"If our gardens need cultivating to grow well, our children need that attention much more. Seeds of excellence and grace must be planted and tended. The weeds of selfishness and bad attitudes must be plucked. The plot must be protected so that the wild storms and prevailing winds of culture will not damage the fruit."
The Mission of Motherhood
Showing posts with label Christian Living. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christian Living. Show all posts
Infiltrate, Not Isolate
"I'm not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one."
— John 17:15
What is the biblical worldview on our culture? Are things getting better? Is humanity improving the world around it? The Bible is really clear on this one: our culture is dark, and it is getting darker. That is what the Bible teaches. It is not going to get better; it is going to get worse. Despite the fact that humanity has increased in scientific, medical, historical, educational, psychological, and technological knowledge to an astounding degree, we have not in any way, shape, or form changed our own basic nature. And we have not improved society.
Our confidence has increased, but our peace of mind has diminished. Our accomplishments have increased, but our sense of purpose and meaning have all but disappeared. Instead of improving the moral and spiritual quality of our lives, our discoveries and accomplishments have simply provided new ways to show ourselves for what we really are: depraved, sinful, and wicked.
Modern man has simply discovered new ways to corrupt and destroy himself. We go from war to greater war, from immorality to greater immorality, from perversion to greater perversion. The spiral is downward, not upward.
Some Christians try to isolate themselves from the world around them. But that is virtually impossible. You may remove yourself and your children from the culture, or at least attempt to, but know this: your culture will find you.
Withdrawing to a Christian subculture is not what we are supposed to do. Jesus prayed this for us: "I'm not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one" (John 17:15). The objective of believers is not to isolate, but to infiltrate; not to evade, but to invade. We are to impact our culture without being compromised by it.
Greg Laurie
Loved this!
Nancy Leigh DeMoss: Ask any mom what she’s been cleaning today and prepare for a long list. Cleaning up never stops. It’s true in the kitchen, and it’s true in our hearts.
Spending time in prayer and the Word of God is like constant cleaning. As a child of God, I’ve been made clean once and for all. That’s my position in Christ. But my practice is another thing. While living in this corrupt world, I often get my spiritual hands, feet, and clothes soiled.
That’s why I need worship, prayer, and God’s Word. I need to ask with the psalmist, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me” (Psalm 139:23-24).
You may have spent a lot of time dealing with dust, crumbs, and grime already today. Have you asked God to clean your attitudes, your thoughts, and your actions?
With Seeking Him, I’m Nancy Leigh DeMoss.
Temptation
I took my oldest boy out for a little one on one special day. A time to spend together before he started 5th grade. Being that I knew Gregory came to a saving faith in the Lord 4 years ago and is a very bright little boy; I asked him "what’s the toughest thing about being a Christian" he quickly responded with "not giving in to temptation".
Honestly, isn't that the truth with all believers!? We are tempted in so many various ways every single day! We have a choice sin or not sin. Gregory and I continued our discussion for a while. I shared with him the importance of building our relationship with our best friend Jesus Christ and He will help us turn from temptations that come across our paths. We can build that relationship by staying in fellowship with Him. We stay in fellowship with Him by being in the word and seeing what God wants to say to us, study, prayer and gathering together for Bible study and church.
"....let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.” Hebrews 10:22
Fresh Each Day
By Ron Hutchcraft
OK, I'll confess. I can drive by the candy store. I can drive by the ice cream shop. I can pass up the pizza place, but it's very hard for me to not stop at the bakery. Yes, bakeries are my weakness, and it's a good thing I don't work in one - I'd weigh 500 pounds. Now most bakeries have this discount stuff in a corner; it's the day old baked goods. Oh it's cheaper, but there's a reason. There's a big difference between day-old and fresh baked. That line at the bakery early in the morning; that's not for yesterday's goodies, let me tell you. Those folks are there to get the doughnuts or the bread that just came out of the oven. And I might be right at the head of the line. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Fresh Each Day."
Getting it fresh - that's not only a good idea at the bakery, but also when it comes to picking up your provisions from heaven, too. God's got new resources for you each new day; mercies that are according to the Bible are, "new every morning" (Lamentations
God gives us an enlightening picture of how to stay spiritually strong in our word for today from the Word of God. Exodus 16 , beginning in verse 4, records God's delivery system for feeding His people as they wandered in the desert: "'I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day'...So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites...'In the morning you will see the glory of the Lord.'"
Through Moses, the Lord went on to command His people not to store any of His manna overnight. "However," it says, "some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell" (that is day-old at its worst!). But God's plan worked. The Bible says, "Each morning everyone gathered as much as he needed."
That's been God's plan ever since; that each of His children would gather each morning all the spiritual resources he or she needs for that day. Speaking of Himself, Jesus said, "The bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world" (John
If you will anchor your day to a personal time with Jesus Christ, you'll start to experience a realness, a closeness, a consistency, a victory in your relationship with Him that you've always wanted but maybe never had. You need to hear from heaven each day if you're going to live for heaven while you're on earth. And day-old or week-old stuff just won't cut it for this new day. You need what Jesus has prepared for you fresh each day!
Meaningless!
I’ve been studying Ecclesiastes and going through it has been a real eye opener for me. It’s a book of Solomon looking back over his life and realizing all the “stuff” in his life that was meaningless! Makes me think about all the things in this world and how everything apart from God means nothing! Nothing apart from God will make us truly happy! So many people put so much into material things, and education it’s actually pretty sad.
Studying this book of the Bible has made me think more eternal. It makes me think of the things that really matter. It makes me think of why I’m really here on this earth. It makes me want to change things in my own life. It makes me desire to be more content. Enjoy the time I have with my boys and husband. And spend that time raising them up to love God and desire a relationship with Him! It makes me want to pray more, and pray with a purpose, and specifically too! A neat quote I came across “We must not build our life on perishable pursuits, but on the SOLID foundation of God!” We have to take each day as a blessing from God. Each day and all it holds for us, and we must have a true Christ-like perspective on life, no matter what the circumstance may be!
TRUSTING GOD
Seems like all my Bible studies have been flowing together nicely lately. I love how God works! One of the things God is really showing me is how to TRUST Him completely. God is sovereign over everything! God has a plan and reveals it to us in HIS timing. Even the hurts and trials we go through, God has a purpose for them all. He intends all adversity to profit us in one way or another, and in the end bring HIM GLORY! God knows our hurts, our every tear, and He cares (Psalm 56:8). I take comfort knowing that He’s got the plan, He’s in control, He is sovereign, and that He cares. I can fully lean on Him and trust. In our women’s study we memorized Phil. 4:6-7! This is one of my all time favorite verses to cling to and have hidden in my heart! “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, thanking, let your requests be known to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guide our heart and our minds in Christ Jesus!”
Now to continually put this verse in to practice! It’s a daily thing! It’s all about trusting God with everything!
I needed this today!
Why Does God Allow Trials in our Lives?
Today's devotion is taken from a recent post on Pastor Greg's blog. To read more of his postings, click here to visit Greg's Blog.
Why Does God Allow Trials in our Lives?
There are many things that could be said in response to that particular question, but here is one you may not have considered: God allows trials and hardship in your life so you can help others. As a result, whatever difficulty, challenge, or suffering you may be going through need not be wasted.
Paul writes, "He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer" (2 Corinthians 1:4-7).
James MacDonald at Harvest
For the last few weeks, Pastor James MacDonald has been speaking at our church on the topic of turning your trials into gold.
What makes this series especially poignant is the fact that James is delivering these messages while undergoing treatment for prostate cancer.
Therefore, there is a power and authenticity to his messages that has powerfully resonated with all who have heard them. That is because he is giving them in "real time," personally living the truths he is proclaiming.
But James has also found that there is no better time to minister to others then when you are hurting.
That doesn't make sense!
It seems that when we are in need, when we are facing crisis, the world should just stop what it is doing and think about us. We think that we need to be cared for, encouraged, even catered to.
But the reality is that when you are hurting, if you will reach out to someone else, you yourself will be replenished and helped.
Jesus said, "If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use in giving–large or small–it will be used to measure what is given back to you" (Luke 6:38).
There is always someone worse off than you
People have commended me and our family for continuing to minister, despite our pain over the death of our beloved son Christopher. While I appreciate those kind words, I must tell you that it actually helps me to help others.
My heart goes out to other people who are suffering like it never has before, especially if it is the death of a child. So it helps me to help them. Even writing these words help me, knowing that they may minister to someone, somewhere.
