In Christ - I am always in God's thoughts

I am always in God's thoughts...

Psalms 139:17,18 How precious to me are Your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!  Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with You. 

Isaiah 49:15-16 "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!  See, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands; your walls are ever before Me."  

Jeremiah 29:4-13 Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all who were carried away captive, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon; “Build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit.  Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters - that you may be increased there, and not diminished.  And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the LORD for it; for in its peace you will have peace.  For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are in your midst deceive you, nor listen to your dreams which you cause to be dreamed.  For they prophesy falsely to you in My name; I have not sent them, says the LORD.  For thus says the LORD: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.  And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

September 21, 2011
Finding Hope for My Future Despite the Pain of My Past
Renee Swope
"God works all things together for good."

"You were created for a purpose"

"God has a plan for your life."

“What do you feel when you read these promises? Do you believe them, or do you sometimes question if they're true for you?

“I've doubted, and I've believed.

“Soon after I surrendered my life to Christ, I started struggling with painful things from my past that made me doubt God's promises. I wondered: If God loves me, why has He allowed so much pain in my life?

“If He loved me, why did God allow my family to be broken by adultery and divorce, shattered by confusion and chaos, shaken by alcohol and drug addictions and so much more? And why didn't He stop me from the pain I brought on myself, or keep me from the darkness of depression?

“One afternoon I got the courage to tell my friend Wanda about my doubts and questions. I remember how she didn't give me a pat answer, but looked at me with understanding in her eyes and told me she was sorry. Then she told me her story, which included many disappointments and heartbreaks. Yet, I didn't sense doubt or pain in her words. Instead, I sensed confidence and hope.

“Turning the pages of her Bible to Jeremiah 29, Wanda read today's key verse as a promise to me: 'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.' (v. 11)

“She then told me God wanted to heal the pain of my past and use what I'd experienced to pave the way to His plans for my future. But I didn't want God to use my pain or my past. How would any of it do anything good for anyone, especially me?

“Have you ever felt that way or asked: ‘If God loves me, then why...?’

“These are the kind of questions that can linger in our hearts when we've been wounded and disappointed. And hurts that aren't healed can lead to bitterness and bondage. Yet, in the security of a relationship with Jesus, God invites us to ask hard questions and look for answers that usher us into the depths of His redeeming love and healing power.

“Can I whisper some hope into your heart today? If you are living and breathing, your purpose has not yet been fulfilled. No matter what you have done or what has been done to you, God does have a plan for your life.

“So, how can you discover those plans? Let's read the premise that follows the promise in Jeremiah 29. After God declares He knows the plans He has for us, He says, ‘Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.’ (v.12-13)

“We find God's plans when we surrender ours to Him each day. It's a moment by moment process of coming to Him, talking to Him, believing He listens and letting Him love us into a place of hope and healing.

“God's love is not a quick-fix for our wounds, but it has the power to redeem and restore us into confident hope. When we allow the Holy Spirit poured out like Living water to go deep into our pain, He can heal our hearts from the inside out.

“As we process the pain of our yesterdays and live through the disappointments of our todays, doubts may still creep up, threatening to steal our hope. But each time that happens, we can stop and seek God in that place. We can ask Him to show us His purpose by revealing what is true about who we are and what we have been through to make us start doubting.

“Then we can ask Him to help us re-define our future, not through the filter of our past and pain, but through the power of His life-giving truth. And do you know what happens when we do that moment by moment, day by day, doubt by doubt? God tells us in Jeremiah 29:14, ‘I will be found by you...and will bring you back from captivity.’

“We find Him again and again. We find the One who longs to lead us out of captivity to our doubts into a place of freedom and hope. I know this is true because I have walked it, wrestled with it, resisted it and finally surrendered to it.

“God's love is not only unfailing, it redeems and restores. His Truth cuts to the core of our struggles, bringing purpose to our pain, redemption from our past and hope for our future!

“Lord, heal my hurts and give me hope as I learn to trust the plans You have for me. I'm coming to You and seeking You with all my heart today. Please set me free from my doubts and lead me into a place of confident hope. In Jesus' Name, Amen.”

