What do you prioritize in your life? What do you make time for? That's something that has been on my mind a lot lately, and I thank God that He has caused me to consider where my time is spent and how important it is to redeem the time that He's given us.
If you've kept watch, a lot of TIME has passed since I last posted a blog. I'm not really proud of that, because it hasn't been that the Lord hasn't blessed me. It's been because I haven't prioritized sharing what He's done or even giving adequate time to the Lord. It's not easy to make time for everything that life brings at you. I've been very busy lately, and some things in my life have caused me to reflect on my time, and how I can use it better.
I was able to go to the revival Bro. Darrell Johnson held in Sapulpa this past weekend. I really got a lot of good from the meeting, and the last message was the one that stood out to me the most. He talked about time, and how important it is to make time for the Lord. There are a lot of things we can spend our time in, and a lot of distractions that can inhibit our time with the Lord. But, we have to prioritize time with God or our lives will slip away. He talked a lot about how we don't know how much time we have left, so we need to redeem what time we are blessed with. Ephesians 5:15-16 says:
"See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil."
This verse is used a lot, but it really hit me. We only have a certain amount of time in a day. But each day is a fresh day, and that time can be used however we choose to spend it. We have to be careful of what things occupy our time and ensure that we give enough time for God to deal with us how He wants. The days are evil. Things can drag us down and get us distracted and sometimes in trouble. We are instructed to be watchful over that.
When I started college, I knew that I would be busy, but I didn't realize how much time it would take me to keep up with school and work. As a teenager, it's hard for me to immediately come to grips with managing work, school, and a relationship, so it takes a lot of God to keep me afloat. But what happens if I don't spend enough time with God? I'll sink. That's what God was trying to point out to me. If I allow my life to be so caught up and busy -- even if it's in lawful and profitable things -- but neglect my soul, I'll end up way worse than if I relaxed on some things and let God have control.
Bro. Darrell made the point that we will always have time for what we put first. I don't want a 50% relationship with God, so I have to put Him first ALWAYS. It's something that I have been thinking a lot about, and God sent a message at a perfect time for me to receive it. Isn't He good? I want to encourage anyone who is struggling with managing a busy schedule or just life in general... put God first. He is faithful to bless us when we are willing to make Him our first priority. The other things in life become easier to deal with.
God also showed me a verse, and I'm very thankful that he brought it out to me. It's in Colossians 1:19, and it says:
"For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell."
All fullness and fulfillment should be found in Christ. That is where our happiness and enthusiasm rests. Life is full only if lived in Christ. I pray that God will help me refocus my joy to live a life for Him above all else. I firmly believe that when we have our spiritual life taken care of, other parts of life will go more smoothly. We'll enjoy the good parts better and be able to handle the difficulties more easily. That's because our soul can be satisfied by an experience nothing on earth can replicate. We can have peace and assurance in knowing that our heart is fixed on God and that He is faithful to be with us.
I have a good life. God has blessed me tremendously. I don't want to neglect my spiritual experience or neglect to thank God for how He has been faithful to me. I pray that He'll help me to better prioritize the important things of life and realize that He'll help me deal with the rest if I put Him first.
And I hope I can continue to share the things God shows me along the way. It's an encouragement to me to express my feelings, and I hope it will bless and encourage you, too. So as always...
Keep encouraged!
Monday, October 29, 2018
Monday, September 17, 2018
Peace in the Midst of Confusion
From Summer Beverage:
I’m thankful to the Lord for giving me a testimony of His peace in my life over the past few months, and really over the past year.
Having an eternal peace is something that never really meant something to me more than the occasional good message that was preached on it. It wasn’t until I found myself in utter chaos that I realized it was only the Lord's peace that could get me out of this state. This spring I heard a couple of different messages preached by Bro. Joseph Gellenbeck that really showed me the “rest and peace” the Lord wanted to show me.
I really don’t know if I can describe it in the way that I want to, but its almost as if a switch was flipped. Like the Lord said, “Ok you’ve got to start having more faith that I can give you peace.”
I began to pray more earnestly. Asking for guidance on not only the big things, but the little things. This entire time not even realizing that this was all to guide me into this summer.
As a certain situation occurred, my natural response was to just “figure it out." Confusion swept over me like I’ve never felt before. I got frustrated that this was happening and that I didn’t know the answer right away. This confusion started taking over my thoughts in most aspects in my life. That's when I just stopped and realized that I couldn’t do it anymore.
Then I started asking the Lord to just take the situation into His hands. And to please give me the answers. God had other plans. I really feel that God gave me just enough answers for me to realize “He’s got this”.
At this point, I really felt that the Lord was just going to give me the answers, because I asked Him to. That's not what happened. I began to get discouraged that I wasn’t doing anything and that I should be doing something. This train of thought led me to put God in boxes. Because I was so desperate to have an answer, I would say “But the Lord told me…”.
I wish I could say a certain day when I felt this “powerful wind” give me an answer. Or that I had this strong feeling of peace come over me all at once. But no, God really does work in mysterious ways.
