If we listen to our souls we might hear:
How can this Christmas possibly be wonderful?
Will I or the people I love get Covid?
Will there be enough money for our needs?
Does anyone really care for me?
Will my children, my parents, my spouse be saved?
What will happen to our country now?
Do you know what is the most repeated command of Scripture?
In the Christmas story, alone, an angel commands it four times!
And yet, forgetting the gospel, we fear.
I know the Lord loves me, accepts me, even sings over me.
Yet, still, I fear, for I too often listen to my soul instead of speaking God’s truth to her. One of the reasons we fear is that we assume suffering equals a lack of love from God. Watch this, from Francis Chan:
So let us contemplate the truth of God’s wisdom and care. With the help of music and Scripture, let us take our souls sternly in hand and tell them the truth, thereby turning them from swirling whirlpools into quiet ponds! Listen again to this, with special attention on the third verse:
This week we will contemplate the 3rd and 4th verse of Cowper’s Song, but they need the context of the 1st and 2nd verse. So, here is the whole song:
Sometimes a light surprises
The Christian while he sings;
It is the Lord who rises
With healing in His wings;
When comforts are declining,
He grants the soul again
A season of clear shining,
To cheer it after rain.
In holy contemplation
We sweetly then pursue
The theme of God’s salvation,
And find it ever new;
Set free from present sorrow,
We cheerfully can say-
E’en let the unknown morrow
Bring with it what it may.
It can bring with it nothing,
But He will bear us through;
Who gives the lilies clothing,
Will clothe His people too:
Beneath the spreading heavens
No creature but is fed;
And He, who feeds the ravens,
Will give His children bread.
Though vine nor fig tree neither
Their wonted fruit shall bear;
Though all the fields should wither
Nor flocks nor herds be there;
Yet God the same abiding,
His praise shall tune my voice,
For, while in Him confiding,
I cannot but rejoice.
One of our silent participants sent this link to an article about Cowper you might find fascinating: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/sometimes-a-light-surprises-the-treasured-gift-of-a-troubled-soul/
If you need the contemplation questions again, here they are: Contemplation questions.
Sunday: Getting Started
- What stands out to you from the above and why?
- If you were to listen to your soul right now, instead of speaking the truth to her, what might you hear?
- Can you now also rebut her with the truth, using the above verses from Cowper’s song or Scripture?
- Share one time when God surprised you by providing for you.
Monday/Tuesday: Who Gives The Lilies Clothing
Optional Free Sermon on Matthew 6:19-34 from Tim Keller.
There is a story students of Howard Hendricks at Dallas Seminary often tell. He would give them a short passage, perhaps only one verse, and ask them to come up with 25 observations. They would groan, but somehow, they would do it, returning with their list. Then he’d repeat the assignment: 25 more! Really? And then once more, because that’s how deep and wide the Word of God is. Many would resort to drawing the verse, which might work quite well with this passage! It is such a familiar one, but don’t presume you fully understand it. It is a battle to be sanctified, so let’s do the work — and perhaps, the Lord will surprise us with His presence and with healing in His wings.
5. Part I. Bible Study. Read Matthew 6:25-34. Start your list of observations. Ask questions. Imagine the word pictures. Find commands. Also, if you listened to Keller, share your thoughts.
6. Part II. Holy Contemplation:
- How can I praise Him on the basis of this text?
- How can I confess my sins on the basis of this text?
- If this is really true what wrong behavior, what harmful emotions, and what false attitudes happen when I forget this?
- What should I be aspiring to — reaching for?
- Why are You telling me this today?
7. Part III: Prayer. Use what you’ve been shown as a springboard for prayer. You may want to also sing God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen or, hear it sung!
Wednesday/Thursday: Though The Fig Tree Does Not Blossom
I am convinced we are in a seismic battle, and we are all suffering. It’s not personal, but God is shaking our world and it is affecting us all. I’m praying for so many people who are really hurting, that I’ve adopted Mr. Roger’s method each day. He just called out names, knowing God knew, so I am doing that too: Eden, Toby, Jeff, Elisa, Ron, the women in prison, and many of you who are reading this. Last week Sharon lost a friend to Covid, Laura is struggling with depression — and in truth, each of us have a battle. Many have been waiting for help, for a change in circumstances, and it has not happened. Many of us hoped for a different outcome for the election, or for Covid to end, or for our children (or other loved ones) to come “home” repentant, but instead, the shaking continues.
That’s when we turn to Habakkuk. He didn’t understand why God was doing nothing when His people were so far from Him, and God told him that He was going to shake their world. Habakkuk closes his book with the passage we are going to study:
I hear, and my body trembles;
my lips quiver at the sound;
rottenness enters into my bones;
my legs tremble beneath me.
Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble
to come upon people who invade us.
17 Though the fig tree should not blossom,
nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
and there be no herd in the stalls,
18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord;
I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
19 God, the Lord, is my strength;
he makes my feet like the deer’s;
he makes me tread on my high places.
Habakkuk 3:16-19
And when we are all done, we will sing Joy to The World, a song of the 2nd coming of Christ!
8. Part I. Bible Study. Read Habakkuk 3:16-19.. Start your list of observations. Ask questions. Imagine the word pictures. Find commands.
9. Part II. Holy Contemplation:
- How can I praise Him on the basis of this text?
- How can I confess my sins on the basis of this text?
- If this is really true what wrong behavior, what harmful emotions, and what false attitudes happen when I forget this?
- What should I be aspiring to — reaching for?
- Why are You telling me this today?
10. Part III. Use this as a springboard for prayer — and sing the third verse from Joy to the World.
Friday/Saturday: finishing Up and Impact
11. How did this impact you this week?
151 comments
1. What stands out to you from the above and why?
Always need the reminder that suffering does not mean that God does not love me or care for me. Now, a question I’ve had….when Scripture says “Fear not”, is it a command, or a reassurance? I think of say, one of my children when they were small, and a storm woke them up during the night. They would call out for me, scared, and I would say something like, “Don’t be scared, Mama’s here….I’ll keep you safe.” God knows we get afraid about things. Thinking of it as a command makes me think that if I am afraid, then I am breaking the command and sinning. But thinking about God saying, “Don’t be afraid” as reassuring me that He’s right here with me and He’ll keep me safe, it more comforting.
2. If you were to listen to your soul right now, instead of speaking the truth to her, what might you hear?
My soul would tell me that I’m sort of ‘hung out to dry’ on my own….that no one really cares about me and I’m on my own in life. I am not sure where I belong anymore, where I fit in. I’m on my own to figure it all out.
3. Can you now also rebut her with the truth, using the above verses from Cowper’s song or Scripture?
Soul, even your deep sense of longings for something more, for a feeling of belonging, for beauty, for meaning….there is something within you that reaches upward towards God, to things indescribable and wondrous….and those longings are from God himself. If you are on a journey, even though you know not where, it is because He has set you on this path. Though others may forsake you, God never will.
4. Share one time when God surprised you by providing for you.
A missed call from my dad, not long before he passed away, left me with a treasured voicemail, in which he told me how much he loved me, how much he cared. I still listen to it sometimes. I missed his call by less than five minutes, and didn’t listen to the voicemail before I called him back. I discovered this treasure later.
Susan–I love how you speak to your soul, pointing it all back to Him, it’s beautiful “and those longings are from God himself.”
And I always love how He gave you that gift from your Dad–such evidence of His care for you!
Susan, “…and those longings are from God himself.” I pray this longing to stay in my heart. And I pray that God would choose to visit my daughter as well and put that longing in her heart. Thanks for these words.
So sweet, about the call, Susan. I wish I had one from my mom.
If you look at the Fear Not in the context of the Christmas stories, it seems it is reassurance.
I love the voice mail. Hopefully you can duplicate it so if it fails you still have it. I failed to do that with Steve’s!
Oh Susan, love that you still have your Dad’s voice to listen to.
You brought up a good point on the command or reassurance, hmm. Wondering now myself.
Oh what a gift that call must be to relisten to, Susan. My sisters and I talk about that being what we miss so much now: the sound of Mum’s voice.
“Though others may forsake you, God never will.” Amen.
Susan, thanks for sharing . . . I know better how to pray for you. Your question about “fear not,” I believe, is a command of reassurance. I can hear Jesus say, “don’t be afraid, I am here, I am with you, fear not, don’t let your heart be troubled . . . .” This would be a good word study – someday. 😉 I too love your story of your father’s call. What a sweet, precious gift! 💖
1. What stands out to you from the above and why?
I liked the Francis Chan clip on sifting, it is very much what the Lord has been teaching me lately. Our sermon today was on Psalm 126 and the truth that joy and sorrow are “inextricably linked” for Christians. “He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy…”
I finally feel a true freedom from the idea that my suffering is punishment or my fault. I have known that with my head, for the Cross paid it all, but my heart has struggled with self-blame for so long. Of course some suffering is a result of bad choices, but the things that grieve me most currently are not things I could have stopped. He has helped me see that the things that have hurt me grieve Him also, and that the darts against me, are really against Him. The rejection I have received does not say anything about me, it speaks of their heart, and it is between Him and them. He is my shield.
2. If you were to listen to your soul right now, instead of speaking the truth to her, what might you hear?
The lie that I am not enough. I wasn’t a enough for my daughter to love me and accept her adoption…I am not endearing enough for my sisters to want me in their life… that if I were more___I wouldn’t have so many attacks. And then I believe I’ve been hit too many times and now, I’m damaged and too serious and not fun enough for friends to want me with them…
3. Can you now also rebut her with the truth, using the above verses from Cowper’s song or Scripture?
“I have called you by name; you are mine. …you are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you.’” Isaiah 43:1
Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. Matthew 10:31
I am a “chosen one, holy and beloved” Col. 3:12
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” 2 Corinthians 5:17
“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” 1 John 3:1
And when I am weary of attack and feel I have no defense-“The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Ex. 14:14
And this helps me move on from past hurts and have hope for what He is doing: “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:18-20
4. Share one time when God surprised you by providing for you.
I have shared this before, but earlier this year, I was heavy burdened with trials and sorrows and I went to a local seminary to spend the day in prayer. After a short time alone in this tiny prayer room, 3 women came in and asked if they could pray over me. They prayed long and deep, rich prayers over my life, full of God’s love for me and His mercy, His grace. I had never met them nor have ever seen them again, but it was truly a gift from Him, a covering of His love over me.
I struggle with the same thing at times, Lizzy. That my suffering is my fault. But we both know better. God indeed is our shield.
I’m working on this…
“I finally feel a true freedom from the idea that my suffering is punishment or my fault.”
This makes me do cartwheels Lizzy — your realization that this suffering is not your fault: the things that grieve me most currently are not things I could have stopped
It helps me to discern the difference between Satan’s accusations and the Spirit’s conviction by asking: “Could I have or could I now do anything to change this?” If not, it is that liar.
Two days in a row now the Lord has brought this verse to me (from Piper and then today Scotty Smith)-“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” Luke 2:13–14.
When we feel we have lost favor with man or some are accusing us, attacking…to remember we have favor with God. Our faith pleases Him and He gives us His favor, and with that, peace. I am finding that to have His peace amidst the storms, when none of my circumstances have changed– is indescribable really, a treasure.
Sooooo glad!
Aawww…Lizzy, thanks for sharing. …peace to those on whom His favor rests. Luke 2:13-14 I will share with friends!
Dee, thank you for adding to my checklist of discerning who’s voice I’m hearing! I will be passing this on to the young gal I mentor.
Oh Lizzy, my heart goes out to you with your daughter. My brother is adopted and for a long time I held bitterness in my heart against my parents for the choices they made in parenting my little brother: until I had my own kids.
Then, I began to see how very patient and loving they had been. Yes, they made awful mistakes that caused so much damage to him (at first), but I now see how even that God has used to make my brother who he is now.
He has such deep compassion for others and is such a gentle soul. And God brought such sweet restoration to my Mum and him in her final days on earth also.
Now, I see my Mum’s deep pain in loving him and having him repel her the most. What she didn’t see till the end of her life was that he loved her the most. That’s why she bore the brunt of his rebellion: because he was most scared of losing her.
Lizzy: do you follow Sara Hagerty? Her newsletter made me think of you. This is an excerpt (if you want I can send it to you via email):
“I have this child’s name next to dozens of verses in my Bible that I’ve prayed for her, the pages watermarked with my early-morning, desperate (and often anxious, exasperated) tears. We have years of circumstances vying for us to believe that trauma scars irreparably — makes one incapable of receiving deep love. “How long, O Lord?” (Psalm 13:1) isn’t a verse I just read — my breath knows this prayer as if I initiated these words.
And so one, small movement like what happened a few weeks back and my mind dances around what is possible with God, instead of swimming in impossibilities.”
Love Sara Hagerty — I remember that part in her book.
Lizzy – you describe the tug-of-war between our heart-knowledge & head-knowledge for so many of us who have “struggled with self-blame for so long,” especially when it involves our children. We know and read God’s words but getting that KNOW-ing into our heart is such a struggle. I appreciate the verses you shared, for they are the Truth we use to battle the enemy. One day/some day we will have victory. Until then, we soldier on!
1. What stands out to you from the above and why? Several things: (1) the most repeated command of Scripture is “fear not,” (2) the article on William Cowper said he was “plagued with dark depression,” and (3) the video of Francis Chan speaking on “being sifted.” I have struggled with debilitating fear & deep, dark depression. These two foes took up residence in my life for a number of years. It was a horrible time in my life — but it was a time of sifting (as Chan described). I thank God now that He indeed humbled me, even humiliated me, for my good, to build me up, and to make me stronger, and come out the other side more like my Savior. I’ve also seen the flip side (again of which Chan spoke) that the proud can have lots of pain, bitterness grows, and you can even see it on their face as their countenance changes. I pray for these loved ones that the Lord will continue to woo and sift and bring them home soon.
2. If you were to listen to your soul right now, instead of speaking the truth to her, what might you hear? Several of the questions asked at the intro resonate with my soul but I am at peace. I am not fretting or worrying because I know God is in charge and nothing happens outside of His hands – nothing.
3. Can you now also rebut her with the truth, using the above verses from Cowper’s song or Scripture? The Scripture I use is Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope.” And Cowper’s song, “Yet God the same abiding, His praise shall tune my voice, For, while in Him confiding, I cannot but rejoice.”
4. Share one time when God surprised you by providing for you. One Christmas (during that horrible time in my life) we were struggling financially, the economy had tanked, I was out of work, two of our daughters were pregnant and not married (the youngest in high school and the oldest was living on her own), our middle daughter said that having two sisters pregnant out of wedlock was the best birth control for her ever, and she would be going off to college in the spring (so we were looking for colleges for her). Life” was coming at me hard, fast, & unexpected. I was fearful, depressed, worried, and anxious. My brother and I were talking on the phone and he said he’d be dropping off a card the next day. When I got the card the next day, he had included $400 so that we could buy some things for the kids so they could have a Christmas. I called him and just sobbed during our whole conversation – which really was just me trying to speak coherently while sobbing at the same time. That was so unexpected. Not only did my brother and his family surprise us beyond anything we could imagine, but God did too.
Oh my Karmen – -such a story in 4! So glad you shared it.
Karmen, I love #4 I had a similar thing happen, only God.
