In Other Words: Simple Faith

“Prayers arising from my needs are preparations for future mercies; Help me to honour thee by believing before I feel, for great is the sin if I make feeling a cause of faith.” from the book “The Valley of Vision” a collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions.

Simple prayers uttered with concrete faith please the Lord. Following the example of King David in Psalm 23 we can see how to voice our faith in expectation of God's action on our behalf.

The Lord is my shepherd,
I shall not want.

1) Acknowledge that God keeps His promises.

Be strong and of good courage, do not fear or be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you. ~Deuteronomy 31:6 NKJV

He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.

2) Remember the times He has brought peace to you in the past.

I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. ~Psalm 40 NKJV

He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name's sake.

3) Learn to recognize the character of the Lord as evidenced in your life.

Surely in the Lord I have righteousness and strength. ~Isaiah 45:24b NKJV

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

4) Realize that trials and tests are for molding your life into a reflection of His lovely Son, Jesus Christ.

Blessed is the man who endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. ~James 1:12 NKJV

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.

5) Rejoice in the small, everyday blessings that are little touches of grace to be appreciated regardless of circumstances.

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. ~James 1:17 NKJV

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.

6) Claim the most important Promise!

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, though he may day, he shall live.

And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?"

She said to Him, "Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world." ~John 11:25-27 NKJV

Now pray for those needs, fully knowing that what you receive is His good will!

Karen at In Love W.I.T.H. Jesus is hosting In Other Words.
Visit her to read more and to share your own thoughts on today's quote.

In Other Words: Simple Faith

http://typingone-handed.blogspot.com/2010/05/in-other-words-simple-faith.html

IOW: Contentment, or How God Teaches Patience

“If monotony tries me, and I cannot stand drudgery;
if stupid people fret me and little ruffles set me on edge;
if I make much of the trifles of life,
then I know nothing of Calvary love.
Amy Carmichael, If: What Do I Know of Calvary Love?

Patience: the capacity, habit, or fact of being patient... (according to Merriam-Webster)

Patient 1: bearing pains or trials calmly or without complaint...

I remember thinking about my short temper as an older teenager and praying for patience. Less than ten years from that prayer, I was the mother of three children ages 5, 3, and newborn. So I prayed more...

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness 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 and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. (2 Peter 1:3-4 NIV)

Patient 2: manifesting forbearance under provocation or strain...

My husband joined US Air Force Recruiting while I was pregnant with baby number 2--baby number 1 was only 20 months old. We began a life of packing, moving to a new abode, unpacking, and trying to keep a normal life...every 2-1/2 to 3 years. My patience was sorely tested throughout those years and many times I failed my tests miserably. In fact, I developed a level of harshness to my interactions with my kids and husband when I was annoyed.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge. (2 Peter 1:5 NIV)

Patient 3: not hasty or impetuous...

Eventually the preschooler, toddler, and infant years ended. Those kids grew like weeds and suddenly I was parenting 2 teens and a middle-schooler. At this point in my husband's Air Force career, I felt I was parenting all alone as he was away two weeks at a time, with only short periods at home. At my husband's last duty station, he was gone 33 times in 21 months. I coped by bouncing between being the kids best friend and being overbearing, trying to maintain some semblance of control.

And to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness. (2 Peter 1:6 NIV)

Patient 4: steadfast despite opposition, difficulty, or adversity...

All the while life was moving along with some measure of peace. I studied my Bible, read book after book on being a woman of God. Sometimes I succeeded, especially during several severe trials. When those trials came up I felt the Lord right along side me.

And to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. (2 Peter 1:7 NIV)

Patient 5: able or willing to bear...

I have developed a great appreciation for the love of God through the years of watching my family grow. He shows patience with my frailties and strengthens me to be available to stand firmly in Him. His patience with me has taught me patience with others. Not that I always demonstrate what I have learned. And when I reminded, He sends a new test...

For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:8 NIV)

Patient (Persistent) 6: continuing despite difficulties, opposition, or discouragement...

Our kids are grown and we have been blessed with a rambunctious grandson. And to prove 1) either I didn't learn what I needed to the first go-around, or 2) God has a huge sense of humor, I have been raising that little guy since last August 24 hours a day during the week. My only relief comes when his mother is home on the weekends. And amazingly enough, I am having to learn to ignore all the things that set me off the first time around and try to show love in everything I do. Evidently I didn't quite score high enough on those tests...or I'm working on my Master's degree in the applied science of Christian Love.

So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. (1 Peter 1:12 NIV)

God is Good. Life is Sweet. Share the Love.

I am hosting today! Please join us by putting a link to your blog on McLinky.

IOW: Contentment, or How God Teaches Patience

http://typingone-handed.blogspot.com/2010/04/iow-contentment-or-how-god-teaches.html

IOW: Grace, Because of Who He Is

I am your hostess today. Please share with us.

Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person. Colossians 4:6

Quote from What's So Amazing About Grace?

One who has been touched by grace will no longer look on those who stray as 'those evil people' or 'those poor people who need our help.' Nor must we search for signs of 'loveworthiness.' Grace teaches us that God loves because of who God is, not because of who we are.

~Philip Yancey~

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

Do we truly understand what grace is?

Whose death?

Can we wrap our minds around just what it cost for us to claim the name 'Christ-bearer'?

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf,
so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21

If we completely accept that a holy God loves us enough to give His beloved Son to die for the sins we have committed...will commit... Do we really believe we have the right to judge the worthiness of another?

Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act...
He...said to them, "He who is without sin among you,
let him be the first to throw a stone at her...
Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?" She said, "No one, Lord."
And Jesus said, ^"I do not condemn you, either Go. From now on sin no more." John 8:4, 7 10-11

Of all the books on my bookshelf, I seem to pick up Philip Yancey's book over and over. I get choked up reading it. There is a chapter called 'Grace-Healed Eyes' that discusses his friendship with a man who after years of knowing each other and being close friends, admitted to being a homosexual. This chapter peels away the layers of controversy over the subject of immorality and reveals the deep pain of rejection that man lives with. At the end of the chapter, Yancey quotes Helmut Thielicke (1908-1986), a German Protestant theologian. In trying to get my mind around the concept of true grace, I am both awed and bewilderingly grateful that the King of Heaven loves me:

When Jesus loved a guilt-laden person and helped him, He saw in him an erring child of God. He saw in him a human being whom His Father loved and grieved over because he was going wrong. He saw him as God originally designed and meant him to be, and therefore He saw through the surface layer of grime and dirt to the real man underneath. Jesus did not identify the person with his sin, but rather saw in this sin something alien, something that did not belong to him, something that chained and mastered him and from with He would free him and bring him back to his real self. Jesus was able to love men because He loved them right through the layer of mud.

This is why...

Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross... Hebrews 12:2

We have been touched by grace...

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything,
but faith working through love. Galatians 5:6

Can we also reach out to touch the weary and suffering ones with that very same grace, paying no regard for the differences we encounter?

But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus,
in the same way as they also are. Acts 15:11

Grace Defined:

a. the freely given, unmerited favor and love of God.
b. the influence or spirit of God operating in humans to regenerate or strengthen them.

But where sin increased, grace abounded all the more... Romans 5:20

Father of our Lord, Lover of my soul... Help me to see each person with love as the person You intended each one to be. Thank you for the grace that makes my life beautiful in any circumstance. Please make my life a blessing to others and a sweet savor to You. Amen.

For more information on In Other Words, visit Loni at Writing Canvas.

IOW: Grace, Because of Who He Is

http://typingone-handed.blogspot.com/2010/03/iow-grace-because-of-who-he-is.html

In Other Words: Finding Your True Smile

So with a painted grin,
I play the part again,
So everyone will see me
the way that I see them...
Are we happy plastic people,
under shiny plastic steeples,
With walls around our weakness
and smiles to hid our pain,
But if the invitation's open,
to every heart that has been broken,
Maybe then we'll close the curtain
on our stained glass masquerade...

~Casting Crowns in Stained Glass Masquerade~

Once upon a time, in a trailer park far away, a little girl stood waiting for a church bus to take her to Sunday school. She shifted excitedly from foot to foot and even skipped in circles a bit, unable to contain her excitement at getting to see the kind, smiling faces of the church lady and man who taught her class about Love with cookies and juice and flannel pictures of that Jesus guy.

The years passed quickly...different places and yet the smiling faces of the church ladies and men all seemed familiar.

Finally the girl was grown with her own little bundles of enthusiasm bouncing and running in excited circles in anticipation of cookies, juice, and flannel pictures of that Jesus guy while she tried to bathe and dress them and get them to Sunday school.

Slowly life started sapping her own enthusiasm...

...responsibilities...
...disappointments...
...bone-weariness...

Her smiles became harder to find. Still she pasted them on Sunday after Sunday.

Until one day...

She saw her reflection.

The familiar smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. She was reminded of other church ladies and men she'd met over the years, some she knew now...

The ones whose smiles eventually stopped at their lips.

O my God, I cry by day, but You do not answer;
And by night, but I have no rest. ~Psalm 22:2

She mourned the loss of her joy smile, the one that comes from deep inside, bubbling up uncontrollable from head to toe.

To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. ~Psalm 25:1

In her sadness she opened the Book of God-words. and she read...

To You, O Lord, I call;
My rock, do not be deaf to me. ~Psalm 28:1

and read...

In You, O Lord, I have taken refuge;
Let me never be ashamed;
In Your righteousness deliver me.
Incline Your ear to me, rescue me quickly;
Be to me a rock of strength,
A stronghold to save me. ~Psalm 31:1-2

and read...

How blessed is [she] whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered!
How blessed is the [woman] to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit! ~Psalm 32:1-2

She sighed in relief, tiredness slowly draining away.

For our heart rejoices in Him,
Because we trust in His holy name. ~Psalm 33:21

Sometimes the effort to smile is still too much but the girl now first turns to the God-words because she discovered they are the source of the smiles and that Love she felt in the church so long ago.

O taste and see that the Lord is good;
How blessed is the [woman] who takes refuge in Him! ~Psalm 34:8

~~~~~

The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
And His ears are open to their cry. ~Psalm 34:15

