Back on Feb. 18th, 2011, God had placed Numbers 11 on my heart to share with the MOPS ladies. Then today as I studied Session 5 - Day Two of "No Other Gods" for Tues. Bible Study" I realized that it was all from the same passage of scripture. I want to share some thoughts from that discussion back in February and see how it all ties right in to today's discussion. God is so good!
NOTES:
List blessings or areas of our lives that we want God to change? Are we really thankful?
What if your husband or someone you loved romantically was diagnosed with cancer and had six months to live? What if it was you? What if it was your child?
Why do we blame God?
What if he answered all our prayer requests the way we wanted? Like the Israelites and the quail. In the midst of God performing a miracle & sending manna from heaven, they are complaining.
What if we gave our children everything they asked for whenever they wanted?
Good things do happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people.
Sign of maturity in walk with God - accepting whatever God's plan is.
Are you going through a test or trial right now? Is God testing you to see if you will follow him and trust him?
When we focus on what we do not have rather than on what we do have, we tend to forget the hardships from which God already has delivered us. Israel remembered the food, but forgot the slavery. Grass is greener on the other side mentality.....not.
Prayer Journal - once a day or once a week, write down what God has done for you and your family.
Just as God blesses an obedient spirit, so he always judges a complaining spirit (1 Cor. 10:10). No one can grumble & honor God at the same time.
Worshipping God - have you ever REALLY stopped to understand exactly what the words are to various worship songs. I have a recommendation for you, next time just listen instead of singing and ask yourself do I really believe the words that I am singing.
Think of songs like "I Surrender All" - do you really? (funny because God put that song on my heart before this past Tuesday's discussion and I played the song for the ladies in our discussion group but it had been on my heart back when I originally shared this word too)
How about the song "How can I keep from Singing" by Chris Tomlin?
I pray that you will be blessed and encouraged to stop blaming God when things don't go the way we might think it should go and remember all the good things that God has done in our lives. I know that I have been in the situation that the Israelites found themselves in when they asked God for meat and he gave it to them but it became rotten in their mouths. I have experienced where God has answered a prayer that I asked for but it became rotten and caused leanness in my soul.
God is in control and we need to put our faith and trust in him no matter what!!!!
I SURRENDER ALL
Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS)/MOMSnext @ MWC
Showing posts with label No Other Gods. Show all posts
Showing posts with label No Other Gods. Show all posts
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
I am an Adulteress
Shocking? Not really. I have NOT been unfaithful to my husband but I have been unfaithful to God.
I have never been an adulteress or been called one but that is what the following scripture says that I am.
James 4:4 (NKJV) says "Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God."
So, I was reading once again in the book, "No Other Gods" for Tuesday Morning Bible Study and then I got to Week 4 - Day 1 and this passage of scripture hit me like a ton of bricks.
What, me an adulteress? Never!!!!! Then as I read further I realized that what the scripture is saying is so true. Once we give our lives to God and we are the bride of Christ and we place people or things before God that we are adulterers or adulteress' because we are being unfaithful to God.
Now I need to take some time and really let this soak in......more thoughts to come later! Are you an adulterer or adulteress? I know that I have been but I am working on not putting other people or other things before God.....one day and one hour at a time. I do not want to be unfaithful to my God who loves me so much! He has really been getting my attention, what about you?
I have never been an adulteress or been called one but that is what the following scripture says that I am.
James 4:4 (NKJV) says "Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God."
So, I was reading once again in the book, "No Other Gods" for Tuesday Morning Bible Study and then I got to Week 4 - Day 1 and this passage of scripture hit me like a ton of bricks.
What, me an adulteress? Never!!!!! Then as I read further I realized that what the scripture is saying is so true. Once we give our lives to God and we are the bride of Christ and we place people or things before God that we are adulterers or adulteress' because we are being unfaithful to God.
Now I need to take some time and really let this soak in......more thoughts to come later! Are you an adulterer or adulteress? I know that I have been but I am working on not putting other people or other things before God.....one day and one hour at a time. I do not want to be unfaithful to my God who loves me so much! He has really been getting my attention, what about you?
Friday, June 24, 2011
Circle of Influence
A few weeks ago I had watched the final episode of Oprah. I hadn't really watched her show in years but I thought it would be cool to watch the final one. If you watched it, you know she talked about a circle of influence and how we all have one and maybe ours isn't a stage and an audience like hers but that we can all make a difference where we are.