What a generous gift your brother gave to you, Karmen! But oh, the heartache and anxiousness you write about is really palpable, and understandable, with all that was going on in your life at that time.
I love it when God gives us what we haven’t even asked for, but He sees we need most. Such a beautiful story.
Sunday: Getting Started
1. What stands out to you from the above and why?
Yet, still, I fear, for I too often listen to my soul instead of speaking God’s truth to her. One of the reasons we fear is that we assume suffering equals a lack of love from God.
With the help of music and Scripture, let us take our souls sternly in hand and tell them the truth, thereby turning them from swirling whirlpools into quiet ponds!
Francis Chan on sifted. Powerful!
I like the picture of me taking my soul sternly in hand and telling it the truth. I should literally do that each time my fears are on the uptick. (pardon the pun for the virus)
Oh, how I long to be a quiet pond and not a swirling whirlpool!
2. If you were to listen to your soul right now, instead of speaking the truth to her, what might you hear?
Doubts and insecurities about the future plague my mind
3. Can you now also rebut her with the truth, using the above verses from Cowper’s song or Scripture?
Romans 8:28 All things work out together for good for those who love you and are called according to your purpose.
Philippians 1:6 He who began a good work in you will complete it.
Isaiah Fear not, for I have redeemed you, I have called you by name you are mine. When you pass through the waters I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you pass through the fire, you will not be burned.
Matthew 6:24, 33, 34 Do not worry about your life…can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? V.33 Seek ye first the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
James 1:5 If any of lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who gives generously.
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Romans 8:32 He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all-how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?
4. Share one time when God surprised you by providing for you.
1. A God hunt: Help To Do His Work in The World and a specific answer to prayer
I have been running out of ideas to infuse some enthusiasm among my students particularly the afternoon group during this time of the pandemic. They seemed to be listless, unfocused, and unmotivated and I know the pandemic just made it worse. One night, I gave this concern up to the Lord. He gave me the idea of doing a Kahoot game with my students to prepare them for a unit test. Wow-what an enthusiastic response I did receive. The competition during the game “woke” them up from their slumber and after a 20-minute extra period to study (which they did vigorously), I gave them the test. The lowest score was 93%! Awesome! Thank you, Lord, for the bright idea!
I was very troubled about my Mom’s condition (this was before she passed away) and I was headed to work that day. I prayed for an encouraging word from the Lord and that He will use a specific person at work to do so. I opened my classroom and was getting my desk organized when this specific person came into my room and said, “I just felt a nudge from the Lord to come by and see you this morning. How is your mother?” God, you are amazing!
I don’t know what a Kahoot game is but it sounds great!
Oh tears. What precious moments of God’s nearness. Thank you for sharing: as a former (soon to be again) high school teacher and daughter who lost her Mum: these memories of yours touch my heart so much. God be praised!
Sunday
1. What stands out to you from the above and why?
The definitions of “sifted”…
Accelerated spiritual growth in times of trouble ~ thankfully in times of trouble in my life it did accelerate spiritual growth.
Increased trust in God and surrender to His Sovereignty ~ I thankfully was reminded of His faithfulness and realized that He was in control and saw the bigger picture.
Refined for fruitfulness and multiplication ~ this is one I struggle with…did that sifting produce fruit and cause multiplication? Sadly, I’m just not sure, but I pray it did.
2. If you were to listen to your soul right now, instead of speaking the truth to her, what might you hear?
How are you going to make ends meet when your husband retires next year?
3. Can you now also rebut her with the truth, using the above verses from Cowper’s song or Scripture?
He will bear us through, for if He gives the lilies clothing and feeds the birds, won’t He take care of us too.
4. Share one time when God surprised you by providing for you.
When we moved to NC we still had a house payment to make in Oregon and we had to afford a place to live here. After much hunting and praying trying to find an affordable apartment, we found a small place in a great neighborhood. The owner of the apartment had other people looking and wanted it as well. I got a phone call the next day saying he spoke with his wife and she told him that you’ve got to rent it to this family as they need it the most. That was a surprise as it was not easy trying to find something affordable but yet in a good location and this place ended up being right in front of the school my son attended so I was able to watch him walk to and from school and the bus stopped right in the front that our daughter took to school. It was definitely of the Lord!
Wonderful story in 4!
Sharon, I wonder about the making ends meet as well. My husband retires on 12/26/2020! YIKES! God will provide for our needs.
Julie-I,too will be retiring in May 2021. Yes, God will provide for our needs!
Oh Bing, how fun for you. I’m hoping to retire in 2022.
Such precious provision.
1. What stands out to you from the above and why?
i think it’s very interesting; Francis Chan’s viewpoint of suffering. I’ve never heard of him. He mentions bitterness… I am experiencing that emotion for the first time in my life and really don’t know how to handle it. He also says that to be like Jesus we must go through hard times.
2. If you were to listen to your soul right now, instead of speaking the truth to her, what might you hear?
When will it be over?, how can I go on?, why must it be so hard?, I’m alone, nobody cares, I am different, Will I make it?
3. Can you now also rebut her with the truth, using the above verses from Cowper’s song or Scripture?
Of course you will make it, Jesus came to earth to make it possible for you to be in the presence of God, He cares more for you than the animals and plants He created. I am in Him, with my sin and all; He loves me and really that’s all that matters, I have a purpose, there is hope:
“For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”
Romans 15:4 ESV
Life is hard, but at least you are not being stoned…
4. Share one time when God surprised you by providing for you.
He always shows up with some sort of extra bit of money when we are struggling. It is crazy.
Laura — so glad to introduce you to Francis Chan. He truly walks the talk.
Laura, you know I’m am not techs enough to put a link on here, but go to Ann Voskamp’s web page for her blog from today, 12/7. She talks about feeling alone, and I think it will really speak to you. Blessings on you, dear sister!
So precious how God has been providing for you. I pray He answers the cries of your heart for sweet fellowship in Him.
I have been through seasons of such loneliness, since coming home to faith. It hasn’t been easy being so different – to both fellow believers (with my unbelieving husband and Prodigal past) and to unbelievers (as a Christian): but I think that God purposely allows us to go through these seasons of loneliness and lack of belonging to find our belonging in Him, more and more.
Now, He is teaching me to see Him in those around me, both unbelievers and believers. Do you know the verse that goes something like: “when did we feed you, LORD? When did we clothe you? When did we visit you in prison?” The more lonely we are, the more we are pressed out into the world to love on the least of these: on Jesus hidden in people all around us.
He tells us in His Word that He has hidden eternity in the hearts of man – when we come to unbelievers who are destined for Sonship in Christ, the Spirit in us awakens Him in them. Truly. I am seeing that happen. Oh how blind and judgmental I have been in my fear of the very people God was sending me to bless and be blessed by.
Laura – I love your phrase and think it should be a bumper sticker or a book marker or something . . . “Life is hard . . . but at least you’re not being stoned!” Love the perspective! 😊
Sunday: Getting Started
What stands out to you from the above and why?
“And yet, forgetting the gospel, we fear.” This comment stood out to me. It is when we forget the gospel of the “good news” of Jesus Christ and what He has done in bringing salvation into my life that fear creeps in and troubles me. The first phrase of the second verse of Cowper’s song speaks to the remedy for fear.
“In holy contemplation We sweetly then pursueThe theme of God’s salvation, And find it ever new;”
If you were to listen to your soul right now, instead of speaking the truth to her, what might you hear?
If I listen to my soul on Sundays it is pretty good because I have spent time hearing God’s Word preached and with God’s people worshipping. I have been blessed in being reminded of the Gospel through reading and being taught from God’s Word. Ask me this question again on Tuesday or Wednesday when the busyness and and concerns of life start to take over again and distractions set in. My insecurities and doubts about my usefulness to God can begin to surface and take my focus off Him and his constant presence
Can you now also rebut her with the truth, using the above verses from Cowper’s song or Scripture?
With a smile I thought of an old comment: “ I said to myself, Self!”
These phases remind me that no matter what…
the unknown morrow Bring with it what it may.It can bring with it nothing, But He will bear us through;
Yet God the same abiding, His praise shall tune my voice,For, while in Him confiding, I cannot but rejoice.
Share one time when God surprised you by providing for you.
Many times through the years God has showed up with surprises of his love and presence but most recently when I contracted Covid last August He brought love and care into my life and peace in my circumstance of being sick. I was one of the first in my small town to be tested and diagnosed with it and being over 70 there had been much prognosis that gave me reason to be full of fear. In the time of being sick I experienced God’s amazing peace and his presence. His Word was an important part of that. Having extreme fatigue I had plenty of time for what I see now was “holy contemplation” and began to memorize a portion of Psalm 91. I was overwhelmed with the love and care I received from my husband as my primary caregiver and encouragement from family and fellow believers. Even our unsaved neighbors wanted to help. I felt God’s love poured out to me in a special way during that time which could have been a time of great fear.
Wonderful Covid testimony, Bev. And love your soul talk too.
oh Bev, amazing how God can work through many lives. Hope you are feeling better.
Bev, so glad you came through it OK, and can look back and see His care for you!
Isn’t it amazing how in the most awful and trying of circumstances God’s Presence becomes most palpable to us? Such a beautiful testimony. Thank you for sharing this.
5. Part I. Bible Study. Read Matthew 6:25-34. Start your list of observations. Ask questions. Imagine the word pictures. Find commands.
In this passage the Lord goes to great lengths to convince us that we do not need to worry. But yet we seem to think the practice of worry is really ok. I am amazed at Christians who tell me that they are worriers as if it is their right to worry and it is even needful for them to worry. It is a command to “not be anxious”. And specifically not to worry about those things we need for life and health and protection. Food, drink, bodily needs and clothes or covering which I would take to include shelter.
He tells us to look at the birds who do nothing! And yet our Heavenly Father feeds them. Nothing is required of them to earn their food. He just graciously gives it to them. He values them but values us more. Consider the flowers. Think about their incredible color and beauty. Anyone who has had the opportunity to visit Pikes market in Seattle and see the vendors display of thousands of flowers packed in rows and rows of beautiful bouquets a half a block long is breathtaking. Or to visit tulip fields in Spring in full bloom is breath taking. Or the incredible flowers of the tropics like in Hawaii. Some of the most amazing for me personally is in the high mountains in summer. The little tiny wildflowers which are so delicate and intricate in vivid color and beauty. All of it is God’s creation. He says I did this for the beauty of the earth and I will take care of you too!
He comes back in verses 31 and 34 saying again the command “ Do not be anxious” Three times in this passage He commands “ Don’t worry!
He asks here in these verses Why are you anxious?
Why do we worry? Because we lack faith. “Oh you of little faith”. I am reminded of Peter and how Jesus told him repeatedly “Do not fear” and said to him “oh you of little faith”
Verse 32 says “For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.” What a wonderful affirmation (your Heavenly Father knows). So if we seek Him and his righteousness (right ways) these things will all be taken care of. Also I am reminded here to just live one day at a time. I realize when anxiousness and worry start to crowd into my life I am most likely trying to live in the future and take care of tomorrow myself. I am reminded of my need to trust Him.
6. Part II. Holy Contemplation:
How can I praise Him on the basis of this text?
I can praise Him because as my Heavenly Father He know all the things I need. And I can trust Him to supply them on the basis of Who He is and the great evidence of how He supplies all the needs of nature and will provide for me
How can I confess my sins on the basis of this text?
Forgive me Father for being anxious and worrying over the needs of my life. And for stressing about the things of tomorrow. That is in your hands as well
If this is really true what wrong behavior, what harmful emotions, and what false attitudes happen when I forget this?
I am tempted to want things I don’t really need or even think I deserve. I become tempted to meet my own needs in ways that are idolatrous.
What should I be aspiring to — reaching for?
Always to seek Him first and His right ways for my life. To grow in my faith and let the idols be sifted from my life.
Why are You telling me this today?
I have begun to feel the Christmas season creeping up and crowding in with expectations and a shifted focus from why we really celebrate. It is all about Him and I don’t want distractions to take over and cause me to miss the blessings of Christ and that so very great Salvation that came to earth with the birth of my Savior. I need to remember things and schedules are not as important as relationships with people and most important my relationship to Jesus.
7. Part III: Prayer. Use what you’ve been shown as a springboard for prayer. You may want to also sing God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen or, hear it sung!
Precious Savior, I come with gratitude and praise that you came to earth with the specific purpose to die for my sin, for the sin of the world. What unbelievable humility you have displayed for all to see. What hidden glory was there when you became flesh like us. I praise and thank you for all that you have provided for my daily life and needs. And I can trust you with all my days. But it is the incredible salvation that you brought to mankind that gives me awe of you. Christmas refreshes my soul because of You! Praise You Jesus!
I confess my weakness to be tempted in this mortal body to worry needlessly over things. Anything that turns my eyes and heart away from You. Precious Lord I want intimate dependency with you and I treasure your Word and it’s truth in my life. I look to you for strength for each day to live pleasing to you and to be a vessel fit for your use among others in this fallen broken world that you came to redeem and give light and life to. I ask for your grace to be lived out in my walk with you and for your purposes for my life to be accomplished as I seek your kingdom and your righteousness.
Father I pray for my sisters in this study that you will strengthen and encourage each of them with your Word and the truths we are learning here together. Minister to the deepest needs of their hearts so they know you as their Father will provide all they need. For any with physical needs, financial needs, emotional needs and most importantly spiritual needs be gracious and generous in their lives. May we together be able to stand one day and with one voice give you all honor and glory and praise for what you have done and will do in our separate lives and the many places you have scattered us to be. You alone are worthy of all honor and praise and I pray these things in the strong name of Jesus our Savior! Amen.
Bev, you are so right about people assuming that worry is OK. I’m not a huge worrier, and when I’m with people who are, I feel terribly out of place. Like there is something wrong with me for not worrying more. I wish I could claim some kind of moral high ground on this, but the truth is I don’t worry because I’m more clueless than others. I don’t think as much as they do.
Mary: interesting reading your point on the “thinking” aspect. Someone close to me recently pointed out that having too much time on our hands as a thinker/analyser type can promote that overthinking/overanalysing = worrying. I wonder if it also has to do with what we let into our lives.
When God had me close down my Facebook, Insta and blog, I realized how each of those places caused me to overthink and overanalyse. And put them all together and I was a mess. I was constantly being triggered and getting very little sleep with my body in almost constant hypervigilance.
I sensed Him originally asking me to share my testimony and other bloggers’ testimonies via my blog, without the help of any other social media. But I determined I knew better, and did what others did and recommended: engaging on various social media platforms. God surely knew better. I have learnt my lesson. Now, as I prepare to blog again, I am not going to touch any other social media.
Even in engaging here, I have had to follow God’s safe boundaries. I need the quiet breaks to receive God’s convictions and see where and how I am putting on “dark glasses” – i.e. looking for things that aren’t there, expecting the worst, rather than looking for and finding the beauty of Jesus present in each person and in myself.
Thank you for this thoughtful reflection. I have often bemoaned being a “thinker” but God is slowly teaching me to receive it as a gift, by letting HIM lead me and grow me in it to bless, rather than curse myself.
Love seeing prayers for sisters in this study!
Bev, thank you for your beautiful prayer for all of us here, and I just (using your words) prayed it along with you for all of my sisters here.
I can so empathize with this: “I become tempted to meet my own needs in ways that are idolatrous.”
