Friday, November 22, 2013

One More Miracle

God has worked miracles in my life. The fact that I am breathing and thinking and typing this post defies what the doctor thought several months ago. But I have recently realized another great gift God gave me. For the first few months after I woke up, God mercifully held Satan back from major temptation and major emotional attack of any kind. For the longest time, the only sin I could think of that I struggled with was that of not praying without ceasing. 

Now things are much more normal. God recently allowed the devil to return to some of his old temptations as well as some of his old trials. But "The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy." And He is "the God of all comforts." So although my life is much more "normal" now, God didn't give me to the wolves by any means. He enabled me to soon conquer the temptations (at least temporarily) and blessed me with sweet Heaven-hugs.

One of those was the sermon this past Sunday out of Luke 10:30-34. A man went on a journey and was wounded. As he lay there by the side of the road, he had to have thought of it as a bad thing. He probably wondered why. But then the good Samaritan came along and poured oil in his wounds and took care of him.

Oil, in the Bible, is a picture of the Holy Spirit. So whatever wound you are dealing with now is actually a gift, an opportunity for a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit. I don't claim to fully understand it, but the thought does carry comfort.

Thursday, November 14, 2013

What If God Says No?

We pray for things we want. So, what do we do if God says no? Can He say no? What if we're "the persistent widow" and are faithful in prayer? Then He has to say yes, right? I used to kind of think that, but Sunday's sermon made me rethink it.

Jesus asked three times not to have to go to the Cross, and He still had to go.

Paul asked three times for the thorn in the flesh to be removed, and God didn't take it away.

God works in mysterious ways, and we'll understand it better by and by. :)

Monday, November 4, 2013

Man of Sorrows

Man of sorrows Lamb of God
By His own betrayed
The sin of man and wrath of God
Has been on Jesus laid

Silent as He stood accused
Beaten mocked and scorned
Bowing to the Father's will
He took a crown of thorns

Sent of heaven God's own Son
To purchase and redeem
And reconcile the very ones
Who nailed Him to that tree

See the stone is rolled away
Behold the empty tomb
Hallelujah God be praised
He's risen from the grave

Friday, November 1, 2013

Teach Me Thy Way!

Teach me Thy way, O Lord, teach me Thy way!
Thy guiding grace afford, teach me Thy way!
Help me to walk aright, more by faith, less by sight;
Lead me with heav’nly light, teach me Thy way!

When I am sad at heart, teach me Thy way!
When earthly joys depart, teach me Thy way!
In hours of loneliness, in times of dire distress,
In failure or success, teach me Thy way!

When doubts and fears arise, teach me Thy way!
When storms o’erspread the skies, teach me Thy way!
Shine through the cloud and rain, through sorrow, toil and pain;
Make Thou my pathway plain, teach me Thy way!

Long as my life shall last, teach me Thy way!
Where’er my lot be cast, teach me Thy way!
Until the race is run, until the journey’s done,
Until the crown is won, teach me Thy way!