It can be easy to feel like God isn’t looking – or He doesn’t care – when we’re hurting or when bad things happen in our lives.  I know that feeling myself.  There have been many times when I’ve felt SO alone – and wondered where God was in the midst of my pain and hurt.  I’ve come to see the truth of today’s devotional – God is right there in the midst of it.  He doesn’t shy away from the mess of our lives – He’s there with us – walking us through it – helping us see our way out – and cheering us on.  We’re NEVER alone.  We’re NEVER out of His sight – or off of His mind – or out of His prayers!  Hold on to that the next time you feel overwhelmed – God is with you – and He is for you!

If you’ve been to one of our groups you’ll remember the visual we show you – a small vial of sand – and we talk about how many THOUSANDS of grains of sand are in that test tube.  God’s thoughts towards us outnumber THAT!  They outnumber the grains of sand on a BEACH – in a DESSERT – ON THE PLANET!  We can’t even begin to comprehend how much He’s thinking about us!  No matter what we’re going through, God is there – He cares – He’s thinking about you!  Hold on to that and never let go!  Sharon

In Christ - I am washed clean from my sins

I am washed clean from my sins...

Isaiah 1:18 "Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool."

Ezekiel 36:25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. 

Joni and Friends Daily Devotions – February 16, 2009

“Because I cannot reach for a Bible and flip open the pages with my hands, I make it a point to memorize scripture. It's the only way I can have the Word of God at my fingertips! For me, memorizing portions of the Bible is very practical. I use the King James Version of the Bible when I commit God's Word to memory. The words are uncommon - a little like poetry - and my mind seems to retain it easier.

“When I was memorizing Psalm 51, I stopped short at the second verse. It says, ‘Wash me throughly from mine iniquity.’ At first I thought it was a printing error, but after a little research, I learned it was the Elizabethan-English-way of saying ‘through and through.’ You could paraphrase it, ‘Wash me through and through from my iniquity.’ It's not many times I prefer English from the 16th century, but this time I did. I don't want God to merely scrub me good on the outside - it's not a matter of cleansing me from my sin - but washing me clean, clear through.

“The word ‘throughly’ doesn't exist anymore. When I wrote it on my computer, my automatic spell check kept trying to change it to thoroughly. But I'm with Shakespeare, Queen Elizabeth, and King James on this one. I don't want God to do a surface job on my character; I want Him to get rid of every vestige of deep-down hidden sins.

* * * * * * * *

“First Thessalonians 5:23-24 says (in modern English), "May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." From what hidden or secret sins can you ask God to wash you through and through today?

“Lord, I confess______________________. Thank you for forgiving me and completely cleansing me from all unrighteousness. Safeguard my heart and mind and keep me pure.”

When I moved into my “new” (to me) house last year I had to make a decision about the carpet that came with it  – did I keep it and have it professionally cleaned – or did I need to replace it and start fresh.  I hadn’t realized how dirty the carpet was when I bought the house because the lady who lived there still had all of her furniture in the house and the areas that were badly stained where somewhat covered by coffee tables, end tables and floor runners.  Once she was completely moved out I could clearly see what had been hidden – the carpets were REALLY dirty.  I gave it some thought and made the decision to have the carpet replaced.  Since then I’ve learned that old, stained carpet does not clean up well –surface dirt may come up with a professional cleaning – but underneath the carpet is the padding, and dirt/grime embedded there isn’t going to come out.  Eventually – over time - the stains will return.   Carpets can’t be “throughly” cleaned – just like our heart, mind, and spirit can’t be “throughly” cleaned by just doing surface work.   It’s important to note WHO is doing the “through and through” cleaning – GOD.  We can try – but we’ll never be able to do a “through and through” cleansing – only Jesus can do that for us.  That requires an attitude of humility – we see our inability to be “throughly” cleaned – and we allow the Lord to do that inner work of cleansing that is necessary.  It’s only when we give up our own efforts and allow Him to do what He does best that we can be truly cleansed.