God has been uprooting my idolatry of self so much. Funnily He’s done it by giving me what I wanted to show me that I didn’t want it and then having me do what He wanted (kicking and screaming and not understanding but obeying because His strength to do so took over in me as I cried out) to then discover He was giving me my deepest heart’s desires.
Sunday: Getting Started
I have to say from last week there are so many new names, what a great blessing that is for this group. Welcome to all of you. You will truly be blessed by Dee and the ladies here.
1. What stands out to you from the above and why? – How easily we can slip from trusting God to being fearful especially in these times of the unknown. But I think this where I really need to work in trusting that the Lord will not let me fall, that he is STILL IN CONTROL. I listened to Francis Chan and I agree with some of what he says. I know I don’t know enough and probably will never know enough before the Lord returns. The one thing I really stood out to me was when he said the Lord humiliates us. To me this is a very harsh word and applies to when someone who doesn’t love you tries to bring you down, not in love, but because they can. I know the Lord will use things or even people to bring things to the surface, but I don’t agree that humiliates us is the right word. He will allow things because he loves me and wants me to grow, but not to embarrass me in any way. I will have to continue thinking about this, it really bothered me when I heard it.
2. If you were to listen to your soul right now, instead of speaking the truth to her, what might you hear? – I hear my soul boiling up, getting angry, just wanting to be done with the work day to ease the headache that I have.
3. Can you now also rebut her with the truth, using the above verses from Cowper’s song or Scripture? – I can sense you are not happy, did you reach out to the Lord, ask for peace to come to you. Ask the Lord to remove the pain from the headache and to provide you with knowing that you will be ok? The Lord provides what is needed to the simplest things, he will provide even more to you. Are you trying to be in control? You need to step out of the way and go to God and let him lead and be in control.
4.Share one time when God surprised you by providing for you. – Oh he provides for me every day, but I know for sure that he used by frugal nephew to send me a $1,000.00 at Christmas one time for me to buy things for my boys when I was a single mom. My nephew is a great person, but he is not one to think of others before himself a lot. This was a miracle from God and I knew it when I saw the amount of the check in the card. I will never forget that provision that God worked through him to give to me.
Julie, I can hear where you are coming from about the word humiliate. I looked it up, and it said (my edit, here) to hurt the pride of or to mortify. I know that often the Lord allows me to have my pride hurt; there will be something I think I can do well, but in front of someone I’d like to impress, it flops. That word mortify is also two pronged. We use it to describe feeling humiliated, but the ancients used it to talk about dying to self or to put to death the things of the flesh in ourselves. I’m pretty sure that these are along the lines Chan meant. In my examples above, the intent is never cruel, never to laugh at a person. The intent is for the person to gain a truer understanding of who they are. And praise God, He knows the worst about me but loves me anyway!
I appreciate a discussion on humiliates. Interesting. I’m not sure! Perhaps it is Satan who humiliates and the Lord allowing it. I think of Jacob being humiliated in marrying Leah — yet it was such a similar situation to the trick he played on his father and brother. I’m not sure, but I love that Julie has brought it up for discussion! I’ll put this at the end too so more people see it.
This is so interesting. I have had discussions with my Wisconsin spiritual Mom about this very thing and with a dear friend in Colorado. I have been humiliated in my pride in my own strength to “be good” and I think God has allowed it to happen, only for Him to move in and remind me: “Who dare accuse my elect?” as I have freely confessed my sins. The humiliation remained as long as I held onto my pride and desire to be seen as the “good girl”. The humbling came as I released my reputation, forgiven sins and weakness into His hands. Does that make sense?
Anna, yes I understand what you are saying. Thanks Ladies for commenting, I know that when I take control, God will use that against, me but I think of it more as a constructive criticism for me to learn. Humiliation just brings so many different pictures to my head and none of them are constructive, only hurtful. I will dig deeper as well on this.
Oh I agree with you, Julie. And I don’t think God’s the one doing the humiliating: I only recidive it as humiliation because I forget His love and grace toward me in my weakness and sin. Does that make sense? I agree that God’s intent is not to humiliate us, but humble us (draw us near/root us in His love).
I’ve been trying to word my thoughts on this but not sure I can make sense, so I’ll just quickly say this–I think in the context it was said, I took it to mean that he experienced humiliation as a result of his own sin. It’s not that God sets out to humiliate me, but that in my awareness of who I am in the face of who God is, I experience shame and humiliation that leads to repentance and restoration.
Lizzy: but if we are humiliated in our sin, aren’t we then placing our worth in something other than Jesus and the finished work of the Cross? If my worth is in Jesus, then shouldn’t that cause me to feel deep sorrow in my sin and also a deep thankfulness for the blood of Christ that covers me and completes and perfects all that concerns me? If I feel humiliated, doesn’t that say that I feel ashamed that I wasn’t good enough/didn’t know better or do better? Doesn’t it indicate a belief in self, rather than God? Shouldn’t godly repentance lead to sorrow without regret because Jesus has flung my sin as far as the east is from the west or as Corrie Ten Boom put it: God put a no fishing sign up.
Monday/Tuesday: Who Gives The Lilies Clothing
5. Part I. Bible Study. Read Matthew 6:25-34. Start your list of observations. Ask questions. Imagine the word pictures. Find commands. Also, if you listened to Keller, share your thoughts. – We are not to worry. God knows what we need in our life. The birds don’t worry about what they will eat, we don’t need to worry about it either. We certainly don’t need to worry about tomorrow, we need to just live day to day. If we worry about things that don’t matter we are missing out on the present moment that God has given us. The next moment may not even happen for us, so we have worried for nothing. Like the poem above I can see the birds hovering over us looking confused as to why we are worrying so much. I really loved that picture and the poem by Elizabeth Cheney. What a great word picture it brings to me.
6. Part II. Holy Contemplation:
How can I praise Him on the basis of this text? – I can thank praise and thank him for providing what I need when I need it. For giving me another moment to appreciate all that I have. I can trust Him knowing that he cares for me and will not let me be without.
How can I confess my sins on the basis of this text? – I can ask him to help me not worry about things. To help me not fear the unknown. To help me not waste a moment of goodness dwelling on something that might be. I can ask him for help and to guide me through my day with peace.
If this is really true what wrong behavior, what harmful emotions, and what false attitudes happen when I forget this? – When I fear or worry about something, I get anxious. My attitude and speech are not pleasing to him. I find myself mumbling and grumbling about the issue at hand instead of giving Him the issue and asking him to provide peace to me at that moment.
What should I be aspiring to — reaching for? – I need to be reaching for His Word. To find the peace that I need in His Word. I need to be looking for the joy in every moment and like a friend said just today, I need to get out of ‘I have to’ and get in to the ‘I get to’. If I can remember that He provides the peace I need and provides me with my daily ‘bread’ I get to have joy in my day.
Why are You telling me this today? – He is telling me this today, because I forget that I don’t need to jump ahead. Because I need to live in the moment and enjoy where he has me at this time of my life. I’m here for a reason, though I may not know why, I can be confident and trust that Jesus has me where he needs me. I don’t need to worry about it. He will guide me.
7. Part III: Prayer. Use what you’ve been shown as a springboard for prayer. You may want to also sing God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen or, hear it sung! – Lord, you have everything I need set out for just when I need it. What I read in your Word, what I hear from one of your servants, it is all planned out by you. I don’t need to jump ahead to the next chapter of my life, I need to live in the present page of my life. I need to always seek you when doubt, worry and fear come in to my mind and ask for you to clear it out. Thank you Lord for loving me enough to provide for my needs. In Jesus Name I pray. Amen.
“because I forget that I don’t need to jump ahead. Because I need to live in the moment and enjoy where he has me at this time of my life.” Oh my! How I empathize with this so much. God has kept reminding me life and faith is a process and that it comes in seasons He determines for our good. So, if He hasn’t given me something (yet) then I don’t need it (yet).
1. What stood out in the introduction? From the Francis Chan video, the things he said about the effects of being sifted. I for one look for the effects, while at the same time, trying to avoid the sifting. But the Bible tells us over and over again that the best and most lasting positives come to us through being refined, or sifted. It is way too easy for me to agree in my head, but not in my reactions. Then the statement about turning from swirling whirlpools to being quiet ponds. I’m not sure I want to be a quiet pond. Ponds tend to grow a lot of algae and breed disease. But I do want to be quiet and not swirling. The picture comes to my mind of the quiet waters in Psalm 23. I guess I always picture it as moving water, but quiet and not turbulent. Less swirling is something I need to cultivate!
Cowper’s third verse, “it can bring with it nothing…”. We aren’t guaranteed the kind of positives our minds often conjure up. We don’t know what to expect on the other side of trials. But we can tell ourselves over and over, even sternly, that He is trustworthy.
2. What is my soul saying right now?
I’m very tired, and I have a headache. The thoughts of all I’d like to be getting done are there, and yes, they are swirling.
3. Can you now rebut her with truth?
You have a lot of concerns, but only one thing is needful. All these things are passing away. But right now you have the opportunity to connect with Jesus. Sit at His feet and listen.
4. Share a time when God surprised you by providing for you. God has consistently cared for us financially. My father in law ranted at my husband when he realized we were tithing. He said we’d live in a shack and never have anything. But we have always lived comfortably and been able to share wherever we were living with others. So when I read the question, what I think about are the non tangibles that He is always surprising me with. A call or visit from a friend. A particular scene in nature. Snippets of songs He has go through my mind. Probably the biggest thing relates to my dysfunctional family of origin. I never expected to have adult children who would like me or want to spend time with me. That they do is a huge surprise and provision for my soul.
Great story on tithing.
Oh so precious you have kids looking out for you: we reap what we sow 😉😊. Jesus is so good.
This resonated: “It is way too easy for me to agree in my head, but not in my reactions.” God has been teaching me that that sifting is designed to take the Word from our minds to our hearts: in our every surrender. Not easy. That’s for sure. No pain, no gain 😅
Julie brought up a good point for discussion — does God humiliate? You might want to see it — she posted it Monday night and has a response from me and Mary. Would like your thoughts.
I just read Julie’s question above. Hmmm….I know the Bible says that God brings down the proud, is opposed to the proud, the haughty. I take that to mean those who have never acknowledged Him as Lord. So they may be humiliated, perhaps even by God, and perhaps, through that, some may turn to Him. But does He humiliate His own children? In the Psalms, it says that “the one who looks to Him will never be put to shame.” We can be humiliated by other people we encounter, that is true. Sometimes, and I remember Charles Stanley saying this, when we are criticized or attacked by someone, it may truly be unfair, but Stanley said that in a time of reflection, we could ask ourselves if there may have been even a tiny shred of truth in what the person said to us. Though it was not delivered in a right way. Our own humility may need us to acknowledge something we don’t want to see about ourselves. But I am not sure that God would humiliate His child? Even discipline that is good and right and fair does not humiliate.
Didn’t God humble Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4?
Also this verse from Psalms…
“You rescue the humble, but you humiliate the proud.”
Psalms 18:27 NLT
I just thought of that too!
Also, I think Gods reasons and ways to humiliate are different from mans ways.
I just looked up the meaning of that Hebrew Word the NLT translates as “humiliates”: shaphel: to be or become low, to be abased
Original Word: שָׁפֵלPart of Speech: VerbTransliteration: shaphelPhonetic Spelling: (shaw-fale’)Definition: to be or become low, to be abased
And abased means: “behave in a way that belittles or degrades (someone).” It’s almost like reaping what we sow.
This is interesting. I think it only humiliates us because we are still caught in the sin of thinking of ourselves more highly than God and others. I think the moment godly repentance flows we become the humble (and thankful) person. So, to me this feels like God lowers our estimation of our own strength and worth apart from Him, so that when we feel the humiliation in our sin, we repent and recover our strength and worth in Him.
Interesting insight, Anna, on thinking of ourselves too highly – -certainly would fit the Nebuchanezzar story.
Anna – I agree with your post and thought of Matt. 5:3, “Blessed are the poor in spirt, for theirs is the kingdom of God.” I recognized myself in this verse when studying the Gospel of Matthew and studying the Sermon on the Mount. I was definitely a woman “poor in spirit.” I had spiraled down into that deep, dark depressed, horrible time in my life as a believer of 35-40 years. I am convinced that God used those events that took me to that dark place to bring me to my knees. He humbled me (or humiliated me) so that I had to choose Him (life) or not-Him (death). (Deuteronomy 30 is one of my go-to passages as it speaks so clearly of this choice.) In my experience, the “humiliation” involved our financial circumstances (partly our doing but also because the economy tanked and I was out of a job), our familial circumstances (unwed daughters became pregnant), my mental circumstance (disappointed, depressed, despondent), and my spiritual circumstance (I WAS NOT in control). Only when I was on my knees before the Lord, giving all of this “chaos” to Him, did He answer and begin to bring me up out of that pit. This did NOT happen overnight but actually took 7 – 10 years before I could see the work He was doing in me and is continuing to do. Perhaps this provides some context of how I know the Lord humiliated me for my good and to His glory.
I was reflecting on this some more: also of all the humiliation I have experienced and then suddenly as I cried out to God again, this verse came to me from a song my Mum used to sing: “The name of the LORD is a strong tower, the righteous run into it and are saved.” I just sang that verse over and over to myself in the shower.
This is the song:
https://youtu.be/bYrcrP1ysjw
May it bless someone else too.
Great song Anna, thanks for sharing
Karmen: for some reason it won’t let me reply directly to you. Thank you for sharing your story. I have walked through a similar humbling after my Mum died. After I penned a lament, God used that to uncover emotions I had been suppressing: anger and pain. And finally one night I cried out asking Him to give me just one reason to live. I opened up my Bible (the Message version Dad gave me as a Prodigal that I didn’t open till I returned) and it fell to the passage below. It literally sliced through every lie I was believing:
1. That Mum’s body was still riddled with disease and broken apart (I saw, felt, even smelt the last few hours of her life unfold like a movie over and over again as she choked on mucus and her skin was paper thin, her eyes vacant).
2. That I wouldn’t ever stand before God whole and healed.
3. That those who love and serve God the most, sacrificing the most (like my Mum) are rewarded with horrific suffering and then death (I struggled to believe in a heaven).
John 6:35-40
The Message
35-38 Jesus said, “I am the Bread of Life. The person who aligns with me hungers no more and thirsts no more, ever. I have told you this explicitly because even though you have seen me in action, you don’t really believe me. Every person the Father gives me eventually comes running to me. And once that person is with me, I hold on and don’t let go. I came down from heaven not to follow my own whim but to accomplish the will of the One who sent me.
39-40 “This, in a nutshell, is that will: that everything handed over to me by the Father be completed—not a single detail missed—and at the wrap-up of time I have everything and everyone put together, upright and whole. This is what my Father wants: that anyone who sees the Son and trusts who he is and what he does and then aligns with him will enterreallife,eternallife. My part is to put them on their feet alive and whole at the completion of time.”
I cried and cried and cried on the living room floor and repented of my unbelief. The attacks just got worse from then on in and my whole body was racked with flashbacks and being caught in the past. But I just kept singing worship songs, declaring Scripture over myself until I could finally go into therapy. God showed up amazingly in that therapy (with an unbelieving psychologist). I had visions in which He took me back to that room with Mum and showed me what He saw, felt, smelt and heard. It was absolutely incredible.
