Daily Archives: May 20, 2012
picture it & write-Prompt #27; Why Should I?
I viciously threw the measuring tape to the ground. The black and white markings glared at me from down below. It felt good to throw it away. Why did I torture myself over a few kilograms or an inch? I didn’t measure my relationships with my friends, my emotional state, or the breadth of my smile with a tape. So, why did I measure my self-image with one? The tape appeared to writhe on the floor, wanting to latch onto my thighs, hips, and waist to critisice and ridicule me. I had come to realise that a healthy body cannot be determined by a black and white number. I ripped the tape in two. There were so many beautiful shades of grey and I was happy with mine.
- Ermisenda Alvarez
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Free Write Friday; Time & Place Scenario – Dear God, What Now? – Part 7
“Perfect,” Monique said as Reggie handed her the address, “I will pick you up there shortly and we will have a marvelous conversation!! I promise it won’t be boring.” After which she flashed her the most brilliant and kind smile that Regina had ever seen. At that moment she felt a surge of great love for this woman, Miss Monique D’bua.
With that being said, they parted company. When she had returned to the hostel, she left a wake-up for two hours later. That would give her plenty of time to take a quick shower and re-apply her make-up before Monique arrived.
Reggie fell right to sleep as soon as her head hit the pillow and awoke refreshed. She was looking forward to dinner, not only because she was famished, but she truly enjoyed Monique’s company as well.
Just as she expected, Monique arrived promptly 3 hours later, at 5:30. She said she had a special restaurant that she wanted to take Regina to eat at, her treat! As they exited the hostel, Reggie saw a stretch Limo was sitting there. ”Is that our ride?”
Monique giggled a little bit and nodded, “Yes, it is! Do you like it?”
“Oh yes, very much so!”
“Well, it’s my husband’s money, you see, but he allows me to freely spend it! He inherited a fortune from his parents when they passed on and then increased by at least 10 times after that. It’s what you Americans call ‘ old family money’ that gave him his start.”
On the ride, they chatted about generalities; her trip, the people she had met, etc. Reggie was quite comfortable talking to Monique by the time they were seated for dinner in their private dining room.
Monique flashed that brilliant smile at her again while saying, “I thought this would give us some privacy to discuss the coming events. Besides, I just plain don’t feel like being stared at while we talk.”
“Okay,” Reggie replied, “since you brought it up, why don’t we get started now?! The suspense is killing me.”
“Alright then. I prayed over it again while I was shopping to be sure that I got everything right and I was assured that I did. First, I’m so happy to be a part of your journey because I have, first of all, made a new friend that I like very much and, second, because I have been praying for God to give me something to do with all these resources that I have at my disposal.”
Reggie was so excited that she was gushing, “You mean you are coming with me?!”
“Yes, I am for now anyway!” Monique couldn’t keep the elation from bubbling up any longer and began laughing uncontrollably when Reggie jumped up and started dancing around their private room. Monique’s laugh was so sweet, it sounded like an angel, and very contagious. Reggie decided she better sit down before she ended up rolling on the floor.
“Oh, Monique, I am so grateful to both God and you for this! I hate traveling alone as it is but to a whole other unfamiliar continent was very intimidating, not to mention the language barrier. Besides all that, I wanted to have more time to spend with you too! I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship!!” … to be continued
Teresa Marie 5/20/12 ©
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Related articles
- Free Write Friday; Time & Place Scenario – Dear God, What Now? – Part 5 (terri0729.wordpress.com)
- Free Write Friday; Time & Place Scenario – Dear God, What Now? – Part 2 (terri0729.wordpress.com)
- Free Write Friday; Time & Place Scenario – Dear God, What Now? – Part 3 (terri0729.wordpress.com)
- Free Write Friday; Time & Place Scenario – Dear God, What Now? – Part 4 (terri0729.wordpress.com)
Your Sunday icanhascheezburger Laughs
It’s a conga line!!!
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Awww!
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This Week’s Sermon From The Ranch – Believing And Obeying God
| (Each Sunday, This Day’s Thought is blessed to share Eric Elder’s sermons from his wonderful ministry, “The Ranch“) |
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Believing And Obeying God
Lesson 38 from Romans: Lessons In Renewing Your Mind
Today we’ve reached the conclusion of the book of Romans, the final words of Paul’s letter that punctuate his goal for writing it. These words also underscore the purpose for which God wants to renew your mind: so that you might believe and obey Him. Here’s what Paul said:
“Now to Him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey Him–to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen” (Romans 16:25-27).
Paul often concluded his letters by giving praise to God, just as he did in his letter to the Romans. Sandwiched in between his words of praise, he also mentions the purpose for which the mystery of Jesus Christ has been revealed: so that all nations might believe and obey Him. This is God’s desire for all people in all nations, including you and me-that we would believe and obey Him.
As I’ve mentioned in earlier devotionals, there’s a difference between believing inGod, and believing God. You can believe in God, yet still not believe Him–still not be convinced about who He is and what He can do in and through your life. God wants you to believe in Him, for sure. But He also wants you to believe Himwhen He tells you something regarding your life, and He wants you to take action based on that belief.