I'm sure you know of someone who is hurting right now. Perhaps they have cancer, or have recently lost a loved one, or their marriage has unraveled. Go to them and seek to be a friend and encourage them today.
Don't waste your experiences
God is in control of your life, and allows trials to come our way in order to strengthen us spiritually and make us more like Jesus.
Whatever you are facing, know that someone else is facing it too. Perhaps you could share with them some of the things the Lord has shared with you, and "be able to give them the same comfort God has given us."
Today's devotion is taken from a recent post on Pastor Greg's blog. To read more of his postings, click here to visit Greg's Blog.
Why Does God Allow Trials in our Lives?
There are many things that could be said in response to that particular question, but here is one you may not have considered: God allows trials and hardship in your life so you can help others. As a result, whatever difficulty, challenge, or suffering you may be going through need not be wasted.
Paul writes, "He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer" (2 Corinthians 1:4-7).
James MacDonald at Harvest
For the last few weeks, Pastor James MacDonald has been speaking at our church on the topic of turning your trials into gold.
What makes this series especially poignant is the fact that James is delivering these messages while undergoing treatment for prostate cancer.
Therefore, there is a power and authenticity to his messages that has powerfully resonated with all who have heard them. That is because he is giving them in "real time," personally living the truths he is proclaiming.
But James has also found that there is no better time to minister to others then when you are hurting.
That doesn't make sense!
It seems that when we are in need, when we are facing crisis, the world should just stop what it is doing and think about us. We think that we need to be cared for, encouraged, even catered to.
But the reality is that when you are hurting, if you will reach out to someone else, you yourself will be replenished and helped.
Jesus said, "If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use in giving–large or small–it will be used to measure what is given back to you" (Luke 6:38).
There is always someone worse off than you
People have commended me and our family for continuing to minister, despite our pain over the death of our beloved son Christopher. While I appreciate those kind words, I must tell you that it actually helps me to help others.
My heart goes out to other people who are suffering like it never has before, especially if it is the death of a child. So it helps me to help them. Even writing these words help me, knowing that they may minister to someone, somewhere.
I'm sure you know of someone who is hurting right now. Perhaps they have cancer, or have recently lost a loved one, or their marriage has unraveled. Go to them and seek to be a friend and encourage them today.
Don't waste your experiences
God is in control of your life, and allows trials to come our way in order to strengthen us spiritually and make us more like Jesus.
Whatever you are facing, know that someone else is facing it too. Perhaps you could share with them some of the things the Lord has shared with you, and "be able to give them the same comfort God has given us."
Time to refresh!
I got this in my email today and totally needed this!
Refueling Your Soul: Time Alone With God
by Charles F. Stanley
Have you lost your spiritual motivation and drive? Has ministering to the needs of others become a chore rather than the joy it once was? Do you feel bored at church? If so, you may need to renew your commitment to spend time alone with God.
Jesus knew that time alone with the Father was essential. As busy as our Savior was with His mission, He often withdrew to pray. In those private and intimate moments, Christ found strength for what He knew lay ahead.
Many believers call these one-on-one meetings with God “quiet times” or “devotions.” They are a basic ingredient in a maturing relationship with the Lord. Quiet times change our approach to God from intellectual, detached, and “religious” to relational. When we give Him an opportunity to do so, the Father will speak to us through His Word and times of prayer in a real, personal way.
One by-product of a strong devotional life is a heightened sense of accountability to God. Spending time regularly with Him is strong motivation to keep sins confessed and bad habits in check. It is also a powerful incentive to resolve broken or damaged relationships. Holding a grudge against someone makes it impossible to have genuine intimacy with the Father.
When We Don’t Draw Near to God
As with any relationship, communication is the key to knowing the Lord better. Where there is no communication, there can be no relationship. Where there is no relationship, there can be no trust. And the less you trust someone, the harder it is to follow that person. So a Christian with no devotional life generally struggles to have faith and obey the Lord.
Christ came not only to reconcile all people to God (2 Cor. 5:18-20), but also to establish oneness between mankind and Himself. Without a devotional life, the relational side of the Christian faith fades away.
Practical Steps for Effective Quiet Times
Here are some things that make my devotional life richer:
1. Schedule time with God. Like anything else you intend to do, devotional time usually won’t happen unless it is planned. How often have you said to a friend, “Hey, let’s get together,” but failed to follow through? If you are like me, those plans seldom materialize. When I’m serious about getting together with someone, I make an appointment.
