with getting on the computer to do the study. I am so used to having an actual book that I can pick up anytime. You know me and computers. I have been doing the study, answering the ?’s to myself. Is there an easier way to do this? Or do I have to look through the whole thing to get to the part I am on at the time? Thanks for any tips. Love you sis!
• 7. CHALLENGE QUESTION: WE HAVE IDENTIFIED LEAH’S FUNCTIONAL IDOL — BUT WHAT DO YOU THINK COULD HAVE BEEN THE DEEP IDOL UNDERNEATH?
I think that her idol was affirmation/approval. She wanted more than anything to be loved by her husband and when she had each child she thought it would make him love her.
•
8. BE ALERT TO YOUR OWN BODY LANGUAGE AND THOUGHT LIFE. WHAT THINGS MAKE YOU ANXIOUS AND ANGRY? WHERE DOES YOUR MIND GO WHEN IT IS FREE TO ROAM? THIS WILL HELP YOU BEGIN TO IDENTIFY YOUR IDOLS OF THE HEART. BECOME SELF-AWARE AND WRITE DOWN WHAT YOU OBSERVE.
I probably get caught up in anger more than worry. I get angry when I am disappointed and my wants and expectations are not met relationally. I think that I struggle most with affirmation/approval.
I can relate to you Cyndi and Susan, in regards to the depth of relationship with your husband, I have had to surrender and surrender this to the Lord over the years, because my husband and I are so different from each other. I have to accept that he is who he is, and love him for all the endearing qualities he has. That being said, I can easily get upset about some of these things, and much of it has to do with my wants and expectations. I love this quote, from Cyndi too. I had to write it in my journal so I don’t forget it. DEMANDING WHAT WE DO NOT HAVE KEEPS US FROM BEING JOYFUL IN WHAT WE DO HAVE
9. READ GENESIS 29:34-35
What did Leah name her fourth son and why? What turn do you see? Judah—“this time I will praise the Lord”
Has her focus changed here that she is turning to the Lord for the love she desires from her husband?
Wish I had more time this morning– this has been a week of early mornings, and interuptions. Need to run now, but hopefully tomorrow I can spend more time.
BTW– my sister Dawn lives in MN and she is a nurse–
5. The evidence in verse 31 of the Lord’s compassion for Leah is he opened her womb so she could bear children.
The knowledge that God is with me as I live with the pain of everyday life has become a great source of comfort for me. No matter the pain, whether it be emotional, mental, physical, or spiritual, I have assurance I will never face the pain of life all by myself.
6. Leah’s first three sons.
Reuben-literally means ‘See, a son’.
Simeon-literally means ‘Heard’.
Levi-literally means ‘Attached’.
Leah thought if she gave sons to a man who did not choose her he would form a bond with her. I think Leah might have been looking for ‘Daddy love’. Laban may have favored Rachel over Leah because she was ‘perfect’ in every way….or so he thought.
7. I think Leah’s deep idol was affirmation/approval. She knew she was unloved and when she had performed a great feat, the birth of three sons, she assumed her husband would finally see her as valuable.
8. What things make you anxious and angry?
I get anxious if I dwell on the fact that I cannot see ahead into my future and I start playing the ‘Suppose this happens’ game.
I get angry when I can’t control what comes out of someone else’s mouth, especially when what I want them to say only pleasant things.
Where does my mind go when it is free to roam?
Oh my goodness…what a thought-provoking question and yes I intended the pun.
Sometimes I think about a future without my ex-husband in it. Sometimes I’m writing a story about a character named Maudie. The story centers around her attending her 50th class reunion. And I have to confess sometimes I think about the wrong things such as what I am going to have for an afternoon snack and yesterday afternoon after dwelling on such thoughts I indulged and had not one but two slices of banana bread with peanut butter and honey and a piece of homemade pound cake. I’ve already confessed my sin and I wanted to hold myself accountable to all of you because I shared I wanted to remove the boulder of indulgence! Now I am telling myself “Tammy, you don’t really need afternoon snacks!” Just being aware of the boulder has helped me change my thinking.
9. 4th son-Judah-literally means ‘Praise’.
Why this name? Leah was ready to praise the Lord for what he had done.
What turn do I see? I see Leah coming to the realization that God is all she needs to live a fulfilling life.
Very honest, Tammy, like you.
Sometimes I think about what I’m going to have for supper when I’m eating lunch.
I love how the Message writes Rev. 19:11 “Then I saw Heaven open wide—and oh! a white horse and its Rider. The Rider, named Faithful and True…”
This week has been very emotional for me. The story of Leah, which ironically we studied in church last month—but I seemed to gloss over it then, has really hit a deep chord with me. I think it led to my dream Monday night, I shared above, which was unlike anything I’ve experienced in my walk. It is still so rich, so emotional for me, it is hard to share it, but it has also stayed with me. God has opened some old wounds, that I really thought in all my counseling I had dealt with—or maybe had just come to accept as “my life”. In my vulnerable state, my approval idol has screamed all week, feeling rejection in many relationships. I have felt put in a box, misunderstood…and alone, as I did in my dream.
But, I have sensed God is really calling to me this week. It’s as if He has said, these wounds you thought were just part of you, are not meant to be part of you. Like He is determined to heal. As much as my dream has stayed with me, I also cannot stop singing “Jesus, Lover of my soul”…and the one I posted, “Jesus, I am resting resting”.
And now this verse in Revelation, this picture—it is His coming to me, not just later, but NOW. I look at these verses and I feel Him hoist me up on the horse behind Him, and carrying me through my pain—carrying me out of my lost-ness in my dream, and fulfilling that searching, longing, deep deep need I felt. I love Him so much. All this time of studying with Dee, I have wanted to really, really feel Him as Lover of my soul. I wasn’t sure if I could—I thought maybe my personality just isn’t like that…but this, this rescue, I can’t explain myself well, and I apologize. I’m not sure when I’ll be able to clearly say what He is telling me, but it is wonderful. I feel so wanted, so loved, cherished, and rescued. And yes, it takes my breath, and my words, away!
Elizabeth, I LOVE this! And the picture of you hoisted up behind Him on the horse is fabulous. You are making sense to me and my experience is similar and I hope I can share later. God is at work here among us!
oh Anne, I don’t want to admit I needed to hear this–and maybe I’m starting to not need it so much (understanding from others), but it does feel SO good to be understood–thank you dear friend. I wasn’t sure if it seemed “right” of me to picture Him hoisting me–but it won’t leave my mind!
I hope you can share later too–would love to hear more.
Elizabeth, I know I’m new here but thank you so much for sharing. This is so precious. Such beautiful imagery of rescue. May God continue to heal you NOW and cover you with his wings. You are beloved of God!
Thank you Diane–you blessed me. So glad you are here with us!
Elizabeth, I had to go back and read about the dream-I missed it earlier. Wow this post is wonderful, so glad you shared w/ us. So glad for what God is doing in your life. Anne is right to say God is at work here among us!
