So many people ask me how you hear from God so when I read this scripture I knew it was my answer. When you spend time with God (through worship, prayer and sometimes fasting) you will hear from him. Just like in our human relationships we hear from one another based on the time we spend with each other - God works the same way. If you give Him the time you will hear from Him. My prayer for this New Year is that we will all spend time with God (worship, prayer, fasting) so that we hear from Him. There is nothing better than hearing His voice speak into your life. May God bless us in this New Year.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Acts 13:1 Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Saturday, January 29, 2011
chapter 3 Plan B
The Illusion of Control
"Do you remember the first time you realized you weren't in total control of your life?...I think most of us tend to view our lives as one of those marionette puppets. We think we have life by a string. There's a string that runs to our relationships and one to our finances and one to our kids, and we assume that we can make them all do what we want. We assume if we work hard enough and pray long enough, eventually we'll be able to manipulate the circumstances to our benefit. Trouble is, life doesn't work that way. The greatest of all illusions is the illusion of control."
Peter Scazzero puts it this way: "I like control. I like to know where God is going, exactly what he is doing, the exact route of how we are getting there, and exactly when we will arrive. I also like to remind God of his need to behave in ways that fit with my clear ideas of him. For example, God is just, merciful, good, wise, loving. The problem, then, is that God is beyond the grasp of every concept I have of him. He is uttlery incomprehensible."
2 Samuel 13-16 is highlighted in this chapter - the story of Amnon and Tamar. David ignores the situation. His son, Absalom, Tamar's full brother, who won't ignore this injustice waits and plans out the best way to get revenge on his brother, Amnon. Absalom waits 2 years - throws a party - kills Amnon at the party in front of everyone and has his revenge on his brother for raping his sister. "So, now David has a shattered daughter in Tamar. Amnon, his firstborn, is dead. And Absolaom, whom David dearly loves, is a murderer on the run." Things have gone from bad to worse.
David surrenders the outcome of his story to God. He puts himself in God's hands and says if God is pleased with him he will bring him victory otherwise God can do with him whatever He wants. David realizes he is not in control. He recognizes that God is God and he is not! "I will abandon my dream, but not my God."
"...the danger for most of us is that not only are we tempted to think we hold the strings to our life; we really think we get to write the script. We buy into the illusion of control. We keep a death grip on those marionette strings. Letting go of control like David did is a humbling and even painful act."
What do you think about the following statement: "the greatest of all illusions is the illusion of control?"
Can giving up control ever be a form of irresponsibility? What determines the difference between a healthy "let it in God's hands" and an unhealthy refusal to take responsibility?
The Illusion of Control
"Do you remember the first time you realized you weren't in total control of your life?...I think most of us tend to view our lives as one of those marionette puppets. We think we have life by a string. There's a string that runs to our relationships and one to our finances and one to our kids, and we assume that we can make them all do what we want. We assume if we work hard enough and pray long enough, eventually we'll be able to manipulate the circumstances to our benefit. Trouble is, life doesn't work that way. The greatest of all illusions is the illusion of control."
Peter Scazzero puts it this way: "I like control. I like to know where God is going, exactly what he is doing, the exact route of how we are getting there, and exactly when we will arrive. I also like to remind God of his need to behave in ways that fit with my clear ideas of him. For example, God is just, merciful, good, wise, loving. The problem, then, is that God is beyond the grasp of every concept I have of him. He is uttlery incomprehensible."
2 Samuel 13-16 is highlighted in this chapter - the story of Amnon and Tamar. David ignores the situation. His son, Absalom, Tamar's full brother, who won't ignore this injustice waits and plans out the best way to get revenge on his brother, Amnon. Absalom waits 2 years - throws a party - kills Amnon at the party in front of everyone and has his revenge on his brother for raping his sister. "So, now David has a shattered daughter in Tamar. Amnon, his firstborn, is dead. And Absolaom, whom David dearly loves, is a murderer on the run." Things have gone from bad to worse.
David surrenders the outcome of his story to God. He puts himself in God's hands and says if God is pleased with him he will bring him victory otherwise God can do with him whatever He wants. David realizes he is not in control. He recognizes that God is God and he is not! "I will abandon my dream, but not my God."