More recently, I started thinking about this as I heard that the new Miss USA used to live in Manalapan. I started thinking about whether or not she was a believer and if maybe someone from our church family could have been someone in her circle of influence while living amongst us. What if we had worked with her, lived in her neighborhood, went to the same grocery store, worked out at same gym, etc.? What if we had been given the opportunity to plant a seed in her life or water a seed that had already been planted? What if she had given her life to the Lord (not saying that she hasn't as I have no idea)? Her circle of influence is now HUGE.
Another thought that hit me as I was thinking about this is the saying about Six Degrees of Separation. Could this be true and if so, is our life making an impact for God's kingdom much further than we could ever imagine? My parents are in full-time ministry in Princeton and have been for almost 35 years. They work with mostly international students that have come to Princeton for a graduate program at Princeton University or other schools in the area. These students were basically a nobody studying here but many were shown the love of Christ and many have given their lives to the Lord. Many have returned to their own countries (some to take leadership roles in their own country) and now the circle of influence is getting bigger.
Right now, my parents have taken probably their first ever trip to the Far East to visit former students that they had met while they were studying here in Princeton. They are visiting countries like Taiwan, Japan & China. Some of these countries where it is very difficult for missionaries to go but they heard about Jesus here in the US. I think that is amazing!
My question is are we making a difference in the lives of those around us? Are we showing people the love of God? We have no idea how this could impact their lives or the lives of many that we may never met.
On another note, I have recently started the "No Other Gods" bible study with the women of Tuesday Morning Bible Study. It has really been convicting me to look at my own life and see if the God that I worship is really, truly the God that I am serving. I have found areas of my own life that I really need to examine and work on because they have become my god. I know that God has something special in store for all of us ladies that are on this journey together. I can't believe that I am already on to the second week of homework.....I wanted to make sure that first I would get through the homework in the time allotted but I really wanted to take my time as well to let the words really sink in. I can't wait to hear what God has been speaking to each of the ladies about during this study.
So, I have two words for all of you - MAKE ROOM!!!!!! For God that is! I know that I need to do that for myself. I understand that life can get crazy and out of control especially with babies and toddlers but we have got to make room for God in our lives and we need to set our hearts and minds on him instead of the many things of this world that tend to distract us.
Be encouraged!
More recently, I started thinking about this as I heard that the new Miss USA used to live in Manalapan. I started thinking about whether or not she was a believer and if maybe someone from our church family could have been someone in her circle of influence while living amongst us. What if we had worked with her, lived in her neighborhood, went to the same grocery store, worked out at same gym, etc.? What if we had been given the opportunity to plant a seed in her life or water a seed that had already been planted? What if she had given her life to the Lord (not saying that she hasn't as I have no idea)? Her circle of influence is now HUGE.
Another thought that hit me as I was thinking about this is the saying about Six Degrees of Separation. Could this be true and if so, is our life making an impact for God's kingdom much further than we could ever imagine? My parents are in full-time ministry in Princeton and have been for almost 35 years. They work with mostly international students that have come to Princeton for a graduate program at Princeton University or other schools in the area. These students were basically a nobody studying here but many were shown the love of Christ and many have given their lives to the Lord. Many have returned to their own countries (some to take leadership roles in their own country) and now the circle of influence is getting bigger.
Right now, my parents have taken probably their first ever trip to the Far East to visit former students that they had met while they were studying here in Princeton. They are visiting countries like Taiwan, Japan & China. Some of these countries where it is very difficult for missionaries to go but they heard about Jesus here in the US. I think that is amazing!
My question is are we making a difference in the lives of those around us? Are we showing people the love of God? We have no idea how this could impact their lives or the lives of many that we may never met.
On another note, I have recently started the "No Other Gods" bible study with the women of Tuesday Morning Bible Study. It has really been convicting me to look at my own life and see if the God that I worship is really, truly the God that I am serving. I have found areas of my own life that I really need to examine and work on because they have become my god. I know that God has something special in store for all of us ladies that are on this journey together. I can't believe that I am already on to the second week of homework.....I wanted to make sure that first I would get through the homework in the time allotted but I really wanted to take my time as well to let the words really sink in. I can't wait to hear what God has been speaking to each of the ladies about during this study.
So, I have two words for all of you - MAKE ROOM!!!!!! For God that is! I know that I need to do that for myself. I understand that life can get crazy and out of control especially with babies and toddlers but we have got to make room for God in our lives and we need to set our hearts and minds on him instead of the many things of this world that tend to distract us.
Be encouraged!
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