Yes, wow. I see you up there with Him too!
Elizabeth, I am seeing so much beauty blossom from you since the first day you started on this blog. God is really pressing you in-and you are on that horse! I remember when you first started you were concerned about having all your t’s crossed and i’s dotted in life. 😉 I have seen less of that in you it seems, and a sweet humility(looking more toward the interests of others above yourself), that only God can create in you.
I have been flailing lately and in an effort to draw close to God I decided to exercise some self discipline. This afternoon I was looking at my Pinterest account-my passion is decor and I realized exactly what I needed to do in order to solve a decorating problem I had not been able to solve in several months. I know this is a small thing but I immediately felt the presence of God on me and had to share. I love it that God is so involved in my life-even in the small stuff of every day.
I have listened to the sermon twice but need to sit down and take notes. Great sermon btw. Hope you all can listen.
I love that Kim–your eyes are so open to seeing the ways He works, so specifically and just for you.
And you reminded me to get to the sermon–thank you!!
I still pray for Melody too, hope she is doing well.
Thank you so much my friend. Melody is back in school and terribly busy as she will graduate in December. I will tell her what you said and I know she will appreciate your prayers.
Meg, I saw your post this morning about your ears, but ran out of time to respond. My husband had the same thing a couple months ago. He even went to the ENT, who prescribed him a steroid, and after treatment, Dr said, to try something that might help, before coming back. Dr said, plug your nose with your fingers and then blow like you are blowing your nose. Amazingly, it worked and he hasn’t had any problems since then. Don’t know that it will work for whatever your issue is, but hey, it’s a free remedy so worth trying!
Terri
Yes that is what my doctor said to do as well; i have been doing it, and so far nothing…
Wow you all! I can barely keep up with all the comments! It has been a crazy busy week for us. Filled with challenges but opportunities to trust. 🙂 Loving listening to the sermons! Thanks so much for these resources.
Can’t find The Girl Nobody Loved…Anyone have a link?
nevermind I found it! did not want to delete cuz of past issues. 🙂
I really feel like I understood something from the Lord today. Actually I sense some things from the past few days. But today I was feeling joyful and suddenly thought of some things and felt very much like Susan felt the other day when she questioned her salvation. It was like a cloud blocked out the sun. I wasn’t sure which was reality the cloud or the sun. What I realized is that I still have a very hard heart. I am still not very much like Jesus. And I have still got to lie down for the Stonecutter. I have resolved that I will. I don’t know what that means for me but I must allow it, whatever it is. Elizabeth, I went back just now to see what it was that you said that so resonated with me. I think it was when you said that you thought it was your personality holding you back from intimacy with Him. It was my personality and gifting that I was thinking of today. I thought ‘this is just the way I am’ but no, He is telling me this is not the way I am. He will rescue me and help me to be all that He created me to be.
Over the last year I can see that He has taught me some big things in order, things that I knew but did not deep down believe. First, there is nothing out of His control. Nothing happens that He does not allow. Second, He loves me. He’s crazy about me. He dances over me. Yet still my heart was heavy. This week I started a study on Acts. I signed up for it last spring and have been wondering if I can do it along with this one. As I began the questions the other day I had a glimpse of what I think is on the horizon for me this year and that is joy. I never saw it before but Acts is full of joy because of the power of the Holy Spirit working through people. I believe that as we grow intimate with the Lord we will see thrilling movement of the Spirit through us. The thought reminds me of Elizabeth’s visual of riding behind Jesus on the horse.
I am trying so hard not to ramble. Like Elizabeth I can’t seem to put it all into words. Maybe we just don’t have complete understanding yet.
Wonderful, dear Anne. Love what God is doing here among his daughters.
oh Anne–I just got to this and cried all the way through…your courage and honesty inspire me. Love the “He’s crazy about me. He dances over me”. This immediately brought to mind:
Zephaniah 3:17 “The LORD your God is with you,the Mighty Warrior who saves.He will take great delight in you;
in his love he will no longer rebuke you,but will rejoice over you with singing.”
And isn’t it beautiful–He has room for all of us behind Him on that horse!
Elizabeth, yes! And to me this image ties in to the Holy Spirit working through us in the world. He is the power and we are the vessels. We ride with Him.
It is neat how God keeps confirming truth to me. Many of you know the Lord revealed truth about eternal security to me during the last Stonecutter’s study. Tonight one of my favorite preachers, Robert Morris, was talking about being sure of your salvation and said this, “Some people think eternal life begins at death but it actually begins at salvation!” I have never thought of it this way. He also explained eternal security in a way that made so much sense to me. I want to grasp this fully so that I can give account of why I believe it if asked and God is doing just that for me.
10. In the following passages, do your best to find ways that God met Leah, cared for Leah, and had compassion on her.
A. Genesis 30:17
God gave her another son.
-Okay, I had to read the next verse, this is a bit of a bunny trail, but I want to comment on verse 18– did this hit anyone else?
The fact that Leah thought God was rewarding because she gave her maidservant to her husband is a concept that is difficult for me. It shows me how easily we can come to unscriptural conclusions. How critical that we examine our thoughts/beliefs in the light of scripture. We can so easily deceive our selves or be deceived by the evil one. We need to heed 2 Corinthians 10:5 “we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
B. In this next passage Jacob is speaking — remember how unusual it is for a woman to be mentioned, to be remembered, in Scripture. Genesis 49:31
She was buried in the same place as Abraham and Sarah—and Isaac and Rebecca—
C. Ruth 4:11
Leah was honored by God and others for having given birth to much of the tribe of Israel. Getting affirmation from God is far greater than getting affirmation/approval from others. I need to be reminded of that often, because I know that I look for approval and affirmation from people far too often.
D. Hebrews 7:14
Jesus was a descendant of Leah’s son- What an honor that is for Leah to be part of the lineage fo Christ. But she didn’t get to see that.
E. Revelation 5:5
Again, this scripture refers to Jesus as the lion of the tribe of Judah- So even though Leah didn’t see this while she was on earth, what a blessing for her to be mentioned here.
Makes me think about our own families-our story is not all written yet. Look at the sorrow Leah experienced on earth, what joy she would have had if she could have seen this in advance! We have to rest in Christ’s love and know that he has a plan for us and our families.
Yes, Terri — that verse about God honoring her for giving her husband to her maidservant struck me too. It was such a big deal to have sons that clouded the thinking. That was how a woman found worth. I know there are parallels He could show us.
such good insight Terri “How critical that we examine our thoughts/beliefs in the light of scripture. We can so easily deceive our selves or be deceived by the evil one. ” And I love your ending–our story is not all written yet.
