Category Archives: Encouragement for Women

I Never Liked Tests!!

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I Never Liked Tests!

Ok, I admit it…I never liked taking tests in school.  And when I think about it, I don’t like them now! I don’t want to pretend that I am “super spiritual” and like them….I don’t!

We all have been through personal trials.  And like many of you, tried to learn from them.  I am trying to be an encouragement to some loved ones dealing with specific trials right now.

John 6:5-6 “When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.”

The King James Version says: “When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.”

Look at the words test and prove. In these particular scriptures the Greek translation of the word is peirazo.  This means “to try, to prove in a good sense.”  This is in direct contrast to the Greek word dokimazo which means “proving that one has been evil or to make him evil.”  The intent of the first, peirazo is to prove someone good and acceptable.

James 1:13 tells us that God does not “tempt” us.  Things that are evil were sent to destroy us.  But from my very humble, layman’s  understanding, the tests we often endure will refine us and prove who we are in Christ!  God is allowing us to be “approved, to be tried as metals by fire and thus purified.”  We are becoming more and more like Him!  He knows where we are spiritually and how He has equipped us to be worthy and approved.  What a good, affirming word for us today!

Think of it this way:  A student is tested to see what he/she has learned in a certain subject area.  He is given a test and somehow in someway it proves what he/she knows.  Now if he fails the test, it looks as though nothing was learned.  It could have been a bad day for a test, or he/she may have really not learned anything.  If he passes it might be that learning took place, or he had the ability to guess well!

The Father knows where we are and when we are tested and proved.  He is trying to show us what we have learned from Him and His word.  Do we believe that, do we trust Him?  This strengthens our faith and indeed teaches us.  He is never tempting us with “evil”.  He cannot do that, be He can take what the enemy intended for evil and make it good, if we choose to see the life and love of the Savior.

I do not claim to understand God’s ways…but I do know that we are to filter it all through His tender nail scared hands of love….life it tough, but He will pull us through and teach us along the way.

Be blessed~

IN CHRIST ALONE

Isaiah 55:8-9

*google image, Strong’s Concordance, NIV/King James Bible

Questions….

Christ's rest, Christian encouragement, Discouraged Christian, Encouragement for Women, Freedom in Christ, Grace, Hope, Jesus Christ, Love of God, Spiritual Encouragement, Surrender, To Rest in Christ, Trials, Troubles, , , , , , , , , , ,

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Questions…..

We all have them.  I am overwhelmed a bit with some at the moment.  I am reading a Beth Moore Bible Study, THE BELOVED DISCIPLE. It is a great study on all of the disciples, but of course John is the focus.  She presented a statement about what John believed, and I turned around the statements and then asked myself these questions.  

1.) Jesus offers a lot of life~do I take Him up on it?

2.) Jesus sheds a lot of light~do I walk in it?

3.)  Jesus reveals a lot of glory~do I behold it?

4.)  Jesus delivers a lot of truth~do I believe it?

5.)  Jesus shed a lot of blood~do I feel covered by it?

6.)  Jesus lavished a lot of love~do I receive it?

7.)  Jesus is full of everything we could ever need or desire~do I receive it in abundance?

It seems as though when I am experiencing a trial, I experience the abundance.  Can I experience it in the everyday?  Do my choices in the everyday circumstances allow me to receive what He has for me?  Do I choose to believe, even when the simple daily circumstances swirl?

I do believe that the Father hears our hearts.  He hears our desire to know Him more…I am so glad that I don’t have to explain myself to Him.  

“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10

How grateful I am that He doesn’t care that I have questions…I might not get answers, but I can always ask….

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Be blessed~

IN CHRIST ALONE

Isaiah 55:8-9

*THE BELOVED DISCIPLE by Beth Moore, NIV Bible, google image*

 

I DO & I DID!

Christian encouragement, Discouraged Christian, Encouragement for Women, Freedom in Christ, Grace, Hope, Jesus Christ, Love of God, Spiritual Encouragement, To Rest in Christ, Trials, Troubles, Who I am in Christ, , , , , , , , , , ,

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I DO & I DID

There are two events that I really enjoy….wedding and anniversary celebrations. I have always enjoyed looking in the paper’s social page at pictures of both. The pictures of people that have been married forty, fifty and sixty years or more are the best, especially when the newlywed picture is side by side the anniversary one!

I recently saw a picture of a couple celebrating their 71st Anniversary! The genuine love that the couple had for each other was so evident in the picture. Their grin and the look in their eyes said it all.

I had the privilege of being with my daughters-in-law on their wedding day as they prepared for their groom. I am not sure if their hands perspired or their hearts fluttered…but I do know the looks of love they had when they walked down the aisle looking upon my sons’ faces. The bridegrooms might have had knees knocking, teeth chattering…I am not sure. But the look of deep love when they saw their brides was one I personally will cherish forever.

Revelation 19:7 “Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb had come, and his bride had made herself ready.” Revelation 21:2 “I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.”

I cannot really imagine the return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I can get a sliver of a glimpse because of what I have seen at weddings, but I am sure nothing compares. The bridegroom with come and take away his bride (the body of Christ). No wonder the relationship of marriage is described by the Father as a symbol of His love. He longs for and yearns for an intimate relationship with us. Intimacy that can only come from marriage. Intimacy that deepens over the years as couples face trials and tribulations.

Looking at couples that have been married over 50 years I marvel at the depth of their love. Many times they could have given up. They have traveled down many roads and paths together. Have you ever noticed that the longer people are married, the more that they seem to resemble each other? They always can complete each others’ thoughts and sentences!

We are working on our 35th year of marriage, and it is true! My hubby cannot say a word and make a clicking sound with his tongue, and I know something is bugging him. Or we can look at each other and know what the other is thinking when we have experienced the same social experience. It is so funny!

I believe that is how it is suppose to be with the Father. As time goes by we face many things in life. But as we travel this road of life, the years add up, we become more like our bridegroom, more like Jesus!! We choose to get to know him in an intimate and personal way. Our love deepens, the relationship become the type of relationship in which we know Him so well, we are able to complete the sentences!

I love this quote from Steve McVey, “We are HIS bride, not his hostage.” Married couples do for one another because they want to do for their partner. They do not do so because they are being held hostage by their spouse.

By the same token, we are HIS bride and not HIS employee. The Father allows us to be a part of His work here on earth because of His love for us, not because we need to earn a place in His heart. This is no more true that my husband paying for me to be his wife. I am his wife because I love him. The same is true of the Father.

Try to remember walking down that aisle, or imagine doing it someday and look at who is standing there waiting with open arms.

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Be blessed~

IN CHRIST ALONE

Isaiah 55:8-9