PERSEVERE

A Re-occuring Theme Here...

lorilaws1@gmail.com (Lori Laws) — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 16:15:00 +0000

“Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to the world.” 1 Peter 4: 12-13

“…these trials make you partners in Christ…” Today’s post is about waiting, which seems to be the reoccurring theme of this blog. Yes, it’s about waiting and persevering as we go through some crazy stuff in our walk of faith. Let’s think about how the Psalms give comfort when we’re going through these fiery trials. And think about David, think about how he was running for his life… think about the persecution he endured at the hands of sinful King Saul, not to mention his own son, Absalom. This persecution is what brought forth his crying out to God, the voice we hear loud and clear when we read and meditate upon each Psalm. Every sorrow was yet another note on David’s harp and every deliverance he experienced in his life became a song of praise!

This appears to be God’s way… to let us go through trials so we can produce fruit; and this fruit is not only for Him, we develop this fruit in order to feed and bless others! If David escaped, or was delivered from just one of those sorrowful experiences, just imagine what we could have missed out on! We share the same expressions and the same kind of grief as David.

“I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!” Philippians 3: 10-11

“For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” Romans 8: 29

I’ve learned THAT is what waiting on God is all about… He wants to make us like Jesus. I’ve learned that God is more concerned with our character than our comfort. I know I said it before—God will allow our earthly comforts to fail us, so we can learn how to depend only on Him. I’ll end today with one of His much loved and comforting promises…

"He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. He will bring justice to all who have been wronged." Isaiah 42:3

The Prophet Joel

lorilaws1@gmail.com (Lori Laws) — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:25:00 +0000

How foolish and rude to run away from God. How hard it must be to live without him—I couldn’t imagine that—I take that back; up until 8 ½ years ago, I did exactly that! I didn’t know what I was missing. It’s a misconception to think that following Jesus will be boring and take the fun out of life—just the opposite is true! But nevertheless, most still do. Since Eden, we have sought independence from His control, as though we were gods and could plot our own destiny. And He has allowed this rebellion. But soon the day of the Lord will come. The prophet Joel speaks of this day, and the message of this book is: Sin brings judgment; yet with God’s justice there is also great mercy!

“The day of the Lord is near, the day when destruction comes from the Almighty. How terrible that day will be!

Our food disappears before our very eyes. No joyful celebrations are held in the house of our God.

The seeds die in the parched ground, and the grain crops fail. The barns stand empty, and granaries are abandoned.

How the animals moan with hunger! The herds of cattle wander about confused, because they have no pasture. The flocks of sheep and goats bleat in misery.” Joel 1: 15-18

I know these words from Joel or rather, these inspired words of God are hard to hear but you must know that God is the One with whom we all must reckon-not nature, the economy, our political leaders, etc. Bottom line is that we can’t ignore or offend God forever. We are living on borrowed time; we either pay attention to God now, or face His anger later. The above verses describe a time when Judah had been plagued by locusts. The Bible Commentary tells us the “day of the Lord" is a common phrase in the Old Testament. It always refers to some extraordinary happening, whether it’s a present event (like a locust plague), an event in the near future (like the destruction of Jerusalem or the defeat of enemy nations), or the final period of history when God will defeat all the forces of evil.

Even when the day of the Lord refers to a present event, it also foreshadows the final day of the Lord. If you trust the Lord, looking toward this final day should give you hope, because then all who are faithful will be united forever with God.

Then this book turns into a call for repentance.

“Don’t tear your clothing in your grief,
But tear your hearts instead.” Joel 2: 13

More to come…

"What About You?"

lorilaws1@gmail.com (Lori Laws) — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 05:13:00 +0000

"What About You?" is a post of mine that is featured today on Kent Robson's blog, eSentialz jazzed 4 Life. I am one of the Contributing Writers for eSentialz, and the theme for March is "struggle." This piece is a small window into one of my struggles. I hope to see you over there, and I hope you have a great day!

Hosea... teaches us about Self-sufficiency

lorilaws1@gmail.com (Lori Laws) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:41:00 +0000

As we finish the book of Hosea, I would like to focus your attention on Gomer (the woman God instructed Hosea to marry). This book isn’t clear regarding her… it never tells us if she was a working prostitute or simply a sexually promiscuous girl. Nothing much had changed for Gomer when she married Hosea, her behavior went from promiscuity to adultery. She must have been really confused when Homer proposed marriage, not just propositioned her for sex!

Throughout this entire book, Israel is described as ignorant of God, with no desire to please Him. When we look at how Gomer didn’t understand Hosea at all, God shows us it was the same with Israel… actually, it can be the same with us; Just like Gomer, we too can chase after other loves—love of power, pleasure, money, or recognition. Sometimes we pursue things that are not of God because let’s face it… the temptations of this world are very seductive. But when we adopt the ways of the world and compromise our Christian lifestyles, we are being nothing short of unfaithful!

“I have been the Lord your God ever since I brought you out of Egypt.
You must acknowledge no God but me,
For there is no other savior.
I took care of you in the wilderness,
In that dry and thirsty land.
But when you had eaten and were satisfied,
You became proud and forgot me” Hosea 13: 4-6

“You became proud and forgot me”… Oh, how familiar that is! Israel was self-sufficient. Anyway, they thought they were self sufficient, and I don’t think there is that much of a difference between them and us; only a couple thousand years! Please, please, please… learn to rely on God in BOTH good times and bad. If you’re traveling along a smooth path in life right now, beware of forgetting who gave you your good fortune. Things can change at the drop of a dime!

