He gives food to every living thing.
His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of heaven.
His faithful love endures forever. Psalm 136:25, 26
We end our in-depth look at Psalm 136 the day before Thanksgiving. Isn't it just God's way to wrap things up on time and with a satisfying note? This Thanksgiving, remember that God gives food to every living thing. Sometimes, He uses us to deliver it! Matthew 6 tells us that God feeds even the birds of the air, and we are much more precious to Him. Not only does He give us food to nourish our bodies, but He feeds our spirits as well. Let's make sure to feast on communion with Him and the abundance of His word as much as we do the blessings on our tables.
Father God, thank you for your provision. Please continue to show us your abundance. May we reflect your light and love to someone in need today. Thank you for all you do in our lives. In Jesus' name, Amen.
How do you spend the Thanksgiving holiday? Look around and see if there is someone you can help feed in Jesus' name.
Showing posts with label Abundance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Abundance. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Friday, March 11, 2011
Carol's Prayer Challenge Results - Pray Daily
"The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 4: 5-7
February was a month of anxiety for me. My prayers were short and lacked the intimacy needed to really put my mind at peace. By the end of the month I was quite sick, asthma is affected by stress and worry, and I was in full-swing with my lungs bearing the weight of my worry. I didn't realize that worry was the cause for my lack of oxygen until Shelley and I joined in prayer and ask the Lord for insight into my breathing issues. I must say at this point, I am convinced that Satan is alive and working hard to stress believers to their maximum capacity and keep them distracted from their personal time with God. But we have a powerful weapon against worry and distraction, the Word.
Romans 8:28 tells us that God uses all things in a believers life to work together for good. We know and can be sure that what Satan intends to use for evil, God redeems by utilizing our struggles to cause growth and dependence upon Him. 2 Corinthians 4: 7-8 says, We are hard pressed on every side but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. Our assurance from Philippians is that when we take our needs to God and sit in His presence, the peace which surpasses all understanding will faithfully fall from heaven so we can resume our lives with the knowledge that God loves us and has heard our prayers.
This month, my list of prayer needs has grown tremendously as I add those in need of healing from spiritual and emotional bondage, drug and alcohol addictions, and physical needs. God is faithful and no amount of worrying that I indulge in will affect any of those things; only by prayer will my burden be lifted and lives healed. Do not bear your burdens alone, the Lord is near. Reach out to the Heavenly Father for your peace and hope, reach out for a needy world, reach out for yourself.
May the peace of God fill your hearts and minds in Chris Jesus.
Blessings,
Carol
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| Prayer brings peace and quietness of heart |
"The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 4: 5-7
February was a month of anxiety for me. My prayers were short and lacked the intimacy needed to really put my mind at peace. By the end of the month I was quite sick, asthma is affected by stress and worry, and I was in full-swing with my lungs bearing the weight of my worry. I didn't realize that worry was the cause for my lack of oxygen until Shelley and I joined in prayer and ask the Lord for insight into my breathing issues. I must say at this point, I am convinced that Satan is alive and working hard to stress believers to their maximum capacity and keep them distracted from their personal time with God. But we have a powerful weapon against worry and distraction, the Word.
Romans 8:28 tells us that God uses all things in a believers life to work together for good. We know and can be sure that what Satan intends to use for evil, God redeems by utilizing our struggles to cause growth and dependence upon Him. 2 Corinthians 4: 7-8 says, We are hard pressed on every side but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. Our assurance from Philippians is that when we take our needs to God and sit in His presence, the peace which surpasses all understanding will faithfully fall from heaven so we can resume our lives with the knowledge that God loves us and has heard our prayers.
This month, my list of prayer needs has grown tremendously as I add those in need of healing from spiritual and emotional bondage, drug and alcohol addictions, and physical needs. God is faithful and no amount of worrying that I indulge in will affect any of those things; only by prayer will my burden be lifted and lives healed. Do not bear your burdens alone, the Lord is near. Reach out to the Heavenly Father for your peace and hope, reach out for a needy world, reach out for yourself.
May the peace of God fill your hearts and minds in Chris Jesus.
Blessings,
Carol
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Prosperity is more than we think
I didn't want to write this post today. As Carol said yesterday, prosperity is a tricky subject in the church. It invites scorn and skepticism. But in an effort to be transparent and give God the glory, it seemed important to share just some of our story and my reasons for bringing this subject to the blog at all.
I ask that mercy would triumph judgment as you learn more about me.
* * *
I press the End button on my cell phone with shaking hands. Bile rises in my throat and I grit my teeth against it.
"O God. I'm going to throw up."
That's not the voice of faith. Take heart, child.
"Take heart? Your Word says the righteous shall not beg. Your Word says You will supply our every need. Your Word says ask anything in Jesus' name and it will be done by my Father in heaven. How can this be happening in light of what Your Word says, God?"
Silence. Of course. Like a patient parent, He waits out my temper tantrum. Or is He, like I do when my toddler throws a fit, thinking of a suitable punishment for my insolence?