14. Keller’s main point is that we can’t make idols out of people, things, feelings, etc. here on earth because they can’t save us, only Jesus can do that. Dee, did you pick this sermon just for me?! Over the summer when you said to think of what our idol was, I said I didn’t think it was possible, but I thought my children were my idols. Keller describes 2 women who each had sons who were there idols. One woman redirected her thoughts and found Jesus, the other could not. The saved woma’ns marriage was also saved, but the woman who kept her son as her idol had a marriage that was ruined. Sad. Only Jesus can help us through the hardest times, not our idols.
Yes, I was struck by that parallel too. Praying for you in your hard situation. If you haven’t read Boundaries it might help, or Leslie Vernick’s The Emotionally Abusive Relationship. It is complicated by your daughter being mentally challenged, but she needs boundaries just as much, perhaps even more! Praying for you…
Laura-dancer, how are you doing? you have been on my mind the last couple of days and i have been praying for you!
Hi Meg, you are sweet to think of me. I am in a good place today. This Bible study has helped immensely. A long story, a tough week, but the short end is I got Sarah back to school, the girl to child protective services, sarah’s phone was confiscated from a policeman (kids thes days are all about online communication and that’s how she would find rides to places – we would always turn it off online, but if she got to a place with wireless she could still make contact), AND she went to school yesterday. Baby steps. She stayed at home last night too. I struggle with the tough love vs. “regular love” stuff. Do we throw her out? Do we let her stay and be “abused” (us by her)? I guess the best part and my take away from this week is keller’s sermon. I have understood that I put my children before anything else in my life. Not good because that includes God. Believe it or not, although I was sad and emotional all week, God gave me strength, calmness, hope, and faith in Him.
I do try to complete the study here, but many times I read the scripture and answer the questions to myself. Thanks Dee. You are brilliant:)
Laura-dancer
I am so glad the bible study is helping you and for your other good news.. It still must be hard though.. will continue to pray for you! Love you!
13. I have also learned the power of praying Scripture. I’d like you to look at Martin French’s depiction of Revelation 19:11-16 above and then pray through those verses. Take one — and use it as a way to praise God.
Rev. 19:16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
Lord I long for the day when I can see this. You, my savior-my rescuer. I have-you are my warrior now, and you will come as warrior and every nation will see that you are King of Kings and Lord of Lords! They will know. You will bring justice to the downtrodden, you will judge the evil in the world and the evil nations who oppress their people. They will see you are KING OF KING AND LORD OF LORDS! Lord thank you for this in Revelation for I cling to it when I see injustice. When I see disabled people who can’t speak and who are lonely-no one invites them in to their world-OH GOD but they have hope, you made them, you love them, you are their mighty warrior, and some day they won’t have their disability, nor their pain. Jesus, You are KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS and you will come to rule over all!
Amen Rebecca!
14. RESPONDING TO THE SERMON
A. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY WAS KELLER’S MAIN POINT? Idolotry, He listed three, Religous, Personal and i forget the other one
B. WHAT STOOD OUT TO YOU FROM THIS MESSAGE AND WHY? He listed some Personl Idoltry and money was one of them.. that really convicted me i didn’t think that money could be an idol. i have a really hard time with money and i can even become selfish with it sometimes.
Part III THE SERMON
14. RESPONDING TO THE SERMON
A. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY WAS KELLER’S MAIN POINT?
In order to share the Gospel with unbelievers it is important to find out what their idolatry is-to know where they are coming from and address that first as Paul did. The same with believers-if a Pastor or a layperson is to counsel a believer the idol issue has to be addressed first-if you don’t touch on idolatry then you are just laying ideas and concepts on people and it isn’t going to touch them.- SO TRUE.
14B. WHAT STOOD OUT TO YOU FROM THIS MESSAGE AND WHY?
I forgot to mention I had to stop it half way through because of tending to the boys, 🙁 but I plan on finishing it and coming back to this question.
OH MY..I am 39 minutes into Keller now and he is getting to some EXCELLENT POINTS and I need to take the boys to school! Man! 🙂 I have so seen these idols of truth in so many ways..I hope I can finish before I need to leave for work.
A. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY WAS KELLER’S MAIN POINT?
The gospel is life changing when it is preached in a way that recognizes and dethrones idols.
Idols are everywhere and can be almost anything.
Idols always disappoint, they cannot deliver what they promise.
The gospel has power to reveal and defeat Idols
B. WHAT STOOD OUT TO YOU FROM THIS MESSAGE AND WHY?
I copied from my notes
How do you defeat the idols?
When the idols are opposed it is dangerous
Satan controls us through our idols; Jesus gave his life to defeat them
Because idolatry was a capital offense, the offending wife must die, God our husband wants us back, Jesus took or punishment, justifying us
Christ has defeated Satan objectively (in fact) My seeing what Christ has done for me… when the reality that Christ’s has imparted his righteous to me, breaks through, it subjectively (in my thought and emotion) helps me to pull my heart away from my idols
I have to learn to take the Gospel to the idols, first my own, the Truth going deeper and deeper into my heart, then to the world, helping others see Christ and perceive their idols
I’m always amazed how Keller brings it back to Christ, as you saw. Adultery as a capital offense and we are adulteresses, but He took the punishment.
Me too, it is remarkable how the Gospel is always his bottom line. Reading your comment brought to mind this verse;
Colosians 1:17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
The whole passage where the verse is found brings home Christ as the center of everything;
Colosians 1:15-20
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities–all things were created through him and for him.
And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.
For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,
and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
Thanks for giving your notes chris, I listen but it’s hard to write things down. I usually listen when i run!
10. How God met Leah
Genesis 30:17…God listened to Leah’s request for another son.
Genesis 49:31…God honored Leah in death when Jacob buried her in the family plot. Such a contrast to Rachel who was buried beside the road to Bethlehem.
Ruth 4:11…Leah was held up as a role model for Ruth-be fruitful.
Hebrews 7:14…Leah was honored to be the mother of Judah and Christ’s natural family were descendants of Judah.
Revelation 5:5…Leah is honored here when Jesus is called the LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH.
8. BE ALERT TO YOUR OWN BODY LANGUAGE AND THOUGHT LIFE. WHAT THINGS MAKE YOU ANXIOUS AND ANGRY? WHERE DOES YOUR MIND GO WHEN IT IS FREE TO ROAM? THIS WILL HELP YOU BEGIN TO IDENTIFY YOUR IDOLS OF THE HEART. BECOME SELF-AWARE AND WRITE DOWN WHAT YOU OBSERVE. I have been trying to figure out what my idol is. I keep coming back to myself. I noticed at work yesterday that I felt upset with a co-worker when she told me what to do. She is an LPN and me the RN. I don’t know if I felt threatened or if I felt like she thought I wasn’t smart enough or what. I really don’t know but am trying to figure it out. Could I be my idol? Am I wanting to be in control of things and be accepted/respected as such? I am afraid I am not as eloquent as some of you. Or is my idol acceptance/affirmation/approval? Please pray that God would show me what it is. I have never done an online study before and am not great on the computer. I may be challenged to get on here and keep up. I’ll try. Thanks Terri sister of mine for your encouragement.