Next post is the beginning of the book of Joel…

Have You Known the Pain of Being Misunderstood?

lorilaws1@gmail.com (Lori Laws) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:52:00 +0000

Over the weekend I heard a great teaching and again, I’m going to pass it along to you… but with my own twist! If you’re human, then there has been a time when you were treated harshly by others simply because of being misunderstood. And if it hasn’t happened to you yet, don’t worry because it will. As I write this, I’m reminded of something, actually it’s screaming in my mind... Whenever God calls you to do something, it doesn’t matter what it is, you will always meet up with opposition, and most of that opposition COMES FROM YOUR OWN CAMP! Amen?

There is a right response to being misunderstood, and there is a wrong response. Before we get into that, let me lead you to 1 Samuel 18: 6-8, after David killed Goliath…

When the victorious Israelite army was returning home after David had killed the Philistine, women from all the towns of Israel came out to meet King Saul. They sang and danced for joy with tambourines and cymbals. This was their song:

“Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands!”

This made Saul very angry. “What’s this?” he said. “They credit David with ten thousands and me with only thousands. Next they’ll be making him their king!” So from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David."

David was misunderstood. He had no intentions to hurt Saul. David claimed many times that “he would never harm the Lord’s Anointed!” To make a long story short, Saul chased David many years – trying to kill him. When we look at Psalm 59, the Bible tells us that David composed this psalm at the time Saul sent soldier’s to watch David’s house in order to kill him. In this psalm, I see three Biblically correct responses to being misunderstood… Our first response is found in Verse 9 “You are my strength; I wait for you to rescue me, for you, O God, are my fortress.” The first response is to depend only on God. David prayed for God’s deliverance, and turned to God in this painful time. This seems obvious to us, but it can’t be that obvious because many Christians take matters into their own hands. They make things or people substitutes for God. Pain like this often brings us to our knees. Could it be that God strips us from any earthly comforts… or He removes our crutch so we can learn to depend only on Him?

We continue and we read in verse 13…

“Destroy them in your anger! Wipe them out completely! Then the whole world will know that God reigns in Israel”

Wow. Our second response is to pray for those who hurt or mistreat us, but we are not… I repeat… we are not to pray that God wipes them out! Remember that David lived in Old Testament days under the Abrahamic covenant (“I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you.” Genesis 12:3). We need to pray that God would work in their life, bless and restore them. This takes A LOT of God’s grace! Our feelings don’t matter.

“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!” Matthew 5: 43

“Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them.” Romans 12: 14

I see the third response as rejoicing in the Lord. Despite the presence of his enemies, David rejoices in verse 16…

“But as for me, I will sing about your power. Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress.”

lorilaws1@gmail.com (Lori Laws) — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 22:41:00 +0000

Have I recently told you (my readers) how much I love and appreciate you? I don't think I have, but I do... love and appreciate you! Have a great weekend!

Also, Michael and I are moving. The move in day is April 9th. A good thing about moving is you get to go through things and get rid of a lot of junk (or things cluttering your life - and we, have a lot of it!). So things may or may not be slower than usual here in Blogland:)

Hosea... God's Love for Israel

lorilaws1@gmail.com (Lori Laws) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:51:00 +0000

When we skip ahead to the final four chapters of Hosea, the theme shifts to God’s intense love for Israel...

“When Israel was a child, I loved him, and I called my son out of Egypt. But the more I called to him, the farther he moved from me, offering sacrifices to the images of Baal and burning incense to idols.

I myself taught Israel how to walk, leading him along by the hand. But he doesn’t know or even care that it was I who took care of him.

I led Israel along with my ropes of kindness and love. I lifted the yoke from his neck, and I myself stooped to feed him.” Hosea 11: 1-4

Aren’t those verses beautiful? If you’re a parent, then you know what it’s like to love a stubborn child! Being a parent you know how difficult punishing bad behavior is. It’s because of that love God would make Israel face the consequences of their sinful, bad behavior. All throughout Israel’s sad history, God repeatedly offered to restore the nation if it would only turn back to Him. By stubbornly refusing God’s invitation, the northern kingdom had sealed its doom. Even so, Israel as a nation was not finished. A remnant of faithful Israelites would return to Jerusalem, where one day the Messiah would come, offering pardon and reconciliation to all who would faithfully follow Him.

I’m stopping here with Hosea because what I am reading in the Bible Commentary reminds me of something one of my friends on CWD (Christians with Disabilities) wrote, and I’ll post it for you in just a minute. The Bible Commentary on those verses says… God had consistently provided for His people, but they refused to see what He had done, and they showed no interest in thanking Him. Ungratefulness is a common human fault. For example, when was the last time you thanked your parents for caring for you? your pastor for the service he gives your church? your child’s teacher for the care taken with each day’s activities? your heavenly Father for His guidance? Many of the benefits and privileges we enjoy are the result of loving actions done long ago. Look for hidden acts of nurturing, and thank those who make the world better through their love.

Here is my friend’s post, I think it'll be a good read… A Circle of Great Love

Hosea... "Harden My Heart"

lorilaws1@gmail.com (Lori Laws) — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 18:35:00 +0000

Cryin' on the corner, waitin’ in the rain

I swear I’ll never ever wait again.

You gave me your word, words for you are lies.