About a year and a half later, I tried to take my own life at my former church through massive spiritual attack. But I am not kidding: I felt God literally tether my feet to the ground – it felt like He had filled my shoes with heavy lead – and He repeatedly told me not to move, as I cried out to Him: why did you make me like this? Why did you make a mistake with me? Why did you make me to repel Your very own Body?
Later, it made me think of a verse from the Psalms, where David also speaks of God doing something similar for him. I can’t remember it anymore now, but I remember thinking: wow, he must have experienced the same thing.
So: for me, I can’t say it was my doing that saved me from death. Jesus chose life for me.
Oh Anna, your story and testimony are powerful. Thank you for sharing. Looking forward to knowing you more through this blog.
Anna — how good God was to come to you in your time of such great need!
5. Part I. Bible Study. Read Matthew 6:25-34. Start your list of observations. Ask questions. Imagine the word pictures. Find commands. Also, if you listened to Keller, share your thoughts.
Observations: a key word phrase in this passage is “do not worry”. Jesus uses word pictures from nature: birds and lilies of the field. The birds are fed and cared for, the lilies are “dressed” beautifully, even though they bloom for only a short time. In contrast, humans often are anxious about getting their needs met and worried about their clothing. (I don’t think Jesus is putting down the person who truly is in a financial bind as many, many are right now due to job loss and losing their businesses due to the pandemic, and find themselves in very dire situations, wondering how they are going to be able to feed their families). Even though He uses these very specific examples of food, drink, and clothing, I believe it’s a much more expansive picture He’s getting at: our often all-consuming mental and emotional energies that are focused on our homes, our possessions, our bodies, our recipes, our social status (or lack of), our health….the list could go on and on. Example from a book I’m reading by D.L. Mayfield, in which the author described a situation where her sister was really into essential oils and sold them, and when Mayfield had her children, her sister always talked to her about why she needed to start using various oils for this and that reason, all to ensure the health and well-being of her children. So the author finally purchased some oils, but not from her sister; she bought some inexpensive oils to try. However, her sister then began to warn her of the dangers of buying those “lesser” oils – their grade, their purity, their source – now potentially she was harming her children with these lesser grade oils! These are the sorts of things we get so caught-up with.
Keller’s sermon was very good. He began with verse 19, and answered a question that I had about the verses about the eye being the lamp of the body – I didn’t understand it. He said that if your physical eyes are not working right, it doesn’t matter how much light there is in a room – your body cannot take in any light and you’re in the darkness. The same thing can happen to us spiritually. Money has power over us – HOW? Because we don’t SEE it. We think we’re not greedy. WHY does it have such power? Because we try to derive significance or security from it. The best example he gave was from Addison Leach, who told a student that we’re all on this spinning globe called Earth, and one day, a trap door will open up and we’ll fall through it, either into the everlasting arms or into nothingness. Not our money or anything we own or have will be of any use to us then. How can we ever escape this grip? By making Jesus our treasure, as He made us His treasure. Very convicting for me was that he said that if our giving isn’t affecting our lifestyle, if it isn’t a “cross”, then we’re not really seeing Jesus as our treasure. I cannot honestly say that my giving affects my way of life. I have never had to go without. I guess the only thing we “sacrificed” to over the years was our children, in that because we sent them to private schools, there were a few summers we couldn’t afford to go on a vacation. That’s probably why we’re making updates to our home at this point in our lives, because two of the three are adults and financially independent. We didn’t have the money a few years ago say, to put in granite countertops. So it made me feel a bit guilty today because I can’t say that my husband and I live “sacrificially”, and the fact that my husband isn’t a believer anyway and so he doesn’t tithe his income. There have been times where he has been generous to others, though.
Thank you for sharing all these points to ponder, Susan. This is one I am going to reflect on some more: “Because we try to derive significance or security from it.”
When God asked me to surrender my teaching job, I discovered just how much of my self-worth I had put in my financial contribution to my family. Funnily, when I quit, my husband began to earn more and even receive a large bonus and commendation when my best friend and I were praying for God to encourage our husbands in their workplace. I think God was having a chuckle.
Then, when I felt my husband’s stress levels rising at his work last year, I prayed for a job to support him, so he could cut back. I got the job but it was a disaster. It felt like God saying: I gave you what you wanted to show you this isn’t what you want. My husband actually asked me to leave because I was so badly treated in the classroom and told me that I shouldn’t worry so much about our finances and him carrying that alone.
Now, I was called out of the blue on Friday to cover part of a maternity leave at my old school. I had approached the school about offering help with writing education at the school, but every door they opened was then shut as the teachers invited by the heads didn’t take me up on my free offer of help. But then, when they called Friday and I said “no”, God reminded me that I had promised to walk through every door He opened there. But now me saying yes is in obedience to God’s direction.
I still noticed though how I had pride rise in this opportunity, as if I could now prove to the world I was worth something and that saddened me to discover that. I confessed it to God and am asking Him to help me find my worth in Him alone and not in how I am seen in this world.
Wow – that’s quite an ongoing story about your job and your husband’s job! And now you have an open door to return to teaching for a while! It’s a hard battle, though, to put our self-worth in Him alone, isn’t it?
Yes! A huge battle for me. I keep thinking I’ve gotten “there”, only to discover a new layer of pride and fear. God has repeatedly brought that song of Amy Grant’s to me that I sung growing up with the lyrics:
I will Seek you in the morningand I will learn to walk in Your waysand Step by step You ‘ll lead meand I will follow you all of my days
He’s often had to remind me: Anna, I know your weakness. I’ve always known it. Now let me love you into freedom step by step.
BTW this school that called me isn’t the school that was a disaster for me. This school was the one I worked at for 6 years. So many of the staff came up to me to say hi- some of them I don’t even remember, but they hadn’t forgotten me. They were amazing when I lost my Mum: gave me months off to go visit her in her final months in NZ.
I had so much fun teaching the kids there too and recently met up with one of the Moms of these kids and she told me her son remembers me fondly and was so happy to have had me teach him. God was truly preparing me to say yes, as I had sworn I would never again set foot in a classroom again.
But even that bad experience, God used to humble me, have me see and admit my own wrongdoing when I blamed the school in front of unbelieving friends, and upon leaving, He woke me up at night to be praying for that school’s leadership and a rebuilding of trust amongst the staff.
He works everything into good, truly.
Susan: I wonder if there is an invitation in this for us to pray for opportunities to take up our Cross financially with our unbelieving husbands?
Susan — I too found that so helpful from Keller. Why too we must pray as Paul tells us to do for those who have been blinded by Satan.
Sunday: Getting Started
1. What stands out to you from the above and why?
The talk by Francis Chan because that Scripture of the sifting and God praying for Peter beforehand was a Scripture God gave me when He brought me home to help me see His nearness to and compassion for me through my life’s journey.
Now, it is still such a reassuring Promise to me. I have been full of pride but didn’t see it. As a kid I thought humility equaled shaming and condemning ourselves. Since God brought me home, my number one prayer has been “humble me in my pride, oh LORD”.
Sadly, I haven’t always received that humbling or recognized it as a precious answer to prayer in all God’s hemming in and the wounding God has allowed to set me free from my sin. Like, Peter, I too have warmed my hands at the fire of the enemy, while the enemy has attacked the beauty of Jesus in me and in others, rather than believing in God’s Word to me and interceding in faith. But praise God, He has been so loving, patient and kind with me.
I must say part of Chan’s talk saddened me, when he talked about those not receiving the humbling. I think we can be quick to judge when we have come out of a particular humbling and forget that we too had our bitter moments in the past. And also because I know it is only because of Jesus I have not been consumed by my pain and bitterness: HE has lifted me out of it, so many times.
2. If you were to listen to your soul right now, instead of speaking the truth to her, what might you hear?
I am afraid of making the wrong decision, of disappointing You, Jesus, of missing what You are speaking to me. Of taking the wrong turn, of messing up, while all the while believing I am doing Your will. I don’t trust myself.
3. Can you now also rebut her with the truth, using the above verses from Cowper’s song or Scripture?
Thank You, Jesus, that I don’t need to trust myself. For, even You refused to trust mankind. Thank You that as your sheep I can hear Your Voice, always. Thank You that You Promise to never leave and forsake me. Thank You that You are my Way and even if I fall seven times, Your Word promises me that in Your righteousness I will rise again.
Thank You that it is You, God, that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. It is You who arms me with strength and keeps my Way secure. Thank You that all the years I walked blind, You never left me and continued to protect, guide and keep me, even though I didn’t see that at the time. Thank You that You promise to go with me, wherever I go. Thank You that nothing can separate me from Your love. For: in every circumstance and failing of mine, yet God the same abiding.
4. Share one time when God surprised you by providing for you
I have never really worried a lot about financial provision, even as a Prodigal. I put that down to growing up with parents who sold everything to become missionaries on the other side of the world with then four little kids. We lived from envelope to miraculous envelope and miraculous (at the time unexplained) bank transfers.
But I can think of emotional provision. When God commanded me to leave my church in the summer of 2017, I spent that night singing and praising Him aloud, with my door wide open to the night sky and my tears streaming. That night I felt Him tell me to go visit an elderly lady I didn’t know, but who I knew had lost her husband very recently. He asked me to sing a hymn in Dutch to her. I was so nervous but knew I had to be obedient.
She had tears coming down her face as I sung that hymn to her in Dutch on her doorstep that morning. Turns out she was a believer, whose grandson had walked through awful bullying at the hands of people professing to follow Jesus. I cried as I heard her story and began to share my own story of facing rejection as I stood in the truth of God’s Word, over a cup of coffee and cake, when she came to visit.
We held hands and shared our hearts, tears streaming. As I shared about the trauma of caring for my Mum in end-stage brain cancer, she was so moved and was like: oh but I’ve been battling all these things too. It so reassured her that it was normal and to be expected, given all the care she had given to her husband in similar circumstances.
I visited her in an elderly home recently again and was so reminded of God’s goodness to us both. He gave me new, heart fellowship, in my very street, just as He was breaking me up with a community that had become my spiritual home.
Wonderful story about singing a hymn in Dutch in obedience!
TUESDAY NOTES ON TIM KELLER’S SERMON – TREASURE VS MONEY – ROMANS 6.19-34
The sermon on the mount describes how a Christian life would look if we walked it out.
Your eye is important, and acts like a leader for the rest of your body.
Materialism blinds us spiritually; We think greed is not a part of us because it hides itself from us. We don’t think we are greedy when we see others greedier then we are.
Greed can darken our eyes when we choose jobs because of money or status. We need to search what we are doing to see if we are helping or hurting others. We need to ask questions on what we are doing & if we really should be or if there is a better way.
Who are we accountable too? Who is to hold us to the standards we should live?
Money has the power to stop us from asking questions.
Why does money have this power? Where are heart rests is what we treasure. Money is our significance and we look down on others below us. We pity those who are not economically level with us. Money is our security, our control in an uncontrollable world. But only God can help us at difficult times
How do we break the power of money? We all have something we treasure in our hearts and whatever it is we are slaves to it. Jesus is the treasure that died for us. Everything else wants us to die for it. You only die for what is your precious treasure and Jesus though we were worth death. We are His treasure – This was powerful to me. WOW to know that Jesus loved me, cherished me more than anything to die for me.
Knowing we are His treasure should stop us from hungering for money or anything that we hold on to in abundance.
The way we look at the rich or the poor will tell us if we cherish money still.
We get generous when we really have been freed from money.
We need to live a sacrificial life that puts a dent in our living to really know what the cross means.
“The way we look at the rich or the poor will tell us if we cherish money still.”
God has convicted me of this in the past. For example, when I felt anger at a refugee friend when I saw she had thrown shoes I gave to her for her baby girl into the trash. I felt anger because they were expensive shoes I had bought back home in New Zealand for my daughter. And God put a mirror up to my face and asked me: “do you put that much worth in earthly decaying things?”
But then, when the double stroller my Mum gave me that I lent her got stolen at the refugee center, I was surprised at how easily I released that. It grieved me that I had to let go of another tangible reminder of my Mum but when my friend said she was so relieved I wasn’t angry at her, I told her I felt bad for her.
I also thought to myself: “Mum would never have gotten upset at her. It would probably have upset and angered her that my friend was now left without a stroller because of thieves (who most likely sold it to make a packet because it was a New Zealand brand that is sought after here). But even as that thought came to me, I thought: but maybe it was someone who had even less and was in great need.
Another time stopped me in my tracks though. I saw my refugee friend in town during a national festival. I quickly walked past her because I thought my other friends who I was with would disapprove of me for being friends with her. Ouch how convicted I was when my daughters cried out: “Mum isn’t that …? Didn’t you see her?!” I turned back and went to see her. Lord have mercy on my haughty soul.
I also remember a time at church this poorer man who smelt funky kept coming up to me and I felt squirmish. I later realized I saw myself as “better than him”. God promptly allowed me to experience being one of the least of these a few months later, when I noticed I had been grouped by my pastor with those I looked down on. He gave all his attention to other well respected young people, whose parents had served in the church for longer. I was grouped with those from a lower social class.
When God had me leave that church I turned around and thanked Him for humbling me in my pride, as I recognized what He had done. He had had me pour out confessions of my sin and weakness (PTSD triggers) and as I did so, I was pushed away like a lepar. Now, I look back and say: thank You, Jesus, for humbling me and making me realize how awful I was to treat Your beloved children as lepars too: to shrink back from the beauty of You in the least of these.
That truly is powerful: “Everything else wants us to die for it.”
God has uncovered a coveting in me, but a coveting of other people’s love and approval. As He did so about a year ago now, and asked me to sever ties with this person and her community, He showed me how trying to be liked by this person who was loved and approved of by people whose approval I wanted but didn’t have was killing me.
I was pleasing and placating to be liked by her and her community because I could see she and they deep down didn’t like me as I was. When I broke off the friendship God took me to a verse about coveting because we do not ask:
James 4:2-3
New International Version
2 You desire but do not have, so you kill.(A)You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive,(B)because you ask with wrong motives,(C)that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
Oh how it broke my heart to realize that had been me. But wow that realization began to make me bring God my heart in new ways as I began to actually believe He could want to bless me: this former Prodigal. I began to ask Him to uncover the desires of HIS heart in me. And He is answering that so much.
The other day I was weeping and weeping as I poured out all my heartbreak at all the deep yearnings of mine that haven’t been fulfilled, as God took me to David in the Psalms who cried out and God answered Him. I realized how much I had stuffed away, as something I had already asked God for and He hadn’t given me. But God challenged me to believe that He wants to give me these things and is already working to do so in His perfect timing and plan.
5. Part 1. Matthew 6:25-34. Wow. There is so much here. In this section, Jesus starts with, “Therefore I tell you…” It is easy to say that He is referring back to what He has already said, but why here? He has been giving commands and examples all along, but He sets this section apart. As though He highlighted it. Life is more than we can see or touch. He doesn’t delve into the statement further. Does He expect people to get it?
God knows what we need. It isn’t news to Him. He has been taking care of humanity since creation. Jesus specifically lists three things to not worry about; what we put in our mouths, what we put on our bodies, and tomorrow. Then He repeats not to worry about each of them as a command. But He adds a fourth; to seek first His kingdom and righteousness. Is seeking the Kingdom a requirement for being deeply cared for, as opposed to just being fed and clothed?