We’ll pray. It does seem like the LPN was out of order, so not sure that is it. But we will pray. Body language is important — but not everything. Maybe thinking about what you feel you have to have for life to be meaningful…
So glad you are here! And so thankful for Christian nurses.
Yes, totaly…praying for you, Dawn
Dawn, I know just what you mean, that’s why I just kinda of “lurked” on the blog here (not in a creepy way!) to see what other were saying for awhile about idols. This was something I never thought of before. I guess I probably thought of money as being an idol, but not much else. I always think of the Israelites and the golden calf too. What does that have to do with me?
I have since learned that ANYTHING can be an idol. I probably have several, unfortunately, but the one that is really sticking for me is my children.
I know what you mean though about the lpn. I am mentoring a new teacher at school. Very green, never been in the classroom before. But, she is enthusiastic, smart, and caring for the kids. Sometimes she has fresh ideas that I appreciate and we help each other. There are things I do in class that she prefers to do other ways. I suppose I would be annoyed if she tried to tell me what to do. Luckily she is unsure enough of herself that she doesn’t typically try that. It’s a respect issue about boundaries. I will pray for your guidance from God in this matter.
Dawn
I had something similar happen to me at my caregiving job a few weeks ago. The home health aide had let me know several weeks before that ‘she knew how to do her job’ when I tried to explain I had already completed a task so she wouldn’t have to do it. On the morning of my client’s doctor appointment the home health aide was getting my client bathed and ready and when she finished she then ORDERED me to empty the cath bag. Now if there is one thing I absolutely despise is someone speaking to me the words,’you need to…’ especially if done in an autocratic tone. Well thank the Lord he had warned me through my prayer time that I needed to be careful with the aide on this particular day. I emptied the cath bag, I mean its no big deal to do, and later I realized I was fighting a spiritual battle, because on top of ordering me to empty the bag, she next proceeded to tell me how to do it one handed which I politely let her know I already knew how to do. I also don’t like it when someone tells me I don’t know how to do something when I know how to do it. I guess my whole point is some people are bossy, envious, and dispectful of others. And, here in the South, the race card is still played because the aide is African-American and I am white
Sisters!
Please pray! I am feeling like a low life right now.. I am working 3 jobs and i am still having a hard time making ends meet and today when i went to get paid from my news paper route, i saw that my check was half of what it was! they had to cut our pay from .30 cents a paper to .16 cents a paper. so now i have to look for another job. but this time i am going to try to look for a job that will pay me enough that i dotn have to work 3 jobs. I have been out of high school for 10 years and havent had a “real job” yet! Please pray! Thanks!
Meg, I am so sorry. You have come to mind a few times today and I have been praying–but now will specifically pray about your job situation.
Meg, I will also pray.
thank you ladies.. i am really having a hard time.. 🙁
praying for your job situations, Meg
I have a question for everyone on the blog. Do any of you belong to a church that still holds weekly prayer meetings? I can’t find one in Durham and the implications scare me. I just wonder if this is a local thing or all over the country.
WOW Anne. Such a good point–and honestly, I have not been at a church that held one since the EV Free church I went to 7 years ago. I have always worked for churches (still do p/t) and I can think of 2 billion other “meetings” that occur, good stuff too–but not one devoted to prayer like I had been in before. Wow. Frightening really–and troubling–are we really too busy? Too focused on everything but “just” prayer? You may have given me a new soap box…
Anne
Yes I live in Vermont and we have a regular prayer meeting every Sunday night from 6-7:30
Anne,
I think it would just take one person to start a prayer ministry in a church. I’ve told you all before about my friend’s church, where one man had it on his heart to start a “prayer lab” one night a week. His vision was to have it be for anyone in the church who needed prayer, but also, anyone could just come in off the street and be prayed for, too. He wanted it to be Spirit-led prayer. I experienced it last year when I went to ask for prayer for my dad’s salvation. Just a handful of people who really listened to me and then prayed for me and my dad like I’ve never been prayed over in my life. I can tell you I sensed the presence of the Holy Spirit; in fact, the first thing they prayed for was for the Spirit to come. The man who started this has since died, but he passed the baton to another woman in the church and this ministry continues.
I visited a new church last Sunday and noted in their bulletin that they have a prayer chain with people “on-call” throughout the day so you can get ahold of somebody, also a ladies prayer group that meets weekly to pray for the needs of the church.
Our church meets for prayer 1/2 an hour before Sunday service & has just started a corporate prayer session prior to Wednesday evening bible study groups.
My church has a group of women who pray on tuesday mornings. I keep them busy! We live in new Hampshire (surprised there is even a church in the northeast! Just kidding). I grew up on the south and it is nothing like the Bible belt here.
Anne
The church I attend is of the Southern Baptist denomination and we have fell away from prayer. We have in the past had specfic days of prayer, have participated in prayer walks around schools at the beginning of the school year, and several years ago we had 24 hrs of prayer before beginning building our current sanctuary. I know there is a men’s prayer group on Tuesday mornings but not so for women. In fact leadership does not even like the idea of someone having a prayer group meet in a private home. They want everything done ‘on campus’ with their permission. Wednesday nites is labeled as prayer meeting but it is not. Very few participate in our outreach prayer group which meets once a month while outreach teams are out visiting.
Personally, I believe attitude of the congregation reflects the attitude of leadership. I have never heard my current pastor speak of the power of prayer in his own life.
Meg, that is great. I am looking. Do you mind telling me what denomination you are in?
Baptist
Mine too but they stopped prayer meetings a few years ago and it has been downhill from there. Now that I am looking for another church I find that most do not have prayer meetings anymore.
Anne I also forgot to add that we also get together and pray before sunday school and pray for the sunday school classes and the service.
The church my husband have settled in does have prayer meetings on Wednesday nights. Our pastor and our denomination has as one of it’s core values that “Prayer is the primary work of God’s people”. We also gather for prayer on Sunday mornings before Sunday School to pray for the Sunday School classes and the morning service.
should say, my husband and I ….
I want to thank you ladies for the welcome you have given me. I need your prayers for my family. We are definitely under attack. Both one of my sons and my son-in-law lost their jobs this week. The son-in-law has 3 small boys to support as my daughter is currently a stay-at-home mom. He is a mechanic. My son was only working PT and lives with us despite having a university degree, plus further training. Jobs are scarce in our area. These job losses are on top of other complex relational struggles currently erupting in our family.
And thanks, Dee, for the referral to the book Boundaries and to Leslie Vernick’s book on Emotionally Destructive Relationships. I already have the book on Boundaries which I am currently reading and I found some very helpful information on Vernick’s work online. This is just the sort of help I need to get a handle on what is going on right now. Isn’t God good!
Oh Diane, I am so sorry for all of you. That does sound like such a tremendous hit all at once.