Darlin’, in my wildest dreams

I never thought I’d go… But it’s time to let you know…

I’m gonna harden my heart

I’m gonna swallow my tears

I’m gonna turn and leave you here…

I’m gonna harden my heart

That’s Quarterflash – “Harden My Heart” from 1981. What can I say… I’m a music product from the Eighties! When reading Chapters 3, 4, 5, and 6 in Hosea, I saw the theme to be the hardening of Israel’s heart. Persistent sin hardens a person’s heart, making it hard to hear from God, and even harder to repent. Deliberately choosing to disobey God sears the conscience; each sin makes the next ones easier and easier to commit.

This book shows us the parallel of spiritual and physical adultery. Both spiritual and physical adultery begin with either disappointment or dissatisfaction—disappointment and dissatisfaction that is either real or imagined—with an already existing relationship. If we dwell on the feeling that God somehow disappointed us or let us down, it’ll start a downward spiral—same thing with our physical relationships. PAY ATTENTION: Diverting our attention, or acting on one little tempting thing is how the downward spiral starts! This process is dangerous because we don’t realize how deep we are into whatever it is, until it’s too late! Both spiritual and physical adultery involve the creation of a fantasy about what a new object of love can do for you, and this fantasy creates nothing but unrealistic expectations that only leads to disappointment(s).

“Wine has robbed my people of their understanding. They ask a piece of wood for advice! They think a stick can tell them their future! (Remember the “Majic Eight Ball?” Again, I have the 70’s an 80’s going thru my mind. LOL!)

Longing after idols has made them foolish. They have played the prostitute, serving other gods and deserting their God.” Hosea 4: 11-12

God sees and knows everything. We, just like Israel, tend to forget this. “No one is watching,” some of us may think, and we may try to get away with something. One thing to help us when we face temptations is just to remind ourselves that God is watching. Let me end today with a song so relevant to everything in this post…

Hosea... Punishment and Restoration

lorilaws1@gmail.com (Lori Laws) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 21:41:00 +0000

Israel’s punishment and restoration are the themes of this chapter. As predicted, Gomer left Hosea to pursue her lusts (Remember, God is causing Hosea’s wife to be unfaithful to show Israel’s unfaithfulness)…

“Their mother is a shameless prostitute and became pregnant in a shameful way. She said, ‘I’ll run after other lovers and sell myself to them for food and water, for clothing of wool and linen, and for olive oil and drinks.’
“For this reason I will fence her in with thornbushes. I will block her path with a wall to make her lose her way. When she runs after her lovers, she won’t be able to catch them. She will search for them but not find them.” Hosea 2: 5-7

The Israelites were thanking false God’s (specifically Baal, the god whom they believed controlled the weather and thus farming) for their food, shelter, and clothing, instead of the true God, who gave those blessings. Therefore, God would fence Israel in “with thornbushes” and “block her path” by making the rewards of idol worship so disappointing that the people would be persuaded to turn back to God. Despite Israel’s unfaithfulness, God was still faithful and merciful. He would continue to hold His arms out to His people, even to the point of placing obstacles in their wayward path to turn them back to Him. Just as Gomer would return to her husband if she thought she would be better off with him, so people often return to God when they find life’s struggles too difficult to handle.

“But then I will win her back once again. I will lead her (Israel) into the desert and speak tenderly to her there. I will return her vineyards to her, and transform the Valley of Trouble into a gateway of hope. She will give herself to me there.” Hosea 2: 14-15

God was promising (1) to bring the people to the desert, a place free from distractions, so He could clearly communicate with them, and (2) to change what had been a time of trouble into a day of hope. Let’s stop here, because I just have to testify of God’s unfailing love! Despite being physically stricken with this medically incurable disease, God has been gracious and merciful; what I initially considered to be the greatest crisis of my life, was actually the most severe mercy my awesome, Heavenly Father ever gave me! Yes, He placed a HUGE, painful obstacle in my path… but just as He used a painful obstacle in the Israelites path… it led them (and me) straight back to Him!

God absolutely uses even our negative experiences to create opportunities for us to turn back to Him. As you face your own problems and trials, remember that God speaks to us in the desert!

Hosea... Chapter One

lorilaws1@gmail.com (Lori Laws) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 22:34:00 +0000

This is really interesting—I’m looking more deeply into the lives of these Old Testament prophets like I never did before. I’m learning alongside of you:) And as I read, I’m finding that there are way too many historical details to mention them all here, but I will try to give you a fair summary. It would be in your best interest to open to these Minor Prophet Books, and read them yourselves when you can. You’ll learn so much!

Again, the main message of the Book of Hosea is that judgment was sure to come for living in total disregard for God and fellow humans. Israel’s last six kings were especially wicked; they promoted heavy taxes, oppression of the poor, idol worship, etc. The people of Israel had sinned against God, as an adulterous woman is unfaithful to her husband. So out of obedience to God, Hosea marries a prostitute named Gomer and she bore him three children. I want you to get this… the key to this part of the story is found in the names God chose for Hosea's children, which shows God’s reaction to Israel’s unfaithfulness.

