MALKIYAH

In the days that Jesus Christ walked on this Earth, many followed him and many turned away from him. Even his closest disciples struggled to follow him in some of the hardest times. Many Jews rejected him and when he taught hard things many people walked away. So, the question is…Will You Follow Jesus? Will I follow Jesus? Even when it requires giving up everything…denying yourself…carrying a cross…being perecuted….death? Will you still follow Him?

Check out the link below. It is pretty thought provoking. Following Jesus is not for the faint of heart. Thankfully He gives us strength to walk with Him through even the hardest of life’s struggles.

http://www.ignitermedia.com/mini-movies/1923/Follow

Music really ministers to my heart in a special way. Especially through hard times, God uses  truth centered lyrics to really speak to my heart. I’m thankful that God works ALL things together for the good of those who love Him, and are called according to his purpose. Even the hard things in life can be used to bless us, as we mature in our faith and draw nearer to God. Through recent trials I have learned how God uses fire to refine us, various trials to mature us, and hard things to bring us into closer relationship with Him. If the blessing of the hard things in life is that they teach me to love  & trust Christ more and to walk closer to Him, then I should be able to “count it ALL joy” and “rejoice in ALL circumstances”.

I am so thankful for people who use their musical talents as a tool to minister to the hearts of other people. God used this song by Laura Story to really bless me in the last few days. She is one talented lady, and all for his glory!

Blessings by Laura Story

We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we’d have faith to believe

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know the pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home
It’s not our home

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy
And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise

I was talking to an international student and friend of mine the other day, when the word “refugee” came up. She looked at me a little puzzled, English not being her first language, and asked me to explain the meaning of the word. I proceeded to unpack it, realizing that I always understand words better when I have to explain them to someone who has never heard the word before. In my simple terms I explained it as someone who seeks refuge or safety, and proceeded to demonstrate using an example and hand gestures. Later, when I looked up the meaning Webster slightly corrected me in that it focuses on the person who escapes or flees a situation. Either way, I realize that we are all refugees in one sense or another. Yet we do not necessarily need to escape to a certain place, but to a certain ONE. All that we need for safety, security,  and well-being  for our physical, spiritual, and emotional being are found in God. I am SO glad that I can find refuge in Him.

Psalm 62:1-2 “My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.”

Psalm 62: 7-9 “My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.”

Psalm 91:2 ” I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

A question that I have had for God lately is, “Why do you give me weakness?” If it were up to me I would probably just continue on in my own strength, accomplishing all that I desire in my ability. Yet,  in times like these I am very aware that my strength and my ability are quite obviously not enough to fulfill all that God has called me to do. I recognize my own weakness and need for God’s Spirit to work in and through me every step of the way, as I seek to live for Him.

 In 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, Paul notes that he was given some sort of weakness, or thorn in his flesh, so that he would not boast. Paul was extremely gifted in many ways, encountered God in real and powerful ways, and did many amazing things to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul had many reasons to boast, yet he repeatedly spoke of his desire to only boast in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. All that he did was through the ability that God gave him to do it. It was by the grace of God that he was able to be strengthened to do anything at all in the name of Christ. He was made aware of his weaknesses and his complete dependence upon God for everything. He counted all of his accomplishments as worthless that he would only be able to know Christ and to be found in Him.

So, why does God allow such weakness in my life? So that I may never boast in my own ability, my works, my education, my experience, my bank account, etc. I am given weakness that I will depend on His strength for everything that I need in this life and for his work. When I rely on Him, he gets the glory. When I am weak, he is strong. In order to do anything for him, I need His grace that is completely sufficient in my weakness.  May I never boast in my own ability or my strength, but with Paul may I learn to boast in my weaknesses…for when I am weak, then I am strong(in Him).

1 Corinthians 1:31- “Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”

Galatians 6:14- “May I NEVER boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 “Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. ⁸ Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. ⁹ But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰ That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Philippians 3:7-11   ⁷ “But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸ What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in^[a] Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. ¹⁰ I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹ and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.”

