Dr. Phil-WLS-Orange Analogy

(April 5)
Last night I got home from work, turned on the TV and nothing was on so I scanned through the channels and Dr. Phil said he was going to be talking to a woman who had lost 100+ pounds after weight loss surgery...so I cued in and watched it.

It was amazing...it was as though I was sitting there talking to him...I could SOOOO relate to what she was saying. She said she felt she had "lost her identity"...and that's what I have been telling my husband for about 6 months now.

It's sorta like an orange once you've taken off the rind...the rind protects the "inner self" but once it's removed the "inner self" is exposed....and it takes on a new look (this is my analogy here). Vunerability is a definite...not sure of what to expect...and then the separating of the orange segments...and the individuality begins. Each segment of that orange represents something in us...fear of rejection, fear of "what if", who am I, what am I supposed to be doing, where do I go from here, failure, set-backs, etc.

However if we take those segments and turn them over to God, He will take care of them...He has a plan for each of us and His ways are higher than our ways...He loves us and protects us...He IS, He WAS, He ALWAYS WILL BE. We have to trust Him wholly, knowing that whatever we are going through He is our Guide, our Protector and our Father.

I struggle with handing it all over to Him and leaving it there..."Here God, take this...and this...oh, wait a minute I can do that one." I need to learn to leave it at the foot of the cross and rely on God to see me through.

Father, I come to you today, bearing this open flesh, giving it over to you to heal, to guide, to protect. I know that I must rely on You to see me through no matter what. Help me to leave my "stuff" at the foot of the cross and live the life you have set out for me. Show me where You want me to go, how You want me to serve. Give me Your peace that only You can provide. Amen!

God's Love

I didn't want to go to church last night but glad that I did...have a really AWESOME discussion on God's love.  :)  

It stemmed on the healing of the woman who bled for 12 years.  She was UNCLEAN in all measures of her life.  EVERYTHING she touched would have been considered unclean.  This means her home, her family (children/husband), food, clothing...EVERYTHING!  She would have been 100% ostracized!  She could never TOUCH anyone, anything.  She couldn't hold her husband (if she were married - this is not one of the facts given us), never hug and love on her kids.  It would have been worse than being a leper because at least they had other lepers to be with.  

Some scholars believe she could have walked as many as 30 miles to get to Capernaum.  Anyone she came into contact that day (including Jesus) would be ceremonially unclean for SEVEN days!  Yet here she is...in a HUGE crowd...with HOPE in her heart that all she had to do was touch the very HEM of his garment to be healed!  Jesus would have been UNCLEAN just because of this!  

When He felt the power leave Him he asked, "Who touched me?"  This made his disciples question Him as He was SURROUNDED by the crowd...yet He knew someone had tapped into His power...felt the drain.  He knew yet He asked.  She dropped to her knees and told him the WHOLE STORY.  Did He judge her?  Did He shun her?  NO!  He said, "DAUGHTER"!  This is the ONLY reference in the entire bible where Jesus called a woman "DAUGHTER" face-to-face!  Here was a woman; scorned, abandoned, physically exhausted, mentally scourged...yet He called her DAUGHTER!  He cleansed her from the inside out and set her FREE!  How awesome is that!  

What "ailment" are you hanging onto?  What can God heal in you today?  Fall to your knees and tell Him the whole story.  Let Him hear from your lips out loud what is bothering you.  By giving it to Him OUT LOUD it removes Satan's power to control.  Satan is NOT able to know our thoughts...he is NOT on the same plain as God...he is an angel, not an equal.  Sure, he can influence our thoughts but HE DOES NOT KNOW THEM!  He knows our weaknesses, he looks for cracks in our armor in which he can plant seeds of doubt.  

Romans 10:9-10 (NIV)
That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

Wrestling with God

This past few months I have been wrestling with God, wondering what He has in His plans for me.  I have been feeling a "wrestling" into a ministry I do not want!  I have been praying for God to relieve me of this "wrestling" like Paul did with the thorn in his side...yet I feel that this is something that I am to do for His glory.

I talked to James on the way home today and told him of this "wrestling" with God...the "I don't wanna" syndrome...the little kid in the corner that throws a fit because dad wants a child to do something.  I have told James time and again that this IS NOT what I want to do!  Give me this or give me that Lord...but don't make me do this!  Yet, even today, I felt this "wrestling" in my spirit.  

