Acceptance – 9

Text: Romans 12:1-21, Job 12:9-16

Look at her. She’s got life all figured out, and everything is going right. She’s got a family, a thriving business and a large ministry and it’s all perfect. Why can’t that be me?

Have you thought those things before? I certainly have. Sometimes it’s a daily struggle. I would guess that’s a pretty normal thought process for most of us. But I’d like to ask you, along with me, to shift your focus.

That’s her. That’s not you.

We saw last session how God has a specific plan for you. You. And He’s guiding you through your story. Yours, not hers. Not anyone else’s.

If you haven’t yet today, please read our text from Romans, especially Romans 12:3-7, our text from Job – all eight verses.

We’ll talk about the Job passage first.

Q: According to verses 9-10, whose hands are we in?

Very capable hands, I would say. Those same hands who planned the universe, orchestrated the perfect balance of the planets, the chemistry in our air, our water and even in our bodies. The wisdom and knowledge beyond anything we could ever comprehend (Romans 11:33), even planning and preserving the generations of mankind and the birth of Jesus Christ for centuries before it happened. That Birth, I might add, that would never have been necessary if we hadn’t screwed things up by trying to do things our own way, I might add. Those same hands and mind who planned all of that… that’s who’s got us. That’s Who’s in control of our lives.

I don’t know about you, but that’s definitely a comforting thought to me.

Read over the Job passage again, looking especially at verses 13-16.

Q: Is God wise? Write your answer in a full sentence. (verse 13)

That may seem like a silly question, but isn’t that the very truth we question when we question His will? When we question the way our lives are playing out, and when we question the situation we find ourselves in?
So I ask again, is God wise? Do you truly believe that? As we’ve mentioned before, trusting can be very difficult, especially when we can’t see the bigger picture.

But He is no less in control when we’re at the bottom of the hill looking up than when we’ve reached the top and can see the beautiful vista. He was wise, understanding, and in control of it all every step of the way.

Even the difficult ones.

But do you see in verse 13 the second quality that was named?

Q: What characteristic of God was named along with wisdom?

Did you say strength? Might? Power? Depending on your translation, you might have any of those answers. But isn’t it the truth? Along with wisdom, He is strong and powerful. Such a perfect combination. Because without the power to do anything, His wisdom would prove worthless.

In case you take the word lightly, I’d like you to look with me at its Hebrew root, gĕbuwrah: strength, might, valor, bravery, mighty deeds of God; which is from gibbowr, a stronger form of gabar: to be strong and mighty; to prevail. source

So, in my estimation, pretty much the strongest this word could get. And we have that power to help us along the way. So, no, you don't have to always be strong in and of yourself - you've got God on your side!

As children of God, when we question His plan I believe that’s Satan trying to mislead us. Wouldn’t that make sense?

But take heart, and read Job 12:16.

Job 12:16 “With Him are strength and prudence.The deceived and the deceiver are His.” NKJV emphasis mine

So even the Deceiver belongs to God, and must answer to Him. (Like we read a few sessions back)

Now that we know where the doubt is coming from, let’s analyze our own heart, thoughts and motives.

Please re-read the Romans passage.

Switching mental gears back to where we started this session today, answer the following question.

Q: Do you or have you in the past compared yourself to others and the proverbial greener grass on the other side of the fence?

Q: Or do you have tendency in the other direction – almost getting uppity about God’s plan for you, and how your calling is so much better than someone else’s?

In this passage, we see just a little taste of the bigger picture God sees. He knows we each only can see from our own eyes, from our own perspective. But He gives us this glimpse at the whole puzzle. We, the puzzle pieces, get to look at the front of the box for a moment. God says we each have our own roles. Our own gifts, talents and purpose that He has designed especially for us. And just like pieces of a puzzle, we wouldn’t really fit in any other spot. Not without damaging the bigger picture, and likely damaging ourselves and the surrounding pieces in the long run.

Read verse 10.

Romans 12:10 “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor.” NASB

We are to show preference to the other person – not ourselves – and not vie for position. Let them have their place in the puzzle, and accept our own; where God has placed us. It goes back to trust again.