Have you ever tried to find one of your favorite websites, only to discover it was under construction? Ever tried a familiar route, only to find it road blocked because of a major reconstruction of what was once there? There are times when reconstruction is necessary and vital for something to be productive once again. Due to the process of reconstruction something can be made better than it was before so it will be even more effective for future use. This is exactly what God is doing in my life during this season. As he pulls me away from normal busy activity and the stresses and pressures of life, he is working something great inside of me. He is renewing my strength, restoring my soul, reviving my life, renewing my mind, revitalizing my perspective, rebuilding my faith and hope in Him, refreshing me with His Spirit, reminding me of His promises, and refocusing me on seeking His face above all things.

What an amazing thing it is to have a master potter for a Father and Creator! He knows how to shape and form his vessels of clay that they may bring him even more honor and glory. Sometimes I protest such reshaping, as it requires getting rid of some old ways of thinking, living, and being that have become quite comfortable. Yet I know that He who is the potter, should not be questioned by one who is merely clay(Isaiah 29:16;45:9;64:8). So after some wrestling, I surrender to him and say…”Do with my life what you will, that it may bring you glory.” There is much molding and shaping left to do but I am thankful that he who has started a good work in me is faithful to complete it(Philippians 1:6).

 ”Lord, may you radically reconstruct me according to your good purposes for my life.”

Ephesians 2:10″For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Psalm 27:14 “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been reading a devotional book by Paul Tripp on Psalm 27. It has been food for thought, as Tripp really knows how to get to the heart of issues in our lives. He really helps me to see the areas where I need to grow and to cry out to the Lord for his help. The one topic that kept coming up over and over again in the book was waiting on the Lord. It couldn’t have come at a better time, since this seems to be the current theme of my life. Tripp talks about what it means to wait on the Lord, and especially what it means to “wait well”. 

In our lives there are many instances in which we are called to wait. This could be in everyday little things like waiting in a line, or waiting for a new bank card(currently taking 6 months in Turkey:-). It could be more crucial like waiting for an answer from God or from someone else about an important, maybe even life changing decision, or waiting for a healing or a certain someone to pop into our lives. The first question is, when we are called to wait,”How do we wait on the Lord?”  Followed closely by, “Do we wait well?” Tripp gives some guidance about how we should and should not wait. I’d like to share some insights from him on this topic.

While waiting on the Lord, we should:

-Trust in his promises. Remind ourselves of the truth that he has given us in the scriptures. Meditate on that truth daily.

-Focus on the one who’s timing is perfect(not on the situation itself or the length of time in which we  must wait).

-Remember the faithful, good, and loving character of God. He is all wise, all powerful, gracious, loving, kind, trustworthy and much more. Study his awesome character!

-Study the word, pray, fellowship, meditate on his goodness, worship Him in all of  His greatness(all sources of encouragement in Him, and they all  fight discouragement).

-Learn to rest in Him! This is learning to move only in the strength he provides, not striving to do things in our way or in our time. Sometimes it might mean being still and knowing that he is God and that  he will work everything out as we wait on him.

We must be careful not to lose heart while we wait,but to place our hope in Him. He who is faithful will do it! We should also be careful not to become discouraged, or angry, or to envy others who seem to have something we are still waiting for. Remember that he is good, his timing is perfect, and he is trustworthy. I have heard it said that good things are worth waiting for, so my inclination is to encourage us all to wait on the Lord. He is truly good!

I am still learning how to wait on the Lord well. There are days that I feel impatient and times when I would like some immediate results or answers. I pray that God will give me His peace as I learn to rest in Him and trust in His promises. I thought I would share what God is teaching me with you so that we can learn and grow together in Him. May we learn how to wait on the Lord,  and how to be of good courage while we do it:-).

Psalm 30:2 “O Lord my God, I called to you for help and you healed me.”

