Why does one woman lose her house in a fire while another woman’s house stands?
Why does one woman lose her house in a fire while another woman’s house stands?
Showing posts with label God's Purpose. Show all posts
Showing posts with label God's Purpose. Show all posts
Wednesday, 12 June 2013
Why Is Life So Much Harder for Some People Than Others?
Why does one woman lose her house in a fire while another woman’s house stands?
Wednesday, 17 April 2013
Looking Beyond Disappointment
By Charles Stanley , Christian Post Contributor
John 11:3-6
When disappointments come your way in life, it is easy to blame yourself or others-or even both. Frequently it is difficult to know what to say or do because you cannot quite identify the real cause or purpose of the letdown.
Disappointment is often an emotional response to our own failure-or someone else's-to achieve a desire, hope, dream, or goal. This can lead to losing faith in someone on whom we were depending-perhaps even a person we love.
The gospel of John tells us that Jesus loved Martha, her sister Mary, and their brother Lazarus. Because of this, they didn't sense the need to tell the Lord anything more than "He whom You love is sick" (John 11:3). Their expectation was that as soon as Jesus heard this, He would come and heal their brother. But He didn't set out for two more days.
God Delays
On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days (John 11:17).
Mary and Martha were very close to Jesus. The Bible says Jesus loved Mary, Martha and Lazarus. Mary was the woman who came and poured expensive perfume on Jesus and the disciples rebuked her.
Lazarus, Mary and Martha's brother, had become terminally ill. Jesus was away in Jerusalem during the time of Lazarus' illness. After Jesus heard the news that Lazarus was ill, instead of running to the aid of Mary and Martha, Jesus waited two days. Lazarus died and was placed in a tomb. His response to the news was: "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it" (John 11:4). Jesus had to look beyond Mary and Martha's current grief in order to fulfill God's purpose for this sickness.
"When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home" (John 11:20-22). Mary was in deep mourning over the death of her brother. When she finally went to see Jesus, she immediately cried out to Him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."
Sunday, 17 March 2013
Get Ready for the Impossible
by Rick Warren
“He chose to give us
birth through the word of truth …” (James 1:18a NIV)
God wants to use
his Word to give you a fresh start in life.
Without God’s
Word, we could never be saved. We wouldn’t be headed for Heaven. We wouldn’t
know about Jesus’ death on the cross. We wouldn’t know about God’s purposes for
our lives.
Without the
Bible, we can’t know God.
God wants to give
you all of that — but it starts with his Word. Through the Bible, God recreates
our life. When I feel like I’m at the end of my rope, God uses the Bible to
give me a fresh start, a do-over. The Bible calls it being “born again.” In
James 1:18, the Bible says, “He chose to give us birth through the word of
truth …” (NIV).
Sunday, 20 January 2013
Hallelujah!
“He brought out His people with rejoicing,
His chosen ones with shouts of joy;
He gave them the lands of the nations,
and they fell heir to what others had toiled for –
that they might keep His precepts
and observe His laws.
Praise the LORD [Hallelu Yah].” — Psalm 105:43–45
Hallelujah is an amazing word. It spans continents, cultures, and languages. Hallelujah beautifully expresses our praise of the Lord. Yet, the only place that it actually appears in the Hebrew Bible is in the book of Psalms. Even then, it isn’t introduced until the last third of the book. It first appears in the last line of Psalm 104, or according to some, the first line of Psalm 105. And it is in Psalm 105, which concludes with “Hallelu Yah” that we can understand its full meaning.
What does hallelujah really mean?
His chosen ones with shouts of joy;
He gave them the lands of the nations,
and they fell heir to what others had toiled for –
that they might keep His precepts
and observe His laws.
Praise the LORD [Hallelu Yah].” — Psalm 105:43–45
Hallelujah is an amazing word. It spans continents, cultures, and languages. Hallelujah beautifully expresses our praise of the Lord. Yet, the only place that it actually appears in the Hebrew Bible is in the book of Psalms. Even then, it isn’t introduced until the last third of the book. It first appears in the last line of Psalm 104, or according to some, the first line of Psalm 105. And it is in Psalm 105, which concludes with “Hallelu Yah” that we can understand its full meaning.