After praying over and over again for peace and deliverance from this, I slowly started feeling the eternal peace that I wanted so badly. Again, I don’t know if I can explain this in the way that I want, but looking back I wish I could only share the peace that God has given me. It was only after I was forced to humble myself and surrender to the Lord that I felt His peace. And the funny part is, Once I surrendered to the Lord, needing to know the answers suddenly became less important to me.
I’ll be honest, I feel more than a little hypocritical saying this, Because I’m definitely the same person that gets worried over decisions (big or small). But I now can say that through prayer, a surrendering of myself, and a realization of just how much is out of my control, God showed me His love more than ever before.
Just recently I’ve been finding scriptures that have really given me an assurance. One being Isaiah 42:16 -- “And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them and not forsake them."
I’m just so thankful to the Lord for showing me if I’ll just surrender my self, and have faith and trust in Him, He will give me a peace that earthly problems cannot consume. Hebrews 11:1 says “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Having this peace doesn’t mean that He’ll give me the answers right away, but that it is in Gods hands. So there’s no reason to worry about it. ;)
I hope this testimony can show someone that it really is worth it to lay yourself down and receive the eternal peace that God wants to give!
- Summer Beverage
I’m thankful to the Lord for giving me a testimony of His peace in my life over the past few months, and really over the past year.
Having an eternal peace is something that never really meant something to me more than the occasional good message that was preached on it. It wasn’t until I found myself in utter chaos that I realized it was only the Lord's peace that could get me out of this state. This spring I heard a couple of different messages preached by Bro. Joseph Gellenbeck that really showed me the “rest and peace” the Lord wanted to show me.
I really don’t know if I can describe it in the way that I want to, but its almost as if a switch was flipped. Like the Lord said, “Ok you’ve got to start having more faith that I can give you peace.”
I began to pray more earnestly. Asking for guidance on not only the big things, but the little things. This entire time not even realizing that this was all to guide me into this summer.
As a certain situation occurred, my natural response was to just “figure it out." Confusion swept over me like I’ve never felt before. I got frustrated that this was happening and that I didn’t know the answer right away. This confusion started taking over my thoughts in most aspects in my life. That's when I just stopped and realized that I couldn’t do it anymore.
Then I started asking the Lord to just take the situation into His hands. And to please give me the answers. God had other plans. I really feel that God gave me just enough answers for me to realize “He’s got this”.
At this point, I really felt that the Lord was just going to give me the answers, because I asked Him to. That's not what happened. I began to get discouraged that I wasn’t doing anything and that I should be doing something. This train of thought led me to put God in boxes. Because I was so desperate to have an answer, I would say “But the Lord told me…”.
I wish I could say a certain day when I felt this “powerful wind” give me an answer. Or that I had this strong feeling of peace come over me all at once. But no, God really does work in mysterious ways.
After praying over and over again for peace and deliverance from this, I slowly started feeling the eternal peace that I wanted so badly. Again, I don’t know if I can explain this in the way that I want, but looking back I wish I could only share the peace that God has given me. It was only after I was forced to humble myself and surrender to the Lord that I felt His peace. And the funny part is, Once I surrendered to the Lord, needing to know the answers suddenly became less important to me.
I’ll be honest, I feel more than a little hypocritical saying this, Because I’m definitely the same person that gets worried over decisions (big or small). But I now can say that through prayer, a surrendering of myself, and a realization of just how much is out of my control, God showed me His love more than ever before.
Just recently I’ve been finding scriptures that have really given me an assurance. One being Isaiah 42:16 -- “And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them and not forsake them."
I’m just so thankful to the Lord for showing me if I’ll just surrender my self, and have faith and trust in Him, He will give me a peace that earthly problems cannot consume. Hebrews 11:1 says “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Having this peace doesn’t mean that He’ll give me the answers right away, but that it is in Gods hands. So there’s no reason to worry about it. ;)
I hope this testimony can show someone that it really is worth it to lay yourself down and receive the eternal peace that God wants to give!
- Summer Beverage
Saturday, August 11, 2018
Take Up Your Cross
From Damon Sallee:
Take Up Your Cross
I want to thank God for the challenges that He has been giving me in my spiritual walk with Him. He's been dealing with me a lot recently on giving him 100%.
Through the past few months, I've been doing a lot of spiritual warfare. I'm thankful for that. It lets me know which side I'm on.
I’m finding that spiritually, you get out what you put in. An awesome Christian experience isn’t a default. It’s something you must work at. I’m finding God’s blessings become greater as I surrender more of myself to Him.
We all fight the same kind of battles: spiritual lethargy, failures, and struggles unique to our personality. Sometimes while fighting those battles, we miss what God is really trying to tell us. David prayed that God would search him and know his heart, that He would try him and know his thoughts and that He would see if there was any wicked way in him.
I pray the same prayer for myself, but I’ve found in times past that when I would pray that prayer, one thing would come back to my mind over and over, so much so that I began to push it out of my mind and say, “Lord, I know about that, and I’ll try to do better in it and fix it when I get some time.”
