Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for November, 2012

Giving Thanks

Posted in Encouragement, Uncategorized, tagged , , , on November 22, 2012| 2 Comments »

Giving Thanks

Every year for Thanksgiving I usually sit down and write out a list of the things I’m thankful for. This year I want to share with you my list containing promises from His word.

He has adopted me as one of His children

Romans 8:15-16 “For I did not receive a spirit that makes me a slave again to fear, but I received the Spirit of daughtership. And by him I cry, “Abba, Father”. The Spirit himself testifies with my spirit that I am God’s child.”

He is always ready to forgive me

I John 1:9 “If I confess my sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive me of my sins and purify me from all unrighteousness”

He created me, and I am special to Him

Psalms 139:13, 14 “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful I know that full well.”

He loves me with a love like no other

Jeremiah 31:3 “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.”

His love for me is so deep that he gave up His own Son Jesus to pay a debt I couldn’t pay

John 3:16 “For God so loved Christine that he sent his only Son, that if Christine believes in him Christine shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Because His is my Father and loves me deeply He will discipline me so I may be more like His Son

Psalm 94:12 “Blessed am I whom you discipline, O Lord, the one you teach from your law.”

He sends blessings because He can

James 1:17 “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does, not change like shifting shadows.”

When temptation comes, He will not allow it to be more than I am capable of handling in His strength

1 Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation has seized me except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let me be tempted beyond what I can bear. But when I’m tempted, he will also provide a way out so that I can stand up under it.

That even in the hard times, I will become more mature and complete if I allow Him to work

James 1:2-4 “Consider it pure joy, Christine whenever, you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of you faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

I am competent to do what He has called me to, because He gives me the competence

2 Corinthians 3:5, 6 “Not that I am competent in myself to claim anything for myself, but my competence comes from God. He had made me competent as a minister of a new covenant – not of the letter but of the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”

He makes the path clear to accomplish what He wants me to

Revelation 3:7 “These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.”

I am His and nothing can take that from me

Romans 8:37-39 “No, in all these things I am more than a conqueror through him who love me. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate me from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

The best promise, after my salvation, is that one day I will be with Him

Matthew 14:1-3 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many room; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”

Thank you Father, for the promises you give to us in your Word. They give us hope, peace and comfort. As we sit around our tables and give thanks for that we are that we have and what we do, may we give thanks for sacrifice your Son made so that we may live with you some day. May we be lights to the world that is in the dark?

In Your Son’s precious name

Amen

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

*All verses are from the NIV 1984

Read Full Post »

Forgiveness – Not an Option

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , on November 5, 2012| 4 Comments »

My stomach turned. I hadn’t seen the couple in three years and I certainly didn’t want to see them now. I was going only because my daughter was playing in the game. By the time I arrived at church, dropped my daughter off, and parked I was crying almost to the point of hyperventilating.

You see this couple was going to adopt my niece. My family thought it was great. They changed her name in the school she was attending and allowed her to call them mom and dad. However, without any warning, two years later, they called and said we can’t do this and we are sending her back to you.

We were shocked and angry. This little one had been through enough, her father died of an overdose and her mother (my sister) was in prison. My parents adopted her instead. For months my niece would say “I want to go home, mommy and daddy did this or that, or listen to the funny things my brothers did.” I would clench with anger. It took everything in me to say absolutely nothing.

Over the past three years when I heard their name anger flared. They come down twice a year and see her and I  stay as far away as possible. In Matthew West’s song “Forgiveness“ he points out even when people tell me that I have a right to be angry and not forgive, it’s not what God asks of me.

As I sat in the car I realized that my overwhelming emotion, was not just the fact that I had to see them, but that God wanted me to forgive, not just right there and then but to their faces.

“If this is what you want God, I can’t do it. There is no way,” I said out loud trying to take a breath, “But if it’s what you want, I will, but You will have to give me the strength to do it.”

After the game, with my parents by my side I said, “Over the past three years I have been so resentful towards you, not for myself or my parents but for my niece. I know this is where God wants her. But as a Christian forgiveness is not an option. So I want to tell you I forgive you. This is a hard thing for me to do but there it is.”

When I walked to my other daughter’s game the tears flowed. This time it came from the shock of what transpired and the sense of freedom I had.

I think one reason God asks us to forgive is not for the benefit of the one forgiveness is extended to, but it’s for the one who is offering the forgiveness. It’s the hardest response we can give to some one who has hurt us, but there is no greater peace felt when we do.

How about you? Is there someone that has hurt you or someone you love? Have you been carrying resentment, bitterness and unforgiveness?

Take it to God today. He will give you the strength to forgive them whether it is face to face, over the phone or, just in acknowledgement to God. It maybe a moment by moment or situation by situation thing. Resentment will rear its ugly head again. Remember you have forgiven them and immediately take it to God. He’ll take care of it.

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Ephesians 4:32 (NIV 1984)

Read Full Post »

The Gospel Project

SPC Emergency Preparedness

Be Prepared

German Eggs

marthaparish

The pages of my life

The Great Adventure

A Journal of Life and Faith in Southeast Asia

Hearts Set Free Blog

Just another WordPress.com site

Eggs In Asia

follow us as we follow Him

%d bloggers like this: