IntenseDebate - kjshepp

10 years ago @ #SheReadsTruth - get well soon · 2 replies · +12 points

wow. great, great words. from James, from you. Thank you for this reminder. WE NEED THIS. Today's world DOES tell us "get over this ,soon" when we really need is scripture to help us stand IN it.

And it isn't easy, it doesn't feel good, but Hebrews even prepares us for that: "No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the fruit of peace and righteousness to those who have been trained by it"

God's words, is what we need MOST in these times (well, in all times, but especially in hard times).

10 years ago @ #SheReadsTruth - and if not · 0 replies · +1 points

I think sometimes I can use these words "and if not. . ." in a unhealthy way. In a way where I am really not showing faith, but somehow giving God an "out", or making an excuse for Him (if what I'm praying for doesn't happen). It has been a journey for me to recognize this and to realize God doesn't need my "out", He wants my faith. My faith saying like Shadrack, "He can rescue us. . . .(this is the faith part, absolutely believing that HE CAN do what I am asking) but even if He doesn't rescue (not because He can't) I TRUST His soverign plan for me-I don't have to understand it and probably won't most of the times, BUT like the "boys" I CHOOSE to trust him no matter the outcome. It's the same words either way, but in my heart there is a huge difference.

10 years ago @ #SheReadsTruth - who we call on · 2 replies · +11 points

"Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and worship"

for me, "fearing" God means TELLING him how great and mighty and powerful and all-knowing He is. And in this is a part of a "scariness" kind of fearing (in a good way) because HE can do ANYTHING (by the simple nature of his being). While at the same time, EXPERIENCING that He is also gentle and loving and personal and chooses me: messy, broken, flawed. It is an act of worship.

10 years ago @ #SheReadsTruth - here we go again · 2 replies · +8 points

In addition to the GREAT things already said, I want to add that my first thoughts to the questions were:

to show that we will ALWAYS stray from God. We are incapable of controlling our sin and waywardness (that leads to sin). If we could control it, would there be any need for Christ?

This reminded me of a post Ann Voskamp wrote on Lent (http://www.aholyexperience.com/2012/02/what-lent-really-means-free-easter-devotional-book-to-make-a-jesus-easter-tree/):

“Worse… at times… I don’t even want to keep the law. Lent’s revealing my depravity, my impotence. The utter death of my flesh. I can do nothing. My Lent convicts: I am a lawbreaker. ” .... "Lent gives me this gift: the deeper I know the pit of my sin, the deeper I’ll drink from the draughts of joy."

Not being able to keep God's laws keeps reminding me how much i need Christ.

11 years ago @ #SheReadsTruth - prayers of intercession · 0 replies · +13 points

thank you for the observation you made about Nehemiah's "boldness" to pray for Israel. I love this idea, and think it's probably what is meant by coming to God with boldness in prayer.

Quickly I searched my Bible and we see this in Moses, David and Samuel (Gen 18:27, 1 Chron. 17:25, 1Samuel 7:27)

It could seem a little prideful, but it's really being confident God will do what He says. Does God need a reminder? No, of course not. But I think when I give Him back His words and promises, it honors Him and glorifies Him with my faith and hope He is the God who keeps His words. It is a confidence in Him.

I really LOVE this idea and think it will change (revolutionize) my prayers! Thank you!

11 years ago @ #SheReadsTruth - prayers of petition · 0 replies · +1 points

no, I didn't know about you in Latvia, I've never been, but have GREAT friends serving there. Thank you for your encouragement!

11 years ago @ #SheReadsTruth - prayers of petition · 2 replies · +4 points

For me, 2 things stand out:
"keep asking" - oh how prayers for something for someone can drag into months, years and can become so redundant. However, today I am encouraged to keep asking. So today I keep praying those same prayers for that same person, that God would save him.

Then "the urgent request of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect"
How do I reconcile this with "there is no one righteous, no not one"? Who is a righteous man? where can i find him (and get him to pray for me)?
I believe that Christ's saving work on the cross makes me righteous before God and it's nothing about what I do (or can do), and everything about what he has done for me and what that makes me. So then, according to this, MY prayers are "powerful in its effect"? Wow. I haven't thought this way before, like so many, I want to find that righteous man to pray for me. Who I think looks righteous, mostly by his works that I can see. Someone who can "get the job done",
I didn't consider that could be me. (Because its not about what I do).

11 years ago @ #SheReadsTruth - prayers of praise in s... · 0 replies · +1 points

I was a few days late starting this plan (In Europe our Easter holiday included Monday and Tuesday)!! I still wanted to comment on these passages:

How to worship God? (from 1 chronicles 16)

give thanks . . ..proclaim . . . .sing . . .. honor. . .rejoice. . . .. search . . . .remember
sing. . .proclaim. . .declare
ascribe
bring. . .come before. . . .tremble. . . .give thanks
say:

and from Psalms 100:
shout, serve, come before, acknowledge, enter, give thanks

11 years ago @ #SheReadsTruth - confidence · 0 replies · +6 points

thank you for your words. Just this week, I have been praying for my son, and especially for his self-esteem. I love how you remind us to put our confidence in the Lord. and your right, confidence in ourselves and in others will fail us. thank you for directing me to a better way to pray for him, and for the reminder of God's words.

11 years ago @ #SheReadsTruth - persecution · 0 replies · +5 points

"Hope is our good gift – our reward – from our great and loving God. And it comes out of suffering."
I didn't understand this fully until I experienced a period of huge suffering. God gave me these exact verses during that time. I love how you express it: "His hope is real. It is promised. It is proven. " This is true for my life, today!

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