What does hallelujah really mean?
Wednesday, 16 January 2013
What Makes a Woman Significant?
The story of Mary of Nazareth illustrates that true identity is not found in a job, a spouse, a child, a position, or a possession.
by Nancy Leigh DeMoss
What does a “godly woman” look like? How can a woman fulfill the eternal purpose for which God created her? Thankfully, the Word of God gives us the instructions we need; it also provides a number of role models—women who illustrate what it means to walk with God and to be used by Him.
One of my favorite biblical role models is Mary of Nazareth. In her life I have found a wealth of wisdom for my own walk with God. Her story illustrates many of the characteristics of the kind of woman God uses to fulfill His redemptive purposes in our world.
by Nancy Leigh DeMoss
What does a “godly woman” look like? How can a woman fulfill the eternal purpose for which God created her? Thankfully, the Word of God gives us the instructions we need; it also provides a number of role models—women who illustrate what it means to walk with God and to be used by Him.
One of my favorite biblical role models is Mary of Nazareth. In her life I have found a wealth of wisdom for my own walk with God. Her story illustrates many of the characteristics of the kind of woman God uses to fulfill His redemptive purposes in our world.
Thursday, 10 January 2013
GOD HAS EVERYTHING UNDER CONTROL
When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever. Proverbs 10:25
Throughout the Bible, God reveals that He is always in control over His vast universe and even our seemingly insignificant lives. Here is a true-life story from a member of the persecuted church:
“I was the only convert of a man who died thinking he was useless to God. Both our crimes were for violent robbery and we actually shared a prison cell together.
“He told me about how—by mistake—he had been placed into a cell with a group of Christians. They were singing hymns at night and praising God together. He saw them as a soft touch and robbed them of their food parcels. He even beat them to show who was boss. For the first time in years he felt powerful again. But somehow they were not afraid of him and repeatedly shared their faith in Christ.
Throughout the Bible, God reveals that He is always in control over His vast universe and even our seemingly insignificant lives. Here is a true-life story from a member of the persecuted church:
“I was the only convert of a man who died thinking he was useless to God. Both our crimes were for violent robbery and we actually shared a prison cell together.
“He told me about how—by mistake—he had been placed into a cell with a group of Christians. They were singing hymns at night and praising God together. He saw them as a soft touch and robbed them of their food parcels. He even beat them to show who was boss. For the first time in years he felt powerful again. But somehow they were not afraid of him and repeatedly shared their faith in Christ.
Thursday, 20 December 2012
Stick to Your Calling
"Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God.... Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began." (2 Timothy 1:6,9)
Are you doing what God called you to do?
If you haven't ever thought about it before, that may sound like an odd question to you. You may be tempted to shrug it off and say, "Oh, I'm not really called to do anything. I'm not a pastor or a teacher or a minister of any kind...I guess I'm just what you might call a little finger on the Body of Christ."
Friday, 7 December 2012
Pearl Harbor: The Tale of the Sundays
By Wallace Henley , Special to CP
December 7, 2012|8:39 am
The date President Franklin D. Roosevelt said "will live in infamy" was a Sunday, December 7, 1941.
Captain Mitsuo Fuchida and his Japanese fighters came roaring out of the Pacific vastness at 7:48 that Sunday morning, heading for the American naval base at Pearl Harbor. Like a squadron of giant hornets, they stung a hefty portion of the American Pacific fleet with destruction and death, then winged off into the sunrise.
I was born December 5, 1941, just two days before Fuchida's blast through Pearl Harbor. I came within 48 hours of having to hear my birthday solemnly dubbed for the rest of my life as a "day of infamy."
Saturday, 24 November 2012
The Joseph Story
Written by John Grant
“All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:18
Recently, we attended a drama presentation of the story of Joseph and his family. The Bible story became alive to me as I witnessed one of the greatest stories of reconciliation.