I draw a deep breath and swallow. This is the Almighty I'm talking to. Maybe I should dial down the attitude a bit.
"Is this what's it's come to, then? Two years of clawing and fighting to stay out of the pit, and we have to file for bankruptcy anyway? Where is our abundance? Where is the prosperity You promised?"
I know your needs before you ask. Have I not clothed the lilies of the valley and fed the birds of the air? Will I not do this and much more for you?
"Oh, good. I'll just tell those creditors that God knows all our needs and He'll bail us out soon."
More silence, and I wonder what people would say if I really did bring God into our conversation about money. Somehow, I doubt it will change the bottom line.
God doesn't promise a bailout of governmental proportions. I made mistakes in handling my finances, and I have to pay the consequences. If that means bankruptcy or working two jobs or selling everything we own, maybe it will teach me about good stewardship in the future.
I feel a prodding of the sovereign sort. He does not judge me as I judge myself or as the world judges me, and He is quick to forgive. He rescues His children as a father with limitless resources would.
Rescue is still possible. Prosperity is still possible.
But what is prosperity? When I pray for that specific blessing, what am I really asking for? Let me explain in wholly personal terms as I believe this differs for everyone.
For me, prosperity means paying - and paying off - my bills. It means going to the grocery store and not debating about a bar of soap or a package of dinner meat. Prosperity to me is taking a weekend to play with my husband and kids without worrying about the lost income from two days off. I'd like to have enough in savings to pay for a trip to the dentist or car repairs. Enough to give back to the community and the people that have helped us so much in our time of need.
Even more than money, prosperity is the ability to get up in the morning and look forward to the day. To have sufficient rest and abundant peace and joy. To be able to ward off spiritual attacks that threaten to derail my progress in the Lord. To have direction and energy and organization.
That's prosperous living to me. That's what rescue looks like to me.
I know we are not unique in our situation. Millions of people in our country face circumstances like ours. May we all turn to God, "who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think, according to the power that works in us" (Ephesians 3:20).
I feel, rather than hear, the Lord's voice. Fear not, child. I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
To have the God of the universe taking care of me and holding me up as I go through this life gives me pause. It surely does not get more prosperous than that.
I pray prosperity and abundance on us all,
Shelley
I ask that mercy would triumph judgment as you learn more about me.
* * *
I press the End button on my cell phone with shaking hands. Bile rises in my throat and I grit my teeth against it.
"O God. I'm going to throw up."
That's not the voice of faith. Take heart, child.
"Take heart? Your Word says the righteous shall not beg. Your Word says You will supply our every need. Your Word says ask anything in Jesus' name and it will be done by my Father in heaven. How can this be happening in light of what Your Word says, God?"
Silence. Of course. Like a patient parent, He waits out my temper tantrum. Or is He, like I do when my toddler throws a fit, thinking of a suitable punishment for my insolence?
I draw a deep breath and swallow. This is the Almighty I'm talking to. Maybe I should dial down the attitude a bit.
"Is this what's it's come to, then? Two years of clawing and fighting to stay out of the pit, and we have to file for bankruptcy anyway? Where is our abundance? Where is the prosperity You promised?"
I know your needs before you ask. Have I not clothed the lilies of the valley and fed the birds of the air? Will I not do this and much more for you?
"Oh, good. I'll just tell those creditors that God knows all our needs and He'll bail us out soon."
More silence, and I wonder what people would say if I really did bring God into our conversation about money. Somehow, I doubt it will change the bottom line.
God doesn't promise a bailout of governmental proportions. I made mistakes in handling my finances, and I have to pay the consequences. If that means bankruptcy or working two jobs or selling everything we own, maybe it will teach me about good stewardship in the future.
I feel a prodding of the sovereign sort. He does not judge me as I judge myself or as the world judges me, and He is quick to forgive. He rescues His children as a father with limitless resources would.
Rescue is still possible. Prosperity is still possible.
But what is prosperity? When I pray for that specific blessing, what am I really asking for? Let me explain in wholly personal terms as I believe this differs for everyone.
For me, prosperity means paying - and paying off - my bills. It means going to the grocery store and not debating about a bar of soap or a package of dinner meat. Prosperity to me is taking a weekend to play with my husband and kids without worrying about the lost income from two days off. I'd like to have enough in savings to pay for a trip to the dentist or car repairs. Enough to give back to the community and the people that have helped us so much in our time of need.
Even more than money, prosperity is the ability to get up in the morning and look forward to the day. To have sufficient rest and abundant peace and joy. To be able to ward off spiritual attacks that threaten to derail my progress in the Lord. To have direction and energy and organization.
That's prosperous living to me. That's what rescue looks like to me.
I know we are not unique in our situation. Millions of people in our country face circumstances like ours. May we all turn to God, "who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think, according to the power that works in us" (Ephesians 3:20).
I feel, rather than hear, the Lord's voice. Fear not, child. I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
To have the God of the universe taking care of me and holding me up as I go through this life gives me pause. It surely does not get more prosperous than that.
I pray prosperity and abundance on us all,
Shelley
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