Saturday, May 18, 2013

What God Has Been Teaching Me....


Being so sick the past 2 months (3.5 weeks in Haiti and now 3.5 weeks in the states)…being taken away from the ministry God called me to in Haiti has been a tough reality. The first 2 weeks back in the states I had a really hard time accepting the reality…I let Fear grip me…I let all the questions run through my head…I dwelt on the past and future instead dealing with the reality of the present. I was not living or embracing my situation as God calls us to embrace our trials. I just wanted to take a few minutes to share what God has been teaching me the past few weeks…How He has been so FAITHFUL to me comforting me, revealing scriptures for me to hold fast to, and speaking to me through worship music. God has been so GOOD to me showing up and reminding me that EVERYTHING happens for a reason and that ALL things work for the good of those who LOVE him.

WHAT GOD HAS BEEN TEACHING ME….
1.    Nothing will ever happen to me that God does not already know about
·      “O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise, you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord.” Psalm 139:1-4

When I Don’t Know What To Do
Song By: Tommy Walker
Lord I surrender all
To your strong and faithful hands
In everything I will give thanks to you
I’ll just trust your perfect plan
When I don’t know what to do…I’ll lift my hands
When I don’t know what to say…Lord I’ll speak your praise
When I don’t know where to go…I’ll run to your throne
When I don’t know what to think…I’ll stand on your truth
LORD I’ll surrender all though I’ll never understand.
All the mysteries around me but I’ll just trust your perfect plan.
As I bow my knee send your perfect peace
As I lift my hands let your healing come.

2.    Nothing will ever happen to Me that is a mistake
·       “All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Psalm 1139:16

You Are For Me
Song By: Kari Jobe
So faithful…So Constant…So Loving…
So True…So powerful in all you do.
You fill me…you see me…you know my every move
I know you are for me…
I know you will never forsake me in my weakness


3.    Nothing will ever happen that I cannot handle by God’s power and grace!
·      “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weakness, in insults in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Everything I need
Song By: Kutless
“You are strength in my weakness and
you are the refuge I seek.
You are everything in my time of need
You are everything I need!”

Lift Me Up
Song By: The Afters
You lift me up when I am weak
Your arms wrap around me
Your love catches me so I’m letting go.
You lift me up when I can’t see
Your heart is all that I need
Your love carries me so I’m letting go.


4.    Nothing will ever happen to me that will not eventually be used by God for some good purpose in life
·      “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

Nothing Wasted
Song By: Jason Gray
“Nothing is wasted…Nothing is wasted.
In the hands of our redeemer, nothing is wasted.”

5.    Nothing will ever happen to me without God’s presence
·      “Surely I am with you always to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:20
Your Hands
By: JJ Heller
“When my world is shaking heaven stands
when my heart is breaking I never leave your hands.
When you walked upon this earth
you healed the broken lost and hurt.
I know you hare to see me cry
One day you will set all things right.
Your hands that shaped the world are holding me!”

6.    God is my HEALER
·      “Heal me, LORD, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.” Jeremiah 17:14

Healer
By: Kari Jobe
“You hold my every moment…you calm my raging sease
You walk with me through fire…and heal all my disease
I trust in you…I trust in you
I believe you’re my healer…I believe you are all I need
I believe you’re my portion…I believe you’re more than enough for me
Jesus you’re all I need
NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU…YOU HOLD THE WORLD IN YOUR HANDS
Jesus you’re all I need!”

7.    God is our COMFORTER in times of suffering and our suffering eventually becomes a ministry tool
·      “God comforts us in our times of trouble, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the suffering of Christ overflows into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.” 2 Corinthians 1:4-5

Whatever You’re Doing
Song By: Sanctus Real
Whatever your doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but somehow there is peace.
And it is hard to surrender to what I can’t see
But I’m giving into something heavinly.

I am still yours
By: Kutless
“If I lost it all, would my hands stay lifted
To the God who gives and takes away.
If you take it all, this life you’ve given
Still my heart will sing to you.
Even if you take it all away
You’ll never let me go
You can take it all away but I still know
That I’m yours…that I’m still yours.”


8.    My faith is strengthened when I recall how God brought me through my trials, how he taught me on the mountains and in the valleys of life.
·      “I will remember your miracles of long ago, your deeds O LORD. I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds.” Psalm 77:11-12

We Will Remember
Song By: Tommy Walker
We will remember…we will remember the works of your hands
We wills top and give you praise for great is thy faithfulness
You’re the creator, our life sustainer
Deliverer, our comfort, or joy.
Throughout the ages you’ve been our shelter
Our peace in the midst of the storm.
With signs and wonders you’ve shown your power
With precious blood you showed us your grace
Your’ve been our helper, our liberator
The giver of life with no end
When we walk through life’s darkest valleys
We will look back at all you have done
And we will shout, our God is good
And he is the faithful one
I still remember the day you saved me
The day I heard you call out my name
You said you loved me and would never leave me
And I’ve never been the same

9.    That I can do ALL THINGS through Christ who STRENGTHENS me!
·      “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens Me.” Philippians 4:13

In Me
Song By: Casting Crowns
I’ll go but I cannot go alone
Cause I know I am nothing on my own
But the power of Christ in me makes me strong
Cause when I am weak, you make me strong
When I’m blind you shine your light on me
Cause I’ll never get by living on my own ability
How refreshing to know you don’t need me
How amazing to find you want me
So I’ll stand on your truth,
I’ll fight with your strength until you bring the victory
By the power of Christ in Me

The other day when I woke up from a nap I noticed a notecard in my handwriting on my headboard of my bed at my parents house. I probably wrote it when I was in high school or early college when I was dealing with all my health problems related to my Jaw. The card was entitled “suffering” the following was written on it
·      Christians should rejoice when they suffer, for in their own suffering they will in some way experience what it meant for Jesus to suffer for there sins (1 peter 4:12,13)
·      In addition to drawing people closer to Christ, suffering can also help them grow in faith.
·      God uses suffering to improve his people and shape them into better Christians. In fact, suffering  should be though of as a necessary pain that accompanies spiritual growth
·      Suffering produces perseverance which in turn produces Christian character (Rom 5:3-4, James 1:3-4 and 1 Peter 1:6)
·      It is important to encourage 1 another in suffering
·      God comforts us in our times of trouble, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the suffering of Christ overflows into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.” 2 Corinthians 1:4-5
·      Comfort Means: strength, endurance and hope to deal with our trouble
·      The more we suffer the more God gives us comfort
·      If you are feeling overwhelmed let God comfort you
·      Remember that every trial you endure will help you comfort other people  who are suffering similar trials.
I really felt like this notecard was a “gift” from God…these words were a powerful reminder to me that our suffering is not in vein…God has a reason…a purpose…and a Plan!

I am so thankful that God is using this time home to strengthen my faith and deepen my relationship and reliance on him

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