There is no need to worry about tomorrow. Today has plenty for us to handle. Those without a Heavenly Father run around in a frantic state. Believers don’t need to, and shouldn’t. He uses pictures of birds, flowers, and the length of our lives not being enhanced by worry. We know that the opposite is true; it drains us of life. Notes from Keller. I have to say this sermon made a huge impact on me. I’m not sure how it will flesh out since I can’t make all the financial decisions unilaterally. How money exercises power: we are blind to our greed, it never occurs to us that we might have a problem in this area. It is too easy to compare to someone else, and walk away feeling wrongly good about ourselves. He asked, who are you accountable to for how you handle money? Outside of marriage, that is really taboo! You never get too detailed about money. It is considered crass, so this was a fascinating concept for me. Secondly, why does it exercise power: Jesus said it reveals where your heart is. It might be your significance, something to identify you and help you feel good about yourself. Even superior to others. It might be your security, helping give you a sense of control. In truth, money can’t stop anything from happening. Third, how do we break the power of money? Set your mind on heavenly treasures. When we treasure something, we see it as making everything else worthwhile. And once you treasure something, it owns you. The Bible says everything earthly you treasure will demand that you die for it. But Jesus died to make Himself your treasure. He gave up everything for what was precious to Him, and it is us. When we really come to grips with this, it frees us from the power of money. Can you look at the rich and neither disdain them nor envy them? Can you look at the poor with respect and not look down on them? When you have Jesus as your treasure, money or lack of it doesn’t matter to you. You can love easily. You can also be generous. The phrase, ‘when your eye is good’, means when you are generous. Your giving should be sacrificial, affecting your lifestyle. Tithing is not the standard; the cross is the standard. When you are free, you will give with joy and abandon.
Part 2. Praise. Praise You, Lord Jesus! You provide for me! Not only every need I have, which includes the ones I don’t even recognize, but so many of my desires as well. Confess. Lord, I am convicted that I haven’t been seeking Your kingdom. I’ve been seeking mine. I want that to change.
When I forget… I start to look like the world. I lose my distinctiveness, my witness for You. I tie myself up in knots and have sleepless nights. Attitude. When I think I’m in charge of providing for myself, then I hold on too tightly to what really came from You and belongs to You. I lack the compassion You want me to have for others. I miss the opportunity to bless them from You with the bounty You’ve given me. Aspire. Lord, I want to worry less. I want to have more confidence in You, and praise You more freely. I want seeking Your kingdom to be a priority. I want to be on the lookout for the good works You’ve prepared for me to do along my life’s journey.
Why today? You’ve shown me that I’ve slipped. I’ve not been seeking either You or Your kingdom. I’ve been blind to the plight of others. I’ve been greedy. Maybe today was the first day I was ready to see it.
Loved the song clip! It seemed incongruous, or maybe fitting!, for them to be singing in the cold. We live in a cold world, but we are called to sing His praises with joy and abandon. Christ was born to save was the theme for the Sunday School lesson I taught 5 year olds on Sunday!
Mary — I love that Christ came at the darkest time of the calendar — and almost the coldest, at least in many places.
1. Part I. Bible Study. Read Matthew 6:25-34. Start your list of observations. Ask questions. Imagine the word pictures. Find commands. Also, if you listened to Keller, share your thoughts.
Since vs 25 starts with “therefore”, I looked at the verse before that and Jesus was saying we cannot serve 2 masters. Only one can we love or be devoted to and those are the masters of either God or money.
Three basic needs are mentioned in the passage, namely, food, drink, and clothing. As Americans, we have access to all unless we feel like we have to have more than the necessary amounts each day. So why worry?
The “word” anxious is used. Do not be anxious. The word means “experiencing worry, unease, or nervousness, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome”. Wow! What do I worry about something I am not sure about? The Heavenly Father already knows about it.
Birds of the air-they do not do anything for the Father and yet He takes care of them because they are His creation. And so are we!
Can you add a single hour to your life by worrying? NO. It can reduce the quality of your life.
Commands: Do not worry, Seek first the kingdom of God, Do not be anxious about tomorrow. Look at the birds, consider the lilies of the field-maybe ordinary creatures to us but God sees them and takes care of them. How much more would He care for us as His creatures and made in His image?
6. Part II. Holy Contemplation:
1. How can I praise Him on the basis of this text?
God is Jehovah Jireh, my provider
2. How can I confess my sins on the basis of this text?
That I often worry about things I do not have control over
3. If this is really true what wrong behavior, what harmful emotions, and what false attitudes happen when I forget this?
I would tend to worry, be unfocused, overly concerned about how to provide these things for me. I may go shopping and splurge on things thinking I owe it to myself to buy such material things
4. What should I be aspiring to — reaching for?
contentment
5. Why are You telling me this today?
I am worrying about what to give to others for Christmas and that if I do not come up with something, they would not approve of me. Yikes-idol of approval.
This is also a time for REMEMBERING. Even though we did not have much growing up, I cannot remember a day when we did not have food to eat, water to drink, or things to wear. and now that I have more, I tend to worry about something else!
7. Part III: Prayer. Use what you’ve been shown as a springboard for prayer. You may want to also sing God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen or, hear it sung! Oh, Lord that Would remember that your provision of long ago and your promise of your care for me today and my tomorrow. Help me remember the richness of your promises brought about by the death of Jesus Christ:
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy, he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.” I Peter 1:3-5
“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” 2 Peter 1:3-4
Oh I love those verses from 1 and 2 Peter. So precious to read them again. Thank you for sharing. What a blessing. It fits with one of the verses on my fridge at the moment (Psalm 16:5-6): “LORD, You alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. You guard all that is mine. The land you have given me is a pleasant land. What a wonderful inheritance.”
6. Part II: Holy Contemplation
1. How can I praise Him: I can praise God for His being a wonderful counselor with the resources to back-up His advice: He tells me not to worry, and I know that He means what He says because He can meet all of my needs. He is meticulous about every detail of my life. He wants me to have joy and freedom.
2. Confess: I confess the times when I am so overly focused on myself, my life, what to wear, what I need/want….the things of this world – materialism. Trying to derive security, safety and comfort in relationships or material things.
3. If this is really true….what happens when I forget? I will think it’s all up to me to run my life, and scramble, fret, and worry, and be a slave to “the tyranny of the urgent”, but not thinking about what is really important. Instead of seeking Him first, I will be seeking worldly things instead.
4. I should be aspiring to trust Him more with all the details of my life, and reaching towards getting to know Him better.
5. Why are You telling me this today? Well, we’re in the classic season of getting the shopping and wrapping done, the baking, the decorating, the cleaning….”Seek Me first”, Susan! It’s so easy to feel pressured at this time of the year.
This is such a good thing to think upon:
He is meticulous about every detail of my life.
Oh may I stop to savor the details I am now missing in all my worrying and fretting.
A friend sent me this note in her email today and it fits so much with what I have felt God asking me to do and reminds me of that verse that starts out: “Whatever is good, whatever is true, whatever is pure…think upon such things.”:
“Keep seeking the beauty that exists. It will rub off on you too as you immerse yourself in it.”
I love your love language of giving. My best friend is like that too and that’s a beauty that rubs off onto those she gives to. May God set those financial boundaries for you, so that every time you want to go beyond what is wise, you will see His loving face looking at you, calling you to rest in Him instead and His love pouring out from any gift you give.
I think this week I will only do that first part of the Monday/Tuesday.
Part I. Bible Study. Read Matthew 6:25-34. Start your list of observations. Ask questions. Imagine the word pictures. Find commands.
I find it interesting “food” also means “personal enlargement, make to grow, nurse”. And God says that is less important than life, which also means “individual personality, unique personhood, God’s breath of life”. It made me realize:
1. I have wanted God’s “nursing” rather than for who He created me to be to be unveiled.
2. I have wanted to be pampered and nursed, but God has wanted me to see I am ready for solids.
3. I have wanted the “personal enlargement” more than God’s life breath.
4. I have wanted the status and recognition of ministry, rather than the opportunity to bless others in His Name.
5. I have wanted ease, rather than the pain needed to make me who God has intended me to be.
Interestingly the word for body is the same word we use to talk of the Body of Christ. God says we are to treasure the Body of Christ more than our clothing, or “outer robe, garment”. That makes me realize:
6. I have sought after the outer garment of approval, rather than true heart fellowship with the Body of Christ.
7. I have been more focused on myself than others.
8. I have been more focused on what I “need”, rather than seeing and celebrating all I have been given.
9. I have wanted people to like me, more than I have wanted to look for and celebrate Jesus in them.
10. I have wanted to cover over my shame with this outer garment, rather than seeing that Christ’s garment of love and approval already covers me.
11. In serving the Body, I have wanted to earn my place in her midst, rather than seeing I already am a member of her.
Interestingly to be anxious also means:
HELPS Word-studies
3309 merimnáō (from 3308 /mérimna, “a part, as opposed to the whole”) – properly, drawn in opposite directions; “divided into parts” (A. T. Robertson); (figuratively) “to go to pieces” because pulled apart (in different directions), like the force exerted by sinful anxiety (worry). Positively, 3309 (merimnáō) is used of effectively distributing concern, in proper relation to the whole picture (cf. 1 Cor 12:25; Phil 2:20).
3809 (merimnaō ) is “an old verb for worry and anxiety – literally, to be divided, distracted” (WP, 2, 156). It is more commonly used in this negative sense in the NT.
12. This means when I am worried, I am divided in my heart.
13. That means, when I worry, I am serving two Masters.
14. That means when I worry, I am allowing the enemy to pull me apart and away from Jesus and His love and care for me.
I find it interesting HELPS also speaks of it meaning to be distracted.
15. So, to be worried, also means I am allowing the enemy to distract me from the purpose God wants me to walk in.
16. To be worried means I am allowing the enemy to distract me from serving others to serve self instead.
17. To be worried means I have a low estimation of God and a high estimation of self.
18. To be undivided and whole means to be undistracted in my devotion to Jesus: being busy at my Father’s business, and being confident that it is what He has asked me to do, not allowing the enemy to make me doubt God’s direction in my life by focusing on my weakness, but rather bringing my weakness to God and inviting Him to reveal His truth and power there.
BTW I loved that talking to our souls activity. I so need to stop and do that more often.
I will come back another time with more on the other verses.
5. Part I. Bible Study. Read Matthew 6:25-34. Start your list of observations. Ask questions. Imagine the word pictures. Find commands. Also, if you listened to Keller, share your thoughts.
Jesus is speaking. We are to not worry about food or clothing. This is a command. Birds are used as an analogy in that they don’t harvest or make their food and the Father provides for them. He asks, if the Father cares for the birds wouldn’t He care for us? He suggests we are more important than the birds. He asks questions; will worry add time to your life? Why do we have such little faith? He compares people to lilies. He says they are clothed in beauty but don’t remain that way. I don’t understand the analogy about Solomon though. He mentions that Solomon in all his glory was never as beautiful as the lilies in the fields. This seems like the opposite of what He is saying. The command though again, is to not worry. Unbelievers worry often, but we, believers should have more faith. The Father knows what you need and supplies it to you. If you seek His kingdom first, His righteousness, you will have all you need always. This is another command. The final command is to not worry about tomorrow, for it will bring its own troubles. Live in the moment.
I did listen to Keller, but need to go and listen again and take notes.
6. Part II. Holy Contemplation:
How can I praise Him on the basis of this text?
Thank You Lord for always providing for me and my family! You are so thoughtful to help us in our lives.
How can I confess my sins on the basis of this text?
I realize that sometimes (not often) I have a surge of fear. Recently, it has been worse. I know You say to not worry. I do not usually worry and I DO believe You are in charge and know what is right for my life. Forgive me when I slip and have that inkling to be afraid. Remind me of Your presence with me.
If this is really true, what wrong behavior, what harmful emotions, and what false attitudes happen when I forget this?
If I forget that You are the one in charge and lean on myself (with worry) I am implementing the control idol. I am not truly believing that You “got this.” I am putting myself above You.
What should I be aspiring to — reaching for?
I need to believe You are the One in charge, only. It is not my job to worry about the future. It is only my job to have complete faith that You are carrying out my life for me as You planned all along.
Why are You telling me this today?
I have been fraught with more worry than usual lately. I need to be reminded that no matter what happens here on earth, You are ultimately in charge of everything.
Tim Keller treasure vs. money
Sermon on the Mount
Living out the Gospel
How money controls us
All about the eye, if the eye isn’t working then the body is in darkness. Luke 11-12. If your eye is dark then the body is as well.
Greed and materialism….an inordinate desire for things where you might be blinded by this and lose spirituality.
Greed hides itself. We don’t think we are greedy. Jesus says to watch out for it.
Materialism makes you avoid questions about your lifestyle.
Do I need to be spending so much on clothes, rent, etc.?
Should I be giving more to the poor, to the church, etc.?
1635 Robert Kane was disciplined by his church because of greed. He was selling his wares at a 6% instead of the 4% agreed upon amount. Greed is hidden. They were holding each other accountable. We can’t trust ourselves to determine these things.
Money has the power to keep us from asking questions and reflect on how and where it should be spent and used. Jesus warned us over and over again.
Why it controls us
Money serves as a way to give us significance. Makes us feel important.
Middle class people feel superior to the poor. When we know we are better economically than others, we know we are superior.
Money is your significance, it is your approval and security.
Jesus says money cannot extend your life one bit. The power of money seems to give you authority, but then you become arrogant and no one likes you!
Money won’t save you from anything. Can’t stop death, tragedy, broken relationships. (I’m not sure I agree with this…I can have better health insurance if I have money, I can go to counseling with money, etc.)
How do we become more generous?
Store up for yourself treasures in heaven. Treasure heavenly treasure. Everyone has something they treasure. You will pay any price for it. You would die for it. Jesus is the one treasure who died for you. He had the ultimate treasure and security. When he can to earth he was stripped of his treasure. He must have looked at us and decided that we were worth dying for. We were his treasure. (Keller says he was willing to risk going to hell ??? I thought we determined that Jesus did not enter hell when his body died on the cross? I’m confused). The Gospel puts you in a position where you don’t envy rich people, and you don’t look down on poor people. If you are this way then you are no longer controlled by money. Always looking to be generous at this point. (This is the hard part for me).
The Bible says give 10%. If the Gospel is in your heart, this is what you do. It doesn’t seem like a lot because He is in your heart. Is there a cross in your life? You will give happily if you are there.
Great notes, Laura.
1. What stands out to you from the above and why? “…forgetting the gospel, we fear…” “…must take our souls sternly in hand…” I remember Keller saying something like ‘every problem we have is because we have forgotten God or forgotten who God IS…’ not referring necessarily to physical circumstances but instead our response to those circumstances and the state of our hearts and minds in reaction to physical circumstances.