Specifically, before you go to bed, try to decide on a time and place to be alone with the Father the next day. Personally, I find mornings to be the best time to meet with God. I enjoy getting up early and beginning my day listening to and talking with Him. There is something extraordinary about focusing on the Father first thing.
2. Choose a place. If possible, conduct your quiet time in the same location every day. Eventually, this spot will take on special significance. Being there will affect your mood and your ability to concentrate. It will create an attitude of expectancy in your spirit.
Choose a place off the beaten path of your daily activities. It may be a spare bedroom, your living room, or even a closet. You need a place where the only thing you do there is meet with God.
I know a man whose special place is under the stairs in his house. A college student I know pulled his bed away from the wall and made that his spot. For me, it is a corner in my study at home. No matter where you live, you can find a spot to be alone with God.
3. Use a variety of methods. People often tell me that their personal devotions have become dry, routine, or even boring. God is certainly not uninteresting. And chances are, you are not dull either. So if spending time with Him becomes monotonous, the culprit is probably your method. The cure is to modify your routine.
For example, if you’ve been reading a devotional book, put it down, and instead, journal your thoughts and prayers. If you’ve been following a plan for reading through the entire Bible, take a break and read straight through one book of your choice. If you have been praying, supplement your prayers by memorizing Scripture. If your devotions have turned into in-depth Bible studies, find a devotional book to lighten things up for a while. Remember, this is a relationship. Look for ways to keep it fresh, and your quiet times won’t become stale.
Footprints
Footprints in the Sand
One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord. Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand. Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there was one only.
This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints, so I said to the Lord,
“You promised me Lord,
that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there has only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?”
The Lord replied, “The years when you have seen only one set of footprints, my child, is when I carried you.”
Mary Stevenson, 1936
Avoiding the Bondage of Addiction
- Ask yourself, As I get older, am I living a life that’s more indulgent, more carefree, more thoughtless? Or am I living a life that is more focused, more temperate, more wise about what I’m doing with my life?
- A mark of our new life in Christ is that we’re not supposed to be slaves to much wine or to sinful passions or pleasures.
He gives and He takes Away! Blessed be your Name!
We just started a new Women's Bible study on Monday's. We are going through Philippians in the Bible. The Study is called "Learning to be Content", by Judy Gerry. We've only just begun and I do believe it will be a neat study and I know God will grow me through it.
As I was doing my homework this week I'm realizing I have so much to be thankful for! I really do! I have a wonderful awesome Savior, who rescued me from the penalty of death for my sins. He washed away my punishment. Do I deserve that? No, but He in His awesome mercy, love and Grace did it for me. Thank you Jesus! I have the best husband that anyone could ask for! We complete each other wonderfully. He is so passionate about the Lord, and I love to see him get so excited for what God is doing in his life. I have two of the cutest, sweetest boys in the world. I love them so much and am more grateful for them than I ever have been! He's blessed us in so many other ways as well, and I'm truly grateful!
It has been hard the past couple weeks. The loss of our baby that was just beginning to form inside me has certainly taken a toll on us, and I think especially me. I feel it most when I'm alone and in the quiet. I'm still not over the miscarriage completely, as I'm physically still tired and emotionally still sad (deep down). It's hard because we wanted that baby so badly. We were so excited when God blessed us with the news of me being pregnant again.
However, 1 Thessalonians 5:18 he is saying to give thanks in everything. Meaning any circumstance, because God has certain things for each of us to go through, and there are reasons for those life circumstances. He's trying to grow us in our faith, make us stronger, realize areas we need to change etc. We are to praise the Lord because of.....
For those who LOVE THE LORD all things will work for the good. Romans 8:28 "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." I can't say that I am happy that our baby is gone. But I do know that I can cling to Him who gives me peace and joy at all times, no matter what the circumstance may be.
The Lord is Almighty, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, and he gives and takes away. Job 1:21 "...The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away may the name of the LORD be praised." My babies aren't mine anyway. He's only just loaned them to me, to raise up to love Him. I don't own them! He's blessed Brian and I with two handsome little boys and they are only on loan to us from Him! I don't know if I will ever know why I had to go through a miscarriage and loose a little one that we so desperately wanted. I do know that in the big plan of His, there is a reason and because I love the Lord I know it will be for the good. God is providing exactly what is best for me, Brian, and our family. Though some days are hard, filled with emotion and tears.....I cling to what He tells me in HIS WORD! I cling to Him! My Savior. Blessed be your name!
