Month: July 2016

A Year of Thanksgiving

On By francesrogersIn CONTENTMENT, GOD'S GLORY, GOD'S GRACE, GOD'S WORD, HUMILITY, PRAYER1 Comment

1-Thessalonians-5_182014 was a year of humility. 2015 was a year of meditation.   Last year ended with Jerry in ICU after his heart attack, so he and I spent New Year’s Eve in the hospital. There were no fireworks ~ just the two of us with grateful hearts celebrating life and God’s blessings as another year was opened to us.

Before then there was no indication of where our concentration should be this year. But, we didn’t have to wait long. This has been a special year to be thankful, even in the middle of emergencies, the everyday perplexities and abnormalities of this life.

In our reading and meditation this week we spent time in one of Paul’s letters.  In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, I had to take the time to let these things sink in, again.

“Rejoice always,
pray without ceasing,
give thanks in all circumstances;
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

This is how I had to stack these. They rest together on the foundation that Christ laid for us. We understand that God, our Father planned through the life and the atoning work of His Son the means in this world for our rejoicing, praying, and thanksgiving. This is not a natural thing.  We all know that in the middle of difficulties, thanksgiving is not our first thought. But, just as we learned in the year of humility, we first desire to do His will, realizing that it is possible with His Spirit supernaturally working in us.  We desire, we pray and continue to pray that He do His will, His work in us. Paul spoke to the Philippian church that it is God who works to will and do in us, according to His own pleasure. (Philippians 2:13) We have in Christ this relationship with Him, so as to know His will, and how, by His Spirit, He works it in us. In Christ, we are enabled to rejoice, to pray, and to be thankful.

Whatever the circumstances of this life, nothing is greater than what He has prepared for us in His Son. Through our study and meditation of His Word and the truths of Christ, He continues to grow us in the grace and knowledge of our Lord, and through our circumstances to conform us to His image. (2 Peter 3:18; Romans 8:28-29)

Dear Father, you know how forgetful we are, and how prone we are to complain. Forgive us, and lead us as your people, your family, to be your image bearers.  Thank you for providing the means for us to rejoice, to pray, and be thankful in the middle of a chaotic world. By your Spirit, witness through us to others of your grace and glory. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Related article:  The Glad Rule

Taking God Seriously

On By francesrogersIn GOD'S GLORY, GOD'S GRACE, GOD'S WORD, PRAYER1 Comment

How many years does it take for God to reveal Himself to us? I don’t speak here of knowing God just by reading about Him, but knowing Him through a personal relationship with His Son, Jesus Christ. He teaches us through His Word that He was in Christ reconciling us to Himself. (1 Corinthians 5:17-19) This was His supernatural means by His Holy Spirit to bring us in faith and repentance to know Him, and to love Him obediently. This is not to say that we live in perfect obedience, but that it is our desire. We all struggle against the flesh and the temptations of this world. We will do all that we are able to do, striving and missing the mark, failing time after time, until we understand that we cannot in this life be perfect children.

When we understand that He is our Father, and is not expecting more from us than He promises to do in us, we can live in joy and peace, knowing that He is leading and doing all in and through us. We seek His will and guidance through His Word and prayer, continuing to learn what He plans to do in us. When we fail, and when we fall, He is there to forgive, raise us up, dust us off, and put us back on the right path.

This has been my experience for all my decades, even when I didn’t know Him. Looking back, there is evidence of His presence and power in my life, even when I did not realize it. It is about these things that I continue to write. But my writing at first was simply documenting what He was revealing to me about Himself through His Word. Through His Word and His Spirit, He began to do phenomenal things in my life. Some of those things were shared in articles with other people. My sharing basically stopped because I was not getting any response, although, at times when I shared verbally, people would say, “You ought to write a book.”

Well, over a period of twenty-five years I have written several books, articles, and poems. For a while, the complaint of my heart was, “No one takes me seriously.” With this thinking, I then supposed that my writing was meant just for a legacy to my own family, tucked away in file boxes for future generations.

The Lord heard my complaint, and in His still small voice answered, “ No one takes you seriously because you do not take yourself seriously, and the reason you do not take yourself seriously is because you do not take me seriously.”

Whoa!

Things have really changed since then. With my desire to desire what He desires, taking Him seriously meant trusting Him to do in me what He wanted with what He has given me. And so, after six months of proofing, formatting, etc., and now a few last minute details, we will be ready to publish five of our books in paperback and eBooks. FIRST THINGS That Last FOREVER 1was written last month as an introduction to the series Little Books About the Magnitude of GOD and for a free gift. You can find this and other books on Amazon.

At first, we thought of giving all eBooks as gifts, but with His leading to donate the majority of the profit to missions and charity, we will give some and sell some.

What has God been doing in your life? Where is He leading you? If you don’t see His vision now, wait, continue in His Word and prayer.  Settle in to know Him and love Him above all things, then when His timing is perfect He will do all in and through you that will bring Him the glory.

Are you a writer?  Then write what He gives you for His glory.  File it away until He shows you where He wants you to share it.  As you mature you will correct some of the earlier things you have written. Be encouraged that He is doing a good work in you and will complete it.

If you are interested in how God continues to reveal Himself in power and love, especially into our old age, pray for us and join us here in proclaiming the legacy of God’s kingdom. Thank you for visiting.

We look forward to this new venture together with His family.

Dear Father, you have the spreadsheet.  Continue to guide me and your family with your counsel, according to your everlasting covenant.  Do your holy will in each of us today.  Thank you for loving us, and keeping us in your care.  Reveal yourself to those who do not yet know you as their heavenly Father.  In Jesus’ name, I pray, I thank you and I praise you.  Amen.