Lord, I lift up Diane’s family to you–specifically her son and son in law who have just lost their jobs. Lord, we trust You have a plan, but I pray You will bring steady jobs quickly. I pray for Diane’s daughter–that you would give her peace amidst this uncertainty, as only You can give. Thank You for hearing us Lord, and for being our source of hope. Thank You that Diane is here and has shared so we can join her in prayer. In Your Name I pray, Lord
Thanks, Elizabeth.
praying for your family Diane!
I know it must be so hard to be hit on so many fronts. I am joining in prayer and welcome you as well.
Diane, I am very glad you have joined us and will pray for your family. It is hard when adult children have to move back home. I think it feels like such a set back to them. Lord, I pray that You will encourage Diane and her son that has moved back home. Please guide his heart into all that You have for him and let his dreams not be dampened. I ask also for miraculous provision for her other son and son-in-law. Amen
Father, thank you for bringing Diane here. We come to You asking for healing in her family, for these young men to seek You and for You to grant them wisdom and favor in finding jobs. You are our Provider, our Healer.
Please give Diane your peace.
In Jesus Name I pray
Lord thank you for the many blessings you give us on a daily basis. Please help Diane and her family to remain strong and close to you in the months ahead. Help them know you are God and you are there. I pray not only for here family Lord but the millions who are unemployed in our country. I pray for our country, Lord. Please help our leaders understand we are hurting and help them to join together to resolve the problems whether it benefits their cause or not. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Diane
Sorry I am late in welcoming you. I will be praying for you and your family. I know what it’s like to have a family member out of work. I have read Dr. Vernick’s book ‘The Emotionally Destructive Relationship’ several times and each time find truth becomes more clearer.
Lord, thank you for drawing Diane to yourself through this community of like-minded women. Grant her wisdom and understanding of your truth. You see her and you hear the cries of her soul. Thank you for providing,in your timing, work for her sons and son-in-law. In Jesus’ name Amen.
Thanks everyone for your prayers. I really appreciate the support.
I had a wonderful opportunity tonight. One of our local churches hosted a concert with Matthew Smith of Indelible Grace. The church had a baby grand piano so they played acoustically. It was the Lord’s doing that I even knew about it. Plus if you had not shared about them Elizabeth I would not have known to go. I ended up going with friends and the Lord added more at the last minute. It was so fun and the music was wonderful. I bought cd’s and they are good but too electric. We were all so blessed to have heard it acoustically.
That sounds wonderful, Anne. Matthew Smith seems to have such a heart for the Lord. I love what Indelible Grace is doing.
oh that DOES sound wonderful Anne! I had noticed he was going to be around here (i’m a bit south of you)–what a time of worship that must have been. Would be so fun if we could all meet up sometime and hear something like that together.
Elizabeth, I will pray to that effect. That really would be fun!
Dee, it was such a wonderful time full of sweet worship. The crowd seemed a bit reserved. Southern Baptists can be that way. But at the end everyone stood up and sang. The last song was Nothing But the Blood. I just closed my eyes and thought the heavens would open up. My heart just knows that we have EVERYTHING in Him. Life in this world can steer me away from KNOWING that and I always need that refocus that I got last night.
I am woefully behind. I plan to listen to the sermon while working in the house this morning. It sounds like another really good one.
We’re going tomorrow night!!! Sorry–just had to share–SO SO excited! Anne–so thankful you mentioned it–I had looked long ago and didn’t see anything close enough, but after telling my husband you got to go, he said I should check the site again–anyway, there’s one 25 min from us tomorrow night–thank you! yipee 🙂
That is great Elizabeth! Enjoy!
Sooooo…I’m new at this Bible study blogging so bear with me as I learn the ropes. I am here thanks to my friend Angela suggesting I ‘attend’ on fb. Thanks my precious sister! I just discussed the Ezekiel verse to my children two days prior to beginning this study. What a “coincidence” 🙂 Idols…Hmmmm, I most definitely have one, two, three… I desire to be sanctified and free from the chains that bind my heart to this foreign land. Shall I say, I wish it to become foreign. I am realizing that abiding in Christ is not how I live and I am missing out. My prayer to Him has been Lord, please don’t let me miss the opportunites to know You here so that I will more fully know you There. Trusting that as I seek sanctification, I will also learn how to abide in Him every moment in this foreign land. He has broken a few idols in my life, but as I clearly know, the work is far, far from completion. He will be faithful but I must quit ‘trying’ to make it happen. Realizing that resting in Him takes far more effort for me than trying to walk uprightly (as if that is possible without Him). King Jesus, Faithful and True, Help my unbelief!
So glad to have you here, Leigh. We love Angela and will love you too.
I love the desire of your heart.
Dee
Welcome Leigh!
Glad to have you, Leigh!
Welcome leigh!
Introduce yourself:
Hi! My name is Stacy. I am 31 years old, single and an International Worker in the Middle East. Terri is my mom and Dawn Mokros is my aunt! I am really excited to do this study with both of them and also with you all. One of the things I miss the most while living overseas is connecting deeply with women from different ages and stages in life. I am looking forward to growing deeper in my walk with God and allowing Him to cut away and idols that I have held onto.
One thing I want to remember:
These quotes really stood out to me in the first section.
“To please God, to honor God, to love God, to glorify God with your life.”
This is what I want in my life. I want to grow in these areas. But I also know that sometimes I treat God like he is Santa instead of just wanting Him and not what He gives.
“May we ask God to give us these dominant desires. To want Him instead of just what He gives.”
So my prayer for this study is that I would grow more in love with God and allow him to cut away any idols and that my only desire would be Jesus and not what He can do for me.
Yay Stacy! Welcome! I love you god=daughter X2. 🙂
Just finished Keller’s sermon. I have to re-state what I think is the main point-
The sin underneath all sins is the sin of Idolatry and we need to take the Gospel to the idols if we want to be free from their control over us. How? Remember what Jesus did for me on the cross-the powers and principalities, Satan unleashed all their fury on Jesus and He bowed His head to it and died-so He could be the Just and the Justfier. He took on my punishment (adultress toward God) so that I could be His bride-He bowed to the idols and defeated them on my behalf.
I liked the ending: What is going to help me love Jesus more than my idols? When the reality breaks through what He has done for me, it changes me on the spot, it frees me from my idols.
Time to share your take-a-ways!
15. WHAT IS YOUR TAKE-A-WAY FROM THIS FIRST WEEK?
I think one of the encouragements from Keller was that he has to be careful about idolatry in his relationship with his wife. Both of them do. That tells me that these idols are lurking even in believers who have experienced freedom via attacking the idols with the Gospel. That tells me that I need to be very careful not to forget-that darkness and the principalities and Satan are powerful and can have power over me if I let them by forgetting to meditate on what Jesus did for me on the cross.