As I was doing my homework this week I'm realizing I have so much to be thankful for! I really do! I have a wonderful awesome Savior, who rescued me from the penalty of death for my sins. He washed away my punishment. Do I deserve that? No, but He in His awesome mercy, love and Grace did it for me. Thank you Jesus! I have the best husband that anyone could ask for! We complete each other wonderfully. He is so passionate about the Lord, and I love to see him get so excited for what God is doing in his life. I have two of the cutest, sweetest boys in the world. I love them so much and am more grateful for them than I ever have been! He's blessed us in so many other ways as well, and I'm truly grateful!
It has been hard the past couple weeks. The loss of our baby that was just beginning to form inside me has certainly taken a toll on us, and I think especially me. I feel it most when I'm alone and in the quiet. I'm still not over the miscarriage completely, as I'm physically still tired and emotionally still sad (deep down). It's hard because we wanted that baby so badly. We were so excited when God blessed us with the news of me being pregnant again.
However, 1 Thessalonians 5:18 he is saying to give thanks in everything. Meaning any circumstance, because God has certain things for each of us to go through, and there are reasons for those life circumstances. He's trying to grow us in our faith, make us stronger, realize areas we need to change etc. We are to praise the Lord because of.....
For those who LOVE THE LORD all things will work for the good. Romans 8:28 "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." I can't say that I am happy that our baby is gone. But I do know that I can cling to Him who gives me peace and joy at all times, no matter what the circumstance may be.
The Lord is Almighty, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, and he gives and takes away. Job 1:21 "...The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away may the name of the LORD be praised." My babies aren't mine anyway. He's only just loaned them to me, to raise up to love Him. I don't own them! He's blessed Brian and I with two handsome little boys and they are only on loan to us from Him! I don't know if I will ever know why I had to go through a miscarriage and loose a little one that we so desperately wanted. I do know that in the big plan of His, there is a reason and because I love the Lord I know it will be for the good. God is providing exactly what is best for me, Brian, and our family. Though some days are hard, filled with emotion and tears.....I cling to what He tells me in HIS WORD! I cling to Him! My Savior. Blessed be your name!
JOY
"The joy of the Lord is rich and deep and causes
anyone who walks in it to be likewise. That's because
joy doesn't have anything to do with happy
circumstances; it has to do with looking into the
face of God and knowing He's all we'll ever need."
anyone who walks in it to be likewise. That's because
joy doesn't have anything to do with happy
circumstances; it has to do with looking into the
face of God and knowing He's all we'll ever need."
Don't waste your cancer by John Piper
This was read at Dave Hatton's funeral. It is awesome!
Spring
I write this on the eve of prostate surgery. I believe in God’s power
to heal—by miracle and by medicine. I believe it is right and good to
pray for both kinds of healing. Cancer is not wasted when it is healed
by God. He gets the glory and that is why cancer exists. So not to pray
for healing may waste your cancer. But healing is not God’s plan for
everyone. And there are many other ways to waste your cancer. I am
praying for myself and for you that we will not waste this pain.
Spring
I write this on the eve of prostate surgery. I believe in God’s power
to heal—by miracle and by medicine. I believe it is right and good to
pray for both kinds of healing. Cancer is not wasted when it is healed
by God. He gets the glory and that is why cancer exists. So not to pray
for healing may waste your cancer. But healing is not God’s plan for
everyone. And there are many other ways to waste your cancer. I am
praying for myself and for you that we will not waste this pain.
1. You will waste your cancer if you do not believe it is designed for
you by God.
It will not do to say that God only uses our cancer but does not design
it. What God permits, he permits for a reason. And that reason is his
design. If God foresees molecular developments becoming cancer, he can
stop it or not. If he does not, he has a purpose. Since he is
infinitely wise, it is right to call this purpose a design. Satan is
real and causes many pleasures and pains. But he is not ultimate. So
when he strikes Job with boils (Job 2:7), Job attributes it ultimately
to God (2:10) and the inspired writer agrees: “They . . . comforted him
for all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him” (Job 42:11). If
you don’t believe your cancer is designed for you by God, you will
waste it.