I’d like to conclude with this thought from verses 6-8. Please re-read those verses again. Repeat is good, don’t you think? I know you’ve just read the same passage multiple times, but for me, it never gets old.

DO: If you write in your Bible, circle or underline the action commands.

Romans 12:6-8 “In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.” NLT emphasis mine

What do you see? I see a body of Christ doing what they should be doing. Living out that plan God has for them. And what more beautiful plan could there be? What more beautiful will of God for your life could you imagine?

Q: Which gift do you best see yourself in?

Q: Do you feel that’s the one God has given you, or is it the one you wish you had?

Q: Do you strive to live out the gift that God has given you? Why or why not?

In your prayer time, spend some time thanking God for your gift(s) – the one(s) he planned and designed especially for you. Pray also for His help to live out the gift(s) the way He intended.

You’re beautiful, sweet sister. And so is your gift.

Set Free 2 - Breaking Bondage to Fear

Text: Psalm 27, 1 John 4

Fear. Oh what a powerful bond fear can present. It can strip us of options, joy, and even our health.

There is such a thing as a healthy fear – even fear of heights or spiders is in a way healthy, as there is a measure of danger involved in these objects of fear. While we are discussing fears, however, these types of healthy fears are not what I’m talking about today.

Let me start by saying you don’t have to look far to know God’s opinion on the matter. He does not want His children to be afraid. There are over a hundred passages in the Bible where God says not to fear. Many of them are coupled with a reason, such as “I am with you” or “I have heard you”.

Isaiah 41:10 “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.    Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.I will strengthen you and help you.    I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” NLT

Genesis 21:17 b “…Fear not, for God has heard…” NKJV

He doesn’t want you to be afraid any more than a normal father or mother wants their child to fear.

Fear is not right. Fear doesn’t feel good. Fear is not good.

James 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” NKJV emphasis mine

2 Timothy 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” NKJV emphasis mine

Look at this – if God is good, and God is love (1 John 4:8, Psalm 100:5) and fear is not good, and there is no fear in love (1 John 4:18) then fear is the opposite of God.

1 John 4:18 “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.” NKJV

Satan would like nothing better than for us to be fearful.

Why?

Really give this some thought. Please write your answers in your journal. Please also share your insights in the comments section.

There are any number of reasons, but here’s a few I thought of.

1-      It cripples us.

2-      It makes us make poor decisions

3-      It makes us irrational

4-      It makes us doubt God.

Number four is the big one. For when we are looking to, and trusting our God, there is no fear.

So, if Satan has you bound in the chain of fear, what are some ways we can break free?

Please write down your answers.

There is no fear with God; the number one answer ought to be to look to God. Keep a laser focus on Him and you shouldn’t have any more fear problem.

Another related answer is truth.

John 8:32 “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” NLT

What are you fearful of? Speak truth to it. God’s words are truth. John 17:17.

I have been fearful sometimes about a dangerous influence on some of my loved ones, whom I really have no way of helping to re-direct. It hurts to watch and it has caused me to be fearful of the outcome.

But then God, (and shouldn’t that always be the answer? ‘But then God…’) at one time when this fear was particularly strong, told me, as He often does, “I’ve got this.” He brought me to a passage of Scripture fitting for the situation. I did not have to search for it; He directed me to it. (For my particular situation, that Scripture passage was Ezekiel 34:11-16)

And that was just for me and my situation, but He always has something; His word is alive and applicable, and when you don’t know where to look, He will show you.

These were ongoing fears. Ongoing worries, and places I hadn’t let go of. I had foolishly, even if subconsciously, took/kept “control” over it by fearing. Here’s what I mean – when we fear, we are essentially telling God “This is out of Your hands.”

What a lie Satan would have us believe. Childlike faith goes away when we see more and more of this big, bad world.

As children, we are already practiced in trust – trusting our parents for everything. Meals, shelter, bedtime, loving arms. Those of you with rambunctious little ones know this to be true: trusting those loving arms to catch us when we wander too close to the edge.