I’d make some resolutions, and maybe some promises, and that would appease my conscience a little, but it never took care of the problem. I’d find myself asking, “Okay, but is there anything else?” And then I’d focus on something different but would fail to address what He had dealt with me about in the first place.
God started dealing with me about that. You can’t choose to disregard His instructions and expect to maintain a joyful spiritual experience. Disobedience costs a lot. My experience suffered greatly because I kept pushing Him off and making excuses. Telling God, “I’ll do it later,” seemed to be better than saying, “No. I won’t do it.” But it wasn’t. God dealt with me with the intention that I would follow Him immediately.
I think of 2 Corinthians 6:2. “… I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
When God deals with you, then is the time to take care of the problem, unless He instructs otherwise. If you don’t know how to go about it, that doesn’t give you a valid excuse to push it off. Seek for wisdom earnestly until He gives it to you.
I am finding that this is part of “putting in” for your salvation. It’s not an easy thing. Seeking His will and direction takes dedication and much determination. Doing it requires humility, submission, and trust that He knows what is best for you.
When I realized His will and what action He wanted me to take, but chose to push it off, my spiritual growth came to a standstill. Can God bless me in my disobedience? I can attest to the fact that He can’t. My life became very miserable. The peace and joy that had been in my soul was replaced with inner turmoil. God through His abundant mercy kept dealing with me, and slowly I began to see that peace comes through obedience and surrender to His will, regardless of what it costs.
Jesus said, “Take up your cross and follow me.”
He also said, “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
I thank God from the bottom of my heart that He has shown me the importance of unconditional surrender and submission of my will to His will. That’s all that He asks of me, to be “a living sacrifice.”
Now His Holy Spirit is content to dwell within me, and spiritual peace is restored. I still have trials and hard times. I still get confused about things, but there’s one thing that is of great comfort to me. It’s Joy. What is Joy?
J-esus O-wning Y-ou
I have willingly put myself into His hands, to do His will no matter what it may be, no matter what it costs, because Jesus owns me, and “He will only permit what is best.” His thoughts are “of peace, and not of evil, to give me an expected end.”
And this brings me to my current testimony.
ELS #87 “I Know My Name Is There”
My name is in the Book of Life,
Oh, bless the name of Jesus!
I rise above all doubt and strife,
And read my title clear.
Yet, inward trouble often cast
A shadow o'er my title,
But now with full salvation blest,
Praise God! It's ever clear.
While others climb thro' wordly strife
To carve a name of honor,
High up in Heaven's Book of Life,
My name is written there.
I know my name is there. I know that God will “perfect that which concerneth me” and that I can trust Him to guide me in the future decisions of life. I can trust my life in His hands. And now I choose daily to put it into action. And I ask for His strength to do so.
I encourage anyone who reads this to take up your cross and follow Him with renewed dedication, realizing that your strength is not of yourself but is given by Him as you ask for it and meet the requirements that He has shown to you.
- Damon Sallee
Take Up Your Cross
I want to thank God for the challenges that He has been giving me in my spiritual walk with Him. He's been dealing with me a lot recently on giving him 100%.
Through the past few months, I've been doing a lot of spiritual warfare. I'm thankful for that. It lets me know which side I'm on.
I’m finding that spiritually, you get out what you put in. An awesome Christian experience isn’t a default. It’s something you must work at. I’m finding God’s blessings become greater as I surrender more of myself to Him.
We all fight the same kind of battles: spiritual lethargy, failures, and struggles unique to our personality. Sometimes while fighting those battles, we miss what God is really trying to tell us. David prayed that God would search him and know his heart, that He would try him and know his thoughts and that He would see if there was any wicked way in him.
I pray the same prayer for myself, but I’ve found in times past that when I would pray that prayer, one thing would come back to my mind over and over, so much so that I began to push it out of my mind and say, “Lord, I know about that, and I’ll try to do better in it and fix it when I get some time.”
I’d make some resolutions, and maybe some promises, and that would appease my conscience a little, but it never took care of the problem. I’d find myself asking, “Okay, but is there anything else?” And then I’d focus on something different but would fail to address what He had dealt with me about in the first place.
God started dealing with me about that. You can’t choose to disregard His instructions and expect to maintain a joyful spiritual experience. Disobedience costs a lot. My experience suffered greatly because I kept pushing Him off and making excuses. Telling God, “I’ll do it later,” seemed to be better than saying, “No. I won’t do it.” But it wasn’t. God dealt with me with the intention that I would follow Him immediately.
I think of 2 Corinthians 6:2. “… I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
When God deals with you, then is the time to take care of the problem, unless He instructs otherwise. If you don’t know how to go about it, that doesn’t give you a valid excuse to push it off. Seek for wisdom earnestly until He gives it to you.
I am finding that this is part of “putting in” for your salvation. It’s not an easy thing. Seeking His will and direction takes dedication and much determination. Doing it requires humility, submission, and trust that He knows what is best for you.
When I realized His will and what action He wanted me to take, but chose to push it off, my spiritual growth came to a standstill. Can God bless me in my disobedience? I can attest to the fact that He can’t. My life became very miserable. The peace and joy that had been in my soul was replaced with inner turmoil. God through His abundant mercy kept dealing with me, and slowly I began to see that peace comes through obedience and surrender to His will, regardless of what it costs.