2. If you were to listen to your soul right now, instead of speaking the truth to her, what might you hear? To be very careful…. people will condemn you, you will make mistakes, you will be wrong, you are failing…
3. Can you now also rebut her with the truth, using the above verses from Cowper’s song or Scripture? There is therefore now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus….for you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons…we are children of God… God is not seeking to catch you in your failure and be rid of His obligation to you… you will indeed make mistakes, thinking you are obeying, but avoiding mistakes is also avoiding obedience…you do wrong to do nothing thinking you do no wrong by abstinence of action…you, child, do not need to know the end of the story to start the story through your obedience…let the Spirit be the author, the knower, the judge … it is not for you to decide but only obey…
4. Share one time when God surprised you by providing for you. There have been many monetary provision stories … but the story that popped into my mind was 7 months ago someone in leadership pointed out a small mistake of mine and I internally reacted with devastation, condemnation, and sadness but the Spirit came boldly in my mind to remind ‘this person is not your life, Christ is your life (and identity).’ I remember vividly (and hope I never forget) looking straight at this person and silently saying to them, “you are not my life, Christ is my life.” Since then I have had a freedom at work from fearing man’s opinion. God surprised me that day with freedom from a fear that had plagued my whole life … and He continues to furrow into that deep soil to plant something new.
Jill, thrilled with you in your freedom! Yeah, God!!
Oh Jill — I love your application of “You are not my life.” How we all need to do this!
Jill: thank you so much for this. I have been praying for a similar freedom. God has done much to uproot my fear of man, but there is a long way to go.
I actually still find myself looking for and expecting people to betray and reject me, and it can get me so self-obsessed and stop me from truly listening to the hearts of others. Now at least I am starting to learn to catch those thoughts and to give them to God, asking Him to help me see Him in those before me, so that I don’t receive what they mean for good as intended to destroy me and so that I can step back into God’s safe boundaries for me, if God doesn’t want me to be around them (because we are at different stages of our healing and toxic for each other).
When I came back to faith, I trusted every believer like a little kid. No scratch that: I revered them as gods, as those with much more understanding and wisdom, not just than me, but than God speaking in me and to me through His Word.
It cost me sorely. I am still healing. I should have remembered what Jesus said about there being wolves in sheep’s clothing.
This bit of what you shared really resonated with me:
“God is not seeking to catch you in your failure and be rid of His obligation to you… you will indeed make mistakes, thinking you are obeying, but avoiding mistakes is also avoiding obedience…you do wrong to do nothing thinking you do no wrong by abstinence of action…you, child, do not need to know the end of the story to start the story through your obedience…let the Spirit be the author, the knower, the judge … it is not for you to decide but only obey…”
I have become so scared of “messing up” and have to remind myself that God is not like us humans: His grace goes so deep and He loves it, when we step out in faith, trusting Him to catch us.
Wednesday/Thursday: Though The Fig Tree Does Not Blossom
8. Part I. Bible Study. Read Matthew 6:25-34. Start your list of observations. Ask questions. Imagine the word pictures. Find commands. – Don’t worry; Life is more important then other things; Our bodies are more important then what we put on them; the Lord will feed us, take care of us and provide for us; He loves us and will provide everything we need to survive each day. Our worry will not bring the things we need. Only God can do that, and he is commanding us to not worry so he can provide the things we need. We need to focus on His Word, His Ways and not worry about what is going on around us to the point that we worry about it.
9. Part II. Holy Contemplation:
How can I praise Him on the basis of this text? – I can praise Him by remembering what I need to focus on and not dwell in things I cannot change. My thought can be set on pleasing things that will bring joy to me and others.
How can I confess my sins on the basis of this text? – I can ask God to search my heart, my mind and soul and show me openly where I’m focusing my time. Once he does that I can repent of those areas and ask Him to take them from me.
If this is really true what wrong behavior, what harmful emotions, and what false attitudes happen when I forget this? – If I don’t remember how good God is and that he provides, I will worry myself sick. If I don’t have the means to to get the things I need worrying about it won’t make it more possible. Worrying will only raise my stress level, which pulls my thoughts away from God and his goodness.
What should I be aspiring to — reaching for? – I need to reach for the Lord, grab ahold of Him, His Word and His promises. Remind Him of what his promises say and sit, be silent, and wait for His outcome, not mine and be satisfied with His answer.
Why are You telling me this today? – Ok Lord, I know I need to be with you more throughout my day, not just when I’m doing a Bible study, but my thoughts need to be on you always. I find peace when I’m seeking you, when I’m digging deeper to find out WHY. Please continue to make me hungry for you.
10. Part III. Use this as a springboard for prayer — and sing the third verse from Joy to the World. – Lord you are good. You are my provider and comforter and nothing else will satisfy even though everything I have is a gift from you, the best gift, the one that draws me close is YOU. Each day I am more amazed that you chose me, to be your adopted family member. And because of that, I no longer need to live in want. You provide everything I need, when I need it, no sooner and no later, but right when the need is there. Than you Lord for your provisions. In Jesus Name Amen.
I don’t think that I have a problem with worrying about or fearing things.
If my soul were speaking right now it would say that I’m not close to God. I don’t desire Him enough. He has shown me great mercy time and time again and one of these days He’s going to let me suffer the consequences of my behavior.
I need to speak Lamentations 3:22 and 23 to my heart
22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;[a] his mercies never come to an end;23 they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
God surprised me one time with a settlement from a company that I had paid over the years for something that turned out they weren’t handling the funds properly. At that time we were in desperate need of money, my husband was between jobs and we were falling behind on the mortgage. It was a totally unexpected check that pulled us through this rough patch.
Love your story Dawn. He does provide for us doesn’t He?
Yes He does!
Dee, I have a question. You said we would be studying Habakkuk, but in number 8, you have us going back to Matthew again. Maybe that is on purpose, since you earlier talked about repeatedly studying the same verses, but I am just wondering.
Habakkuk reflections. Having memorized verses 17-19, it is familiar ground. But adding 16 to the mix definitely made me stop and think. The image I get is not being like Jonah, waiting eagerly for my enemies to get theirs, but rather a calmness that God will deal with them in His time and way, and I don’t have to carry it. And that calmness carries over into whatever financial or physical circumstances could happen. Exactly what we’ve been saying about the Matthew passage. Not worrying.
8. Part 1. Matthew 6:25-34. My eyes are very drawn to 19-24 this time. If this is truly the specific verses He meant when He said “Therefore,” then I need to consider them more closely. Our striving for stuff here is evidence of both wanting control and seeking security apart from God. Makes me think of newborns. They are so afraid of falling, of being out in the open. It is very unsettling to them. So they throw their limbs out in an attempt to stop the fall, and they cry. To feel that you could fall is a lack of control. It is also a loss of security. Where are my former comforts? What will keep me safe? We, as parents, try to soothe these ones we care so much about. We even talk to them, “I’m right here. I won’t let you fall. Here, I’m holding you.” God is our greater Parent. Verses 25-34 is Him soothing us, telling us He is right here. What feels to us like an impending fall is false information, because He is holding us. THEREFORE, don’t grasp for food or clothes or stuff in an attempt to break a fall and take care of yourself. Don’t worry that you will fall tomorrow, either. Birds and flowers have more carefree lives, and God wants us to be carefree also. That does not mean careless, but free of care and worry. Jesus tells us with a question that we are worth far more to God than birds or flowers. The word ‘trust’ doesn’t appear here, but the concept is all over the verses. How does trust fit in to verse 33? It would be easy to twist the verse and think, I’ll be busy with God stuff, because then He has to provide for me, and I’m in control again. That isn’t what it says. I think it says that we are free to seek His kingdom and righteousness because we are trusting He will provide. We don’t have to worry.
9. Part 2. Contemplations. Praise…How good You are, God! You not only provide for me, but You also allow me to participate in the things that matter to You!
Confess… I’m sorry I have squandered so many opportunities to do what pleases You. I see now that it isn’t ‘keeping the rules’ but reaching out to others.
What happens when I forget this? I panic and act like a baby, flailing. In my emotions, my thoughts scatter and I become overwhelmed. Anxious is an accurate word here. I make bad decisions. Worse, I ignore You. What should I be reaching for? You, Lord. Always You. Seeking Your face, Your peace. Asking for You to direct me, and then waiting and listening before moving.
Why are You, Lord, telling me this today? The tendrils of taking control back, of thinking it is up to me, are always growing. They need clipping every day.
So sorry for putting the wrong verse. Glad you figured it out.
Oh Mary, what a precious image this gives me of God’s care. Thank you for sharing this bit. I am going to remember that so well:
“Makes me think of newborns. They are so afraid of falling, of being out in the open. It is very unsettling to them. So they throw their limbs out in an attempt to stop the fall, and they cry. To feel that you could fall is a lack of control. It is also a loss of security. Where are my former comforts? What will keep me safe? We, as parents, try to soothe these ones we care so much about. We even talk to them, “I’m right here. I won’t let you fall. Here, I’m holding you.” God is our greater Parent. Verses 25-34 is Him soothing us, telling us He is right here. What feels to us like an impending fall is false information, because He is holding us. ”
It reminds me of a vision I had in CPTSD therapy of Jesus holding me as a little girl. He asked me to throw a tantrum like my little girl and He promised to hold me tight. I felt Him and heard Him and saw myself flailing in His arms, as He cried out over and over and over again: “It’s not your fault. It’s not your fault. It’s not your fault.” I had blamed myself for not being able to protect my little brother from repeated harm in our home.
Your picture reassures me, reminding me that God is there to catch me as I now step out in faith in so many areas of my life. It’s scary and I want to dig my heels in the sand. But He’s got me. God bless you for sharing this.
Monday/Tuesday: Who Gives the Lilies Clothing
Part 1. Bible Study on Matt. 6:25-34. Observations, questions, word pictures, commands:
Jesus is teaching that no one can serve 2 masters; you either serve/love God or mammon (treasure, money, riches). (I have a note in my Bible on vs. 24 that in Judas, Jesus showed us an alarming example of what loving money and hating God can look like.)
So how do we choose who/what to serve? Don’t be anxious! (“anxious” is said 5x in these 10 verses – that’s a lot!)
More questions: “is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” Rephrasing the questions to statements: life is more than food and the body is more than clothes. So what are we anxious about? Is it life or food, is it the body or clothing? Can we add anything to our life by being anxious?
Look at how God takes care of the birds – He feeds them. Look at how God grows the lilies of the field – beautifully, even more beautiful than Solomon’s glory.
Another question: “If God takes care of the birds and lilies, will He not much more do so for you?” Rephrasing this question to a statement: God will do so much more for us than He does for the birds and lilies. Oh men of little faith.
Reminds me of the man who says: “I believe You Lord; help me in my unbelief.” I believe You Lord, that You will take care of me, but help me in my unbelief when I begin to fret & worry. Help me to seek first Your kingdom and Your righteousness; help me to have a right focus on the things above as my treasure; help me to set my eyes on You. Help me have a right, upward focus on You so that I can have a proper perspective as I look around me.
Earlier this week, we discussed if the Lord humiliates His own? I shared about how I was that woman who was “poor in spirit” (Matt. 5:3) because of the Lord’s humiliation/humbling of me. In the same way, I began to pray Matt. 5:6, that I would “hunger and thirst for righteousness” because I was so desperate to be satisfied in Him & by Him. (This is from where part of the prayer “I believe You Lord; help me in my unbelief” came.) I desperately wanted to seek and serve God, not mammon (treasure, money, things, etc.) anymore. The Lord has truly answered my prayers and continues to do so.
Part II – Holy Contemplation.
1. Thank you Lord that You have answered my prayers. I am not worried and anxious like I was before in 1997 and again in 2007. I know You met me in that lowest of places and continue to work in my life – for my good and to Your glory alone, Lord. Thank you!
2. Lord, I confess that I am not as good of a steward with the resources You have entrusted to us. I want my husband to be more involved with this (and have told him so many times) – but, this is in Your hands too. I thank you that I’m not anxious or upset about this. I pray Lord that You would help me to do better.
3. Oh gosh, I can spend too much – especially now with Christmas. I love this time of year. I love to give gifts! This is where I can be a little out of control though and spend too much which then puts us into debt which isn’t good.
4. I still aspire to seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness. I love to study God’s word. I hope His word is evident in my life.
5. Today? Well, my on-line Christmas shopping gifts are arriving (which makes me smile . . . actually makes me “giddy” 😁). I am looking forward to wrapping them soon and especially dropping them off to our kids and grands before Christmas. (We will spend Christmas alone – just hubby and me and won’t be having the usual festivities with all of us together b/c of Covid.) So back to “why are you telling me today?” To take stock in what has arrived, figure out what else needs to be done, and be content to not go overboard and think I must get more.
Did you get the presents wrapped and delivered? Your kids are so blessed to have you dote on them and your grandkids. May God fill you with His sweet wisdom and discernment with your finances and may you see Him fulfill your heart’s desire to share this burden together with your husband. May God surprise you with His loving care in the doors He opens to you for the greater unity you so long for.
Hey Dee….for Wed/Thurs are we supposed to be looking at the same verses again? It says Matthew 6:25-34 just like for Monday/Tues. 🤷🏻♀️
Thanks for the check – -I fixed it. Sorry about that!
No worries. I just didn’t want to redo again (time) if it was different 😉
8. Part I. Bible Study. Read Habakkuk 3:16-19.. Start your list of observations. Ask questions. Imagine the word pictures. Find commands.
The beginning of these verses gives me a word picture of the person huddling/hunkering down shaking continuously with their hands/arms over their head. They are distraught.
There is nothing to eat. The cattle is dead. There are no fruits or vegetables. It is a scary time.
This person has nothing left but is rejoicing in God. He is “… joyful in my salvation.”
He says, “The Sovereign God is my salvation.”
And….that he is a sure footed as a deer, able to tread on any height.
I don’t really see any command however he is pretty insistent to suggest that I too, should rejoice in my time of need.
8. Part I. Bible Study. Read Habakkuk 3:16-19. Start your list of observations. Ask questions. Imagine the word pictures. Find commands.
Physically, Habakkuk, he is undone. He trembles with fear of the future. It seems the opposite to what we saw in Matthew 6:25-34. Here Habakkuk is admitting his actual reaction, not telling us that we should follow his example. Then there is the “turn”. Yet, he remembers to trust. He will wait quietly for justice to be done. He knows that God will save him. He knows that God will punish his enemy. Even though things look bleak, even destitute now – no fruit, no food and nothing to sell to buy food – he trusts that one day he will rejoice in God, his salvation and his strength. God will make him leap as a deer and journey to the high places of the Lord.
9. Part II. Holy Contemplation:
6. How can I praise Him on the basis of this text?
Father, I praise you that the future is in your hand, even the present is in your hands, though it appears like it is not.
7. How can I confess my sins on the basis of this text?
Father, I too am plagued with fears that keep popping to the surface. I am aware of deep chronic sins that seem impossible to eradicate. It seems that my life has borne little fruit spiritually. All that I have materially is in danger of being lost. I have nothing to be proud of. I humbly bow before you begging for your mercy. Help me to wait quietly for your justice to be done, for the wrongs to be made right, for your kingdom to come and your will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.
8. If this is really true what wrong behavior, what harmful emotions, and what false attitudes happen when I forget this?
When I forget that God is in control, and I forget to trust, I start flailing. I get angry. I go into depression. I try to control others to make them do what I think they should do.
9. What should I be aspiring to — reaching for?
I should be rejoicing in the Lord, in God my salvation. I should be free to leap and dance with joy. I should leap as John the Baptist leaped in Elizabeth’s womb when he sensed the Messiah in Mary’s womb.
This is a helpful question. I am not here yet, but this is what I should be aiming at. I appreciate the push to see where I should be heading!