I can really relate to the words of the Psalmist as I recently was extremely ill and found myself crying out to the Lord for healing. It is reassuring to know that he is all powerful and is able to heal our bodies. He has designed our bodies so magnificently and intricately. He who is the creator of all things knows exactly how to be a great physician to us when we are ill. I so appreciate that he uses the prayers of the righteous to carry out his will and that he uses the healing hands of the saints to work healing in the lives of many. Praise God for he hears the cries of his children when they call out to him, he answers, and he brings healing to us- heart, mind, spirit, and body.

I’ve been reading the book of John and have been especially looking at the miracles of Christ. I’ve been rather in awe of the miraculous works that he performed while he was on the earth. I have been envisioning myself as one of those in the crowd and wondering what kind of response I would have had to these miracles, if I would have been there to see them. Some believed that Jesus was the Son of God because of these miracles, others thought he was demon possessed or one who would draw them away from the truth, and others just didn’t know what to think. God choose to reveal himself in such a clear way through Jesus. Jesus was God in the flesh, performing the works of the Father so that all men could see plainly the power and glory of God.

As one who looks at these miracles through the lens of the word of God, I am truly in awe of what Christ did. Not only that, I am also in awe of the fact that he is the same God that he was then and is capable of doing anything that he pleases. Nothing is impossible for HIM! Sometimes I forget that Jesus is just as powerful right now,as he was then, and always will be. He is able to do more than I could even think of or ask him for. I think that I tend to limit the power of God and am thankful that God is opening my eyes up to this simple truth: Nothing is impossible with God! Scripture repeats this point in various locations. For example, the angel tells Mary(Luke 1:35-37) and Sarah(Genesis 18:13-14) that nothing is impossible(or too hard) for God, when speaking in regards to the babies that were to be born in miraculous ways.

The man, who had a son with an evil spirit(Mark 9:21-24), said to Jesus, “If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” Jesus responds,”If you can? Everything is possible for him who believes.” To that the man said, “I do believe;help me to overcome my unbelief!” Though this man was somewhat aware of the power of Jesus and believed in Him, he did not understand the extent of the power that was in Christ. May I not limit God, his works or his power, but know and believe that he is able to do more than I can ask or think for His glory.For nothing is impossible with God!

Ephesians 3:20-21

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

I’ve been reading the Gospel of John recently and have been really enlightened by a number of things that I have read(naturally-the Word of God is enlightening:-). As I watch, from an outside perspective, the lives of Jesus, his followers, and the onlookers I am increasingly aware of the ways that man in his finite understanding is unable to grasp the infinite nature of God aside from God opening his mind to reveal the truth to Him through the power of the Holy Spirit. Just take a minute to look at a few passages in John with me. First, in John 3:1-14 Jesus tries to explain the need to be born again of the Spirit. Nicodemus is so caught up in the natural ways that things work he can not begin to understand what Jesus is talking about. Later, in John 4:7-26  Jesus speaks with a Samaritan woman by a well. He tells her that he can give her living water. Her response, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with , and the well is deep.” She does not realize who she is talking to and that the living water he gives is way more than physical water. He is offering water that brings eternal life, water that satifies one’s soul in a deep way that nothing physical can satisfy. When Jesus’ disciples came to join him they wanted to give him food( John 4:31-34). Jesus tells them that he has food that they do not know of, the food of doing the will of the Father. Jesus again points to something that is not physical, but they reason among themselves about whether or not someone brought him a meal.

Isn’t it interesting how man is so caught up with the physical, that it is hard for us to see the things that are supernatural, and spiritual? Jesus was offering more than physical food, drink, and birth. He was offering supernatural birth, that comes from the Holy Spirit, living water that wells up inside our soul and gives us eternal life, and spiritual food that satifies the one who desires to please God and do his will. What amazing blessings he was offering to those who will come to him and believe. May God open our minds and hearts to see past the physical to the real meal of spiritual food and drink that satifisies forever, through Jesus. Are you thirsty for the living water?