This is a major part of renewing your mind as well. God wants you to renew your mind so that you can bring your thinking in line with His. When you do this, you’ll be better able to believe and obey Him, regardless of whatever life may throw your way.
I’ve been praying quite a bit this week for my wife Lana, who as many of you know, was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer a few months ago. Apart from a miracle, the doctors say that this type of cancer is incurable and will shorten her life considerably. As you can imagine, our faith has been put to the test on a daily basis regarding what we believe about God and what He is doing through all of this. Yet with all that’s going on, we continue to find God’s peace in the midst of it.
How? Because God has spent considerable time and effort over the years filling our minds with His thoughts about us, that He is for us, not against us, and that He will work all things for good, even in this.
At the risk of being extra-vulnerable, I’d like to share one of my journal entries with you from earlier this week. I often write down my questions for God in my journal, and then listen for what He might be saying in response. While I’m not always sure if the thoughts I attribute to God are really mine or His, they do give me a starting point for helping me think through what He might be trying to say to me. With that disclaimer, here’s what I felt God was saying to me earlier this week regarding His will for Lana and her healing, most of which are based firmly in what He’s already written in His Word:
“Eric, you know my will is that she be healed, that she have no more pain, and that she never be separated from you. You also know that in this world you will have trouble, but take heart, I have overcome the world. Peace I give you, peace I leave with you, not as the world gives, but My peace I give you. I know you believe I could heal her in an instant. But I also know that you believe I can work all things for good, ALL THINGS, no matter what happens. Eric, I have prayed for you that your faith may not waver. Yes, I do give, and yes, I do take away, but I know and I trust that you will still praise Me. Your faith is, of course, more precious to Me than gold. Yes, pray for her healing, but also pray for her heart to be at peace. Pray that she will continue to know that I am walking through this with her every step of the way.”
At that point, I asked God for a verse that might help me express this dichotomy I feel inside me, that while I trust in God fully for Lana’s healing, I also trust Him whatever the outcome may be. The verse that came to mind was from Job 1:20-22.
While I sometimes think it’s cliche to think of Job when things are going bad in life, I also realize there’s a reason people turn to Job when things go awry: because no matter what happened to Job, he still gave praise to God!
The Bible says that Job was the greatest man among all the people of the East. He was blessed with seven sons and three daughters, seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred donkeys, and a large number of servants.
He was upright and blameless in all he did, even praying for his sons and daughters on a regular basis, offering sacrifices on their behalf in the early morning, just in case they might have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.
Yet for all his faith, and all the good that he had done, tragedy struck. In a single day, he lost almost everything with which God had previously blessed him: from his sons and daughters to all of his livestock and servants. Overwhelmed with grief, Job tore his robe and shaved his head.
But what encourages me about this passage is that through it all, Job still trusted God. The Bible says:
“Then he fell to the ground in worship and said:
‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
“In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing” (Job 1:20-22).
Job still gave glory to God, even when life turned against him. I can see why people might lose their faith when tragedy strikes. But I can also see, from this story of Job, that it doesn’t have to be that way. Job had no guarantees of what the future held, but he knew who held his future, and he trusted Him implicitly.
When Paul wrote his letter to the Romans, he didn’t know what his future held either. As we learn from the book of Acts, it had a fair share of tragedy as well. But through it all, Paul trusted God implicitly. He knew that God was able to strengthen him through Jesus Christ for whatever he might face, and that God would be glorified through it, no matter what happened. As Paul said in his closing to the Romans:
“Now to Him who is able to establish you [to strengthen you] by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ… to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen”
I don’t know what you’re going through today, but whatever it is, don’t let fear and doubt overtake you. Take it all to Christ instead. As Paul wrote to the Corinthians:
“…take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5b).
No matter what comes your way, take it to Christ. No matter what people say, take it to Christ. No matter what life throws at you, take it to Christ. Let Christ speak to you in all situations, overriding anything that anyone might say that is contrary to His Word.
The truth is that God loves you. He is for you. And He will work all things for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.
Whenever a thought comes your way that goes against what God says in His Word, ask Him to establish you, to strengthen you, through Jesus Christ. Ask God to renew your mind, to fill your thoughts with His thoughts, to give you faith to believe His Words, and to walk in obedience to whatever He calls you to do.
Through it all, trust that it will bring glory to God, and help you to enjoy Him more fully. This is, according to the historic Westminster Confession of Faith, the chief end of man:
“To glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.”
As Paul said to the Romans, let me say to you:
“Now to Him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ… so that all nations might believe and obey Him-to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.”
Will you pray with me?
Father, thank You for being able to establish us in our faith and help us to be obedient to You. Renew our minds again this week, and help us to take every thought captive that sets itself up against You. Fill us with faith, help us to walk in obedience, and may your name be praised through it all. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Questions for Reflection To read more from this series, Romans: Lessons In Renewing Your Mind,please visit:
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