Jesus said, “Take up your cross and follow me.”
He also said, “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
I thank God from the bottom of my heart that He has shown me the importance of unconditional surrender and submission of my will to His will. That’s all that He asks of me, to be “a living sacrifice.”
Now His Holy Spirit is content to dwell within me, and spiritual peace is restored. I still have trials and hard times. I still get confused about things, but there’s one thing that is of great comfort to me. It’s Joy. What is Joy?
J-esus O-wning Y-ou
I have willingly put myself into His hands, to do His will no matter what it may be, no matter what it costs, because Jesus owns me, and “He will only permit what is best.” His thoughts are “of peace, and not of evil, to give me an expected end.”
And this brings me to my current testimony.
ELS #87 “I Know My Name Is There”
My name is in the Book of Life,
Oh, bless the name of Jesus!
I rise above all doubt and strife,
And read my title clear.
Yet, inward trouble often cast
A shadow o'er my title,
But now with full salvation blest,
Praise God! It's ever clear.
While others climb thro' wordly strife
To carve a name of honor,
High up in Heaven's Book of Life,
My name is written there.
I know my name is there. I know that God will “perfect that which concerneth me” and that I can trust Him to guide me in the future decisions of life. I can trust my life in His hands. And now I choose daily to put it into action. And I ask for His strength to do so.
I encourage anyone who reads this to take up your cross and follow Him with renewed dedication, realizing that your strength is not of yourself but is given by Him as you ask for it and meet the requirements that He has shown to you.
- Damon Sallee
Monday, August 6, 2018
Guidance
I've been thinking a lot about the Lord's guidance, and the way He works in our lives. Isn't it super cool that we can go to the Lord for counsel and direction? He's really shown Himself strong to me lately, and I want to praise Him for that, hoping it will be an encouragement to you all as well.
This summer has been a very eventful one for me. I graduated high school (YAY) and have moved on to a new, different stage in life: work. Super fun, isn't it? I'm actually really enjoying what I do, but I'll get into that a little later. I'll preface this story by saying this: I've never been accused of being a workaholic. ;P A lot of it has to do with my personality. I enjoy having fun, being with people, and make people laugh. There's nothing wrong with that -- unless it makes me lazy. And, I'll admit, I've had my fair share of moments (and still do sometimes...). But, God has shown me several things in this year, helped me to mature a little more, and given me opportunities to prove myself.
Originally, I had intended to get a job while I was still in high school. But there were several things that hindered me. I really didn't want to work at a fast food restaurant because coming home every night smelling like a French fry didn't sound appetizing (ha), and to get many hours, I would have to work late, which wouldn't help with my homework schedule. Most other jobs I found required that I be available at any time of day, or hours that conflicted with my public school schedule. I was becoming discouraged with job searching, and as my graduation came and went, nothing changed. I didn't have a job.
The Lord had shown me a verse in devotions several months ago that had given me faith about looking for a job. The verse is in Isaiah 49:2-3. It says:
"...in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me; [3] and said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified."
This may not seem like a verse that is an encouragement for a job, but the Lord revealed it to me in a special, personal way. The shadow isn't normally seen as a positive, cheerful thing. It can be mysterious and sometimes scary, as opposed to the bright, sparkling sun. He let me see that my personality was sunny -- fun-loving, happy-go-lucky, and cheery. But if you're in the sun too long, you'll get burned. God has to bring us into the shadows. They might seem a little scary or unpleasant at first. They're not as exciting as having fun in the sun, but it's a necessary place for protection. God showed me that I had to get out of the sun. Out of the excitement and into a place where He desired I would be. For me, that was a job.
The rest of the verse made the impact so much more real. First of all, God's going to be with me. He's not sending me off alone to the influences of the world. He's going to be with me, protecting me while I'm there. It's going to make me polished, more mature, and useful for the Lord. A shaft or arrow is acutely refined. It's straight, smooth, and without knots. God can use circumstances in our lives to help us "grow up" and become a perfected vessel for His use. He'll put us in His quiver, ready for use when He so chooses. The last part of the third verse clinched it. "Thou art my servant." Ultimately, the Lord is in control of my life. If I want to serve Him, I have to give Him the keys AND let Him drive. He'll be glorified when we obey His leadings. So, stay with me. I pursued getting a job.
Yet, it seemed as though nothing was working out. I had felt encouraged and inspired... I believed God had given me a sign with that verse. A sign of confirmation that I need to look for a job, and a sign of His blessing on my efforts to do so. I asked Him why things weren't falling into place. I didn't feel anything change. It all felt like God was just letting life happen, and not intervening on my behalf. So I soldiered on, putting in applications, looking for scenarios that might work.
Then, I went to Guthrie for the May meeting, and on almost the last day, I got a call from Twin Oaks Custom Cabinets, the company where my dad works.. They wanted an interview. Needless to say, I was excited. I set up an interview, and a few days after going home, I interviewed. Here's the caveat, though (there's always something, isn't there?) My family had planned a vacation right after the West Virginia meeting that was about to start. I would be away from home for about 3 weeks. I let them know of that situation during the interview, knowing it could hurt my chances of being hired.