~~~~~

The Lord is near the brokenhearted
And saves those who are crushed in spirit. ~Psalm 34:18

~~~~~

The Lord redeems the soul of His servants,
And none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned. ~Psalm 34:22

In Other Words is being hosted by Loni at Writing Canvas. Please visit to read more and to post your own take on today's quote.

In Other Words: Finding Your True Smile

http://typingone-handed.blogspot.com/2010/02/in-other-words-finding-your-true-smile.html

IOW: To Touch A Child's Heart

He who can reach a child's heart can reach the world's heart. ~ Rudyard Kipling

Every 5th Sunday my husband and I teach Junior Church. I think the ministry is wonderful but I dread doing my 45 minutes four times a year. I used to do it every month, but when it was time to say no to some things on my overflowing plate, this was one of the first to go (right after choir--mediocre alto voice...).

See, I am completely aware of my calling to serve -- my gifts do not lie in children's ministry. But the Lord has equipped me to be my husband's helpmeet. He is gifted to work with children; in fact, with any age.

He has the amazing ability to get involved in whatever game grabs the kids' interest. I remember several years ago during our once-a-month Extended Care time with the 4-5 year olds (during Sunday A.M. Worship) how one little boy was aggressive with the other children and unwilling to participate in any of the activities.

While I worked with the large group, my husband sat with this little boy tearing construction paper into tiny pieces and putting them in a toy dump truck. This went on every month for several months. Then my husband told the little boy that he had to sit with the other kids during story time before they could tear paper. To my amazement, the little boy cooperated. By the time he aged out of the class, he would participate in everything we did and would wait until play time to sit one-on-one with my husband.

This transformation took place because my husband spent time gaining the little boy's trust, eye-to-eye, focusing on what it took to engage his attention. Mr. Steve had reached out and touched this little boy's heart similarly to the way the Lord Jesus did in His own earthly ministry.

Jesus developed personal, intimate relationships with His followers -- not asking for immediate obedience but showing them His heart full of love for them. His eye-to-eye focus on the disciples led to a trust in His words that ended up in ministry that changed the world.

They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. ~Acts 2:42-47

Back to Junior Church: What a challenge the 1st through 6th grade group is! Some of the kids have been raised in church and cooperate enthusiastically. Some ride a bus to church and have no church background at home. Ministry to all these kids is so very important.

We have a vibrant youth group for them when they reach 7th grade. This middle ministry --between preschool and youth group-- must keep the kids interested in church and Jesus. My goal each 5th Sunday is to speak words in love that make them want more of Jesus.

I want this ministry to thrive. My grandson will be there some day and I hope the teachers at that time realize the importance of reaching young hearts at their most easily influenced. So I keep to it, trying to follow my husband's example and relying on his gifts to make up where I lack.

From Barna.org: ...teens who are evangelicals - i.e., those who are not only born again but also believe in the accuracy of the Bible, personal responsibility to evangelize, believe in salvation by grace alone, and possess orthodox biblical views on God, Jesus and Satan - have declined from 10% in 1995 to just 4% today.

Lord, help us reach the hearts of the children so they can reach the world.






In Other Words is being hosted by Nina at Mama's Little Treasures. Visit to read more posts and to link you your own take on today's quote.

IOW: To Touch A Child's Heart

http://typingone-handed.blogspot.com/2010/02/iow-to-touch-childs-heart.html

I am hosting In Other Words today: True Peace

Peace is not an easy concept to grasp. It sounds like the ideal state for which to strive...so much so that the political fad of the day is brokering peace accords--agreements between nations to live, if not in harmony, at least without war. This very tenuous kind of peace depends upon the signers of the accord keeping their promises. While I am sure not all such accords are signed out of political expediency, this peace - "as the world gives" - is not lasting. It can be broken over the most trivial of events: a change of political office holder; a perceived slight or insult. The world gives a temporary peace.

The Woman's Study Bible ( 1995, Thomas Nelson Publishers) says this:

Peace...is much more than the absence of conflict; it is an objective reality that brings harmony to life. Those who have not experienced the new relationship with God are subject to His wrath (Romans 1:18; 8:7, 8). The relationship between God and His creation is restored through faith in Christ, dissolving all enmity. The result is peace.

This peace is not between people. It is a restoration of the relationship between Creator and creation. With peace established, joy follows because there is joy in the presence of the Lord.

Practical Application:

I must admit I have let circumstances overwhelm my sense of peace these past few months. It seems that worry is a great thief of peaceful living. No worry is harder to overcome than that for our children.

When our son left for USMC basic training, my peace seemed to shatter all around me, but that was really an illusion caused by me diverting my eyes from the One in whom is perfect peace and joy.

Evidently while I was ready for my children to move into their adult roles, I wasn't totally ready to relinquish my protective tether. As of this posting, our son has been at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot on Parris Island, South Carolina, for 108 days instead of the 89 days we expected.

He graduates at the end of next week, 3-1/2 weeks longer than is typical due to some medical issues that occurred right as he entered the final phase of training. To say I worried is a gross understatement. With communication limited to letter writing, the need to know how he was doing consumed my waking moments--made longer by sleeplessness, caused of course, by out-of-control fretting.

This preoccupation with circumstances not under my control caused me to become very ineffectual as a Christian in all aspects of my life. Tearing up every other minute was not a very good testament to my faith.

The turning point in my transformation from fear to trust was caused by two things: 1) Our son made an off-hand comment about how he was getting more letters from Dad than Mom; 2) In an effort to rectify that and to encourage him during the toughest week of boot camp, I have been collecting and handwriting for him, devotions that reveal the steadfast love of God in times of difficulty and testing. Each one I copied and mailed to him helped chip away at the icy fear around my heart.

