I love when I'm reading the devotions in my inbox and the very thing I read is the very thing i went to bed praying about. This is just way to powerful of a painful truth to not share here.
Inquire of the Lord
1 Samuel 30:8 tells us what David did as He sought to deal with the troubles that besieged him. After grieving and strengthening himself in the Lord, here is what he did, So David inquired of the LORD, saying, “Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?” And He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.”
David inquired of the Lord.
There is a story in the book of Joshua that shows the importance of inquiring of God, of seeking His guidance, no matter how things may seem. The nation of Israel had entered the Promised Land and they were gaining great victories. One day a group of Gibeonites showed up. They had bags full of old moldy bread, their sandals were worn out, their water skins were cracked and old, and their clothing was old and worn.
They told Joshua and the leaders that they had come from a country far, far away. They went on to tell them they had heard about the great things God was doing through Israel, and they wanted to make sure they would not be attacked. So they had traveled from afar to make a covenant so that when Israel eventually reached them in the future, they wouldn’t attack the Gibeonites.
The Bible says specifically that Joshua and the men did not inquire of the Lord. Rather, they looked at the people’s provisions... the moldy bread, the old sandals, the old water skins... and they made a covenant with them. It turns out they were the next door neighbors and Israel had been deceived. And it caused huge problems in Israel’s future.
I am telling you, things are not always as they appear. It pays to inquire of the Lord when you are going through difficult times. He will lead you
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I've been studying/praying/ and pondering the whole idea of being deceived for a long time now. I wont get into all of that right now but let's just say that the 'church' needs to wake up, humble themselves and stop being against one another. Satan has infiltrated us and has spun such a web of deception that now he is just sitting back watching us destroy one another. We are no longer fighting the good fight. We now are obsessed with offenses, being selfish, not humbling ourselves in love, not sticking with what God calls us to so that we can learn what the real spirit of unity is. We have become a people who arrogantly stand in our rightness and leave dead bodies along the way.
God help us!
God remove the scales from our eyes!
God please save your people from themselves!
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
End of the Summer Ramblings
How did this entire Summer get away from me without blogging. Maybe that's why I've been on the verge of insanity this entire summer, seeing that blogging tends to be my therapy. Anyway, in typical Susan fashion there wont be much sense to any of this, just me trying to get A TON of thoughts out of my head. I apologize in advance if you take the time to read and at the end find yourself in need of a slap upside the head because you actually read this.
Summer started with a much needed trip to Montana. I posted some pictures of our time there and little did I know that being there in Montana was going to be the most rest I would get all Summer long. It was a great trip though being in that beautiful part of the Country and being with very missed family. I only wish i could have actually had the cup of coffee with my brother that i had hoped for but instead i got to see him for but a moment from a distance. I am however thankful that Aaron got to see him for a couple minutes and give him a hug. Time with Mom and Dad, Nancy, Brad and the kids, was so great. We shared many laughs that week.
Aaron had a Summer that was packed with all things not involving me. I guess I could see that as a blessing in some ways but there is much sadness wrapped up in all of that as well. He had 2 weeks of basketball camp - youth camp - Serving in VBS- a missions outreach - concerts - movies and many hang out dates with friends. This boy of mine is growing up so fast. All the mistakes I've made as a parent are starting to become so evident as he is getting older and going about his life. Gosh to only know then what I know now. I need to post those things someday. Just maybe they might help someone out there - OKAY NO THEY WONT we always think our situation is different. Well for the record IT'S NOT!!!!
Bobby's Summer except for the trip to Montana and taking the week off so he could serve in VBS, it was pretty much life as normal. Work / Ministry / Work / kiss the wife / Work / ministry / Kiss the wife and so on and so on. I'm just grateful I'm in that equation. See this is the benefit of being married to someone with slight OCD - the pattern in his life is forever consistent. I will never go without in his pattern of life. (heheheh). he still amazes me at how sacrificial he is. I have honestly never known anyone ever who is as sacrificial as he is - except for JESUS!!!!
Me - my summer has been one of thankfulness for the perfect weather we had here in Cali. Okay truth is my grass and avocado tree have no idea what season it is and they are both behaving very inappropriately. My poor avocado tree had it's babies way to early. I just pray the fruit is good this year. i suspect it wont be and some how this tree that continues to speak spiritual truths to me will give me many lessons in fruit that looks good but not so good to eat. So not lookin forward to this season. Or maybe the lesson will be fruit that needs to be used for something else instead of the same known way. hhhhmmmmmm stay posted for that. Regardless it will speak hard things to me about myself. It always has. O here's a big thing that happened this summer - I spent 7 hours in a salon chair doing color correction. yes you heard me correctly. In my attempt to make the black be brown, I ended up looking like a calico cat. No there are not any pictures but poor Margaret. 7 stinkin hours and finally I was brown - no hair damage either - shoot that girl sure knows her stuff. To top it off at the end of a very long day with my hair she reaches in her pocket and slices her finger on a razor blade she had in there. So not only did she waste her day on my hair and barely get any money for it, her tip was to cut the tip off. Good thing I'm a good conversationalist - other wise her day would have completely stunk. But i got my brown hair!!!!