Listen close, ya'll. This is the Lord. During the interview, the lady interviewing me asked when I was getting back from vacation, and I told her July 2nd. The interview continued a little longer, and then, as we were wrapping it up, she said "Well, we'll plan to see you on July 2nd, 8:00 am."
*jaw drop*
I didn't know what to think. In my first interview, I was hired on the spot. The Lord worked it out for me. He gave me a job when I wasn't seeing anything work out. He allowed the timing to work out where I could still go to the West Virginia meeting and go on vacation with my family -- two things that were very important to me. It still amazes me how he worked it out for me. I have enjoyed my job a lot, and even though I had to give up a lot of time during Monark to work, the Lord was faithful to me when I was there. I can still count my blessings that I was able to attend during the evenings and weekends and receive good from the services I was in.
Isn't it amazing how the Lord guides us. He works in mysterious ways. We don't always see why or how He does things, but as Romans 8:28 says, He's working them for our good if we're diligent to follow Him. The Lord showed me a verse after Monark was over, and I was reflecting on all that God has done for me this summer. It's in John 3:8, and it says:
"The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit."
The Spirit of the Lord works a lot like the wind. We see the effects of His workings. We see the things He does for us, and recognize His presence with us. Yet, it's unexpected and unpredictable. We often don't understand the why. We can't see beyond our human vision to understand the mind of God. It's a trial of our faith sometimes. I didn't understand why God wasn't allowing things to work out for so long, or when I wanted. But now, I can see that it was a lesson in faith, dependence, and simply trusting in God to do what is best for me. I fully believe the situation He's placed me in is the right one, and better than the ideas I had myself. It's amazing how God can work a perfect plan. He has His way in the whirlwind, and though we can't discern the way He chooses to work, we'll feel the gentle breeze, His spirit directing the path of His children.
I'm very thankful to the Lord for His guidance to me. If you've made it this far, you're a trooper. I tend to get long-winded sometimes, but I really felt inspired to share my experience, in hopes that it might encourage you all that God knows what He's doing... and He's doing it all for us. :) I've really learned a lot in this spiritual journey the Lord has taken me on. I appreciate His faithfulness to me and for giving me so much help during this summer. It's been a time of necessary growth for me, and I anticipate that a change in me is still coming. I love you all, and pray that God will keep us all nearer and nearer to Him. Pray for me.
Keep encouraged!
This summer has been a very eventful one for me. I graduated high school (YAY) and have moved on to a new, different stage in life: work. Super fun, isn't it? I'm actually really enjoying what I do, but I'll get into that a little later. I'll preface this story by saying this: I've never been accused of being a workaholic. ;P A lot of it has to do with my personality. I enjoy having fun, being with people, and make people laugh. There's nothing wrong with that -- unless it makes me lazy. And, I'll admit, I've had my fair share of moments (and still do sometimes...). But, God has shown me several things in this year, helped me to mature a little more, and given me opportunities to prove myself.
Originally, I had intended to get a job while I was still in high school. But there were several things that hindered me. I really didn't want to work at a fast food restaurant because coming home every night smelling like a French fry didn't sound appetizing (ha), and to get many hours, I would have to work late, which wouldn't help with my homework schedule. Most other jobs I found required that I be available at any time of day, or hours that conflicted with my public school schedule. I was becoming discouraged with job searching, and as my graduation came and went, nothing changed. I didn't have a job.
The Lord had shown me a verse in devotions several months ago that had given me faith about looking for a job. The verse is in Isaiah 49:2-3. It says:
"...in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me; [3] and said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified."
This may not seem like a verse that is an encouragement for a job, but the Lord revealed it to me in a special, personal way. The shadow isn't normally seen as a positive, cheerful thing. It can be mysterious and sometimes scary, as opposed to the bright, sparkling sun. He let me see that my personality was sunny -- fun-loving, happy-go-lucky, and cheery. But if you're in the sun too long, you'll get burned. God has to bring us into the shadows. They might seem a little scary or unpleasant at first. They're not as exciting as having fun in the sun, but it's a necessary place for protection. God showed me that I had to get out of the sun. Out of the excitement and into a place where He desired I would be. For me, that was a job.
The rest of the verse made the impact so much more real. First of all, God's going to be with me. He's not sending me off alone to the influences of the world. He's going to be with me, protecting me while I'm there. It's going to make me polished, more mature, and useful for the Lord. A shaft or arrow is acutely refined. It's straight, smooth, and without knots. God can use circumstances in our lives to help us "grow up" and become a perfected vessel for His use. He'll put us in His quiver, ready for use when He so chooses. The last part of the third verse clinched it. "Thou art my servant." Ultimately, the Lord is in control of my life. If I want to serve Him, I have to give Him the keys AND let Him drive. He'll be glorified when we obey His leadings. So, stay with me. I pursued getting a job.