I can't say that I'm basking in the warmth of God's peace as I write this--too much is still to come before our son returns home--but I am finding myself pausing to feel the heat of His love for increasingly longer periods.

Let us give His love full scope. Nothing happens by itself, and every sorrow, every trial is part of the plan of love, part of refining.
Love meant it.
Love sent it.
Love will bless it. ~Amy Carmichael (1867-1951), missionary to India

For Further Study:

My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers, The Great Life
Back to the Bible Radio Program, Where Can I Find Peace?
Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Steps to Peace with God

Please leave a link to your blog post here.

I am hosting In Other Words today: True Peace

http://typingone-handed.blogspot.com/2009/10/i-am-hosting-in-other-words-today-true.html

I'm Hosting In Other Words - October 27, 2009

I'm hosting In Other Words on Tuesday, October 27, 2009. I would love for you to join us. Just read the quote and share your thoughts about it on your blog. Then come back and link to my page so others can enjoy your inspiration.



Text: "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful." John 14:27 NASB

I'm Hosting In Other Words - October 27, 2009

http://typingone-handed.blogspot.com/2009/10/im-hosting-in-other-words-october-27.html

IOW: Rejoicing in Contentment

Believer...banish your fears;
cast out all doubts;
lift up the happy head;
clap the exulting hands;
rejoice;
give thanks,

Your heavenly Father cannot set you in wrong places.
Your loving Savior cannot lead you in wrong paths.

All is well.

~by Henry Law~

We have a little cat that wandered onto our property. I think she lived in the woods on the hill across the road for a while. She finally braved the scary highway and crossed into her own little 'promised land.'

She slunk around here for a couple months, always hanging on the fringes of whatever was going on, running away if we paid her any attention.

One evening as we enjoyed the warm spring air, she crawled under our chairs. My feet were propped up on a table so she settled down under my seat. Our other cats were around and insistent on attention, so there was no just sitting quietly. Finally they had given us the small measure they decided we deserved and walked off. The little cat stayed hidden under my chair the whole time.

After a bit, I put my feet down and she ran back until they were no longer moving. I think she must have been kicked by someone, judging by how afraid of feet she was. I reached my hand down and spoke nonsense in soft, soothing tones. The little cat worked up her courage and came over and let me pet her for a minute before her fear overcame her and she ran off.

I continued to try to win her over, thinking eventually to haul her away so we didn't end up with wild kittens born in the garage or under the storage building. I started setting food for her, separate from where our other two cats fed, since one, Muffin (the reigning queen of our little farm), would chase her away, and the other, Rocko, would scare her off with his rough play.

I named our little stray Patches, for the gray patches over her otherwise white fur. Patches gradually came to trust me. And surprisingly, her gentle nature won me over and she earned a permanent home in our cat herd.

For a long time, even with all the loving kindness she was given, Patches would still dart away in fear as we walked by. Then she started to run up as I walked in the yard and stroll with me. Now she rushes from wherever she is sleeping into the driveway when we drive in and escorts us to the porch. She will even walk ahead, then come back to see what is taking me so long to get there. She always stops at the top of the stairs and waits for me to bend over and give her a scratch between the ears. She trusts me and will even sleep under my big wicker rocker while I rock. She has learned that I will not hurt her and she seems to appreciate that I'm the one who takes good care of her.

But there is one thing about our little Patches that I have noticed. She never purrs. Even if she works up the courage to jump into my lap for a nice long pet session, she never utters the slightest rumble. It's almost as if she is afraid to completely give herself over to the pleasure of my attention and love, just in case it is taken away.

Aren't we like Patches sometimes? We skirt around God's lovingkindness until we realize it is really offered to us. Then when we accept His grace and salvation, sometimes we still hold back timidly waiting to see if we will be kicked for all the mistakes we make. We become more confident in His love as we spend time with Him and He reveals His nature to us. But for some of us, who have experienced disappointment and disillusionment with people in our lives, fully trusting in God's steadfast love never really takes hold. We struggle with our old expectations and never give ourselves up to just resting in His grace and enjoying the blessings of His presence.

Come on, dear believers, it's time to release old hurts and painful memories and curl up in the Father's lap to enjoy His gentle hand. He LOVES us with a LOVE that is forever. It's time to purr!!!

Thus says the LORD,
"The people who survived the sword
Found grace in the wilderness--
Israel, when it went to find its rest."
The LORD appeared to him from afar, saying,
"I have loved you with an everlasting love;
Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.
"Again I will build you and you will be rebuilt,
O virgin of Israel!
Again you will take up your tambourines,
And go forth to the dances of the merrymakers. ~Jeremiah 31:2-4~

P.S. More on Patches' life story: Her previous owner saw her sunning herself on our porch rail earlier this summer and stopped by to confirm it was her. She had been missing from their home for more than a year. Because of vicious dogs that live near them that had already gotten another of their cats, they decided to leave her with us. Patches agreed wholeheartedly, even struggling out of her former owner's arms to run and hide behind my legs. She is six years old, has had one litter of kittens when she was a year old and has been spayed. She gets to spend the rest of her days in leisure her here on Morning Glory Farm. (She doesn't even have to do the mousing jobs...Muffin is our resident varmint hunter. And poor little Rocko was overcome by curiosity and didn't make it safely across the highway back in early June, so she doesn't have to worry about him pouncing down on her from high places as she walks by.) The only person she has to run away from is the Dynamo, but she does so halfheartedly. She submits to his rough love, then makes her escape as soon as he loosens his hug.

<-- Jennifer at Scraps & Snippets is hosting this week's In Other Words. Visit her to view more posts and to add your own take on today's quote.

IOW: Rejoicing in Contentment

http://typingone-handed.blogspot.com/2009/09/iow-rejoicing-in-contentment.html

IOW & WFW: No Shame