2. You will waste your cancer if you believe it is a curse and not a
gift.
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ
Jesus” (Romans 8:1). “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by
becoming a curse for us” (Galatians 3:13). “There is no enchantment
against Jacob, no divination against Israel” (Numbers 23:23). “The Lord
God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good
thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11).
3. You will waste your cancer if you seek comfort from your odds rather
than from God.
The design of God in your cancer is not to train you in the
rationalistic, human calculation of odds. The world gets comfort from
their odds. Not Christians. Some count their chariots (percentages of
survival) and some count their horses (side effects of treatment), but
we trust in the name of the Lord our God (Psalm 20:7). God’s design is
clear from 2 Corinthians 1:9, “We felt that we had received the
sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on
God who raises the dead.” The aim of God in your cancer (among a
thousand other good things) is to knock props out from under our hearts
so that we rely utterly on him.
4. You will waste your cancer if you refuse to think about death.
We will all die, if Jesus postpones his return. Not to think about what
it will be like to leave this life and meet God is folly. Ecclesiastes
7:2 says, “It is better to go to the house of mourning [a funeral] than
to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and
the living will lay it to heart.” How can you lay it to heart if you
won’t think about it? Psalm 90:12 says, “Teach us to number our days
that we may get a heart of wisdom.” Numbering your days means thinking
about how few there are and that they will end. How will you get a
heart of wisdom if you refuse to think about this? What a waste, if we
do not think about death.
5. You will waste your cancer if you think that “beating” cancer means
staying alive rather than cherishing Christ.
Satan’s and God’s designs in your cancer are not the same. Satan
designs to destroy your love for Christ. God designs to deepen your
love for Christ. Cancer does not win if you die. It wins if you fail to
cherish Christ. God’s design is to wean you off the breast of the world
and feast you on the sufficiency of Christ. It is meant to help you say
and feel, “I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth
of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” And to know that therefore, “To live
is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 3:8; 1:21).
6. You will waste your cancer if you spend too much time reading about
cancer and not enough time reading about God.
It is not wrong to know about cancer. Ignorance is not a virtue. But
the lure to know more and more and the lack of zeal to know God more
and more is symptomatic of unbelief. Cancer is meant to waken us to the
reality of God. It is meant to put feeling and force behind the
command, “Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord” (Hosea 6:3).
It is meant to waken us to the truth of Daniel 11:32, “The people who
know their God shall stand firm and take action.” It is meant to make
unshakable, indestructible oak trees out of us: “His delight is in the
law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like
a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers” (Psalm
1:2). What a waste of cancer if we read day and night about cancer and
not about God.
7. You will waste your cancer if you let it drive you into solitude
instead of deepen your relationships with manifest affection.
When Epaphroditus brought the gifts to Paul sent by the Philippian
church he became ill and almost died. Paul tells the Philippians, “He
has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard
that he was ill” (Philippians 2:26-27). What an amazing response! It
does not say they were distressed that he was ill, but that he was
distressed because they heard he was ill. That is the kind of heart God
is aiming to create with cancer: a deeply affectionate, caring heart
for people. Don’t waste your cancer by retreating into yourself.
8. You will waste your cancer if you grieve as those who have no hope.
Paul used this phrase in relation to those whose loved ones had died:
“We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are
asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope” (1
Thessalonians 4:13). There is a grief at death. Even for the believer
who dies, there is temporary loss—loss of body, and loss of loved ones
here, and loss of earthly ministry. But the grief is different—it is
permeated with hope. “We would rather be away from the body and at home
with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8). Don’t waste your cancer grieving as
those who don’t have this hope.
9. You will waste your cancer if you treat sin as casually as before.
Are your besetting sins as attractive as they were before you had
cancer? If so you are wasting your cancer. Cancer is designed to
destroy the appetite for sin. Pride, greed, lust, hatred,
unforgiveness, impatience, laziness, procrastination—all these are the
adversaries that cancer is meant to attack. Don’t just think of
battling against cancer. Also think of battling with cancer. All these
things are worse enemies than cancer. Don’t waste the power of cancer
to crush these foes. Let the presence of eternity make the sins of time
look as futile as they really are. “What does it profit a man if he
gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?” (Luke 9:25).
10. You will waste your cancer if you fail to use it as a means of
witness to the truth and glory of Christ.