God prepares His servants in many ways to accomplish His purpose. The story of Joseph is repeated every day in the lives of His people. The circumstances may be different, but the results are the same. God trains His servants through sometimes difficult “boot camps.” When that training is complete, He places them in strategic places to be a provider-both physically and spiritually.
Friday, 23 November 2012
Christ-likeness Is Produced Through the Holy Spirit
by Rick Warren
“God is working in you, giving you the desire and
the power to do what pleases him.” (Philippians 2:13 NLT)
It is the Holy Spirit’s job to
produce Christ-like character in you.
The Bible says, “As the Spirit of the
Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and reflect his glory
even more” (2 Corinthians 3:18 NLT). This process of changing us to be more
like Jesus is called sanctification.
Sunday, 2 September 2012
Glimpses of Glory
Blessed be His glorious name forever! And let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen. Psalm 72:19, NKJV
As our plane began its approach to the runway, I marveled at the way the lowering sun reflected off everything wet and metallic-streams became ribbons of molten silver, car windows flashed like golden shields, and puddles shone like shiny pennies. As a cemetery rushed toward me on the left side, I briefly noted that there were no headstones-only plates of brass, marking each grave. But I wasn't prepared for what happened next.
As we flew over, suddenly the sun exploded off the tops of hundreds of the brass markers in quick-fire succession. Bam! Bam! Bam! As the plane tilted, each marker ignited with a flash bright as a diamond. And then it was over, and our plane touched down. It happened so fast, as if in a twinkling of an eye. I had been looking out the window, dreaming about heaven, and the Lord opened the eyes of my heart to glimpse heaven's glory. I got a bird's-eye view of I Corinthians 15:51-52 when "we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed-in a flash-in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed."
Saturday, 7 July 2012
all things work together for good
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." - Romans 8:28
If you don't believe that God makes all things work together for His children, then just watch the top video below.
GodVine.com
If you don't believe that God makes all things work together for His children, then just watch the top video below.
It's one of many examples of God having a much bigger plan for us than we can even see.
Have a nice day and God bless.
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This video is very touching because not only does its how how precious a dog can be given the chance, but it also shows how God works in ways that we don't even realize. This little girl's dog, which was originally found in a garbage can, ended up saving her life. Amazing.
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Sunday, 10 June 2012
Seasons of Life
Written by Barbara Alpert
Are you in a hard season today? Come talk to a mentor.
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.”(Ecclesiastes 3:1)
Imagine if you had the option to start your life off like a fairy tale, “Once upon a time”, and write your own “and they lived happily ever after”. Most likely, the sweet script you envision entails joy, love, money, and every good thing life offers. Who would include hardship, suffering, and loss into their fairy tale life? However, real life, as we know, includes a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven. In Ecclesiastes 3 King Solomon notes all of the seasons of our lives:
Tuesday, 22 May 2012
Fine Pottery
O, man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay? —Romans 9:20-21
Once we grasp the purposeful will of God for our lives, we no longer desire to kick against the pricks. Instead, we will find ourselves free from fear, in humble submission to His will. But if we are not acquainted with His character, we have trouble releasing ourselves into His purpose.
Once we grasp the purposeful will of God for our lives, we no longer desire to kick against the pricks. Instead, we will find ourselves free from fear, in humble submission to His will. But if we are not acquainted with His character, we have trouble releasing ourselves into His purpose.
The Potter takes the clay made from the dust of the ground, puts it on His wheel, and begins to shape it. Perhaps you have so many trials and tribulations in your life until you can't focus and start to lose your grip. You may feel as if you can't hold on much longer. But the Potter never takes His loving eyes away from you. God is working His plan in your life.