We deny Jesus every time we disregard His truth and put ourselves down. That hurts us. We deny Him every time we fail to see our value in Him. That hurts us. We deny Him every time we continue to hang on to our self-condemning thoughts and lies. That hurts us too. And then, it's as if Jesus turns and looks straight at us with His eyes of love and compassion, and something dawns on us. We have, in a sense, denied our Lord Jesus, and I wonder if that hurts Him."

~Shame Lifter by Marilyn Hontz~

There is a liar amongst us.

He slithers silkily into our lives to drape softly around our shoulders and whisper gently into our ears,

"Remember when you..."

"Who could forgive that...?"

"When that person hurt you, didn't you feel..."

"Do you really belong on this hallowed ground?"

"Since you've already messed up, why don't you..."

Shame is not of God. Shame says that we are bad, valueless, unworthy, defective, unlovable, inferior... Shame takes the wrongs, abuses, and neglect done to us and absorbs them into our self-image. We see ourselves as hateful, nasty, unworthy of love or simple kindness.

Satan is the father of shame. His desire is to twist every hurt or regret into a wedge that drives believers from staying close to our heavenly Father. He takes every word meant for encouragement and twists it into stabs that wound our fragile hearts, bleeding our joy from us...pouring into its place sorrow and fear and anger.

Beautiful lovers of God, we can defeat this liar with the Truth!

First, identify the lies we have believed about ourselves.

Second, confess to the Lord these lies.

Third, replace those lies with Biblical Truth about who God is and who we are as His beloved children.

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. ~ Romans 8:1 NKJV

Look now at ourselves through the eyes of His love.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.

Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

As it is written:


“ For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,

nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
~ Romans 8:31-39 NKJV

We must grab and hold to the Truth with everything within in us.

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 NKJV

Our acceptance of His Truth will lead our eyes from ourselves and point them to the Lord Jesus. Once we are focused on Him, we will be useful for His purpose.

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
~ 2 Corinthians 5:21 NKJV

Rejoice now in the righteousness of God we have through Jesus Christ. God made us to be His Beloved ones. Do not deny the Lord the joy meant for Him through a close, intimate, and true relationship with us.

In You, O LORD, I put my trust;
Let me never be ashamed;
Deliver me in Your righteousness.
Bow down Your ear to me,
Deliver me speedily;
Be my rock of refuge,
A fortress of defense to save me.
~ Psalm 31:1-2 NKJV

Beautiful lovers of God, rejoice!

These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. ~ John 10:11 NKJV

Strength to see ourselves rightly through Love's eyes comes from a close, enduring relationship with Jesus Christ. He assures us of His love and gives us the power to live as He desires us to live:

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
~ Romans 15:13 NKJV

Now, dear friends, if you have read this and find that you cannot understand what these words mean to you...perhaps it is time to start at the beginning with trusting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Please go here: Steps to Peace with God, read the wonderful words of Life. Come back and share with me how God has changed your world from the inside out.






<-- Loni at Writing Canvas is hosting this week's In Other Words. Visit her to view more posts and to add your own take on today's quote.


-->Susan at Forever His is hosting Word-Filled Wednesday. Visit her to view more posts and to add your own.

IOW & WFW: No Shame

http://typingone-handed.blogspot.com/2009/09/in-other-words-word-filled-wednesday-no.html

IOW & WFW: Why Do You Despair?

Affliction will either warm you up toward spiritual things or turn you cold.

~Joni Eareckson Tada,
A Lifetime of Wisdom: Embracing the Way God Heals You~

My brain absorbs this. It understands the wisdom and nods in agreement.

My fingers zip to the keyboard, ready to translate what my brain understands into words of encouragement. They hover ready over the keys...

But my heart is choked with pain and worry. It refuses to give over to the wisdom of my brain and the work of my fingers. It has caused a seemingly permanent lump to lodged in my throat.

The lump, in turn, chokes off kind tones - instead letting the fear and pain shoot out in unloving bursts on those deserving better.

My God knows my dilemma. He sends Words... as a song on the radio... as a verse on a Facebook post... as a video link in my email.

He cups my heart in His Hands, loosening the grip of misery tightly bound around it. He caresses and soothes, gently urging TRUST and FAITH in Himself - He Who also holds the hearts of the ones for whom I fear and fret.

Peace pushes through the pain... the tears still just a thought away... but His arm is gripping my shoulders to pull me in close when they spill over.






<-- Debbie at Heart Choices is hosting this week's In Other Words. Visit her to view more posts and to add your own take on today's quote.


-->Christy at Critty Joy is hosting Word-Filled Wednesday. Visit her to view more posts and to add your own.

IOW & WFW: Why Do You Despair?

http://typingone-handed.blogspot.com/2009/09/iow-wfw-why-do-you-despair.html

IOW: A Quiet, Yet Deliberate, Rebellion

Miriam at Miriam Pauline's Monologue is hosting In Other Words. Visit her to view more posts and to add your own take on today's quote.

But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD.” Jonah 1:3

What a strange time I am experiencing right now! What an appropriate quote for me to ponder...

My home is empty this summer except for my husband and myself. I never thought what "empty nest syndrome" really meant. Our children are all grown and on their own life paths. When our son left for USMC boot camp just over a week ago, my house and my cell phone became very quiet. I, who dearly cherish alone time, am finding myself at a loss as to how to fill my moments.

How do I redefine myself? Gain a new identity? I am still a mother, yet have no mothering responsibilities. How strange this is...something I have done for 25 years is no longer necessary to the extent I have previously known. Part of me is excited for the opportunities ahead, part is shaking with the thought of becoming an afterthought to those in whom I have invested more than half of my life. Yet, it is right that this should come.

When I look at Jonah, I see a reflection of myself. I had so much filling my days that it was easy for me to drift off to Tarshish on a ship of full of responsibilities. If some call from God seemed difficult or time-consuming - well I had meals to cook, a house to clean, little hands to wash, soccer games to attend, Sunday school lessons to study, books to read, new TV shows to watch, phone calls to answer. My life was overflowing with important things, good things, mundane things.

Yet, how often did I hear a Voice whispering for me to stop and listen, to kneel and learn, to prepare for His call? And how often did I let myself judge the task (or recipient of the task) unworthy of the precious time I had available?