Also, I can see why I need this study still and why I need other believers encouragement who understand that idols are behind sins and Idols are empowered by the flesh, the world and satan. I am a very busy mom and wife. It is difficult for me sometimes as duties call, to remember in the heat of the moment that an idol is active-HOWEVER, GOD JUST BROUGHT HEBREWS 5:14 TO MIND!!
Oops I got too excited and hit enter to soon..Will continue on next post. 🙂
I had to look up the reference but the verse came to mind. Hebrews 5:14 “14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” – This verse has a whole new depth to it now for me. I am encouraged that God is going to grow me, as He trains me in His word but the implications of the Gospel and applying the Gospel to Idolatry-that is crucial. As I do this, God will sharpen my senses to idols-to the principalities, darkness and Satan. I think I will learn to trust in His Grace-His salvation alone and it will free me from my idols grip.
Again idolatry is the first of the ten commandments which implicates that it is the underlying sin to all sins..Idolatry impedes us from taking in solid food. OH and perhaps ‘backsliding’ really isn’t ‘backsliding’ in the way that we have been taught which is by doing bad things we backslide..NO, by forgetting the Gospel and being vulnerable to the attacks of Satan and the principalities of darkness, we can become idolaters and grieve God and pull away into the arms of the idols.
(Sorry for scattered thoughts..If anyone has the time to read through this I would like thoughts because I could totally be digging a hole too deep here with this verse.)
Rebecca, thanks for sharing this. It resonates with me. You are like me with revelations from the Lord. I have to start sharing it right away or I lose the trail. I love how we are doing this here. I think this may be one way we sharpen each other.
You give me a whole new understanding of backsliding. Iv’e been there and that is exactly how it happened. It wasn’t the sin that came first. It was the decision that I wanted the sin (idol) more than God. Into the arms of idols is a good way to put it. In Pilgrim’s Progress there was one of the characters who took a path that looked easy and ended up lost in dense, dark forest. That’s what our idols are. They block out the ‘sun’ of our intimacy with the Lord.
Good discussion on what backsliding really is.
Anne, I responded below! 😉
Oh, your insight here is awesome. Especially with the pilgrims progress example.
I am typing this on my cell phone. I am at the grocery store.;-) so I can’t cut and paste what I liked about what you said.
I really like your thoughts on backsliding, Rebecca. I think that backsliding often occurs when we think we are managing fine just on our own, so begin to stop paying attention to God. Then we are vulnerable and when the temptations come, or the crisis happens, the idols seem very attractive and we fall into their arms, as you put it.
Rebecca–this is all so good–such wisdom…I’m on my 3rd re-read!
Your thoughts resonated with me too, “that we forget the gospel & pull away into the arms of idols” I think this idea will stick with me.
Oh again I apologize, I am sifting this through my head, but I am seeing this week through our study and Keller’s sermon how God can really free me and can draw me deeper in-sometimes I feel battle weary, like this past week even! But God is bringing another idol to the surface in my life now, and I had no clue the roots were so deep. OH my does God have a lot of work to do in me yet! I am 47, yet I feel like I am six years old! 🙂
I wonder if one of you can share for the newcomers how to post a picture..
On the homepage if you click on that door “Getting Started” it will take you to directions from David.
If they have trouble, e-mail david@deebrestin.com
Thanks!
I followed your instructions about posting a picture and it worked. Yay! Thanks, I didn’t know enough to even ask but wondered about that too.
Anne, Yes..I have to admit I have always had a disdain for the term “backsliding”. Never knew why it left a bad taste in my mouth. My bible uses it as a heading for that passage in Hebrews. Honestly, I hate legalism and backsliding in the way it has been used implies a justification by works rather than justification by Grace.
What is my take away from this week?
“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”Proverbs 4:23
If we learn to recognize our idols, we can cooperate with God in keeping our hearts single-minded toward God. This in turn affects our thoughts and our actions toward everyone and everything else. Recognizing that we often put other things or people ahead of God is crucial to defeating strongholds that hinder our lives in so many ways.
Thank God that “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:4,5) I’m going to try to memorize these verses because I need to remember that God gives divine power to demolish strongholds and I need to take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ.
Love that thinking, Diane. God has given us weapons and we shrink from using them.
Wow everybody has such good insights! I came on this morning to find all of these postings! I had a very late night last night.. I babysat and the gal didnt get home from work until 2:30 in the morning.. i slept on and off at the house but didnt sleep solid until i came back home and slept for a few hours 🙂
My take away this week is the picture at the begininng of the blog.. Anne, said something about him coming back for us and when i first looked at it i didnt see it that way! BUt thanks Anne! I love this picture!
When God denies us a desire of our heart, He always has a plan, a plan not to hurt us, but a plan for our good. Have you experienced this? If so, share one illustration from your life.
A few years ago we were determined to finish some work on our house and perhaps buy a new car since both my husband and I were working and my car was 10+ years old. We looked into refinancing our home, and borrowing money from the credit union. We kept hitting road blocks and got a little frustrated with the situation. I couldn’t see why God would deny us a few simple pleasures, our housed needed (needs) new fascia boards and gutters, both of our cars have over 100,000 miles on them. Within a year the housing market in MI and the auto industry took a nose dive. Our house wouldn’t have been worth 3/4 of what we would have owed on it had we refinanced and my husband chose to take an educational buyout which meant that for 4 years we would be living on almost 1/2 our normal income. Needless to say God is good! He knew what was coming and even with all of my griping, He didn’t give me my desires but gave me what was best!
That’s good, Dawn. I know lots of people wish they had been kept from buying a house and car!
11. One thing that God took away from me was my position as Sunday School teacher. I began having the thought, “Tammy, you need to step down from teaching SS” a couple of years before making the decision to do so. I began wrestling with God about this because I couldn’t believe he would tell me to do that. I didn’t know catastrophic trouble was on my horizon but he did and he knew it would take time for me to accept his plan. It was hard because I enjoyed the research and I took seriously the responsibility of sharing God’s truth and I had grown to love the senior women. Leaving them was so hard for me and them. One of them will, occasionally, let me know they miss my teaching. But, God heard my prayers for a leader who was faithful to him and he sent them one of their own peers who told me the Lord told her she was to take my class. I love senior ladies who still want to work for the Lord. I assumed that after my Sabbactical I would return to teaching and I did, later, with pre-schoolers. In hindsight giving up my teaching position was best because when the reality of my situation hit me I did not have the mental or physical energy to even open my Bible to read it. I would listen to Max Mclean read it to me via DVD. With my current work schedule I have stepped away from teaching pre-schoolers and women’s ministry. Others do not understand what stepping away means. I have found it has always been for my best and God is the one with the plans not me. But, I’ll tell ya..my control idol flares up many a Sunday when I am sitting under my current SS teacher. I’m beginning to recognize the urges I physically feel come over me to speak up is really my wanting to best her with my knowledge. I thank God for his mercy to help me recognize that hard truth about myself!