Saturday, 31 March 2012
Trusting God With Your Tomorrows
Gwen Smith, www.GwenSmith.net
On the far side of a desert, high upon the mountain of God, a voice called out to Moses from within a curious, fiery bush. He had been tending the sheep of his father-in-law’s flock, minding his own business, going about his normal day-in-day-out tasks when God spoke to him from the flames. On the day that God called Moses to a fresh and fiery mission. A mission of deliverance.
Once a noble prince of Egypt with the world at his feet, Moses had become a lowly shepherd with dust on his sandals. His crown had been traded in for a staff. The palace days were far behind Moses now. He fled them because of what he had done. Glancing to his left and his right to be sure that no one would see what he was about to do, Moses took a horrible situation into his own hands and killed a man. He had murdered an Egyptian and covered the body with sand.
Fear and shame bombarded his heart so he fled — away from his dream-filled, royal future to a desert place of humble hiding. The door to his yesterdays was closed. Moses had moved on to a new place. His past was his past and he had no intention of returning to it. His life was different now. Normal, not noble.
Then God interrupted Moses’s new normal. He made it undeniably clear that His plans for Moses were different. Bigger. God’s intentions were for freedom — the freedom of His people, the Israelites, who were captives, slaves to Egypt. God called Moses to face the pains of his past so that the Israelites could face a future of freedom. His plans of emancipation required that Moses obey Him, listen to His voice, follow His instructions, and trust Him.
Moses quivered and doubted. He made excuses about why he couldn’t do it. He felt completely unfit and unqualified for such a task. It was risky. But God met Moses at his doubts. He called him to courage and went on to use Moses as an instrument of deliverance, truth, power, and freedom. Yes, Moses made mistakes along the way, but God was powerful in, through, and in spite of each one. Through it all, God led as only God can. He led with power. He led with purpose. He led with love. And through Moses, God led His people to a new place of promise and freedom.
On the far side of Charlotte, North Carolina, high upon a mountain in a retreat center, a voice called out to me from within a curious and fiery story. I had been tending to my husband and children, to the laundry and the dishes, writing songs and leading worship at women’s events, minding my own business, and going about my normal day-in-day-out tasks on the day that God spoke to my heart through the testimony of another woman. On the day that God called me to a fresh and fiery mission. A mission of deliverance.
Once a sold-out, dream-filled God-girl, I had become a grace-embracing yet disqualified-for-anything-big-because-of-what-I-had-done God-girl. My use-me-in-a-big-way-Lord prayers had been traded in for average can’t-have-a-dream-anymore faith-living. My God-dream days were far behind me. I had fled them because of what I had done in my junior year of college. Glancing to my left and right to be sure that no one would know what I was about to do, I took a horrible situation — an unplanned pregnancy — into my own hands and killed a baby. I robbed life from my own child when I had an abortion, and I covered over the death of my precious child with sands of compartmentalization and reason.
Fear and shame bombarded my heart, so I fled — away from God, away from my dream-filled, royal future to a desert place of heart-hiding. After a season of brokenness, God brought me to a place of beauty, forgiveness, and healing. I was restored and redeemed by scandalous, merciful grace. The door to my yesterdays was closed. I moved on to a new place in Christ. My past was my past and I had no intentions of returning to it — or to the God-dreams that swelled my heart when I was a young, sold-out Jesus lover. My life was different now. Normal, not dream-worthy.
Then God interrupted my new normal. He made it undeniably clear that His plans for me were different. Bigger. God’s intentions were for freedom — the freedom of His people, the women who were captives,slaves to their life-wounds. God called me to face the pains of my past so that my Girlfriends in God might face a future of freedom when they hear my testimony. His plans of emancipation required that I obey Him, listen to His voice, follow His instructions, and trust Him.
I quivered and doubted. I made excuses about why I couldn’t do it. I felt completely unfit and unqualified for such a task. It was risky. But God met me at my doubts. He called me to courage and is using my broken-into-beautiful story as an instrument of deliverance, truth, power, and freedom. Yes, I make mistakes along the way, but God is powerful in, through, and in spite of each one. Through each surrendered day, God is leading as only He can. With power, with purpose, with love. And I pray right now that this story — my story — will bring you to a new place of promise and freedom through the grace of Jesus Christ.