But as we grow older, and either more influenced by Satan’s lies, or by Satan’s people, we put up guards and choose not to trust. We get hurt, and it’s harder to trust. We sometimes have to wait for God’s plan to show through, and trust is so hard.

Psalm 56:3 “But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you.” NLT

But that is really really the key to beating fear. If you haven’t already, please read our text, Psalm 27.

See in it the different scenarios that might cause fear.

Not, prayerfully, read through it again slowly, and ask the Spirit to give you an open mind to recognize fear in your own life. Allow your mind to paraphrase some of David’s situations to something in your own life. Write them down.

If God brings to mind something that isn’t in the text, write that down, too.

Now, write a big “Pray!” beside it on the left. And on the right, write a reminder that God’s in control; “God’s got this!” Use words that are most familiar to you (you might write something like “God’s in control over this” or something like that), and remind yourself of it throughout the day.

God bless. I am praying for you.

Can’t wait to meet up next time.

How's your Scripture memory coming? If you haven't yet, you can get the printable cards here

The Way the Truth and the Life

We are looking at something akin to the concept of a three-legged stool:

The way and the life with no truth gets you nowhere.

The way and the truth with no life is just senseless.

The truth and the life with no way is pointless.

Do you see how we need all three?

Jesus knew this, wise God that He is.

Please read our text: John 14:1-6

Isn’t it just beautiful?

Picture it. Jesus, lovingly saying, just as a father would say to his child as he leaves for work in the morning:

“I love you, child. I have to go for a bit, but I will be back.” And when He comes back, we get to go with Him.

And like a child, not understanding, perhaps also not wanting Him to leave; not feeling confident without Jesus’ presence, Thomas asks,

“How? We don’t know the way.”

Stay, Jesus. We need you. We’re lost without you.

Indeed. We are.

Jesus then answers with the line we are likely familiar with.

John 14:6 “Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”” NLT

I AM.

I AM God.

Because I AM, you can have life.

You can trust Me, I AM Truth.

God is Truth.

And I AM the way.

The only way to live. There’s no way around Him. He IS the way.

3 John 1:4 “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” NJKV

Walk with Him, hand in hand. Walk in Truth.

And walk as a worthy heir and child of God.

Romans 8:17 “And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.” NLT

1 Thessalonians 2:12 “We pleaded with you, encouraged you, and urged you to live your lives in a way that God would consider worthy. For he called you to share in his Kingdom and glory.” NLT

Let’s pull it all together now: We are to walk worthy of Him, yes?

Re-read that.

Worthy of Him?

I’m with Thomas (John 14:5), “How, Lord?”

It makes me want to crumble.

But He didn’t say “crumble, you worthless sinner,” now did He?

He said walk. And He said walk in truth.

In other words, “Walk in Me.”

It makes me picture a Daddy dancing with his little girl’s feet planted on top of His, letting Him do the steps, holding His hands so she doesn’t fall.

Isn’t that us?

3 John 1:4 “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” NJKV

And it brings Him such joy. He loves to be leaned on; He loves to be depended on.

Let Him be your Enough. Let Him be the answer to your “how?”

As in the last part in our brief I Am study, I want to leave you with a challenge.

Pull out a pen and paper (Really do, I’ll wait.)  There’s something so effective about not only taking the physical time and effort to write it down, but also having the paper/journal entry as a reminder.

Okay, prayerfully, make a list of a few areas you’re not totally leaning on Him for and letting go. 

I will give you an example – for me, before I had my baby, I had to surrender to God the idea of ever being a mother.  Being okay with that if that’s what God wanted.  Before that, I had to come to the same place about getting married.  Don’t get me wrong – both were a struggle!  I would spend days where my conversations with God would go like this, “But God, you wouldn’t have given me this desire if it wasn’t what you wanted for me.  Why do I need to give it up?” 

“I just need you to let me be enough.”

“You are enough – but I want____.”

“Enough.  Just Me. enough.”  I pouted inside.

 “I don’t know how to let go.”  But eventually with enough prayer for Him to help me surrender, then I did.

See it?

“How Lord?”

“In me.  By me, me.  I AM enough for you”

He is the way.

