What Are You When Adversity Strikes?

I was reading through some local and national news and got disgusted and discouraged as usual. It seems that everyone is going through some kind of adversity. The analogy explains how looks at life in perspective, especially when going through adversity. Here is the link: What Are You? A Carrot, An Egg, Or A Coffee Bean

http://www.artbydorisbell.net/new_page_4.htm

I am not sure where it originated, because there are many re-postings of it, It made me think of these scriptures.

Isaiah 30:19-21 For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: thou shalt weep no more: he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee. And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers: And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.

Hebrews 3:13-15 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.

John 16:31-33 Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?  Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.  

It is great to have a source such as Christ to go to when life brings us trials and tribulation. The story reminded me of a Laura Story song "Blessings". The lyrics can be found here Blessings Lyrics and Video. 

Hope you enjoy the story and the song, it helped me to refocus and get off of life's troubles and back on my main focus of life the Lord Jesus Christ. Yes, I still pray the adversities and challenges of life will change, just as everyone does, but I also know that there is a plan for them all in my life and the lives of others. We are all unique individuals and have our own unique circumstances and problems but the answer lies in how we respond to them.

Romans 8:28 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.

Do you know HIM? what-is-salvation

Sharing My Heart, What is Love?

Do we really know what love is?  No.  As humans we cannot even comprehend what love is. I am just starting to get a glimpse of the tremendous free gift that I have been given through Jesus Christ. It has been over 15 years since I've been saved, yet God has reached out lately and has been showing me how to get back to my first love(Revelation 2:5).
I was trying to find some more meaning in life than a feeling of just existing with no purpose and so in trying to "improve" my marriage, family life, circumstances, etc. I came across a series of seemingly unrelated events, where God has brought the love chapter(1 Corinthians 13) to my presence(people quoting it, books based off of it,blog-surfing). So, I started reading it over and over from the Bible. It was as if nothing happened, and I kept praying that I could manifest this type of love to others. Then a book I ordered arrived from where I trade books: Swap Books for Free - PaperBackSwap.com called The Way of Agape by Nancy Missler. She has a great article about it here: Knowing God Loves Us - The King's High Way Ministries.
 I have only been able to get through the first 7 chapters so far, and just beginning to know, that God's love is the only way in which I could love my husband and family more than I have. (I know this should not be a huge revelation, yet God revealed it, so I will be a little transparent here and share it.) 

I even have been given a dream from God, something I've never had done to me before. He even interpreted it to me and showed me how I had gone off course. It was so detailed I awoke almost weeping.  I am in awe of just how God has arranged all the circumstances that he has in the last few weeks, in order to very personally get my attention.
 

ἀγάπη   agape(love) Stongs G26

"He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." - {1 John 4:8 }
"As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love."  {John 15:9 }
"And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity."  {1Corinthians 13:13 }
Blue Letter Bible. Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2010. 25 Oct 2010. < http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible>


All of these verses above use agape and 1 John 4:8 revealed to me about how I had been using human love to make my relationships work. It was rather startling to have that shown to me, because I thought I was manifesting Christ's love.  Somewhere in time I replaced it with a system, and I was prompted to be vulnerable here and share it on my little corner of blogdom. 

May someone else be blessed  by this testimony and the word of God, and come to know Christ in a more intimate way as well.

 

Stuffed with Stuff: A Re-Focus

When you want a picture to be in focus you have to re-adjust the settings a little, till it comes in clear. We've been all contemplating lately on where our focus in life has gone. Just like a camera that needs some re-focusing we didn't quite realize that we were slightly out of focus.

We have filled our lives with lots of stuff. Stuff to do, stuff to help with. Stuff we need. Stuff to get when we have the money. Stuff, stuff, stuff. We were becoming a bit over stuffed.

Ironically, while searching for some stuff to put in the blog, I found a short story that pretty much summed it up. It brought a good round of healthy conviction for all of us in our family. So, if it helps anyone else to realize that they might be a little out of focus and stuffed with stuff, but want to glorify Jesus Christ in their lives instead, pass it on. http://www.jesus-is-lord.com/conventi.htm

It was a reminder that spoke this scripture to our hearts."For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Matthew 6:21. God Bless.