VBS - The Adventures of The Apostle Paul. I love VBS. My favorite time of the year in ministry. I was super blessed to wear many hats this year. Worship / Food / Worker Kid entertainment / Janitorial and many services of registration. The more the better. for me it's always just a giant blessing to see Gods hand in all things so I get pretty hoggish to do what ever I'm allowed to do. Not sure why but i tend to thrive on serving with exhaustion. Seems like it's easier to die to self and allow God to do what only he can through me.
I tried to make many dates with friends this summer but well 97% of them never panned out. hhhmmmm I wonder why God continues to think aloneness is best for me. I must not be learning the better lesson in all of this.
Well regardless of what any given days agenda became one thing I know for sure. God is Good - God is Faithful - God is Strength - God is Love - God is Peace - God is Forgiving - God is Truth - God is Mine and I am His!!!!!! Thank you Jesus for a good Summer and beautiful weather and lessons.
Summer started with a much needed trip to Montana. I posted some pictures of our time there and little did I know that being there in Montana was going to be the most rest I would get all Summer long. It was a great trip though being in that beautiful part of the Country and being with very missed family. I only wish i could have actually had the cup of coffee with my brother that i had hoped for but instead i got to see him for but a moment from a distance. I am however thankful that Aaron got to see him for a couple minutes and give him a hug. Time with Mom and Dad, Nancy, Brad and the kids, was so great. We shared many laughs that week.
Aaron had a Summer that was packed with all things not involving me. I guess I could see that as a blessing in some ways but there is much sadness wrapped up in all of that as well. He had 2 weeks of basketball camp - youth camp - Serving in VBS- a missions outreach - concerts - movies and many hang out dates with friends. This boy of mine is growing up so fast. All the mistakes I've made as a parent are starting to become so evident as he is getting older and going about his life. Gosh to only know then what I know now. I need to post those things someday. Just maybe they might help someone out there - OKAY NO THEY WONT we always think our situation is different. Well for the record IT'S NOT!!!!
Bobby's Summer except for the trip to Montana and taking the week off so he could serve in VBS, it was pretty much life as normal. Work / Ministry / Work / kiss the wife / Work / ministry / Kiss the wife and so on and so on. I'm just grateful I'm in that equation. See this is the benefit of being married to someone with slight OCD - the pattern in his life is forever consistent. I will never go without in his pattern of life. (heheheh). he still amazes me at how sacrificial he is. I have honestly never known anyone ever who is as sacrificial as he is - except for JESUS!!!!
Me - my summer has been one of thankfulness for the perfect weather we had here in Cali. Okay truth is my grass and avocado tree have no idea what season it is and they are both behaving very inappropriately. My poor avocado tree had it's babies way to early. I just pray the fruit is good this year. i suspect it wont be and some how this tree that continues to speak spiritual truths to me will give me many lessons in fruit that looks good but not so good to eat. So not lookin forward to this season. Or maybe the lesson will be fruit that needs to be used for something else instead of the same known way. hhhhmmmmmm stay posted for that. Regardless it will speak hard things to me about myself. It always has. O here's a big thing that happened this summer - I spent 7 hours in a salon chair doing color correction. yes you heard me correctly. In my attempt to make the black be brown, I ended up looking like a calico cat. No there are not any pictures but poor Margaret. 7 stinkin hours and finally I was brown - no hair damage either - shoot that girl sure knows her stuff. To top it off at the end of a very long day with my hair she reaches in her pocket and slices her finger on a razor blade she had in there. So not only did she waste her day on my hair and barely get any money for it, her tip was to cut the tip off. Good thing I'm a good conversationalist - other wise her day would have completely stunk. But i got my brown hair!!!!
VBS - The Adventures of The Apostle Paul. I love VBS. My favorite time of the year in ministry. I was super blessed to wear many hats this year. Worship / Food / Worker Kid entertainment / Janitorial and many services of registration. The more the better. for me it's always just a giant blessing to see Gods hand in all things so I get pretty hoggish to do what ever I'm allowed to do. Not sure why but i tend to thrive on serving with exhaustion. Seems like it's easier to die to self and allow God to do what only he can through me.
I tried to make many dates with friends this summer but well 97% of them never panned out. hhhmmmm I wonder why God continues to think aloneness is best for me. I must not be learning the better lesson in all of this.
Well regardless of what any given days agenda became one thing I know for sure. God is Good - God is Faithful - God is Strength - God is Love - God is Peace - God is Forgiving - God is Truth - God is Mine and I am His!!!!!! Thank you Jesus for a good Summer and beautiful weather and lessons.
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