What fresh and fiery mission is God calling you to trust Him with, friend? Let me encourage you to stop with the excuses. I’m living proof that God will free anyone from her shame and can use anyone for His purpose. Step up to the burning bush — into God’s presence. Listen to His voice. Obey. Follow. Take courage. Trust Him with your past and with your tomorrows. Allow His grace and love to decide what your mission should look like.
But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth. (Exodus 9:16)
Let’s Pray
Dear God, with a trembling heart, I approach Your throne of grace today in reverence and humility, fully aware that You are holy and I am not. Speak, Lord. Show me the plans You have for me. Bind me to Your Word and to Your strength so I will have the courage to obey. May my brokenness be restored for the beauty of Your glory. Please help me to trust You with my today and my tomorrows. In Jesus’s name I pray, amen.
Gwen Smith is a co-founder of Girlfriends in God. She’s also a popular Christian speaker, author of Broken into Beautiful, songwriter, and worship leader. Be sure to connect with her on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/GwenSmithMusic or on her website:www.GwenSmith.net.
Editor's Note: The following article is excerpted from Trusting God: A Girlfriends in God Devotional, by Sharon Jaynes, Gwen Smith, & Mary Southerland (Multnomah Books, 2011). This selection is written by Gwen Smith. Used with permission.
On the far side of a desert, high upon the mountain of God, a voice called out to Moses from within a curious, fiery bush. He had been tending the sheep of his father-in-law’s flock, minding his own business, going about his normal day-in-day-out tasks when God spoke to him from the flames. On the day that God called Moses to a fresh and fiery mission. A mission of deliverance.
Once a noble prince of Egypt with the world at his feet, Moses had become a lowly shepherd with dust on his sandals. His crown had been traded in for a staff. The palace days were far behind Moses now. He fled them because of what he had done. Glancing to his left and his right to be sure that no one would see what he was about to do, Moses took a horrible situation into his own hands and killed a man. He had murdered an Egyptian and covered the body with sand.
Fear and shame bombarded his heart so he fled — away from his dream-filled, royal future to a desert place of humble hiding. The door to his yesterdays was closed. Moses had moved on to a new place. His past was his past and he had no intention of returning to it. His life was different now. Normal, not noble.
Then God interrupted Moses’s new normal. He made it undeniably clear that His plans for Moses were different. Bigger. God’s intentions were for freedom — the freedom of His people, the Israelites, who were captives, slaves to Egypt. God called Moses to face the pains of his past so that the Israelites could face a future of freedom. His plans of emancipation required that Moses obey Him, listen to His voice, follow His instructions, and trust Him.
Moses quivered and doubted. He made excuses about why he couldn’t do it. He felt completely unfit and unqualified for such a task. It was risky. But God met Moses at his doubts. He called him to courage and went on to use Moses as an instrument of deliverance, truth, power, and freedom. Yes, Moses made mistakes along the way, but God was powerful in, through, and in spite of each one. Through it all, God led as only God can. He led with power. He led with purpose. He led with love. And through Moses, God led His people to a new place of promise and freedom.
On the far side of Charlotte, North Carolina, high upon a mountain in a retreat center, a voice called out to me from within a curious and fiery story. I had been tending to my husband and children, to the laundry and the dishes, writing songs and leading worship at women’s events, minding my own business, and going about my normal day-in-day-out tasks on the day that God spoke to my heart through the testimony of another woman. On the day that God called me to a fresh and fiery mission. A mission of deliverance.
Once a sold-out, dream-filled God-girl, I had become a grace-embracing yet disqualified-for-anything-big-because-of-what-I-had-done God-girl. My use-me-in-a-big-way-Lord prayers had been traded in for average can’t-have-a-dream-anymore faith-living. My God-dream days were far behind me. I had fled them because of what I had done in my junior year of college. Glancing to my left and right to be sure that no one would know what I was about to do, I took a horrible situation — an unplanned pregnancy — into my own hands and killed a baby. I robbed life from my own child when I had an abortion, and I covered over the death of my precious child with sands of compartmentalization and reason.