My heart has been tender and open lately between the two studies I am doing, my daily reading and the pastor's sermons....the time is right for me to do this...yet my head still rebels with the idea for I am not strong in this ministry!  As a matter of fact it SCARES me to death!  How many times have we heard "God doesn't care for your comfort, He cares about your character"?  Well, this is NOT my comfort...as a matter of fact the total opposite!

So what did Paul say?  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. (2 Cor 12:9b)

Lord, give me peace on this decision, for it it through Your power and grace that this ministry will become my passion.  I will pick up my cross and follow You, letting Your strength carry me through this mission field that you have laid before me.  And I pray this in the name of your son Jesus.   Amen.

PS.  Several verses came to mind today as I pondered/prayed over this ministry....

Proverbs 3:5-6

Ephesians 1:11-12

Romans 12:2

James 4:15

Psalm 143:10

Jeremiah 29:11

In His grace,

Theresa

God things are not a "Coincidence"!

Have you ever experienced "God bumps"???  This past week or so has been a God thing week for me to say the least. My skin has literally "tingled" this week as God worked in me!  This will definitely be a "rambling" today but God things are NOT a coincidence!

James and I continue book one of the Navigator 2:7 as a home study.  We meet Sunday afternoon after church and lunch to discuss the week's homework, do our verse memorization and talk about our Bible reading for the week and what we have learned through that study.  I have to admit that this week I haven't spent time in my Bible but with God, in prayer and meditation.  I have seemed to have "lost" myself over the past year and God is helping me to "find" me again.  I have spent mornings in prayer this past week, have been reading the book for my Wednesday night study, memorizing God's Word and been "taken to the wood shed" more than once...through all of the above!

Sunday morning in Crosstraining we have been (and continue) to discuss "What Christians Believe and Why".  We have started our 2nd quarter this month and it was hard for me to decide whether to participate in the other Sunday morning class/Sunday evening video ("To Live is Christ" by Beth Moore) or to continue in pastor's class.  At one point I thought I would do pastor's class in the morning and then do the video at night...but at the last minute decided that now was not the time.  

Wednesday night I joined a group doing "Forgotten God" by Francis Chan.  This study is about the Holy Spirit, the one part of the Trinity that is often overlooked.  We are into week four (this Wednesday) and...my, oh my...this study is really challenging me!  This week it talks about "quenching the Holy Spirit"!  Quenching = to put out, extinguish, to suppress, to put an end to, to destroy, to cool off.  Boy, I find myself suppressing Him all the time! 

We, as a church body, were called to a 172 hour prayer vigil by our pastor.  That's right...starting last Sunday at 8 am until today at 12 noon...172 hours of continual prayer.  I chose a three-hour block this past Monday while James was doing book two of Navigator 2:7.  

I had made my "agenda" for that evening...I would start in the "prayer room" then go into each class room and pray over that specific class, teacher and students.  However, God had other plans for me that night.  I stayed the entire three hours (albeit one bathroom break) in the "prayer closet": praying, praising, praying, singing, praying, reading the Bible and praying again!  I sat in the chair and on the floor,  laid face down before the Lord, stood and paced.  I cried out, I smiled, I clapped my hands and spent a glorious three hours in the presence of the Lord.

God said to Solomon, "if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place." (2 Chronicles 7:14-15)   

Today we had a totally out-of-the-ordinary worship service: singing and giving testimony.  Lives were changed, miracles performed this week as we followed God's command to become humble, pray and seek His face this week!  Tears flowed in joy, hands clapped in praise and above all GOD WAS GIVEN THE GLORY!  We were in the presence of the Lord today!  We ended with "God of This City"...knowing that God is not done in "this city".  (I get God bumps just listening to this song!)

I can't wait to see what God has in store for me (and my church family) this week!  I have to say that I am spiritually full this week and it's just a wonderful feeling!  I know that He is just beginning His work in me with this new year and I am so excited about being His daughter!

Love in Christ,

Theresa

Navigator 2:7 and Philippians 1

Today James and I started Navigator 2:7 as a bible study.  James has already completed book 1 and will be starting book 2 with the guys at church.  I wanted to do this study and God opened the door that we could do this together.  