Christians are never anywhere by divine accident. There are reasons for
why we wind up where we do. Consider what Jesus said about painful,
unplanned circumstances: “They will lay their hands on you and
persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you
will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake. This
will be your opportunity to bear witness” (Luke 21:12 -13). So it is
with cancer. This will be an opportunity to bear witness. Christ is
infinitely worthy. Here is a golden opportunity to show that he is
worth more than life. Don’t waste it.
Remember you are not left alone. You will have the help you need. “My
God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in
Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).
Pastor John
By John Piper
Love is motivated by the joy of sharing our fullness, and the works of the flesh are motivated by the desire to fill our emptiness.
Not just words!
Each night Brian and I pray with our boys. Sometimes we pull out our prayer journal and write down the things about which we want to pray or we may look at the pictures of people we want to include in our prayers. Other times we’ll just gather together and pray about our concerns of the moment. Each of the boys pray, then Brian and I pray. We have been doing a family prayer time since Gregory was a baby. We feel it is very important to come before the Lord as a family and pray.
The other night, as I snuggled the boys down into bed, Gregory prayed “Lord, please help us when we pray, that we don’t just speak words, but that we mean what we are praying and when we do our Bible study, that we will not just read it, but that we will understand it”. I think my 7 ½ year old is teaching us something. We don’t want to just come before the throne of God and ramble off words just to get them off my “to do” list. We want to have Faith and trust God is going to answer our prayers. We also want to pray with purpose and meaning! Same with our quiet time with God, that we will desire to understand. Let us all pray for understanding and growth in our daily walk! I think having a daily prayer time becomes easier once we have established the habit of having a daily time with God. People can get into a “rut,” but we don’t want that in our lives. Each time we come before the Lord or dig into His Word, we want to keep it exciting: a journey of spiritual growth! It is important to have DAILY time in prayer and study. But it's important that we don't make that time just "going through the motions or just spouting out words". We need to make each day meaningful and special otherwise it's wasted time.
Thanks Gregory for helping me think on this!
Amazing Song
I just started my Women's Bible study. We are going through Beth Moore's Stepping Up! On the first dvd they had a special singer and he did an amazing song that he wrote. He's very passionate about the Lord!
“My Passion”
by Travis Cottrell
YOU can click to HERE listen
You alone are my passion forever.
Song of my soul,
Desire of my heart.
You alone are my passion, my treasure.
I love You for all that you are.
To the ends of the earth I will follow.
There’s nothing that I will not do.
You alone are my reason for living;
Jesus my passion is You.
Jesus my passion is You.
You alone are my passion forever.
Song of my soul,
Desire of my heart.
You alone are my passion, my treasure.
I love you for all that You are.
To the ends of the earth I will follow.
There’s nothing that I will not do.
You alone are my reason for living.
Jesus my passion is You.
Jesus my passion is You.
My Life.
My Love.
My God.
You are my Life.
My Love.
My God.
My Life.
My Love.
My God.
My Life.
My Love.
My God.
To the ends of the earth I will follow
There’s nothing that I will not do.
‘CauseYou alone are my reason for living
Jesus my passion is You.
Jesus my passion is You
My Life.
My Love.
My God.
You are My Life.
My Love.
Everything I do
Everything I have
Every breath I breathe
Everything I do is all for You.
“My Passion”
by Travis Cottrell
YOU can click to HERE listen
You alone are my passion forever.
Song of my soul,
Desire of my heart.
You alone are my passion, my treasure.
I love You for all that you are.
To the ends of the earth I will follow.
There’s nothing that I will not do.
You alone are my reason for living;
Jesus my passion is You.
Jesus my passion is You.
You alone are my passion forever.
Song of my soul,
Desire of my heart.
You alone are my passion, my treasure.
I love you for all that You are.
To the ends of the earth I will follow.
There’s nothing that I will not do.
You alone are my reason for living.
Jesus my passion is You.
Jesus my passion is You.
My Life.
My Love.
My God.
You are my Life.
My Love.
My God.
My Life.
My Love.
My God.
My Life.
My Love.
My God.
To the ends of the earth I will follow
There’s nothing that I will not do.
‘CauseYou alone are my reason for living
Jesus my passion is You.
Jesus my passion is You
My Life.
My Love.
My God.
You are My Life.
My Love.
Everything I do
Everything I have
Every breath I breathe
Everything I do is all for You.
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