Tag Archive | truth

Restoration

Sep24

Have you experienced loss?

Have you experienced grief?

Have you experienced physical pain?

Have you experienced mental anguish?

Have these experiences seemed to come one right after the other, after the other, after the other?

Have these experiences caused brought you to a worn out, I give up sort of place?

I understand. Sometimes it rains. Other times it pours.

Allow me to share a story with you from the Bible.

It can be found in 1 Samuel 30.

The story is about part of King David’s life.

You might say, he was having a really bad day.

David and his men were coming home from battle to their home town of Ziklag. Upon arrival, they found that their town had been burnt to the ground, and their women, children, and every one else, great or small, were taken captive. David and his men wept bitterly. They wept until they had no more strength. The men were so distressed about the loss of their wives and daughters, that they wanted to stone David to death! But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God. David then inquired of the Lord his God about what he should do.  “Shall I pursue after this band? Shall I overtake them?” He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake and shall surely rescue.” So David took four hundred of his men with him. They traveled light for expediency. David left two hundred behind to guard all of their stuff.  Along the way they found an Egyptian in the open country and brought him to David. And they gave him bread and he ate. They gave him water to drink. David asked him, “To whom do you belong? And where are you from?” He said, “I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite, and my master left me behind because I fell sick three days ago. “We had burned Ziklag with fire.” And David said to him, “Will you take me down to this band?” And he said, “Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will take you down to this band.” He led David to where these men were. They were all partying because of their great plunder. David and his men surrounded them, and overnight, killed them all. David recovered all of their belongings, all the wives and children. Everything that had been taken, in addition to the flocks and herds of the enemy. When they returned, David shared his “spoil” with all who went with him, and with all of those who stayed behind to guard their baggage.

Here are the steps David followed to regain power over his circumstances. These steps led him to total restoration.

 

  • David wept.

  • David found strength in the Lord his God.

  • David inquired of the Lord.

  • David pursued his enemy.

  • God restored everything.

 

Note: David HAD to depend on a power greater than himself.

He depended on the Lord his God to deliver him from his circumstances.

This “depending” takes a while to learn, but is well worth the effort.

Personally, the more I can depend on God, and less on me, the more peaceful and content I find myself, whether my experiences are good, or even if they are horrible. I’ve found that being in charge is not all it is cracked up to be.

How about it? Can you depend on someone other than yourself? Where do you find your strength when you are weeping? Where do your answers come from? Do you face your enemies/fears? Or do you hide away? Are you happy with the results?

Romper Room Do Bee

Sep21

The original posting of this was posted by me on my Blogspot/Blogger blog, on Sunday, February 28, 2010. The message is still a part of my story, so I thought I would post it again.

…..”Romper Room   Do bee

When I was little there was a show on called Romper Room. The theme song said “Do be a do bee and don’t be a don’t bee.”

Well my “Do bee” and my “Don’t bee” have been colliding as of late. Stated another way, my Do-er and my Be-er have been having a fight.

My flesh says go and go, do and do. My spirit says stop striving. Listen for His heartbeat.

The only way to hear it is to be.

From just about every direction I’m hearing the same thing. Rest. Rest well. Repeat. Be intentional about listening. Reflect. Ponder.

Then, I feel like I’m doing that too much and being lazy.

I’ve really had to ask God where that line is. How can I be a “Do bee” and not cover His heartbeat with busy, and how can I be a “Don’t bee” without being slothful.

It is a fine line, but one that I believe He wants me to explore.

This mornings sermon implored us to put our whole faith in God. Trusting in Him alone to keep ourselves in balance. We cannot earn it or learn it. We have to look (at Him) and live.

I’m looking at Him, and believing that my hive will have the proper balance of “do-ing” and “be-ing” “…..

A lot has happened since that time.

I did indeed take the time to “Just be”.

I have quieted my soul. I have reflected. I have pondered.

And I have heard His heartbeat. Right there next to mine.

I’m not saying that every day is quiet and peaceful, but I am saying that there are more and more quiet days than ever before, and it soothes my nerves, and keeps my heart at peace.

I have in fact, been able to coach a few people in the “Art of Quietude”.

It may not be for everyone, but I urge you to try it. Even for a short time. You can even begin with three minutes!

What you need to know, is that it isn’t always easy, in fact, the distractions get downright overpowering.

But if you want a quiet spirit, and a quiet mind, it is possible to achieve it.

Romans 12 speaks of renewing our minds, I wholeheartedly believe it can be done.

You know the saying, “If I can do it, you can too”?

It’s so true – even my run away thoughts can be tamed.

Would you like to give it a try?

 

Who Needs Quiet?

Sep13

If you have been around me very long, you will know that I have one (at least) very unpopular opinion. It does not fit well with today’s environment. If you are around me for long, you cannot help but hear about it. In fact I keep coming up with different ways to bring it up. What is it you ask?

The need for quiet. Silence. Quietude. Peace.

It all began with a few Bible verses that read like this –

And to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you,    1 Thessalonians 4:11

 

If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.    Romans 12:18

 

Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.   2 Corinthians 13:11

 

Oh how I appreciate the quiet times, the still times.  I believe that it is because of them that getting along during this rehab time with my husband has not fractured us, but brought us closer.

There are distractions, maybe more, but I don’t feel like I’m coming apart. The route to being calm may be a little different, but following it, peacefully, quietly, is making it all possible.

 

“Wait in Hebrew means sit down and shut up.”   Benny Hinn (Read on DAILYPS on Facebook)

Be still, means be still.

Slow Your Thoughts

Finding consistent peace doesn’t require the activity of more naturally rational thinking.  The necessary condition for realizing the quality of God’s peace is learning how to slow your thoughts down so that your mental process returns to its God-designed purpose:  Servanthood.

Thought Fragments

It’s an established reality of psychology that the number of thoughts that bombards the average person in Western society is 35-48 fragments per minute.

More on these two thoughts can be found at http://www.garylellis.org/finding-stillness-surrounded-by-chaos/

“Be still and know that I am God.”  (Psalm 46:10)

As I try to “Be still” and capture my thoughts, I wonder how many of those fragments have flown by, and gone just how many of them I can get back. How many were worthy of further thought, and how many are just as well left alone.

I challenge you, and myself, to seek some quiet times. Little pockets of time to capture fragments, and turn them into greatness!