Funny how God works things out as James and I have been discussing what to do for our personal bible study.  It's been such a long time since we had done a bible study together because we have LET life get in the way.  Now, with an empty home, it allows us the time and energy to do this together, in the quiet and peacefulness of our home.  

I still will be doing my private reading time daily.  This morning I read Philippians 1...and what did I glean?

God, open my mind and my heart so that I can increase my knowledge and depth of insight, to discern what is best and be filled with the fruit of righteousness. (Phil 1:9b-11a)

God, show me how to spread your word through goodwill, doing so in love. (Phil, 1:15b-16)

I want to live for Christ, even though persecution may come my way. (Phil 1:21)

I want to be able to conduct myself in a manner worthy of the Gospel and to stand firm in one spirit. (Phil 1:27)

Father God, today I come to you with humility and pliability, open my heart to your word so that I may learn to be more Christ-like in my daily life.  Be fresh and new in me and through me today, that your will be done.  Amen!

Today we sung a new song that touched my heart....

The More I Seek You

Kari Jobe

The more I seek you,
the more I find you.

The more I find you,
the more I love you

I wanna sit at your feet
drink from the cup in your hand.
Lay back against you and breath,
hear your heart beat

This love is so deep,
it's more than I can stand.
I melt in your peace, it's overwhelming

The more I seek you,
the more I find you.

The more I find you,
the more I love you

I wanna sit at your feet
drink from the cup in your hand.
Lay back against you and breath,
hear your heart beat

This love is so deep,
it's more than I can stand.
I melt in your peace, it's overwhelming

I wanna sit at your feet
drink from the cup in your hand.
Lay back against you and breath,
hear your heart beat

This love is so deep,
it's more than I can stand.
I melt in your peace, it's overwhelming

I wanna sit at your feet
drink from the cup in your hand.
Lay back against you and breath,
hear your heart beat

This love is so deep,
it's more than I can stand.
I melt in your peace...

God bless!

Theresa

January 1, 2011 ~ A New Beginning

As I sat during my devotional time earlier this week, I realized I needed to make a change this year for me.  I've been struggling with who I am for a while now...not sure if it's because of having an empty house again with just my husband or the surgery or an avalanche of stones that have built into a huge road block in my life.

So the first change I am making this year is opening the Word daily, writing down scriptures that "speak" to me and spending time in prayer.  I want to know God's will for me at this junction of my life.

Three days ago I prayed for God's leading and then opened my bible...right to Hebrews 11...that's right...the FAITH CHAPTER!  Oh dear...like that was a rude awakening!  :)  God led me through the chapter, opening my eyes to many verses within, my heart to what I need to focus on first...rebuilding my faith and trust in Him.

Two days ago I read Hebrews 12...discipline...OUCH!  God disciplines those He loves and calls His children.  So I guess that is the next step...take His discipline standing upright (or should I say on my knees) and grow in it...to a life of righteousness in His name!

Yesterday I read Hebrews 13...He will never leave me!  He is with me always!  Praise Him!  Equip me to do Your will!

Today I noticed a devotional on the side by these chapters and decided to follow the suggested reading...right to Psalms 147-150...just confirming the past three days of reading!

Here are a few excerpts:

"The Lord sets the prisoners free!"

"The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down!"

"The Lord loves the righteous!"

"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds!"

"The Lord delights in those who fear Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love!"

And the final summation....

"LET EVERYTHING THAT HAS BREATH PRAISE THE LORD!"

I thought of the song "I WILL FOLLOW" by Chris Tomlin after reading through these chapters today...

Where you go, I'll go
Where you stay, I'll stay
When you move, I'll move
I will follow...

All your ways are good
All your ways are sure
I will trust in you alone
Higher than my side
High above my life
I will trust in you alone

Where you go, I'll go
Where you stay, I'll stay
When you move, I'll move
I will follow you
Who you love, I'll love
How you serve I'll serve
If this life I lose, I will follow you
I will follow you

Light unto the world
Light unto my life
I will live for you alone
You're the one I seek
Knowing I will find
All I need in you alone, in you alone

In you there's life everlasting
In you there's freedom for my soul
In you there joy, unending joy
And I will follow

So today....will you follow Christ?  Will you do what He wants for you in this earthly life?  Are you willing to sacrifice yourself, pick up your cross, and follow Jesus today?