Is a full life a life fulfilled?

But Jonah got up and went the other direction to Tarshish, running away from God. He went down to the port of Joppa and found a ship headed for Tarshish. He paid the fare and went on board, joining those going to Tarshish - as far away from God as he could get. ~ Jonah 1:3 The Message

How did Jonah, a prophet of God, think he could escape the Presence of the Lord by changing his location? When a task God gives us seems distasteful, is there a way to remove ourselves from His gaze?

One of my favorite Latin phrases is Coram Deo - living before the face of God. When I am walking on the path I know to be the one on which He is leading me, I rejoice in the idea that the omnipotent Creator of the universe is watching me and walking with me. Yet when that path seems filled with potholes and mud... I tend drift to the path of soft grass and no responsibility. What makes me feel like God doesn't see my rebellion? Or perhaps a better word is defiance.

Dictionary.com defines defiance as "intentionally contemptuous behavior or attitude." Wasn't that how Jonah acted? He openly disobeyed God because he decided that the people of Nineveh didn't deserve a chance to repent. His attitude conveyed the idea that God doesn't have the right to offer salvation to whomever He pleases.

In my full life have I ever deliberately turned away from someone God has put into my path? Yes.

Not too long ago I arrogantly turned away from someone who asked me for money. I detest panhandling. I told this person I had seen him earlier in the day doing the same thing.

As I self-righteously walked away with my $5 coffee in hand, his response reverberated in my ears, "I live here." There are no houses or apartments where I was...just a square filled with entertaining distractions and the river-front park. This man had no home other than a blanket under a tree by the river.

Did this man know that God loves him? I will probably never know - the city cracked down on homeless living by the river...they were driving customers away from the entertainment area. Will he have another opportunity to hear the Gospel? I pray it will be so.

Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I'll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age. ~ Matthew 28:19-20 The Message

Father, please forgive me when I disobey. Make me sensitive to Your call. Help me live a life worthy of that call. Amen.

IOW: A Quiet, Yet Deliberate, Rebellion

http://typingone-handed.blogspot.com/2009/07/iow-quiet-yet-deliberate-rebellion.html

IOW: Remembering Your First Love

Debbie at Heart Choices is hosting In Other Words. Visit her to view more posts and to add your own take on today's quote.

To just read the Bible, attend church, and avoid "big" sins - is this passionate, wholehearted love for God?

~ Francios Fenelon, The Seeking Heart

In every new relationship there is an initial sense of exuberance. The joy of being together drowns out all other distractions. Spending time with each other is the most important thing in the world.

When we are children we seek out every opportunity to be with our friends, even as the initial intensity of the friendship wanes and other friends come into our lives.

When we fall in love for the first time, we are consumed by thoughts of the object of our affections. Sometimes even minor separations feel like excruciating pain. But eventually, even that intensity also fades with familiarity.

If we truly care for the other and our feelings are reciprocated, we make deliberate effort to grow the relationship into one with strong and steady communication that includes daily contact.

But there comes a point even in the deepest relationships where we become so comfortable that we begin to take the other person for granted. Our excitement dims into expectation. The passionate farewells turn into quick kisses and an automatic "I love you" thrown over the shoulder as we go on to more interesting activities.

As we get older, we may see this as a normal progression. Maybe we are at a level where the intensity has dimmed and our relationship is one of simple contentment with little effort required to maintain it.

There is a very serious danger to allowing our relationships to become that comfortable.

We may discover a distraction or new relationship that stirs our sleepy passion, causing us to neglect or turn our backs on the relationship that once consumed us.

...and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name's sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Revelation 2:3-4

The church at Ephesus experienced the all-consuming intensity of first love when the apostle Paul came to them and established the early congregation there (Acts 18:18-21).

The next time Paul went to Ephesus, he stayed three years and his ministry to them helped the Ephesian church become a center for evangelistic outreach in the Gentile world.

And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. Also, many of those who practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all...So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed. Acts 19:18-20

The faithfulness of the Ephesian church even sparked a riot among the pagan business people in the city because so many were being drawn to Christ through the passion of the Ephesian believers that the pagans were loosing their businesses due to a lack of customers for their idols.

What drew the metropolitan people of Ephesus to leave their popular and politically correct pagan worship practices and follow a Carpenter from a dusty little town in Palestine?

It was not the believers' habit of reading a Proverb a day.

It was not the church's great programs and fellowships.

It was not the members' good deeds and honest living.

Although these things will get people through the church doors...

Only a dynamic, passionate relationship with God is enough for a person to give up a comfortable "good" life and turn to a life of holy living in Christ.

Yet we know that even the Ephesian church let themselves get comfortable.

They took for granted their security in the salvation from Christ.

They turned from their first love and let themselves be consumed with

going through the motions of worship...

singing all the right praise songs...

doing all the right things...

I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and found them liars; and you have persevered... Revelation 3:2

The danger of becoming content in mediocrity and routine is real for Christians today. Jesus was specific in what the consequences of that is -- we will no longer be useful to Him in bringing others to Him and therefore

I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place. Revelation 2:5c

Our salvation is secure in Him (Ephesians 1:13-14), but our usefulness is completely based on our

"passionate, wholehearted love for God"

Jesus told the Ephesian church

Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works. Revelation 2:5a-b

We also must REMEMBER:

And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God... Ephesians 3:17-19