After you make your list, pray about it with Him.  He wants His little girl dancing on His toes.  He wants to be the way for you and He wants to be enough.

Feel free to share here in the comments if you would like some accountability and community.

The Painful Lesson 8 - Pain Before Restoration

Are you enjoying our little Bride of Christ detour through Jeremiah? I had no idea God would turn this into so much study material. But He is wise, faithful and good, amen?

Today we look at Jeremiah 26-30. You can read it all now, or space it out as we go along.

This is the darkness before dawn. The pain before restoration.

In chapter 27 we see the way there is no escape from the consequences. The Lord will make your consequences follow you. You can be sure of it. See Numbers 32:23 & Jeremiah 25:35.

There is not place to escape Him, and He is the only way out. Funny how it works that way. He is all around us, and He is the Door, but we’d sooner try to dig away at the walls until our fingers bleed than just accept His way and simply walk through it.

So daughters, know that He knows. You’re not going to slide one by and get by with it.

But what about the people who do get away with it? That Christian who says biting words behind your back. Those believers who neglect their family, or put money and career above all else. What about those believers who have walked out on their family? Those unfaithful to their spouse. Those awful times when children are abused and women taken advantage of, with no punishment when punishment is due. What then? Where’s the sentence, or sure consequences then?

Yeah, there’s those too. Even here in our passage. Jeremiah 29:16-17 Those who did not physically reap the consequences of separation still got consequences. They were ruined like “bad figs (ch 24)”.

So, sisters, I ask- no pointing fingers here. No complaining. Let’s just look at ourselves, and our own deceitful heart for right now. Everyone’s gonna get theirs.

Now before you get the wrong idea, God does not thrive on punishment. See 27:17 and look for God’s heart in it. He really doesn’t just sit there waiting to catch you screwing up. But He does know when you do.

Don’t listen to anyone around you who is telling you that you are okay in your sin, or anyone justifying it for you (or with you). Yes, it may be what you’d rather hear, but ultimately it leads you to fall harder.

God’s voice is the only One you can trust.

Chapter 28 is a specific example of what happened to one man who spoke trying to comfort the Israelites in their sin; he contradicted God’s words in God’s name.

Now I’d like you to take a look at chapter 29. Here we fast forward the story into the captivity of Israel (Daniel 1) into Babylon. They were ripped from their homes, and taught to throw out all knowledge of God. Brainwashed. This is where we pick up. Read Jeremiah 29, and probably you’ll stop where I stopped, stunned. Read and I’ll wait.

Was it verse 11? I thought so. Have you ever read that in context before? I must not have. I was stunned.

Jeremiah 29:11-12 “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen.” NLT

This verse means so much more to me now. Does it you?

Continue on to verses 13-14

Jeremiah 29:13-14 “If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.” NLT (emphasis mine)

He is not saying “Goodbye forever; you screwed up,” but rather He is saying, “Here is my number. When you are really truly ready to come back to Me, I will be here. I will gather you when your sentence is up.”

He is ever faithful.

Take heart in this, Dear one. He is coming for you. He will be back when the time is right. And His promise is one we can lean on when we’ve really messed up – when it feels like you’ve had about as much consequence as you can take. When you’re crying to Him, when He is Who you turn to, finally exhausted of trying to do it all on your own. He will be there.

Read chapter 30

Jeremiah 30:11b “…I will not completely destroy you.I will discipline you, but with justice;    I cannot let you go unpunished.” NLT

He is too holy to let us go unpunished, but He will not completely destroy us in that punishment. And He will restore. Jeremiah 27:22

 God brings the restoration. And God alone brings restoration.

Jeremiah 30:17a “I will… heal your wounds,” says the Lord…” NLT

The next session is the last in our detour through our Bride of Christ series, and it is a good one. Much happier, I promise.  The Groom calls back and gathers His Bride!

In the meantime, I ask you to determine what in your heart is holding back. Is there something?

It says in Jeremiah 29:13 we must seek Him with our whole heart.

Do.

Offer every broken hurt, torn, stained, ugly piece of your heart, and be ready to find healing.

Matthew 11:28 “Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” NLT