"...the danger for most of us is that not only are we tempted to think we hold the strings to our life; we really think we get to write the script. We buy into the illusion of control. We keep a death grip on those marionette strings. Letting go of control like David did is a humbling and even painful act."
What do you think about the following statement: "the greatest of all illusions is the illusion of control?"
Can giving up control ever be a form of irresponsibility? What determines the difference between a healthy "let it in God's hands" and an unhealthy refusal to take responsibility?
Chapter 2 of Plan B
Don't Run
The story of David in the O.T. is highlighted - 1 Samuel 16. "Isn't it true we often assume the road to a God-given dream is going to be smooth and lined with lace? As far as we know, Samuel's instructions to David were simply, "One day you will be the king." Apparently he forgot to mention this whole deal about the current king trying to kill David in the process. I'm thinking that information might have been quite helpful."
"We get oursevles into all kinds of trouble when we assume God must think and feel as we do."
Do you remember a time when all the circumstances of your life led you to believe a certain dream was going to become reality...only to have that dream shatter (or fizzle)?
James 1:12 "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that god has promised to those who love him."
Don't Run
The story of David in the O.T. is highlighted - 1 Samuel 16. "Isn't it true we often assume the road to a God-given dream is going to be smooth and lined with lace? As far as we know, Samuel's instructions to David were simply, "One day you will be the king." Apparently he forgot to mention this whole deal about the current king trying to kill David in the process. I'm thinking that information might have been quite helpful."
"We get oursevles into all kinds of trouble when we assume God must think and feel as we do."
Do you remember a time when all the circumstances of your life led you to believe a certain dream was going to become reality...only to have that dream shatter (or fizzle)?
James 1:12 "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that god has promised to those who love him."
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
"What do you do when God doesn't show up the way you thought He would?"
Chapter 1 - One Reality
When we wake-up and realize that we do not live in "Leave It To Beaver" world where everything turns out right in the end what do we do? Our media and society tries to paint the picture that things will always work out if you do the "right" thing. In reality this is just not so. In our Christian world this is the case also. If I read my Bible, pray, go to church, live the best I can for Jesus then everything will be all right. This is not the "reality" we live in everyday.
One thing we must all realize is: "No matter what has happened or how you feel, please know you're not alone. Because here's what I'm learning: everyone needs healing. Everyone.
In chapter one the author mentions that none of us every expect "bad" things to happen to us. We don't begin our life and think - At forty I will have cancer or at 35 I will be divorced twice or I will be depressed and alone at 38 or I will be disabled by 50, etc... We all believe things will go our way and everything will work out well. But, reality hits us right between the eyes and we realize that things are not going our way and we have feelings of frustration, hurt, anger, bitterness, and/or resentment. Part of the reason we feel strong emotions when things go wrong in our lives is because it seems like everyone around us is doing fine - they are making their dreams come true. Their lives seem so put together.
What do we do with our shattered dream? What do you do when you have to turn to Plan B? Everyone struggles with this and we all feel the need for an answer.
The author mentions: "The question that resurfaces for me again and again has more to do with all the unexplainable pain and hurt in this world. The greater struggle for me is that God does exist, yet so does a lot of pain and suffering.
We all have our own journey. If you do not yet have a relationship with God the author requests an open-minded approach to his book. If you have a relationship with God and things just don't seem to be working anymore. You feel confused, lost, and possibly annoyed because God hasn't seemed to deliver the way so many over the years have promised you He would. I hope this book study/blog will provide a new perspective on the promises of God.
I agree with the author, I haven't heard of anyone's journey of faith that hasn't had a Plan B story - a time in life when a person was going through something completely unexpected. A time when she/he felt as if God were a long, long, long way away if He existed at all.
These are the times when the stories in the Bible become very personal.
Has there ever been a season in your life when you looked at your circumstances and wondered if God really cared?
Do you ever get frustrated looking at other people's lives and thinking that life seems to be working for htem and not you? How do you handle that frustration?
Which is a bigger problem for you--believing in God or dealing with the reality that God does exist yet so does a lot of pain and suffering?
Much of what is written above is taken from the book PLAN B. This book may be purchased at christianbook.com
Blessings, Melanie
Thursday, May 6, 2010
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