~~~~~~~

Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. Ephesians 5:1-2

~~~~~~~

...speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ... Ephesians 5:19-20

~~~~~~~

Oh, love the LORD, all you His saints! Psalm 31:23a

~~~~~~~

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. Matthew 22:37

IOW: Remembering Your First Love

http://typingone-handed.blogspot.com/2009/07/iow-remembering-your-first-love.html

In Other Words: Wild Love and Extravagant Mercy

I am hosting In Other Words today. Please share your thoughts through comments and your own posts on today's quote in Mr. Linky at the bottom:

What I believe is so magnificent, so glorious, that it is beyond finite comprehension. To believe that the universe was created by a purposeful, benign Creator is one thing. To believe that this Creator took on human vesture, accepted death and mortality, was tempted, betrayed, broken, and all for love of us, defies reason. It is so wild that it terrifies some Christians who try to dogmatize their fear by lashing out at other Christians, because tidy Christianity with all answers given is easier than one which reaches out to the wild wonder of God's love, a love we don't even have to earn. ~Madeleine L'Engle

The yard next to ours has been neglected for years and the elderly owners have passed away. The new owners have a lot of work yet to do to make the house livable. So it stands sad and ugly except...

Smack against the front wall are several rose bushes.

The size and color of the roses on one bush captured my attention from half an acre away. This scraggly neglected bush boasts blooms that are a stunning pink. I looked at the roses for days, admiring them. Finally I grabbed my by-pass pruners and cut a stem with a fully open bloom and one bud.

I stripped some of the thorns off the stem, dipped it in rooting hormone and placed it in a pot on my rooting table. The open bloom is spectacular. I am becoming quite tiresome to my family as I continually point it out and try to convince them to get in close to inhale its heavenly fragrance.

I am not normally a rose person, as rose bushes require a level of attention that I have never had time to give. But this rose has special meaning to me. The man who planted it lived a life that will soon be forgotten...he drank heavily throughout his life, was mean and mouthy most of it until he developed brain cancer in his latter years. Suddenly, he became a humble and meek man-dependent on others for help in the simplest matters.

This man planted the roses at a time when he was prideful and boasting. He carefully tended them so they would present the best show in his landscaping. He cut all the trees out of his yard so that there was a unobstructed view of his house. Now all that is faded away with peeling paint and crumbling foundations. The new owner has already ripped out the front shrub border and he might need to yank out the rose bushes during his renovations.

Such exquisite beauty reduced to weeds....... I had to get a cutting and try to recapture the glory of these fragrant roses.

I have to confess that I am unable to take most important step necessary to preserve the plant and assure it roots successfully. In order to focus the plant's energy on developing a strong and deep root system, I should cut off the bloom and the bud. I am finding the sacrifice of the beauty too much...I can't do it.

"the wild wonder of God's love"

God did not hesitate to do whatever was necessary to bring to Himself and root us firmly in His love.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. ~John 3:16-17

The beauty of an ordinary babe, born in the ordinary way--grown into an ordinary Man living an extraordinary life to redeem His creation:

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. You are My friends... ~John 15:13-14a

"All for love of us..."

This Creator knew from the beginning before He created anything that we would betray Him. He knew that the creation He breathed His own life would one day desire to kill Him. And yet He loved us:

But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. ~Isaiah 53:5

"a love we don't even have to earn"

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us...made us alive together with Christ...For by grace you have been saved through faith...it is the gift of God. ~Ephesians 2:4, 5, 8

"so magnificent, so glorious"

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. ~Ephesians 1:13

So then Pilate took Jesus and scouraged Him And the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head...

Pilate...again...said to them..."I find no fault in Him."

And He, bearing His cross went out to a place called...Golgotha, where they crucified Him.

So Jesus...said..."It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. ~John 19 selected

No "tidy Christianity with all answers given"

...Because this Wild Love and Extravagant Mercy defy definition in any way other than the cross of Jesus Christ!

While I am finding the idea of destroying the blossom on my rose cutting difficult, ultimately I will--probably within the next few days. To sooth myself, I will preserve the petals to use in potpourri or tea. But I know that the only way I can have an abundance of the Beauty is to do the right thing now, even though it means giving up the beauty I already have.

Lately, I find myself looking to a freer form of worship. So much demands my time and attention that I don't feel I have a moment to waste tied up in dogmatic Christianity. I desire to notice everything--to not let even a single joy or wonder go unrecognized. I don't have the patience to suffer the foolish separation among the churches of God caused by differences of interpretation.

Only two things matter:
1) Christ did not come to earth, take "on human vesture, [accept ]death and mortality, [be] tempted, betrayed, broken" to make a divided church--He came to give us unity and love through the Spirit.

2) Only two kinds of people exist - those who know God in an intimate fellowship and those who are completely separated from Him.

My responsibility is to share with those who know God the blessings He gives me and to tell those who don't know Him that He loves them wildly and extravagantly--and to love them as He does!

~~~~~~~

***1:30 p.m. eastern: Just a note to clarify any misunderstandings from my words today (as I responded to Deborah in the comments)--

I am not advocating giving up fellowship in church...more giving up the idea that anything more than the truth of the Gospel of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, and how we respond to it, have any importance.