These are the three names: (1) Jezreel –“I will bring an end to Israel’s independence. I will break its military power in the Jezreel Valley.” Hosea 1: 4-5 (2) Lo-ruhamah –‘Not Loved.’—“For I will no longer show love to the people of Israel or forgive them.” Hosea 1: 6 (3) Lo-ammi—‘Not my people’—“For Israel is not my people, and I am not their God.” Hosea 1: 9

Prophecy… it’s amazing! God’s warnings in Deuteronomy 28:15-68 were beginning to come true: Israel was abandoning God, and in turn, He was leaving them alone and without His blessing. The end of Chapter One carries words of restoration. Pay attention to the three names…

“Yet the time will come when Israel’s people will be like the sands of the seashore—too many to count! Then, at the place where they were told, ‘You are not my people,’ it will be said, ‘You are children of the living God.’ Then the people of Judah and Israel will unite together. They will choose one leader for themselves, and they will return from exile together. What a day that will be—the day of Jezreel—when God will again plant His people in His land. In that day, you will call your brothers Ammi—‘My people.' And you will call your sisters Ruhamah—‘The ones I love.’ Hosea 1: 10-11, 2: 1

I think that’s enough to take in for one day. And we’re only at the end of Chapter One! The Book of Hosea has fourteen chapters! More to come……

A Morsel of Encouragement...

lorilaws1@gmail.com (Lori Laws) — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 21:19:00 +0000

I knew it was only a matter of time… I knew He would break through and do something amazing! Let me share what happened a few minutes ago while I was in the bathroom praying; or should I say begging? I was begging God to take a horrific headache away. This isn’t out of the ordinary, much begging to take pain away happens on a pretty regular basis. First let me say that what I am about to tell you is something I already knew, but because I am the apple of His eye, God gave me an answer… a vague answer, but it most certainly was a small morsel of encouragement to help me persevere.

Let me backtrack and tell you last week I started taking supplements in addition to an oral Muscle Relaxer on the advice of my Neurologist. The side effects on both of those meds gives muscle weakness AND headaches. All this on top of this muscle disease and chronic headaches I already have… so you can try to imagine! Back to the story…

There I was holding my head because of the pain, and in the back of my mind just wondering, Why am I going through this?… When is this going to end?…Why don’t I ever get healthier?…Why, Why, Why? “God, please take this headache away! Please take this headache away!” The headache suddenly disappears. God said, “See, I can take it away. I have a good reason for all of this." Immediately Romans 8:28 came to my mind…

“All things work for the good of those that love God and are called according to His purpose.”

It was gone for a couple seconds, but it came back. I still have it, but I just wanted to share that with you. Like I said, when I started to tell you this, through faith I knew and absolutely stood on Romans 8:28. But when God speaks it directly to you, your faith climbs a few thousand notches! Immediately I thought of a dream I had a while ago… I was scuba diving in the ocean amidst a school of hungry, man-eating, Great White Sharks! But I then noticed someone swimming right alongside of me holding my hand. And I somehow knew that as long as I held my hand in His… I would be OK.

Father, You are my life. You are the reason I’m here. Take my hand, God, and never let go. I know you’ll never let me go. I trust you, and no matter what, Your grace is sufficient for me! Thank you for that awesome reminder of your love and care for me. I love you, Lord!

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A Walk with the Minor Prophets...

lorilaws1@gmail.com (Lori Laws) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 23:15:00 +0000

Well my friends, I am sitting here pondering over what we can go over next on this blog. It just hit me… For the next only God knows how long, He always somehow diverts us off of our agendas to teach us something He wants us to know, we’ll be going through the books of the Minor Prophets… you know, Hosea through Malachi. It should be a fun journey with many insights.

Let’s just jump in and start with a little introduction to the book of Hosea. This book is a love story between God and His people, Israel. It’s a story that mirrors the tale of a young man and his wife, telling us about God’s love for his “bride” (Israel), and her response. The book opens with God giving marriage instructions to Hosea; his marriage to an unfaithful woman would tell the story of God’s relationship to the unfaithful nation of Israel. To sum it up, the Book of Hosea dramatically portrays God’s constant and persistent love. We will watch Hosea willfully submit himself to God’s plan, and then grieve with him over the unfaithfulness of his wife and people; and we will also hear the clear warning of judgment…

When the Lord first began speaking to Israel through Hosea, he said to him, “Go and marry a prostitute, so that some of her children will be conceived in prostitution. This will illustrate how Israel has acted like a prostitute by turning against the Lord and worshiping other gods.”

We’ll stop here today. God tells Hosea to marry a prostitute. Can you imagine Hosea’s feelings about that? He knew she would be unfaithful to him, but he did it anyway out of obedience. God often required extraordinary obedience from His prophets who were faced with extraordinary times. Think about this…

Someday God may ask you to do something difficult and extraordinary, too. If He does, how will you respond? Will you obey Him, trusting that He who knows everything has a special purpose for His request? Will you be able to accept the fact that the pain involved in obedience may benefit those you serve and not you personally?

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I Really and Truly Surrender All!

lorilaws1@gmail.com (Lori Laws) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 23:19:00 +0000

I just received some very heartbreaking news. It seems that I should just be used to bad news. I don’t want to sound gloomy, but honestly… it seems as everything I‘ve done to try to get a better physical quality of life, since my healthy physical body was taken from me, simply never works. Never. My hope is always deferred.

I surrender all. I surrender all.

All to thee, my blessed Savior

I surrender all.

How many times have we sung this in church? How often have we had the audacity to tell God that we surrender everything to Him? Do we really understand what that may cost? Only after promising, perhaps superficially promising to surrender, all hell breaks loose and the test comes! What do we do when all hell breaks loose? What do we do when the pill that we’re forced to swallow almost chokes us? I find myself leaning on His strength. I know it’s ONLY BY GRACE I can even attempt entertaining the thought that God knows best.

You give and take away

You give and take away

My heart will choose to say

Lord blessed be Your name

Do we really mean those words we sing? Surrender is H-A-R-D! It’s beyond hard! The Bible tells us that we become slaves to whatever we choose to obey or yield to. We can be a slave to sin, which ultimately leads to death, or we can choose to surrender to God, which leads to righteous living. The Bible tells us so much about yielding, surrendering AND temptation… temptation that is so subtle, we don’t even realize what’s happening to us. God has promised that He won’t allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear. There sure had been countless times I thought I was at the breaking point. It was those times God carried me in His arms. How can I ever doubt again? For sure He doesn’t promise smooth sailing. But if you surrender the driver’s seat of your life to Him, He promises to safely bring you to shore.