12. I love the Doxology and sing it often to the Lord in private worship. We rarely sing it at church and that’s a shame.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
Praise Him all creatures here below.
Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts.
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Amen.
13. Revelation 19:11
Jesus, you are Faithful and True. Your Truth floods my soul with sunshine and I praise you for being faithful to me when I lived in faithlessness. I honor you for you alone have perserved my life. Oh what a glorious day it will be when all the world sees you returning to, once and for all, destroy all who oppose you. COME QUICKLY LORD JESUS!!!
14. A. I think Keller’s main point is that we cannot minister the gospel to anyone unless we have identified the idols of the place.
B. I took loads of notes and appreciated his exposition on the word scoffer, but what caused me to sit up and take notice was this question:
‘If your one savior is in the coffin, who can help you when your heart is breaking?’
If I don’t abandon my idols for the One True Living God I will continue the cycle of sin, uselessness, heartbreak, call on God to deliver me, repentance, forgiveness, reconciliation, restoration, and, finally, authentic worship. Now the last time I lived through this cycle it took me 14 years just to get to repentance. I don’t want to go back to that cycle for I will ‘wander in the wilderness for 40 years’ and miss out on the abundant life.
15. My take-a-way for this week was Keller’s reference to David Clarkson’s book (I think it was a book) titled Soul Idolatry. I am finding that I have developed an appetite for the preachers of past centuries. Their sermons are more focused on who God is than many modern preahcers who seem to tell us to focus on what to get from God.
Let us know if you get and read Soul Idolatry!
Good story about God leading you to step down before everything fell apart…
You inspired me Tammy and I found this–a sermon on Soul Idolatry by Clarkson
http://www.gracegems.org/SERMONS Clarkson_soul_idolatry.htm
sorry–i put a space and messed up the link: http://www.gracegems.org/SERMONS/Clarkson_soul_idolatry.htm
Tammy,
Thanks for being so honest with admitting that sometimes, your urge to speak up is really wanting to best the other person with your knowledge. I’ve had that attitude also in Bible studies.
The sermon is awesome and so meaty as far as what we can do to change our world. I will listen again when I can take notes. Interesting that it came from Acts.
God has been dealing with me this morning. As I worked it occurred to me that my comment about Southern Baptists being staid in their worship may have offended some. Then my approval idol started kicking and I had to look at why. Did I really care about the feelings of others or did I care about myself and how I might look? I’m sorry to say that it was more of the later. The whole thing led me down a thought trail to where I think God wants to deal with me. I have a critical spirit that I need to repent of. That is where my spiritual slip was showing and it embarrassed me. There are things happening in my church that should not be this is true. But God loves every one of them and His pain is deep because of where they have gone wrong. I need to concern myself right now with where I have gone wrong and repent of that. The unexpected thing for me is that I now feel joyful, like I am a little freer. The worship that began in the words to Nothing But the Blood has deeper meaning for me now.
Oh Anne, I am the same way. 😉 So encouraging to see how God is working in you. I am not sure you slipped up, although I think ‘slip ups’ can be good on this blog, it shows we are real and a lot of times we get to see the power of God at work in one another. 🙂
Anne, I’ve could have written this, if I were as vulnerable and honest! what you said about–really caring about how others feel, or about how you might look–so convicted me. Sometimes I feel like I get on a roller coaster of thought on this–can I do anything “good” without pride lurking in there somewhere?
I have been made aware again this week just how strong my desire to be known is–but to be known “correctly”–if that makes sense. Like it’s OK I want to be known, but I so fear being misunderstood, being put in a box…that I think often I am more concerned with how I appear (approval idol) than I want to admit. Sorry to ramble on your post–but it did resonate in me, and I think I need to wrestle longer with just how deep these roots are in me.
Elizabeth I’m glad to know I’m not the only who struggles with this. I prayed about the same issue this morning.
You know Elizabeth I really need to open up and be more real with people but I have this unfortunate ability to say the wrong things so often. It makes me afraid to talk and then people really don’t know what to think about me 😐
Maybe as the Lord softens my heart that won’t be as much of a problem.
Anne
I have been in the Southern Baptist denomination nearly all my life and your comment was spot on. You have not offended me. I have learned to stay quiet around certain members of the local congregation I attend because they are hyper-sensitive to any comment. That’s why I appreciate the freedom I have here because I don’t have it at church. Leadership cannot tolerate ANY negative comments about ANYTHING. It’s get quite frustrating sometimes. I’ve been considering a reformed congregation but the closest one is an hour away but with my work schedule I’m not able at this time to check it out.
Tammy, I appreciate what you are saying. As I look for another church I have considered steering clear of the SBC.
What is a reformed congregation? Is it the Reformed Church of America or Reformed Presbyterian? and I am wondering what kind of Presbyterian Redeemer is.
I understand it to be one who follows reformed theology.
14. RESPONDING TO THE SERMON
A. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY WAS KELLER’S MAIN POINT?
So many of you have shared such good points on this, I’ll be brief. We must confront the idols of our heart and bring them under the light of the Gospel. Idolatry is anything I look at and say, “If I have that, my life has value.” Anything that is so crucial to my life that I feel I can’t live without it is an idol. Idolatry is making a good thing an ultimate thing.
B. WHAT STOOD OUT TO YOU FROM THIS MESSAGE AND WHY?
Idolatry is the root of our sin. I have seen pride behind my sin, and I see the connection between the two. Idolatry is the expression, the working out, of a pride-filled heart. It is me on my throne in my heart, demanding what I must have, what I cannot live without. The only thing powerful enough to expose, to replace, our idols, is the deep love of Christ and what he has done for us.
I have noticed how when I can’t get something off my mind that’s bothering me—a response from someone, or a lack of response…when I am unable to be “resting, resting” in Jesus, there always seems to be an idol at work. And the only way to get off of the throne in my heart, is to get down on my knees and worship Him.
15. WHAT IS YOUR TAKE-A-WAY FROM THIS FIRST WEEK?
LOVE this from the Jesus Storybook Bible version of the story, it really sums up what God has spoken to me this week: “And when he saw that Leah was not loved…God chose her—to love her specially, to give her a very important job. One day, God was going to rescue the whole world—through Leah’s family. Now that Leah knew that God loved her, in her heart, suddenly it didn’t matter whether her husband loved her the best, or if she was the prettiest. Someone had chosen her, Someone did love her—with a Never Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love.”
Loved this from Elizabeth
And the only way to get off of the throne in my heart, is to get down on my knees and worship Him.
and from the Jesus Storybook Bible! 🙂
I am not feeling well tonight please pray 🙁
Will pray, Meg. Hope you feel better!
PART III. THE SERMON
14. RESPONDING TO THE SERMON
A. What would you say was Keller’s main point?
For the gospel to be effective to change a person’s life, you must discern, expose, and destroy the idols.