10. Why are You telling me this today?
Pondering rejoicing reminds me of Mary’s Magnificat in Luke 1:46-55. It ties in with the first steps toward the first Christmas while Mary was carrying Jesus.
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55 as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”
God has made promises to us that HE WILL KEEP! As he remembered his promises to Abraham, he will remember his promises to us through Jesus Christ our Rescuer. He is totally reliable and worship of our complete trust. Holy is his name.
Great tie in with the Magnificat!
Diane. I sat here wondering if this is true, or a lie from the enemy sent to discourage you:
“It seems that my life has borne little fruit spiritually.”
I only say this because God recently challenged me to release my need to be disappointed in myself and to instead look for and celebrate His work in me. He asked me to daily record one thing I am proud of – not to glorify myself, but to honor Him for the fruit HE has been producing in and through me.
Anna–I haven’t been able to stay on here this week but this post, your reply to Diane, caught my eye. I have felt the Lord saying to me lately what you say here to Diane, and what you are learning yourself. I am generally very hard on myself, especially with not being who I want to be spiritually…but recently I was unexpectedly encouraged by someone and it did cause me to stop and wonder if it my “hardness” towards myself I am closing myself off from seeing His work…not sure if this is making sense, but I think I have such a fear of being prideful that I miss thanking Him for the fruit He is working.
And, I always see Him in Diane so I too encourage her that He is using her and shines through her!
Wednesday/Thursday: Though The Fig Tree Does Not Blossom
8. Part I. Bible Study. Read Habakkuk 3:16-19.. Start your list of observations. Ask questions. Imagine the word pictures. Find commands. – Times were hard, very hard, hearts were pounding with fear with the doom that lay around and still to come. But when we focus on God during these times, we will find hope. Our focus needs to be strongly on God. Troubles are going to come, we can’t sit and wallow in fear, we need to realize what is happening do what the Lord instructs us to do, and wait for his joy at the end of the pain. Because there will be joy, but will our eyes be open to His joy?
9. Part II. Holy Contemplation:
How can I praise Him on the basis of this text? – When my storms come, I can face them with the armor of God that he has provided to me for these times. I can be sad, I think, but I can’t stay there. I need to live a life that shows God’s strength and power.
How can I confess my sins on the basis of this text? – I can let God know that I am scared, I need to be honest with him, confess and repent of my part of the situation and ask for him to forgive me and help me to see where I went wrong and to guide me out of the storm. I need to let him know I need him.
If this is really true what wrong behavior, what harmful emotions, and what false attitudes happen when I forget this? – I know that fear is powerful, doubt is powerful, but I need to also remember that I serve a God that is mightier then any of the obstacles that come my way. I have to decide who I’m going to focus on, the ways thrown at me that if investigated could be my own doing, or the ways of the enemy, or will I focus on the One True God and can walk with me in the storm. I’m hoping I see the wrong quickly and choose God each time and not dwell in my storm for longer than needed.
What should I be aspiring to — reaching for? – I think daily I need to reach for God, his armor. I need to find His Joy in the moment I’m in. I know this is not easy to do at all, but each day I dig in to The Word and find what I need to know or even remember, I’m hoping my reach continues to get shorter and I can just have my arms length reach to God.
Why are You telling me this today? – Lord, I know you know what is to come. I know you are preparing me with peace so when the storm hits I can find you, find your joy, find your peace and receive the strength I need to endure the storm. Thank you Lord for always preparing me for what’s to come.
10. Part III. Use this as a springboard for prayer — and sing the third verse from Joy to the World. – Lord, thank you! You know what my journey will be because you created it before I was born. I ask you Lord to provide me with the armor I need to float through the storms that are to come. I would love Lord if there were none, but I know as a child of yours, they will come. But you have and are equipping me with everything I need to weather the storms. In Jesus Name Amen.
Love this: “I know you are preparing me with peace so when the storm hits I can find you, find your joy, find your peace and receive the strength I need to endure the storm.”
That’s what God has been speaking to me so much and asking me: “Anna, do you trust me when I say that I have walked before you and have paved the way for you.” So sweet to read this affirmation in your comment here, Julie.
And I believe those moments we reach for Him, He reaches for us and closes the gap between us that we see.
I feel a little sick inside because I just finished the Wednesday/ Thursday lesson in answering all the questions and starting to write a prayer and I accidentally back out on my iPad and lost all I had written. But I will say doing this lesson and contemplating the Habakkuk passage was a very real blessing. “Yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.” So if I can have some uninterrupted time tonight I will try to redo the lesson and recreate some of my thoughts.
Oh that is so frustrating — the internet is friend and foe!
9. Part II. Holy Contemplation:
1. How can I praise Him on the basis of this text?
Lord, I am thankful You are sovereign. Thank You for being my savior, and making me as “sure footed” as a deer, able to walk high above the pain and sorrow. I look forward to seeing how that may happen in the near future.
2. How can I confess my sins on the basis of this text?
I have not been alert enough Lord. I have been self centered and focused on my own circumstances. I should have been looking out for others, instead I have been concerned with my own needs. Please forgive me.
3. If this is really true what wrong behavior, what harmful emotions, and what false attitudes happen when I forget this?
Being self centered and inward focused produces sadness, depression, and self-pity. You say in Your Word that we should care for one another and look out for each other:
“Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.”
1 Corinthians 12:13 NLT
And,
“This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.”
1 Corinthians 12:25-26 NLT
Only thinking of myself means that I am not following the way God wants me to live my life. He wants me to be joyful, happy, and full of life! These are conditions that are met when I am focused on others and not my own needs. I have found this out in my life when I have actually done “good deeds” for others. I am more happy, self fulfilled, and joyful because I have honored others above myself. I think it’s an idol but I’m not sure if it’s power/control, or comfort/security?
4. What should I be aspiring to — reaching for?
I suppose I need to to trust God; that by focusing on myself, I am trusting me to make sure I am living life to its fullest, when I should be trusting Him, living the way He suggests, to be truly fulfilled in my life. His Way is the way. If outward focused then I benefit.
5. Why are You telling me this today?
I believe I am being reminded of this today because I have forgotten just who is in charge. You are the sovereign God. You are the One to lead and provide. No one else is; no person, no group, no leader, no country, etc. You. I must remember that because, I believe, as Habakkuk says, we are in for some very tough times ahead that are not fair, and that may actually bring great harm to me and my family personally. You are the Almighty God who loves me very much and will never leave me.
10. Part III. Use this as a springboard for prayer — and sing the third verse from Joy to the World.
Lord, I do believe You have Your mighty hand on my life. Thank You for that. Thank You for always looking after me. But, I am fearful of the times ahead. I don’t think I am strong enough for what’s to come. It is a sad world in which we live. Help me daily to die to You. Help me remember just who is in charge. Do this daily Lord, I beg You! Help me to stand against the scoffers. When I have lost everything, help me to stand for You. Help me remember that nothing is as important as You. For we look to eternity, not just the head and now. In Your Holy Name, Amen.
Laura, it thrilled my heart to read your post today! It seems you turned a corner out of despair and into His marvelous light. Rejoicing with you!!
I’m trying Mary. I don’t know what else to do.
That sounds like Peter, Laura — Lord, where else can we go but to you?
I get it, Laura. I have a lot of times when I confidently assert truth about God and then turn around and wonder what it really means. But I think it helps to celebrate the assertions. So I’m still celebrating with you, even while I pray for you.
Laura: when I read this verse you shared, I thought about how Jesus is also telling you that in your pain and struggles to trust Him, His Body is reaching out to hold your hand also. They are suffering with you:
“This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.”1 Corinthians 12:25-26 NLT
I now realize that because the Cross isn’t fair, and we are called to take up our Cross, if we do so, we will also walk through things that seem desperately unfair. Jesus walked to His death when He had done nothing wrong. But when we join Him there at the Cross, He opens our eyes to what we couldn’t see before: the horror those He calls us to love and forgive have walked through and HIS heart of compassion for them, even in their sin that is directly hurting us.
Sometimes life doesn’t make sense and seems so desperately unfair. I watched my little brother suffer in my home for years, not understanding why God did not intervene: even when He had me speak up.
Now, I better understand. I see His love and mercy for my parents in their sin and I see His love and mercy for my brother in his sin, and I see His love and mercy for me in my sin. Each of us were hurting because we didn’t trust Jesus and were walking in pride. But rather than give up on us, He took His time, gently leading each one of us to the throne of grace to restore and heal us in HIS timing. And He’s not done yet.
It’s only in God’s strength we can surrender our will for His. So, I pray for us both that He will help us to do so, and bring overwhelming comfort our way, as His Body reaches out to lift us up. And may we too become those who feel the pain of God’s Body and lift up our brothers and sisters in their suffering too. Sending love and hugs and praying for you and your teaching job.
I also wanted to share a story from my teaching days. Shortly before I surrendered my job and was diagnosed with CPTSD, I taught a class with a girl in it who I felt was just out to humiliate me. She constantly looked for ways to have the class laugh at me. One day, as I bemoaned her treatment, God told me she was hurting just like me.
I then found out her Dad had just been diagnosed with late stage cancer. I wept at the hatred toward her in my heart. It’s then I taught the class a literature lesson, where I was able to share of anger being a mask for deep pain, and I shared examples from my own life. After that lesson, the girl came up to me and thanked me for teaching her (I had announced I was quitting). I saw love in her eyes. And during the lesson I saw her agreeing with what I was sharing.
God so mightily moved in my heart through that girl.
I understand this story Anna. I usually go into classes saying to myself, “Someone loves these children,” and it is a helpful reminder that even though they are not necessarily nice to me, they are made by God and a mom, dad, gma, etc. cares for them and is probably struggling to help them (being that they are teens). When we put ourselves in each others shoes, we learn so much. Thanks for this wonderful recant of your experience.
Laura: I am sorry for being patronizing. You’ve probably been teaching much longer than I have also and have much wisdom to give me. One of my gifts is encouragement, but I can overdo it and come from a position of pride. Please forgive me. And know that I welcome encouragement from you too and honesty about when my responses grate and are not helpful. I would rather we be genuine with each other than be polite. Without people being honest with me, I cannot grow.
Friday/Saturday: finishing Up and Impact
11. How did this impact you this week?
This week has been rich and powerful in content. As I have looked back on it and considered the teaching on fear and our many reminders from God’s Word to not fear and to not be afraid I have been encouraged with the fact that God’s provision will be sufficient to us in all things. Many of my sisters here gave testimony to that very fact in their answers to the question “Share one time when God surprised you by providing for you.”
The discussion on whether or not God humiliates us was thought provoking and stretching. As I again listened to Francis Chan’s segment I felt what he said is accurate in context of the purposes of God. Mary said it very well in her comment.
“I looked it up, and it said (my edit, here) to hurt the pride of or to mortify. I know that often the Lord allows me to have my pride hurt;……..That word mortify is also two pronged. We use it to describe feeling humiliated, but the ancients used it to talk about dying to self or to put to death the things of the flesh in ourselves. (Italics mine) I’m pretty sure that these are along the lines Chan meant. In my examples above, the intent is never cruel, never to laugh at a person. The intent is for the person to gain a truer understanding of who they are.”
Chan said “It is all about building you up”. I do remember a dear old Norwegian Pastor who taught me much as a young believer said once that God can not humble us. We have to humble ourselves. We choose whether or not we will be humble. But he said God can humiliate us for the purpose of seeing our true need to humble ourselves. I realized he would agree with Chan’s thoughts. Being broken and humbled are part of God’s plan for us just as it was for even his own Son to defeat sin on the Cross. I think of Psalm 51:17 “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart , O God , you will not despise.”.
But I respect Julie’s perspective of why it was hard to hear and disagreed with Chan. I had to take pause for a moment and think it through again.
Keller’s sermon was outstanding on Treasure vs. Money was so very good. I was personally challenged and shared it with my husband to listen to. It made me think of several in this group who are at that retirement point in their lives and their concerns for making ends meet in the future. My husband retired 5 years ago and God has graciously provided for us. We have what we need and honestly more than we really need. We came to retirement with no wealth in our backgrounds just my husbands retirement plan. I was a full time homemaker and mother to 4 children. We didn’t have Dave Ramsey thinking in our lives for most of the working years. But we have a comfortable home, clothes on our backs and have never gone hungry. Keller’s sermon was an encouragement that we have done some things right in the Lord but still have much to learn about generosity. I so want to finish life well not monetarily but spiritually.
The Habakkuk study is such an important perspective for the days ahead. As Dee pointed out we are in a seismic battle in this world we are living in. It is fallen, broken and hard but yet we as believers have incredible hope for the future. In this life and ultimately the one to come.
”HE COMES TO MAKE HIS BLESSINGS FLOW, FAR AS THE CURSE IS FOUND!”
Precious loving Father, I am again in awe of your incredible love and provision to my heart needs. I praise you for always being faithful to us and that your blessings continue to flow and overcome the curse of sin. I am so grateful that no matter what comes our way or lies ahead we can trust you. You above all others are completely trustworthy.
Jesus as my Savior you have lived and walked this earth in humility. You humbled yourself and left the throne of Heaven to come as a baby born in a stable. A very humble place and lived life in humble means. No palace for you by your choice. But hardest of all is the realization that you were humiliated by this world and suffered a cruel death on the Cross. But is wasn’t a defeat for You. Praise you Jesus for it resulted in your victory. Victory over sin and death. Which resulted in my salvation and the wonderful gift of eternal life. Grace upon grace is poured out to me and my sweet friends who share in this bible study. Thank you for Dee and her faithful ministry to us in sharing with us what you have laid on her heart. It is so rich with truth from your Word and we are blessed. Please bless her richly in this good ministry work that she does.
Please lead each of us in our own lives to humble ourselves at your feet and receive during this time in the Advent season a clearer understanding of You and to reflect on you as a babe coming into this world born to die for us. The perfect lamb and sacrifice for our sin. The Cross is the reason you came. Never let us forget the Cross at Christmas. To the honor and glory of God in the name of Jesus, Amen
Bev, part of your prayer really stuck out to me. When you said that Jesus was humiliated. Yes, the world jeered, laughed and mocked Him. But it was the Father’s plan. And Jesus accepted it as that. For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross, scorning its shame. He did it for us. If God leads me into places where I face humiliation, I need to look to Him rather than to people.
Bev thanks for this post. I am one who is concerned for our future and needs to be reminded that Jesus is our hope, as Christians. As I have said before, life gets in my way of thinking sometimes.
And yes, Jesus was humiliated. If it’s “good enough” for Him then isn’t it “good enough for us?” It puts us in our place, and hopefully humbles us when we need that. I think it’s all part of the plan. God knows what we need when we need it.
So glad that message helped — we always have to keep on trusting!
Bev: what a blessing you must have been to your children through those years at home with them. My Mum was very active in ministry (pastor’s wife and later teacher at the Christian school my Dad was the principal/Head of). There were many times I so missed her presence growing up. Especially through my teen years, when Mum was very busy supporting my Dad at the school (and through cancer, twice).
When God led me to become a stay-at-home Mum a year after I returned to faith, I was overcome with conviction and such thankfulness for God restoring and growing the bond with my girls. Now, He has amazingly provided again by allowing my teaching hours to only be in the late morning on 3 days, so I can be there to drop off my girls in the morning and pick them up again from school.