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Perfect love

lorilaws1@gmail.com (Lori Laws) — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 16:28:00 +0000

Because tomorrow is Valentine's Day, I'm gonna revisit a post written back in 9/08....

Here’s a letter that was in my mailbox at the Crisis Pregnancy Center I volunteer at. I don’t know who wrote it or where it came from, but I would like to share it with you because it speaks volumes about love and faith, and I believe it will greatly encourage you on your walk with Our Father…

Dearly Beloved,

Let me share with you some very healing thoughts about faith and love. I believe God works miracles in answer to the prayer of faith. And I believe every promise in God’s Word as is. But, through much suffering and tears, I have discovered something wonderful about the way God works. What you are about to read should help renew your confidence in the Lord and set you free from the bondage of trying to figure out faith.

Here are my conclusions:

1.If you can’t give God perfect faith, give Him perfect love. “Perfect love casts out all fear.” Not perfect faith, but perfect love. Perfect love is the rest God has for His people. He wants us to rest in His love, trusting that He will always come to our aid as a father to a hurting child in spite of our inadequate faith.

If you are going to specialize in anything, specialize in love. The Bible says, “Faith works by love.” Without love, all faith is in vain.

2.If God does not answer certain of our prayers, we can be sure he has some great eternal reason for not doing so.

It boils down to this: God has all power and can do anything. Nothing is impossible to Him. He has promised to answer every prayer in Christ’s name. So we must ask in full assurance of faith, expecting an answer. But should God delay that answer, or choose another path for us, He must have a mighty good reason for it all. And we must believe that whatever God permits in our lives, it will one day all work to our good. “We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

Our heavenly Father knows exactly where we are going and what we need. He will give us what is best, in proper Holy Ghost timing. “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to those that ask him.” Matthew 7:11

God will not permit you to be overcome by trials. You may come to what you think of as your breaking point. Yet, if you will not harden your heart but fall into His arms, trusting His everlasting love for you, you will survive and live to tell of His faithfulness.

Please pray for us as we minister to the poor and needy around the world. The Lord has been our supply for so many years, and He has not once failed us.

God be with you.

~Anonymous

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Marks of a True Disciple (Cont.)

lorilaws1@gmail.com (Lori Laws) — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 18:12:00 +0000

Here’s the second mark of a true disciple… They love Jesus more than anyone or anything, even if it results with a falling out with family and friends.

“Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword. I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. Your enemies will be right in your own household!” Matthew 10: 34-36

It’s very heartbreaking, but there’s no doubt about it… there’s bound to be times when we’re placed in awkward situations with family members when Christ’s standards of holiness will come into direct conflict with our family’s standards. It’s bound to cause strife. Bottom line…. Conflict and disagreement will arise between those who choose to follow Christ and those who don’t.

By saying this, Jesus wasn’t encouraging disobedience to parents or conflict at home. He was showing that His presence demands a decision. By “taking up our cross,” our changed lives (our morals and different values) will definitely set us apart. We’re no longer the person we used to be, and sometimes that means being treated like an outcast or an alien. I speak from experience, and I know some of you totally understand what I’m talking about.

Christ calls us to a higher mission than to find comfort and tranquility in this life. Yes, love of family is a law of God, but even this love can be self-serving and used as an excuse not to serve God or do His work. We can’t neglect our families, but remember that the commitment we make to God is even more important. God absolutely has to be our first priority!

More on this subject…
PERSEVERE

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Taking Up Our Cross...

lorilaws1@gmail.com (Lori Laws) — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 02:17:00 +0000

Today we look at something that is assumed most Christians have a good understanding of. It’s actually a very profound spiritual thing. Let’s look at the exact words spoken by Jesus…

“If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.” Matthew 16: 24

“Taking up your cross” is something that I believe is misused and misunderstood by many. It’s very interesting that some people view their hardships, burdens and difficulties as their cross. But they’re wrong - it's not a burden. Burdens are common. By saying “taking up your cross,” Jesus is referring to making a choice to die to yourself; to deny yourself, making a total commitment to Christ and yielding to Him as Lord. Let’s take a look at what Jesus says next…

“If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?" Matthew 16: 25-26

Is anything worth more than your soul... When Jesus used this picture of His followers taking up their crosses, they knew without any doubt precisely what He meant. Crucifixion was a common Roman method of execution, and condemned criminals had to carry the cross through the city streets to the execution site. Losing their lives was definitely a possibility, a very real possibility for Jesus and His followers. But to be a real disciple requires a real commitment. If we try to save our physical lives from death, pain, or discomfort, we may risk losing eternal life.

If we protect ourselves from the pain God calls us to suffer, we begin to die spiritually and emotionally. But it’s really amazing… when we give our life in service to Christ, we truly discover the real purpose of our lives!