B. What stood out to you from this message and why?
We’ve talked about how to recognize our idols through our reactions such as body language or feelings of stress/anxiety and Keller said that when idols are threatened, there is chaos, confusion, even violence. This makes sense to explain why I react the way I do when my idol is threatened.
Wow, there was so much in this sermon it was almost overwhelming. I felt he was talking to me about making idols out of your children. I see so much of my day to day well-being, my emotions, my feeling hopeful or my feeling in the pit of depression, as a direct result of how I am getting along with my children, or if they are happy. Keller said that if you have turned your child into an idol, they can wound you in a way you’ll never get over and “the depth of the wound is your own making”. My son hurt me deeply the other night with some things he said to me that I cried for about 20 minutes and felt horrible. I can relate to the story Keller told of the two women with somewhat emotionally cold husbands, so one had made an idol out of her son. “The main way that I get love in the world is my son. If my son loves me, everything is okay. I believe in God, but, if my son doesn’t love me, I don’t even want to live.” This is me. Because I do not get my emotional needs for love, affection, physical affection, and connection met by my husband, it is my children who have met those needs for me. Which is why, as two of them are 17 and 20 and pulling away from mom, I have felt like my life is losing its meaning and purpose and I have been struggling with being depressed. I think I can honestly say that I don’t “live” through my kids as in expecting them to be what I want them to be or placing impossible expectations on them; I am encourageing them to find their own gifts and talents to be what they want to be and hopefully they will inquire of the Lord as to what He wants to do with their lives. But emotionally it is hard for me to step back because I have gotten so much of my self-worth and significance from being their mom and being loved by them. It hurts me deeply to feel that I don’t have their love or support.
It was interesting that the one mother was unable to get past her bitterness and could not forgive her husband for his poor fathering because she had turned her son into an idol.
In areas where I struggle to forgive my husband, let go of resentment towards him for the ways he has hurt me, I guess I need to look deeper and see what is the idol that my husband threatened that makes it so hard for me to forgive him.
I also struggle with sin and failings I have confessed to God but they come back up and I feel still guilty and condemned, unable to forgive myself. Keller had a good answer for that. It is because something else is functionally my savior, and “the gods are always violent, and there’s no mercy in those gods”. My false savior could even be me, in that I feel if only I had done this or that or if I could do better, then God would be happier with me.
Idols are dangerous, because even though they are nothing, through them, the powers and principalities, the forces of darkness control us. When you oppose them, you take your life in your hands.
oh Susan–this is all so rich, so honest. And I’m stuck in the thought of you crying for 20 minutes after something your son said–wishing I could be there to comfort you. But I sense you clinging still to the Truth, He has you–on that horse!
Praying for you daily~
Susan–I just read this again, I have no wisdom, just ache for you. I am so so sorry for the pain you are in. I really have you on my heart Susan, praying for you my sister and love you so
Oh Susan,
My heart aches for you! I will be praying for you! Love you!
I thank you for your empathy and your prayers for me, but don’t feel too sorry for me because this is a good thing for me to be seeing the idolatry in my life! What Keller said about the depth of the wound being your own making….yes, people, my children, can say and do things to hurt my feelings and it does hurt, but when the wound cuts so deep that it makes me feel like I just want to go home to heaven or when it makes me feel like a complete failure and an idiot and like I have no worth or significance, then there is a bigger problem there, and now I see it. I have made idols out of my children because I look to them, as Keller put it, to “functionally” save me.
Here is another thought. Keller said that every individual life that is not based on the glory and the grace of God is going to be based on some created thing in God’s place. Everyone looks to something to save them, to rescue them, to put their hope in. Yet as we worship and serve our idols, isn’t there a, I’m not sure how to word it, a reciprocal effect in which we are using our idols to also worship ourselves? Because our focus is not on God, but on self?
Good stuff Susan, you seem to have done some hard work this week. Do you feel more hopeful than at the beginning of this weeks study?
Yes, and no… as always, it seems one step forward, and two steps back – I am a slow learner!
I think the strides you’ve made forward are enormous, Susan — and helpful to us all. I think one of the biggest challenges for us as mothers, especially Christian mothers who may have received so much teaching in the area of mothering, is to not make our children and our mothering of them idols.
Thanks for being so honest in your sharing. My heart aches for you. I’ll pray that you will find love and strength in God alone. He delights in you.
Diane, are you the Diane from Canada? Welcome to both of you if your not!
Yes, I am the Diane from Canada. Perhaps I should put that on my name to sign in, but I haven’t seen any other Diane here.
Ladies
I am having a hard night tonight.. I am 28 and sinlgle and have never dated. This week i found out that two people that i liked are dating other women now and one of them is getting married.. he is actually my best friends brother so i dont think we would ever date anyway we feel like we are more brother and sister than anything. I keep thinking to myself.. AMm i not good enough/pretty enough.. what doesnt anyone like me or seem interested in me 🙁
Meg, I will pray for you. Remember, Jesus is crazy about you. He dances over you. I would seek Him like never before. Don’t dwell on thoughts of not being good enough or pretty enough. Treat them like sin.
I’m sorry, Meg, that you are having a hard time. I think your feelings are understandable and it is natural to want to find that special someone. I would agree with Anne to not listen to those voices that say you are not good enough or pretty enough. Try to focus on building your life around your relationship with Jesus and being a whole person through Him, being complete because you are abiding in Him. I think it’s okay to pray and ask God about these things as long as the desire for dating doesn’t become more important than Him.
Meg, I agree with Anne and Susan. PRAYING FOR YOU!
Thanks! Anne, Susan and Joyce!
Meg, this touched my heart. When I was divorced I was involved in a relationship that really wasn’t so good for me. I settled, when I finally just decided I was focusing on my relationship with God and going to really work on remembering who i was in His eyes and building the wonderful friendships He had brought into my life, I found myself because i was finally seeing myself through His eyes. By things you have written I am sure you are a beautiful Christian woman, but we all need to remember The Lords beauty may not be the worlds but we are the Lord’s not the worlds. I was just telling my daughter this morning that at 52 -even typing that, I cringe-but you would think by now i would at least most of the time remember not to compare, know without a moment hesitation, and stay focused on the fact that I have been saved by the Lord, His opinion of me should be the only one of importance and that I was made in His image. Although I will fail at perfection if I am seeking His will and doing what I feel He wants of me, there should be no greater joy in my life. But i still compare, I still get very ungrateful and self=centered. I was the most joyful when I was focused on Jesus and that is what I would tell you to do. He will give you joy, He may want you single for now, maybe for always, only He knows BUT DO NOT SETTLE. It is ok to not have dated just be true to Him and pray for Him to reveal where He wants you. I know I have rambled, I just so want to express how we should be longing for Jesus!! I hate the thought of a wonderful sister having the hurt and sorrow i have in the past because of looking at what I wanted and not what God wanted for me. God bless you Meg, hang on Him who loves you more than life itself. i will be praying for you.
Thank you so much Alison! Thank you for sharing and praying for me.