Once we’ve been cleansed we can – and should – make every effort not to pollute our heart/mind/soul again by allowing idols and evil any room in our life.  That’s a day-by-day – sometimes moment-by-moment exercise in hearing the Holy Spirit and allowing Him to show us things that the enemy uses to pollute our inner man.  It might be that you can’t watch certain TV programs or go to some movies – it could be that you will need to cut back on shopping – or stop buying magazines that cause you to stumble.  Listen for His direction – and respond!  If you feel yourself being stained and polluted by the world, you can always go back and ask Jesus to wash you again – to cleanse you – to make you whiter than snow – and He will!  Sharon

In Christ - I am a child of God

I am a child of God...

Psalms 68:5 A Father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy dwelling. 

John 1:12,13 Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God--children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. 

Romans 8:14-15 Because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.  For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by Him we cry, <"Abba,> Father."  

I John 3:1  How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!

April 20, 2010

Mary DeMuth, She Speaks Conference Graduate

 "For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God."

1 Corinthians 1:26-29 (NASB)

“I didn't know that when those older boys pinned five-year-old me to the earth, my backside poked by brambles, that someday God would choose that frightened little girl, sexually abused for a year, to shame the wise. But He chose a shattered me.

“I didn't know that as my childhood home filled with drugs and unsafe parties, God would rescue weak and scared me. But, eventually, He salved my fears.

“I didn't know that as I ran from other predators, the boys' marks on me like a beacon, I'd someday limp into the arms of a Savior. I felt debased, unworthy, ugly, dirty, ruined. But He welcomed me.

“I didn't know that as my earthly father slipped from this earth, my Heavenly Father stood nearby, open armed. Though my earthly father's death left me fatherless, my Heavenly Father didn't orphan me. He grafted me into His family.

“I didn't know that as I considered different ways to kill myself in junior high, as I faced a third parental divorce, that Jesus' own beautiful death provided a way of new life for me. He rescued me from taking my life.

“I was all the things the apostle Paul wrote about in today's key verse, and then some. Neglected, needy, pained, lost, small, frightened. And yet God took those negatives and beautified them with Himself. That's the great paradox God brings to all of us, no matter how "easy" or hard our upbringing. It's not that we're strong and sufficient and wise, it's that He is.

“Perhaps you've looked back on your past and shuddered. Perhaps you've questioned God about why He'd allow atrocities in your life. But consider this: God gets the most glory in the life fully surrendered to Him, and it's hard for a self-sufficient person to submit. He does the most work in our helplessness. (See 2 Corinthians 12: 9, 10).

“Our weakness and frailty are not merely places of desolation; they are dance floors—holy places where the God of the universe is allowed to freely move in our lives. Our own lack allows for and welcomes this sacred dance where God's talent outshines our capabilities, where only He receives the glory.

“Will you lay down your past today? Will you trust Him with the mess, the memories, the mayhem? If you do, He will take the marred pieces of your life, reassemble them, and make you fly. So you (because of Him) can shame the wise.

“Lord, I confess I've seen my own injuries as reasons to blame you and keep You far from my heart. I'm sorry. Help me instead to see my weaknesses as a place where You can demonstrate Your strength. I welcome You into the painful places. Do something new and miraculous. I don't want to be embittered. I want to be free. And I want to give You all the glory. In Jesus' Name, Amen.”

I know it can be really hard to see God as a loving Father if you come from a background like this – it doesn’t make sense, does it?  That’s where we have to exercise our faith and trust that God can see the whole picture, and He’s working something beautiful in us through those wounds.  Don’t believe for a minute, though, that your Heavenly Father didn’t care – He did – and He does – and He wants to heal you and set you free from all of that so that you can truly experience all of the blessings of being HIS – His precious, beloved child!  SO – if you’re struggling with a past full of hurt, shame and guilt – turn it over to the Father – let Him help you see the purpose and give you just a tiny glimpse of what He is working into your life.  Trust that He is with you through everything – He will never let you go – He loves you like no earthly Father ever could!  Sharon