Fear and shame bombarded my heart, so I fled — away from God, away from my dream-filled, royal future to a desert place of heart-hiding. After a season of brokenness, God brought me to a place of beauty, forgiveness, and healing. I was restored and redeemed by scandalous, merciful grace. The door to my yesterdays was closed. I moved on to a new place in Christ. My past was my past and I had no intentions of returning to it — or to the God-dreams that swelled my heart when I was a young, sold-out Jesus lover. My life was different now. Normal, not dream-worthy.
Then God interrupted my new normal. He made it undeniably clear that His plans for me were different. Bigger. God’s intentions were for freedom — the freedom of His people, the women who were captives,slaves to their life-wounds. God called me to face the pains of my past so that my Girlfriends in God might face a future of freedom when they hear my testimony. His plans of emancipation required that I obey Him, listen to His voice, follow His instructions, and trust Him.
I quivered and doubted. I made excuses about why I couldn’t do it. I felt completely unfit and unqualified for such a task. It was risky. But God met me at my doubts. He called me to courage and is using my broken-into-beautiful story as an instrument of deliverance, truth, power, and freedom. Yes, I make mistakes along the way, but God is powerful in, through, and in spite of each one. Through each surrendered day, God is leading as only He can. With power, with purpose, with love. And I pray right now that this story — my story — will bring you to a new place of promise and freedom through the grace of Jesus Christ.
What fresh and fiery mission is God calling you to trust Him with, friend? Let me encourage you to stop with the excuses. I’m living proof that God will free anyone from her shame and can use anyone for His purpose. Step up to the burning bush — into God’s presence. Listen to His voice. Obey. Follow. Take courage. Trust Him with your past and with your tomorrows. Allow His grace and love to decide what your mission should look like.
But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth. (Exodus 9:16)
Let’s Pray
Dear God, with a trembling heart, I approach Your throne of grace today in reverence and humility, fully aware that You are holy and I am not. Speak, Lord. Show me the plans You have for me. Bind me to Your Word and to Your strength so I will have the courage to obey. May my brokenness be restored for the beauty of Your glory. Please help me to trust You with my today and my tomorrows. In Jesus’s name I pray, amen.
Gwen Smith is a co-founder of Girlfriends in God. She’s also a popular Christian speaker, author of Broken into Beautiful, songwriter, and worship leader. Be sure to connect with her on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/GwenSmithMusic or on her website:www.GwenSmith.net.
Adapted from Trusting God by Sharon Jaynes, Gwen Smith, & Mary Southerland by permission of Multnomah, division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Publication date: January 17, 2011
Thursday, 23 February 2012
A Prayer for Employment
Our Heavenly Father is very interested in you and desires the very best for you. It is His will that you prosper and be in health as your soul prospers (3 John 2). Be aware that God is not limited to meet your need or bless you through a paycheck, although He can certainly use a paycheck to do so. Always remember that God is your source and you are His very own child.
Keep the Word first place in your life. Do what God told Joshua in Joshua 1:8: “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good succes.”
We join our faith with yours as you pray this prayer:
“Father, in Jesus’ Name, I seek Your wisdom and trust You to direct me in seeking the job that is best for me. I will walk in mercy and truth and lean not unto my own understanding. Thank You for opening wide a door which no man can shut and for giving me favor.
“It is my desire, Father, to be debt-free and owe no man anything except to love him, according to Your Word. I am willing to work with my own hands, so that I lack nothing. I praise You that it is Your will that I am self-sufficient financially and have an abundance to meet all of my needs, with enough left over to give generously to others.
“I will not fret or have anxiety about anything, Father, for Your peace mounts guard over my heart and mind. Because You are my source, I have confidence, comfort and encouragement in Your provision. I thank You, Father, for supplying my need of employment according to Your riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
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