“And so dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12: 1-2

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Prophecy

lorilaws1@gmail.com (Lori Laws) — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 23:29:00 +0000

Many of you spend your life ever expecting it to improve. You spend precious hope looking forward to a better life in this world. Beloved, your life here is not meant to improve. It is meant to be replaced. Your hope for a better life lies in your coming to know me. Believe not the world’s lies and false promises. You will be led to trust that things will certainly be better tomorrow, or perhaps after I am married all will be as I dreamed it would be, or when I receive my raise I will be able to make ends meet, and so on it goes. Believe not these lies child – it is Satan’s ploy to keep you lulled into a false security. This often creates great remorse when your blindness and deafness are healed. Only I have the precious gift you seek, beloved. The peace you yearn for flows out from me. The love you long for is My love. The friendship to last forever is only found with me beloved. Weep not for the things that seem to elude you. Know that you are stamped as mine. Your needs, your longings are not worldly. You are meant to be spiritual, to imitate me. Study my life, child, My way. I had little. You are not meant for worldly riches but for spiritual overflowing. Did I take leisurely holidays? No beloved, I was caught up in spiritual matters even as you should be. Did I live in a spacious home surrounded with bodily ease and comfort? I had no bed on which to lay my head. Would that you could view your worldly foolishness with My eyes, child. Tis the antics of a “white mouse” circus. Out of your boredom with your selfish lives, out of jealousy of neighbor, you eat too much, drink too much and play too hard. Each experience is meant to top the last. Round and round you run, doing the same things over and over, only changing your playmates. Come beloved, see Me waiting for you, hear as I call your name. Know that you are Mine. I paid with my life for you. You are meant for a life of the cross, ever dying to all that would destroy you spiritually. Your cross lies in rejecting selfishness, saying no to hate, no to rebellion, no to disunity, no to extravagance. Come into My way, acknowledge Me that I may get on with my work within you. I know the emptiness, the foolishness of your life without me, but until you realize the hopelessness of it, we cannot get on with my plans for you. I call you to come to Me. Trust no man, trust not in money, these are dust and can disappear in the twinkling of an eye. I and my promises are true and will stand forever!

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"Not everyone who calls out to me, 'Lord! Lord!' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven"

lorilaws1@gmail.com (Lori Laws) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 23:45:00 +0000

Standing before Jesus, will His words be “He/She's one of Mine” or “I never knew you?” By saying He never knew you, He’s saying “We had no relationship – in other words – Your heart has never been changed.” I am going to attempt to write a few posts on what I believe is the most serious thing that could ever concern you and I… Are you an authentic Christ Follower? Last summer I wrote a little about this, Having False Security in Salvation, but this time I am going to focus on what Jesus says about it. The Bible clearly shows us two marks of a true disciple. Today we are going to look at the first mark according to Jesus’ words…

“Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.” Matthew 10: 32

Jesus plainly states that anyone who publicly confesses faith in Him and declares allegiance to Him, will be acknowledged by Him to the Father in heaven. That is, by their verbal confession to others, regardless of the cost of that confession. Jesus is talking about a lifestyle… True disciples can’t help talking about Christ. They are not ashamed or embarrassed, because the mouth speaks whatever is in the heart. They will speak up even when vicious wolves attack. The moment we trust Him, He gives us the legal right to His righteousness. Our confession is just the evidence.

There are many who claim to know Jesus, but their lifestyle doesn’t at all reflect it. Do your co-workers know you follow Christ? Do your family and friends know without a doubt that you are a Christian? I’ve heard people say, “Never talk about religion or politics.” Someone once told me that “Religion is personal.” That breaks my heart and I just think to myself… “If you only knew - There isn’t a religious bone in a true disciples’ body!” But despite how I try to proclaim truth, I get shut down! If you refuse to let others know about Christ, I can’t think of anything more tragic than what Jesus says in the latter part of the above verse… “But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.”

And then there are some who tell you how much they love Christ, but when it comes to obedience… there’s zero! Here’s more Biblical Evidence…

“Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” 1 John 2: 3-6

Some very strong words from John! Allow me to touch on one more incredibly important area. I said it before, and I’ll say it again…Think for yourself. Don’t allow yourself to be deceived! Don’t base your salvation on what others may say. Don’t assume you are saved because you said a prayer and the pastor said you are now born again! Or maybe your mother told you that you accepted Christ while you were a little boy/girl. Maybe you got baptized when you were 12, but now you’re 40! Is there a marked difference in you? Was there a true conversion?

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In the Shadow of His Hand...

lorilaws1@gmail.com (Lori Laws) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 19:33:00 +0000

My dad has been dead almost a year now. I am not someone who you would say has a green thumb – I’ve been known to even kill cactus. When my dad died, a friend sent me the most beautiful basket with three types of plants in it. A Prayer plant is one of them, but I couldn’t tell you what the other two are. Over this past year the plant had flourished, and even grew to double the size it originally was! I was very, very happy with this plant. Christmas came, and I moved the plant from where I keep it all year to make room for decorations. Without really thinking it through, I moved the plant to the top of our Entertainment Center.

It just so happens that on top of the Entertainment Center is where the sun sets its focus, and all day unmercifully beats down upon it. Oh, I forgot to mention that the Dining Room is where I had always kept the plant – it never got direct sunlight. The first week of January came, and I took down the Christmas decorations. I went to grab the plant to put it back in its spot, and I was shocked to see that my once beautiful plant was now dry and withered, almost dead! I promise - there is a point to me telling you this story…

“In the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver.” Isaiah49:2

That was the scripture verse today in my devotional. It reminded me of this plant. There are some of us who, when we are placed “in the shadow of God’s hand”… not in the spotlight... we flourish! Maybe you’re in a season of your life where the sunlight has departed, maybe it’s a shadowed sickroom or some shadowed house of grief. If you are in the shadow of God’s hand – He’s leading you, and there are lessons that can only be learned where He leads. We can’t assume that He has pushed us aside. Let’s look at that scripture again, “… he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver.” Now think of a warrior. A ’quiver’ is the warriors long narrow case full of arrows he has on his back. God says He’s keeping you in His quiver; He’s keeping you nearby till the moment comes when He can send you quickly and confidently on some mission that will bring Him glory.