Yet, it seemed as though nothing was working out. I had felt encouraged and inspired... I believed God had given me a sign with that verse. A sign of confirmation that I need to look for a job, and a sign of His blessing on my efforts to do so. I asked Him why things weren't falling into place. I didn't feel anything change. It all felt like God was just letting life happen, and not intervening on my behalf. So I soldiered on, putting in applications, looking for scenarios that might work.
Then, I went to Guthrie for the May meeting, and on almost the last day, I got a call from Twin Oaks Custom Cabinets, the company where my dad works.. They wanted an interview. Needless to say, I was excited. I set up an interview, and a few days after going home, I interviewed. Here's the caveat, though (there's always something, isn't there?) My family had planned a vacation right after the West Virginia meeting that was about to start. I would be away from home for about 3 weeks. I let them know of that situation during the interview, knowing it could hurt my chances of being hired.
Listen close, ya'll. This is the Lord. During the interview, the lady interviewing me asked when I was getting back from vacation, and I told her July 2nd. The interview continued a little longer, and then, as we were wrapping it up, she said "Well, we'll plan to see you on July 2nd, 8:00 am."
*jaw drop*
I didn't know what to think. In my first interview, I was hired on the spot. The Lord worked it out for me. He gave me a job when I wasn't seeing anything work out. He allowed the timing to work out where I could still go to the West Virginia meeting and go on vacation with my family -- two things that were very important to me. It still amazes me how he worked it out for me. I have enjoyed my job a lot, and even though I had to give up a lot of time during Monark to work, the Lord was faithful to me when I was there. I can still count my blessings that I was able to attend during the evenings and weekends and receive good from the services I was in.
Isn't it amazing how the Lord guides us. He works in mysterious ways. We don't always see why or how He does things, but as Romans 8:28 says, He's working them for our good if we're diligent to follow Him. The Lord showed me a verse after Monark was over, and I was reflecting on all that God has done for me this summer. It's in John 3:8, and it says:
"The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit."
The Spirit of the Lord works a lot like the wind. We see the effects of His workings. We see the things He does for us, and recognize His presence with us. Yet, it's unexpected and unpredictable. We often don't understand the why. We can't see beyond our human vision to understand the mind of God. It's a trial of our faith sometimes. I didn't understand why God wasn't allowing things to work out for so long, or when I wanted. But now, I can see that it was a lesson in faith, dependence, and simply trusting in God to do what is best for me. I fully believe the situation He's placed me in is the right one, and better than the ideas I had myself. It's amazing how God can work a perfect plan. He has His way in the whirlwind, and though we can't discern the way He chooses to work, we'll feel the gentle breeze, His spirit directing the path of His children.
I'm very thankful to the Lord for His guidance to me. If you've made it this far, you're a trooper. I tend to get long-winded sometimes, but I really felt inspired to share my experience, in hopes that it might encourage you all that God knows what He's doing... and He's doing it all for us. :) I've really learned a lot in this spiritual journey the Lord has taken me on. I appreciate His faithfulness to me and for giving me so much help during this summer. It's been a time of necessary growth for me, and I anticipate that a change in me is still coming. I love you all, and pray that God will keep us all nearer and nearer to Him. Pray for me.
Keep encouraged!
Monday, July 2, 2018
Persevere
From Damar Randle:
I thank the Lord for his blessings unto me! I was able to get away from work and attend the Fresno Campmeeting and I can say, I am full. There was a lot of Spiritual Food laid out and I did partake. The Lord was faithful to meet me several times at the altar and I'm grateful for that.
One message I heard preached that really stuck to me was preached by Bro. Paul titled "Perseverance". He spoke on what it means for us to persevere. One of the things mentioned was that we must put forth an effort to reach our goal. To press on in spite of what is around us.
Putting forth effort is not an easy task. I remember all the work I put in as a runner in high school, long, hot, dreadful hours, yet I did it daily. The Lord has convicted me before as I've studied for school. He has pointed out that I don't put forth the effort in reading his word as I do school. The degree I'll get will only be good for 40 or 50 years and then I'm unable to put it to good use, whereas the things we learn through studying his word will last an eternity.
I have been dealt with time and time again along this line and can say firmly, I don't want to be found in this place again. Studying his word is important. The Apostle Paul charged Timothy to
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Tim 2:15. I can spend a good amount of time with friends, online, studying, sleeping, working or whatever yet none of it will matter. Time spent without eternal value, is time wasted.
It is my desire to persevere and put forth an "I mean to go right on" effort until my crown is won.
I thank the Lord for his blessings unto me! I was able to get away from work and attend the Fresno Campmeeting and I can say, I am full. There was a lot of Spiritual Food laid out and I did partake. The Lord was faithful to meet me several times at the altar and I'm grateful for that.
One message I heard preached that really stuck to me was preached by Bro. Paul titled "Perseverance". He spoke on what it means for us to persevere. One of the things mentioned was that we must put forth an effort to reach our goal. To press on in spite of what is around us.