When it comes down to the dogma --- how one dresses, jewelry... tattoos... the music one listens to (I like praise and worship music and lite Christian rock)... those should not affect how we welcome fellow believers into our midst. I believe we should spend more time learning to walk like Jesus did than worrying whether to cut our hair or cover it! And I believe that we should focus on getting into the Word daily...not worrying about whether the version someone else uses is KJV, NASB, NIV. etc.***

In Other Words: Wild Love and Extravagant Mercy

http://typingone-handed.blogspot.com/2009/06/in-other-words-wild-love-and.html

IOW: Fog on Mt. Moriah

Loni is hosting In Other Words today. Please visit her at Writing Canvas to share your thoughts and to read what others have posted.

“I learned that faith isn't tested by how often God answers prayers with a yes, but by my willingness to continue serving Him and thanking Him even when I don't have a clue as to what He is doing.”

~Gary House, Seeking the Face of God:
The Path to a More Intimate Relationship with Him

Driving down Interstate 77 from Virginia into North Carolina can be a spectacular drive, particularly when the sun is shining from the west and you arrive at the point where you can see the valley into North Carolina all the way to Mt. Airy. This drive can also be treacherous even on the best of days. The grade is at 4-1/2 percent and there is an elevation change of 1500 feet. All along the route there are escape ramps for tractor trailers that loose their brakes.

As long as the driver of the car or truck has kept up maintenance on his or her vehicle and obeys the traffic rules, including suggested speeds--not just speed limits, the trip can be accomplished in safety and enjoyment. Until something out of the driver's control appears...like fog.

Driving in fog changes the environment from friendly to dangerous instantly. On that particular stretch of I-77 the fog settles all around your car and it is impossible to see anything ahead or behind you. Turning on your headlights is a necessity, but increasing their brightness by using your high beams is a mistake as the fog seems brighter and closer to your car. You have to be satisfied with driving slowly and cautiously seeing just a few feet in front of your car, always being on the lookout for other vehicles suddenly appearing right in front of you.

No matter how many times you have made that trip, the danger of the fog never becomes safer. Being familiar with the route helps only in that you can anticipate where the road will curve next. You have no control over what is around that curve and little time to prepare for obstacles.

I wonder if Abraham felt like he was in a blinding fog as he obeyed God and headed to Mt. Moriah with his son Isaac. He knew the route, he packed enough provisions for the trip. He also packed the supplies for a sacrifice. These things were easily identified, so the entire community probably knew Abraham and Isaac were going to the mountains to worship the Lord with a sacrifice. The three day trip must have seemed so short to Abraham as he thought over the Lord's directive:

"Abraham! Take your dear son Isaac whom you love and go to the land of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I'll point out to you." Genesis 22:1-2 MSG

This boy Abraham loved was the child of promise given to him in his old age. He had waited 25 years for Isaac to be born. Just the wait for the child was a test of faith in itself. Abraham passed that test with only a few bumps along the way. But now Abraham had to be questioning God...since He had been clear that His promise to make Abraham a great nation would be accomplished though Isaac.

At the point Abraham and Isaac took the supplies for the sacrifice and turned up the mountain to hike to the top of Mt. Moriah, Isaac noticed a vital part of the sacrificial ritual was missing. Isaac was probably not the small child that popular picture Bibles depict. Likely he was a teenager and in their culture, already considered an adult. I suspect Isaac was aware of the possibilities when he questioned his father.

"My father! We have flint and wood, but where's the sheep for the burnt offering?" Genesis 22:7 MSG

The fog must have seemed really thick at this point. Abraham didn't know what God was going to do. He just knew that the God he had acknowledged at Beersheba (Genesis 21:33-34) as El Olam, the Eternal God, would keep His promise to use Isaac as the seed for a great nation. But Abraham understood the ritual of sacrifice. It involved binding the sacrifice, cutting it's throat, letting the blood coat the altar, then burning it. He intended to follow through with what he knew to do even though you know he was in agony at the thought of doing those things to his son.

Yet Abraham answered Isaac's question with quiet faith.

"God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." Genesis 22:8 NASB

Without understanding why God was requiring this sacrifice, Abraham did as he was told.

They arrived at the place to which God had directed him. Abraham built an altar. He laid out the wood. Then he tied up Isaac and laid him on the wood. Abraham reached out and took the knife to kill his son. Genesis 22:9-10 MSG

I love how Mrs. L.B. Cowman includes the conclusion of this story in Streams in the Desert: May 9 devotion.

Once Abraham's faith had victoriously endured its greatest test, the Angel of the Lord--the Lord Jesus, Jehovah, and He in whom the "many promises God has made..."--spoke to him and said, "Now I know that you fear God" (Genesis 22:12). The Lord said to him, in effect, "Because you have trusted me through this great trial, I will trust you, and you will forever be 'my friend' (Isaiah 41:8)." The Lord promised Abraham, "I will surely bless you...and through your offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me" (Genesis 22:17-18).

Do you think that fog Abraham had been walking in just melted away, burned off by the radiance of God's mercy and blessing?

God is faithful to His own, even when we are clueless as to His purpose. Not being able to see the end of the road (or more than a few feet in front of us) should cause us to move closer to God, holding on to Him tightly as we wait for Him to show us the way.

"Faith, when walking through the dark with God, only asks Him to hold his hand more tightly." ~ Phillips Brooks, Episcopal minister and author of "O Little Town of Bethlehem"

IOW: Fog on Mt. Moriah

http://typingone-handed.blogspot.com/2009/05/iow-fog-on-mt-moriah.html