So we need to remember how we are always in easy reach of His hand, and think about this… We are also being jealously protected! I hope that encourages you!

If all of life were sunshine,

Our face would long to gain

And feel once more upon it

the cooling splash of rain. ~ Henry Jackson Van Dyke

Pool of Bethesda....

lorilaws1@gmail.com (Lori Laws) — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 17:04:00 +0000

You've been sick for thirty-eight years. Your physical condition has become a way of life. You've adapted to the way things are. You're living a "new kind of normal." One day someone comes to you and asks, "Would you like to get well?” You think to yourself, "Duh?" Well the Bible tells of this exact story...

“Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the Pool of Bethesda, with five covered porches. Crowds of sick people—blind, lame, or paralyzed—lay on the porches. One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?”

“I can’t, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.”

Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!” Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking!” John 5: 2-9

After so long of being sick, this man had no hope of ever being healed… No hope. Period. For good reason—no one EVER helped him! There are many of us who kind of feel the same way… our situation feels hopeless. But I’m here to say that no matter how trapped we may feel, God can always use it to minister to our deepest need, which is spiritual. Now coming from someone who has been struck down in the prime of my life with a disability, sometimes that’s hard to hear. I mean yes, God met me in my deepest need, and I can’t wait to be with Jesus in Paradise; but the human side of me screams that I need my body to work properly while I’m here on earth!

But I know that I know, I can never lose hope. God has work that only I can do in spite of Muscular Dystrophy. Many of us have the privilege of ministering effectively to hurting people because with Jesus, we’ve triumphed over our hurts.

Miracles happen. Hope is hard to kill.

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It's Only a Delay... the Best is Yet to Come!

lorilaws1@gmail.com (Lori Laws) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 20:40:00 +0000

“Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” Romans 8: 37

Don’t we so easily become impatient with God’s delays? We want our Christian walk to mirror the things of God, right? Then why is it that God walks so slowly most of the time? I mean, I’m a person that wants everything done yesterday… and you probably are too! I think it’s in our nature to not want to wait on God. We want fruit, and we want it now! It doesn’t matter that it’s not ripe yet; we’ll pick it while it’s green!

But after we pick that not-so-ripe fruit and find it doesn’t taste good, we wonder what we did wrong. Am I right? I think the majority of us have good intentions and are sincerely trying to do what we think is the best possible thing in the given circumstance. We simply cannot wait for the answer to our prayers because sometimes the answer may take years… yes, years! But also sometimes we can try to fight God. We can fight against something He has placed in our life, something He has ordained—it’s usually some kind barrier or hardship.

Listen to me… Stop striving! God is using whatever trial that’s going on in your life to prepare you for something so much bigger than you and I. He is using whatever it is to remove the things you have inside of you that are preventing you from accomplishing the great work He has planned for you to do since the beginning of time! Oh yes my friend, there is a calling on your life and God will see to it that you discover what that call is and He will open doors in order for you to fulfill it! All you have to do is let Him have his way.

I recently read a blog post titled, “Surrender,” by one of my new friends at the CWD network, and here is the comment I left…

Surrender. That word is pretty simple to say, but definitely not easy to do.. But once you do call out and surrender to God , you discover your will and God's will line up with each other. And THAT is precisely when things change, and it becomes worth living again!

”Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12: 2

I don’t know about you, but it was a life-changing moment for me when I first read this one verse of scripture. I know people who constantly declare, “I want God’s will done in my life.” That’s great, but nothing ever changes for them! God says He will make us into a new person-or transform our minds, but then the condition comes along… We must immerse ourselves with the Word of God, and keep immersing ourselves. Once we do that, God says WE WILL KNOW WHAT OUR PURPOSE IS!!!

God‘s Word is true! I speak from experience!

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All God Wants is to be Believed...

lorilaws1@gmail.com (Lori Laws) — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 00:02:00 +0000

“All God wants is to be believed.”

Everyone has natural faith. When we’re sick we go to the doctor; we believe he/she can help us. We go to a restaurant having faith that the cook won’t poison us. The same sort of faith determines what we buy or use, whether its various types of computer software or something a pharmacist says will cure our ailment. Don’t you have faith in the chair you’re sitting in now? You have faith that it’s going to support you, and not let you fall to the floor. Right?

And then there is another type of faith, supernatural faith…

“And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.” Hebrews 11:6

“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.” Ephesians 2: 8-9

You can’t intellectualize it. This is why a non-believer can read all the books out there on Jesus, and not be moved in his heart. It’s not just about believing in God, the devil even believes in God! Faith has an object, which is God’s Word. Faith gives us understanding. It tells us what we cannot answer ourselves. Not vice-versa. What’s wrong with putting our own ideals above God? God tells us where it leads…

“But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.” Romans 1: 18-20

If you’re an unbeliever, maybe you’re right on the edge of making a decision to follow Jesus… read the rest of Romans 1.

Does anyone have an excuse for not believing in God? The Bible gives us an emphatic “no.” God reveals Himself day in and day out through His creation. Every person, therefore, either accepts or rejects God. Don’t be fooled. When the day comes for God to judge your response to Him, no excuses will be accepted. Begin today to give devotion and worship to Him. What we believe ought to effect the way we live. Amen?

Enjoy this music video... "All the Earth," by The Parachute Band

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It Takes God to Love God

lorilaws1@gmail.com (Lori Laws) — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 20:06:00 +0000

“It takes God to love God.”