Putting forth effort is not an easy task. I remember all the work I put in as a runner in high school, long, hot, dreadful hours, yet I did it daily. The Lord has convicted me before as I've studied for school. He has pointed out that I don't put forth the effort in reading his word as I do school. The degree I'll get will only be good for 40 or 50 years and then I'm unable to put it to good use, whereas the things we learn through studying his word will last an eternity.
I have been dealt with time and time again along this line and can say firmly, I don't want to be found in this place again. Studying his word is important. The Apostle Paul charged Timothy to
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Tim 2:15. I can spend a good amount of time with friends, online, studying, sleeping, working or whatever yet none of it will matter. Time spent without eternal value, is time wasted.
It is my desire to persevere and put forth an "I mean to go right on" effort until my crown is won.
Saturday, June 23, 2018
WV 2018 - Part 1
There was so much good that I got out of the WV meeting this year, it's going to have to be a couple of parts. For one thing, some of the thoughts are separate from each other, and for another, I'm on a trip, so I don't have time to write out long posts.
One of the first things that I was blessed with came from a message Bro. Danny Adams preached titled "Spiders." He talked about how spiders catch their prey, then bite them, and suck the life out of them. He related it spiritually to how the devil can catch us in a vulnerable position, bite us, and suck out all the spiritual life that we have. We are weak when we have left the safety of dwelling with God. Spiders won't normally dwell in a well-kept, clean area, but they will dwell under a brush pile. Likewise, the devil doesn't usually lurk in the house of God, but he'll definitely be in places that aren't wholesome for our spiritual benefit.
These things make me cautious. I need to be careful where I allow myself to go and to what things I allow my affections go out. I don't want to give the devil more opportunity to wreak havoc in my life. I have to be watchful. There's a song in the ELS (#302) that says "My soul be on thy guard, 10,000 foes arise." There will be many foes that rise up against us, and many spiders that we'll see in life. We have to squish them before they have chance to become a problem.
That puts a challenge on me, though. If spiders lurk in places that are messy and unclean, what areas of my life are more susceptible to allowing spiders to live? I have to maintain my life and keep it clear and clean before God. I don't want to give room for spiders to make habitation, they're a danger to my soul. I want my spiritual life revitalized, not sucked out. There are several areas where I know I could use some "cleaning up." It's important to both recognize those areas but also to take action to prevent spiders from becoming a problem.
There are several different ways I can go about keeping my spiritual life intact and cleaned up, but one of the most important ways is reading and praying. There was a lot talked about reading and praying at the meeting this year, especially in young people's meeting. The Lord showed me a verse during the meeting that was a real encouragement to me. It's Joshua 1:8, and it says:
"This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success."
This verse gives much instruction. The book of law is the Bible. It should never be far from our conversation, and it should be the topic of our meditation all the time. If we are faithful to heed this instruction, and sow its seed, we'll reap the benefits and be blessed with GOOD success. Prosperity (of the soul) is appetizing. It doesn't sound like a prosperous soul would be infested with spiders and a zone dangerous to our spiritual walk. It sounds like a safe, comfortable place with an environment conducive to drawing closer to God and walking daily with Him.
I was talking to a friend at the meeting, and we both found that we were lacking in some areas of our spiritual walk. It's an encouragement to realize we are not the only ones who have struggled with a certain thing. We're not alone in needing to draw closer to God and being more faithful to consistently spend time with the Lord. We're all young people in a difficult world striving for Heaven. Sharing things with each other can be a way that we feel encouraged that we're not the only ones who have struggles, but we can also share ways that God has helped us with things. This is just a little bit of what God showed me during the meeting, and I hope to share more. Don't give up! This life is worth living.
Keep encouraged!
Wednesday, June 13, 2018
Daily Spiritual Food
From Lauren Edwards:
Hey there! I just wanted to share something that the Lord has put on my heart in the last week. It is so amazing to see how God works, because I have seen this same message being shared recently among the young people and in the services I have been in. I have been reading and studying in the book of Psalms lately and the first chapter really stood out to me. As I read the word the Lord showed me the importance of this passage through a series of visuals. The passage of scriptures illustrates a blessed or righteous person and one that is not. The very first verse says “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful”. A blessed person is one that does not allow themselves to be accustomed to sin and succumb to the way of sinners. With the words walketh, standeth, and sitteth it is demonstrated of the progression of how sin can become comfortable. At first, one just walks by and looks at sin but doesn’t fully step into it. Then, one actually stands in areas where sin is clearly evident. Then, soon, if you are not careful one could be sitting completely immersed in the way of sin and being comfortable with it. The way of sin is a dark and miserable trap that we can fall into if we are not careful.
In the next verse it says “But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night”. The blessed one finds their delight in the word of God and he meditates on it both day and night. It says meditating day and night. This was the challenging part for me. This is a major part of our life that the devil will try to destroy by distracting us and making us put off reading and mediating the word of God like we should. When it says meditating day and night it doesn’t mean picking up your Bible and reading one scripture just because you feel like it is a duty that you have to cross off of your daily to-do list. But, it means to really dig deep into the word and to be continually thinking about it. To read it, think about it, connect it to other situations in the Bible and apply it to your life and your walk with God. We should be meditating all hours of the day on the things of the Lord because we want to. As a result, we are able to draw closer to God.