At the same time I do see that every sacrifice my parents made to family life to do God’s will and bring the Good News to others, God is moving to honor by restoring back double.
For example, while I lived in around 20 houses growing up, and two continents before my tenth birthday, my girls have lived in this house their whole life – 8 and 10 years. God has been giving me a stability and rest I never knew. My husband’s parents still live in the same house my husband was born in.
This has been such a rich week of iron sharpening iron! I have benefited so much from the conversations and challenges to my thinking. The sermon from Keller was particularly important for me. I keep mulling over the things I’ve learned this week, and reminding myself that the goal is upwards and outwards. Upward to God, looking to Him for strength, but even more so in praise for who He is. Outward, because I’m here for others. His purposes are to impact other people through me. I might never see it, but that isn’t the important thing. Walking hand in hand with Him is the important thing. Last night we went to a play production of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’, and it had me in tears. Most days I don’t even want to know how I’m doing, because my heart would twist it around to be about me. Just to know that He is keeping track and some day He’ll show me is enough.
Thank you, each one, for being here, and for all the work Dee puts into this. You are my community.
Mary: is that the Italian film “La vita et bella”? I cried so much watching that. There is such power in focusing on the good.
This morning in my verse to pray through, I discovered in John 8:12 that the Word translated “follow Me” is actually two words: one meaning beginning, the other meaning road/way. That fits so much with what you shared. We give our hearts to Jesus (the beginning of the Way) in response to the Father’s call, but it is Jesus who completes us, who takes us on a journey to unveil more and more of Himself in and through us.
Yes: it’s so easy to become self-obsessed, thinking we are following God in doing so. I realized that yesterday as I stood there at the ice skating rink and felt God again prompt me to invite myself to join my daughter’s friend’s Mum on her walk (waiting for our girls to finish ice skating). I had planned to sit with my journal to pray through the Word. But this time, I listened to God’s promptings and joined her. It was such a blessing to us both and I felt God in our midst.
Anna, the play was the basic story done in the classic film with Jimmy Stewart.
Something that stood out to me in this scripture is that Christ implies God will provide drink and food but then He says that our Heavenly Father will clothe us “much more” that all the glory of Solomon … but some of His children live in rags and go hungry so how can this be? Then it says Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things (food, drink, clothing) will be added to us… I DO believe God graciously and abundantly provides for His children as ‘kisses from the King’ … but this can’t be the main point or all who called on His name would have enough and that kinda sounds like prosperity gospel to me.
So maybe…
1. His kingdom and His righteousness are to be sought even before basic needs such as food, drink, and clothing … His kingdom and His righteousness are MORE important than basic sustenance.
2. We naturally think of food, drink, and clothing as we know them in the comfort of our first world homes but if we seek His kingdom and His righteousness first what will we find? We will find ourselves clothed in His righteousness (which is even more glorious than Solomon in all His splendor), we will find the bread of Life which is eternal, and the cup which is Christ’s covenant with us.
6. Part II. Holy Contemplation: (some of my thoughts from my journal)
How can I confess my sins on the basis of this text? I confess that I naturally seek basic needs before His kingdom and His righteousness. I confess am still see avoidance of pain and discomfort a daily goal without asking Christ what He would have of me any given day….
If this is really true what wrong behavior, what harmful emotions, and what false attitudes happen when I forget this? If I forget that He has commanded me to seek His kingdom and His righteousness first then I have an illusion of self-sufficiency instead of the peace of clinging to Him. I look to a secure paycheck rather than knowing He is THE ultimate good thing … only by remembering that His kingdom and His righteousness is the first thing to seek do I humbly cling to the cross.
What should I be aspiring to — reaching for? A confidence beyond a paycheck. A humble Job-like acceptance of what God allows. A peace of “clothed with His righteousness” that allow me freedom to love others without fear through obedience.
Why are You telling me this today? To let go…. let go and let God. Do acts of kindness without being worried about the end result or the “what if’s.” To be aggressively obedient. Seeking His kingdom and ahis righteousness FIRST.
Such truth. I remember reading of a Christian in prison (persecuted for his faith), giving his coat to another man who was visibly freezing. That Christian man was left with nothing to wear above his waist, but in giving that man his coat he clung to a promise from the Word that God would clothe him. And God did: he couldn’t feel the cold at all. God covered him in warmth.
I was so struck by this in what you shared too: “To be aggressively obedient. Because I had only just been saying to myself today that that is really what matters most. I had been looking back on my life to see the beauty that came from my obedience and the suffering that came from my disobedience.
For me, it’s learning that the Spirit’s promptings often clash with “religious” rules that are built on cultural norms and legalism, rather than the Spirit of love and truth. It’s being bold enough to stand apart and look different.
Thank you for sharing this. It blesses me.
8. Part 1. Bible Study. Read Hab 3:16-19. Observations, questions, word pictures, commands.
vs. 16 – What did he hear that made him so fearful, full of dread, despair? He is visibly shaken though, shaking in his boots (so to speak). I picture a cartoon character who is so frightened, he’s shivering, his knees shaking together, or another picture of a volcano shaking, sputtering, spewing almost to the point of erupting – you see it happening, and wait in frightened anticipation of what’s about to happen.
And yet, he is able to turn from the outward, visible fearfulness to the inward, settled contentment to “wait quietly for the day of distress to come upon the people who invade us.” Who is going to invade them? How does he know they’re going to be invaded? He must know the Word of God, of God Himself to be able to believe and put his trust in the Lord. One of the cross references here is to Luke 21 which speaks to the 2nd coming of Jesus. I know we’re living in the last days and that the Lord’s coming is soon. Though we don’t know when Jesus will return, He does tell us here in Luke, Matt. 24, and other passages what will be the signs of His coming. We are close!
vs. 17-19 – So just as we know He’s coming, Habakkuk knew they would be invaded in his time. His land would be desolate with no food, crops, or livestock. We know the enemy continues to prowl about causing tribulation and destruction. The question for Habakkuk and us, today, is the same regardless of the year, whether it is B.C. or A.D.: will we shake in our boots full of fear & despair or will we be quietly waiting for our Savior’s return full of trust & hope?
9. Part II. Holy Contemplation:
1. Praise? I praise Him because His word is truth. I will exult in the Lord and I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. He is my strength, my hope – in Thee will I trust.
2. Confess? Oh Lord, you know how many times I have been afraid, depressed, despondent, full of despair. I confess (again) that I believe what You say, but help me in my unbelief. I know Your word is true and sure, but forgive me in those times that I take my eyes off of You, and become fearful all over again.
3. What happens? fear, dread, depression, stay in bed and hide (almost literally) under the covers, withdraw, isolate.
4. I aspire to be the person in vs. 18 & 19 – to exalt the Lord in everything whether good or bad; to rejoice in Him always; to be strong in & because of Him, to bound up the mountain side and walk with Him in the high places.
5. Why today? Why not today? Because with all the fear, sickness, death, and isolation in our world and in our communities (and even in our homes), I need to remember to camp, to dwell, to tabernacle on God’s side and continue to look to the day when I will see my Jesus face-to-face.
Love this:
Why not today? Because with all the fear, sickness, death, and isolation in our world and in our communities (and even in our homes), I need to remember to camp, to dwell, to tabernacle on God’s side and continue to look to the day when I will see my Jesus face-to-face.
I love this desire: “to exalt the Lord in everything whether good or bad”. There is such power in that praise, isn’t there. God has been convicting me of looking for Him in the anger of my loved ones. I have been finding His loving protection being voiced in that anger: finding truth beneath, when I have been willing to stop sulking and hiding in fear, to ask God to help me receive truth hiding in the anger. It always leaves me in tears to then see that their anger is driven by a love for me and a fear of me going the wrong way: they are trying to defend me from evil.
8. Part I. Bible Study. Read Habakkuk 3:16-19.. Start your list of observations. Ask questions. Imagine the word pictures. Find commands.
Oh how I love these words. Such raw truth and such glorious hope. It reminds me that no matter the groaning and aching of my soul, there is hope: there is Jesus. I see a body so weak and famished and burdened before me but then the Word of God being sent to uplift the prophet. It reminds me of one of the verses that I put on my fridge recently:
Proverbs 12:25 ESV
Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.
This part speaks to my heart the most right now: “the flock be cut off from the fold”. I see so many sheep who have wandered off like I once did, believing Jesus deserted and rejected them. But Jesus. He is calling them home, even now and oh the JOY in heaven when all those Prodigals come running home, as JESUS comes out to meet them: as Jesus leaves the 99 to wrap His arms around the one.
I LOVE the commands Habakkuk appears to be giving us: to rejoice in the Lord and to take joy in the God of our salvation. It so reminds me of the One Word joy I chose for 2018 and the Scripture that I took it from:
John 3:29 ESV
The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete.
When we still to hear the Voice of Jesus, we cannot help but rejoice and take JOY in the God of our salvation. Now, I know why I sung that song again and again and again based on these verses in Habakkuk, as my heart ached and ached in my Mum’s passing into heaven. I was speaking the Word of hope and joy over myself. And as I did so the weight of my grief broke into tears and release in the arms of Jesus. He was holding me through every wave.
9. Part II. Holy Contemplation:
How can I praise Him on the basis of this text?
Oh Jesus! How my heart is filled with such deep thankfulness, awe and reverence for Your Ways which are so beyond my feeble human fathoming. Thank You for Your incredible patience with me in my stubbornness and pride. Thank You for opening my eyes to see Satan’s humiliation of me as Your saving grace. Thank You for drawing me into Your heart of mercy, piece by piece, to restore me unto Yourself and to send me back out into the world, rooted in who You truly are.
How can I confess my sins on the basis of this text?
Forgive me for believing that my anxiety and worry separate me from Your love. Forgive me for forgetting that You know what it is to be human and that You are my Great High Priest, who longs for me to not hide my weakness but to pour out my heart just like Habakkuk.
Forgive me for turning to worry, to overanalysing and focusing on vane imaginations, rather than bringing you my pain and confessing my inability to love as You do. Forgive me for living in my own strength.
If this is really true what wrong behavior, what harmful emotions, and what false attitudes happen when I forget this?
When I forget that God and His Word to me ARE my joy, I let Satan use my circumstances and the Scriptures I am reading and meditating on daily to humiliate and condemn me. I sit in pain, withdraw from God and from those around me. I convince myself that God is humiliating me to punish me, rather than inviting me to humble myself to receive His open arms.
What should I be aspiring to — reaching for?
To remember every past humiliation in a new light. To see Jesus opening His arms to me every time man closed their arms to me.
Why are You telling me this today?
Because you want me to go into the new year seeing with new eyes, no longer expecting the worst, but expecting to go deeper and deeper into Your love and mercy with every tough thing that comes my way.
Week’s reflection:
I am thankful for this group and iron sharpening iron.
I have been thinking all week about Jesus and His humility: so good to reflect on. I realized that as Satan sent humiliation Jesus’ way, Jesus in fact received it, not as a humiliation, but as an affirmation of His Father’s will and purpose for Him to go even lower: to humble Himself, even unto death.
He so deeply trusted the Father and His love for Him, that every humiliation clothed Jesus more and more in His Father’s love and approval. The less He owned (not just in physical possessions but in love, approval and the wakefulness of friends to His need), the more the grace of the Father flowed. Even to the point that an angel was sent to strengthen the very Son of God made flesh, so He could carry our sinful flesh unto a final death and resurrection.
It overwhelms me so much. Now, as I look back on my life at every humiliation, I and my loved ones have walked through, I can receive these humiliations as Jesus declaring us His and affirming our calling to go lower and lower, and deeper and deeper into His love.
I recently read a book that reminded readers of Jesus being confronted by his earthly parents for His disobedience (when Jesus went to the Temple at age 12). Jesus was so humble that rather than bow in shame OR get angry, at His parents, He was so secure that He just matter of factly spoke the truth. He was so settled, so deeply rooted, in His Father’s love that nothing could shake Him.
I cried and cried and cried reading that. I suddenly realized that the very thing that I let Satan use to humiliate me and send me packing on my Prodigal journey, Jesus had sent to affirm me in Him and His calling on my life.
You see, I was also around 12 years old when He asked me to speak of the Father’s will before my parents. But my parents turned me away and like Jesus’ parents, saw me as being disobedient for following my Heavenly Father’s will. But unlike Jesus, I bowed before my earthly parents, my idols, rather than my Heavenly Father.
Twenty years later, my Mum received the Word I had spoken as a little girl, bowing in repentance before God, as God restored her with my little brother. Exactly when Jesus began to pour out the Holy Spirit upon me in power to open my heart to a newborn faith in Him alone. As my Mum humbled herself unto death of self, as her earthly tent decayed unto death, life and more life unfolded in and through her. Oh what grace abounding.
I have also reflected so much on the sermon of Keller on greed and on the Scripture we studied on not worrying. As I read my girls the story of Zacchaeus, I began to see it in a completely new light. I told my best friend how I realized that I was just like Zacchaeus.
I realized greed is also hiding what God has given us to release, to avoid getting hurt. But praise Jesus! Just like with Zacchaeus, Jesus did not let me sit in my sin. He invited Himself over to dinner. He spoke through my loved ones and told me: “Anna, you can’t just sit here doing nothing because you are scared of getting hurt and betrayed. Because you are scared of the triggers of trauma. You have to get up and move forward. Yes, you will most likely get hurt again and face more triggers, but you are not who you were back then. Now, you know every rejection is Your Heavenly Father’s healing hand at work and that His Name covers over your past, declaring you healed, whole and complete in Him.”
Dee: thank you for this precious study and the space to share and receive here. It is such a gift.
So good:
I convince myself that God is humiliating me to punish me, rather than inviting me to humble myself to receive His open arms.
May this Scripture-based song (Psalm 27) bless each of you as it is me. It fits so well with our sharing and this study:
https://youtu.be/y0f2PJertK4
We are so thankful for you, Anna — from across the ocean you are iron sharpening iron.
Anna, thanks for sharing this. I have not heard James Block before. I so appreciate the Scripture-based song. I am listening to him some more.
He isn’t very well known, but I love that most of his songs are full of direct Scripture quotes. I am so glad I could introduce you to him.
Friday/Saturday: finishing Up and Impact
11. How did this impact you this week?
I got behind this week but I know the passage here in Habbakuk is one of the powerful passages I have read about trust in God. I feel that God has shaken the world by allowing the pandemic to happen. Like last week, God is allowing a sifting of all of us. I can only trust in His Word when things around me are falling apart. When the darkness threatened to overwhelm the light, I had to shake it off by focusing on Jesus.
Only when Peter moved his gaze from Jesus who was walking in the water did he start to sink. Lord, that I will focus on you and not on the figs, nor fruit, nor olives, nor cattle nor herds. Let me rejoice in you and may my feet be steady and believe that you can lead me to higher ground. Joy to the world, indeed! Jesus has come and the curse will be as far as it can be because of what He has done for you and me.
Your sharing so makes me think of this verse from Haggai 2:7 (ESV):
And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the LORD of hosts.
God has so often brought this verse to mind, ever since He asked me to speak up at my church. He truly is shaking us all. It’s so beautiful thinking about how a shaking reveals more of Jesus in and through us, as the old gives way to the new and what mattered to us once, doesn’t anymore.
Joining you in your prayer today.