A short and simple statement but how profound! It’s one of those things that after you hear it… it somehow seems to grow legs and follows you around all day! This statement was made by our teaching pastor this past Sunday. I absolutely love the wording of it. It’s a catchy phrase, and it’s something that has been playing over and over in my mind for days.

Last night at my Chronic Illness support group, I just happened to mention how I thought telling an unsaved person, “It takes God to love God,” is a simple but extremely clever way to help them understand the things of God. Before knowing about Christ, weren’t we all unknowingly traveling on the highway to hell!? But it was only God who opened up our eyes to His love. It was only God! The word that really jumps out is "unknowingly”. We were going about our lives in this natural world having no clue as to what was going on in the spiritual world. But at some point in our lives, God calls us into a relationship with Him where He miraculously removes all the things that are blinding us to His truth! It just may happen to be what you view as a crisis; What I initially viewed as a crisis (Muscular Dystrophy) turned out to be the most precious catalyst that led me to the Living God…

“But then I will win her back once again. I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her there. I will return her vineyards to her and transform the Valley of trouble into a gateway of hope. She will give herself to me there.” Hosea 2: 15

God uses even our negative experiences to draw us to Him, or to bring us back to Him. As we face problems and trials, we need to remember that God speaks to us in the desert. That’s when we’re free from distractions and we can seriously tune into God. When we’re hemmed in from all sides, the only place to look is up. But you can always choose not to look up.

I firmly believe that you will never have any power when you’re on the porch… until you spend time at the altar! The direct result of any of ministry will come out of your time spent with and your love for God! I want to sit at the feet of Jesus for Him to teach me. Today I went to the gospel of John… and what better place to hear the exact words spoken by Jesus when He was here on earth. I was reading about the beginning of Jesus’ ministry- when John the Baptist’s disciples were disturbed because people were starting to follow Jesus instead of John. This is what John told them…

“No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven.” John 3: 27

God has been pursuing us since we were born! That fact alone should simply blow you away. It blows my puny little mind away! Then our pastor reads from the Song of Songs (or the Song of Solomon)… Much debate has raged over the meaning of this song. Some say it’s an allegory of God’s love for Israel or for the church. Others say it’s a literal story about married love. In reality—it’s a story with two layers of meaning. On one level we learn about love, marriage, and sex; on another level, we see God’s overwhelming love for His people. When you read this, think of God’s courting and His relentless pursuit of us…

“Kiss me and kiss me again, for your love is sweeter than wine. How fragrant your cologne; your name is like its spreading fragrance. No wonder all the young women love you! Take me with you; come, let’s run! The king has brought me into his bedroom.” Song of Songs 1: 1-4

“… for your love is sweeter than wine.” How true is that? Once we get a real taste of the way God kisses us with His love, we can’t help but to rejoice! “Take me with you; come let’s run.” When we encounter God, we not only rejoice, but we want to be with Him always... we want to serve Him… no matter what, we will follow Him anywhere. “It takes God to love God.”

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Christians with Disabilities (CWD) Kickoff!

lorilaws1@gmail.com (Lori Laws) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 05:14:00 +0000

Today, January 18th is CWD's official kickoff! CWD has gotten an overwhelming positive response from the Disability Community, and I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that it is only our amazing God who is connecting people together all over the world! It's humbling, for sure. But at the same time, it's an honor that God would shine His face upon me, and others who are making the choice to turn our lemons into lemonade!

Anyway, my husband made a really great video for CWD's kickoff, and I thought I'd share it with you ("Will you be There")...

Also, feel free to visit our Event page on Facebook... you MUST be signed in to Facebook to see everything!

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God Has Honored the Poor...

lorilaws1@gmail.com (Lori Laws) — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 19:53:00 +0000

While trying to write another post on faith, I was led to the book of James. As I started reading, this verse seemed to jump off the page…

“Believers who are poor have something to boast about, for God has honored them.” James 1: 9

It’s always a good idea to look at the verses before and after to get a good understanding of any particular scripture in the Bible. Before verse 9, James is speaking about those with divided loyalty… people who waver back and forth… people whose loyalty is divided between God and the world; those who are unstable in everything they do. So that tells me if we want to stop being tossed back and forth like a restless wave, we need to rely on God to show us what’s best for us. Verse 10 threw me off, here’s what it says…”And those who are rich should boast that God has humbled them.” At first, I made the mistake of thinking ‘rich’ as material wealth ('rich' could be a lot of things... great relationships, perfect health, beauty, etc.). But my question was that if someone is rich and relying on their money and the things they possess, how has God humbled such a person?

I’m not a Bible scholar. I never went to seminary. But Jesus said that the Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth. I asked God for wisdom (it’s funny, because I’m in the segment of scripture that tells us to ask God for wisdom, and He will lavish it upon us --James 1: 5). I was thinking about these words in yesterday’s post…

“Others may be allowed to succeed in making money, or may have a legacy left to them, but it is likely God will keep you poor, because He wants you to have something far better than gold, namely, a helpless dependence upon Him, that He may have the privilege of supplying your needs day by day out of an unseen treasury.”

Getting back to verse 9, the Holy Spirit showed me that the word “poor” is referring to those who have some kind of barrier between them and the world, not just poor in finances. And just like yesterday's post, He wants you to have something far better than gold, namely, a helpless dependence upon Him. God is giving a new dignity to the poor and the not-so-influential people of this world.

Not a long post today, but again you can take heart… if you’re poor, God has honored you!

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