In verse 3, it says “And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper”. By meditating on the law of the Lord continually we are like a tree that is planted by the rivers of water. When I think about a tree that is planted by water, I always envision one that is large, vibrant, covered in leaves, and has a strong structure. That is how we can be in our spiritual life when we continue to draw closer to the Lord through daily prayer and study in the word. When we create a solid foundation on the ways of Christ and aiming to become more like Him, we become rooted in Him and nothing can move us. Also, when we are planted by the rivers of water, our spiritual cup is always being filled and there is no room for spiritual dryness. This verse also mentions that it “bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither”. Whether we are in a good or dark season in life, through Him we can still grow and produce spiritual fruit. The blessed one prospers in all that he does! Even though sometimes we may not think that we’ve prospered in our actions, but both our successes and failures are prosperous to the Lord, for “we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).
In verse 4, it shows the opposite of a righteous person. The verse says “The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away”. Chaff is the outer casing or covering of grains that falls to the ground when the real grain begins to grow. When I was thinking about this verse, the Lord brought a thought to mind. When we are walking through life, there is a point where we will have to make a choice. This choice is whether we will serve and live for God or live a life in sin. This makes me think of the grain and how we choose whether to be the grain or the chaff. The chaff, like stated in the verse, falls to the ground and the wind driveth it away. If we fall in our spiritual faithfulness, we are placed in a position of weakness because God is our only source of strength. When we have fallen, we are vulnerable and can easily be taken advantage of by the enemy. To prevent this from happening, we have to be firmly rooted in the Lord and stay consistent in our walk with God at all times.
This passage of scriptures really challenged me to dig deeper into the word of God and to earnestly pray to the one who created me in every part of life. I hope that this is an encouragement to you.
- Lauren Edwards
Hey there! I just wanted to share something that the Lord has put on my heart in the last week. It is so amazing to see how God works, because I have seen this same message being shared recently among the young people and in the services I have been in. I have been reading and studying in the book of Psalms lately and the first chapter really stood out to me. As I read the word the Lord showed me the importance of this passage through a series of visuals. The passage of scriptures illustrates a blessed or righteous person and one that is not. The very first verse says “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful”. A blessed person is one that does not allow themselves to be accustomed to sin and succumb to the way of sinners. With the words walketh, standeth, and sitteth it is demonstrated of the progression of how sin can become comfortable. At first, one just walks by and looks at sin but doesn’t fully step into it. Then, one actually stands in areas where sin is clearly evident. Then, soon, if you are not careful one could be sitting completely immersed in the way of sin and being comfortable with it. The way of sin is a dark and miserable trap that we can fall into if we are not careful.
In the next verse it says “But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night”. The blessed one finds their delight in the word of God and he meditates on it both day and night. It says meditating day and night. This was the challenging part for me. This is a major part of our life that the devil will try to destroy by distracting us and making us put off reading and mediating the word of God like we should. When it says meditating day and night it doesn’t mean picking up your Bible and reading one scripture just because you feel like it is a duty that you have to cross off of your daily to-do list. But, it means to really dig deep into the word and to be continually thinking about it. To read it, think about it, connect it to other situations in the Bible and apply it to your life and your walk with God. We should be meditating all hours of the day on the things of the Lord because we want to. As a result, we are able to draw closer to God.
In verse 3, it says “And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper”. By meditating on the law of the Lord continually we are like a tree that is planted by the rivers of water. When I think about a tree that is planted by water, I always envision one that is large, vibrant, covered in leaves, and has a strong structure. That is how we can be in our spiritual life when we continue to draw closer to the Lord through daily prayer and study in the word. When we create a solid foundation on the ways of Christ and aiming to become more like Him, we become rooted in Him and nothing can move us. Also, when we are planted by the rivers of water, our spiritual cup is always being filled and there is no room for spiritual dryness. This verse also mentions that it “bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither”. Whether we are in a good or dark season in life, through Him we can still grow and produce spiritual fruit. The blessed one prospers in all that he does! Even though sometimes we may not think that we’ve prospered in our actions, but both our successes and failures are prosperous to the Lord, for “we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).
In verse 4, it shows the opposite of a righteous person. The verse says “The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away”. Chaff is the outer casing or covering of grains that falls to the ground when the real grain begins to grow. When I was thinking about this verse, the Lord brought a thought to mind. When we are walking through life, there is a point where we will have to make a choice. This choice is whether we will serve and live for God or live a life in sin. This makes me think of the grain and how we choose whether to be the grain or the chaff. The chaff, like stated in the verse, falls to the ground and the wind driveth it away. If we fall in our spiritual faithfulness, we are placed in a position of weakness because God is our only source of strength. When we have fallen, we are vulnerable and can easily be taken advantage of by the enemy. To prevent this from happening, we have to be firmly rooted in the Lord and stay consistent in our walk with God at all times.
This passage of scriptures really challenged me to dig deeper into the word of God and to earnestly pray to the one who created me in every part of life. I hope that this is an encouragement to you.
- Lauren Edwards
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