REACHING HURTING WOMEN MINISTRIES

The third Friday of each month in 2019 we are studying my favorite life verses: 2 Corinthians 4:15-18. This section of Scripture has proven a solid source of faith for me through many challenges over the past fifteen years. As we work our way through this passage of verses you’ll see it build on the previous phrases all the way to the end.

All this is for your benefit so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart.

Stretched Faith.

Sometimes life gets tough as we press into the destiny that God has called us to. Our faith gets stretched to limits we’ve never experienced. We may find ourselves questioning God’s plan and purpose. We may even begin to doubt that God is with us because He seems so distant.

Count trials as joy.

Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. ~ James 1:2-3

Scripture encourages us to count our trials as joy before us as we follow in Christ steps of suffering. And we can count on God’s joy to strengthen us for our journey. Math is Jesus’ Kingdom is unlike that of the world:

When the world counts troubles: BAD + BAD = WORSE.

In Jesus’s Kingdom: BAD + BAD = JOY

The author of Hebrews calls us to keep our eyes on Jesus and to follow His example. As He endured the cross, He focused on the joy of the coming Kingdom rather than the suffering He was experiencing. So too, can we. As we keep our eyes on Christ and the joy before us in His Kingdom we will be less likely to lose heart during our trials and struggles.

We look away from the natural realm and we fasten our gaze onto Jesus who birthed faith within us and who leads us forward into faith’s perfection. His example is this: Because his heart was focused on the joy of knowing that you would be his, he endured the agony of the cross and conquered its humiliation, and now sits exalted at the right hand of the throne of God! ~ Hebrews 12:2

Prayer guards our heart.

In Luke 18:1 Jesus tells we are always to pray and not lose heart. Meaning that prayer encourages steadfastness in our spirit and guards our soul against disheartedness while we are waiting on God to answer us.

Trust The King

There will always be opportunities to lose heart and be disappointed. People will let us down. We will even let ourselves down. But with Jesus the King of our heart we can’t lose! No matter how things look today we can trust that God will never let us down!

Contemplate on Jesus being the King of Your Heart today as you watch/listen to this beautiful Bethel Worship song.

All Scripture quoted in this article are from The Passion Translation (TPT).

On the second Friday of each month in 2019 we are studying one of the most memorized chapters in the Bible: PSALM 23. Join me as we bring fresh application of this beloved psalm to our lives.

The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pasture, he leads me beside still waters…

We weren’t created to live in state of frenzy… stressing to make it to the next paycheck so we can pay off the debt we accumulated buying things we never use… Hustling to make it to the next rung on the corporate ladder so we can feel better about ourselves.

Life seems to be focused on what we don’t have today. Many of us are stretching ourselves to the breaking point just to get the next best newer things.

When God created Adam and Eve He gave them a peaceful home. They were privileged to live in a Garden created just for them where they walked with God in the cool of the morning. Because The Garden of Eden was the perfect home, I imagine it must have had a beautiful lake where Adam and Eve could sit by the still waters and enjoy the evening sunset with God at their side.

For me one of my most relaxing things is to sit beside water. Whether it’s the ocean, a lake, a river or stream it makes no difference. Water soothes my soul. It brings peace to my spirit and resets my mind after a hard week.

Sheep require still waters before they will drink. Sheep are nervous around moving water and they won’t drink. Because they fear flowing water they’re unable to be refreshed unless the water is still.

We need to find stillness to be refreshed. This is a good lesson for us. It might not happen every day, but we can make a point to regularly find a place of stillness to spend alone time with ourselves and God.

Let technology help if you can’t get to a natural source of water. There are apps and Internet videos galore that can give you a sense of being near water. I listen to an app during my lunch break at work most days. It helps me to rest, reset and prepare for the afternoon.

Seek time with the Living Water. In Scripture Jesus is called the Living Water. So as we’re able to spend time reading God’s Word our soul and spirit will be refreshed.

“All you thirsty ones, come to me! Come to me and drink! Believe in me so that rivers of living water will burst out from within you, flowing from your innermost being, just like the Scripture says!” ~ John 7:37-38

Contemplate the Still Waters that God provides to refresh your soul today as you watch/listen to this lovely video by Stephanie Bayne.