Overjoyed
I have the print on the piano in our living room as a reminder for the boys {and myself} to remember how important it is to protect our heart, thoughts & character.
The Five Watches
Watch your thoughts, they become words
Watch your words, they become actions
Watch your actions, they become habits
Watch your habits, they become character
Watch your character, it becomes your destiny
Watch your words, they become actions
Watch your actions, they become habits
Watch your habits, they become character
Watch your character, it becomes your destiny
{powerful!}
I love, love, love this message! Geneva & the other wonderful women gather weekly to create, support, encourage, strengthen {and love} one another. They also pray for each other, for God to provide their daily bread ... they listen {and obey} God's plan for their life. And the JOY! You've never met more loving women!
They may not have much {by the world's standards}, but they are rich. They have laughter, songs, belief in God {and His provision}, love, faith {and a deep joy that's not dependent on their circumstances.} They've learned to truly live Philippians 4:12 "I know what it is to be in need and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." They hope & trust in God from the moment they wake to the moment they sleep. They believe God is good, can be trusted, is worthy to be praised.
Despite their circumstance they worship.
They also believe Gods plan WILL {ultimately} work out for everyone's BEST! They trust His wisdom & provision without question {and when He gives instruction they obey}.
At my Tuesday night Bible study we studied Matthew 2. In this chapter Mary & Joseph are visited by an angel of the Lord, who tells them they must flee because Herod wants Jesus dead. The get up in the night & flee. They receive God's instruction & obey. Our leader, Ramona, shared a principle so simple {yet profound}: "God guides us as we follow {and respond in obedience} to Him" {boom ... mind blown! <--- like that AT&T commercial where the little girls says, "what about infinity times infinity?"} Yes, God's guidance is available, but you have to look & listen for it {thru prayer, Bible study & wise counsel}. Ramona's other principles were equally powerful:
♥ Worship is the overflow of the heart that seeks Jesus, then finds Him.
In this same chapter the Wise Men have followed the star for a few years in search of Jesus. This verse jumped off the page {and into my heart}: "When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they saw the young child with Mary his mother they fell down and worshiped him." Their joy at seeking {and finding} Jesus was not just "oh, hello there, we brought you some gifts. good to see you." The overflow of their heart in seeking & finding Jesus was EXCEEDING GREAT JOY!
As I read these words, I heard the Holy Spirit whisper, "This is the joy I give to those who seek and find me." This is the joy my sisters in Christ in Kenya have {and the joy I want to have.}
So I'm praying to experience this joy everyday. This emotion goes beyond happy. It's a deep contentment {and faith in} God & His promises. Like His promise in Romans 8:17 that says we are “joint heirs” with Christ. As joint heirs we inherit everything He is {and everything He has}. The way God loves Jesus is the way He loves you!
"How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He’s the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son." Ephesians 1:3 {The Message}
In light of these verses, I am overjoyed. My prayer is that I will keep this truth in my heart and {despite my circumstances} worship & live for God.
♥ My obedience to Gods direction today bears fruit for many days to come. God uses humble people to do GREAT things for HIM!
Wetherell Johnson {the founder of Bible Study Fellowship - BSF <--- the study I attend on Tuesday nights} is a great example of this principle. In her book True to His Word this single, middle-aged, British-woman Missionary was forced to flee China when Communists moved in. She was devastated because she believed her life-calling was to serve in China. She returned to England, heartbroken. Then God stepped in. Five women from California asked her to teach them more about the Bible and she said, "yes."
50 years later this ministry that began with Miss Johnson teaching 5 women Colossians has impacted the lives of millions of men, women & children in countries around the world, including the Republic of China. God's plans for Miss Johnson's life were greater than she could ever have imagined or dreamed. And I'm so thankful for her obedience. I am a life that's been changed!
I cannot express how much this Bible study has transformed my life {and I wasn't always strong in this area of my life}. I've always had faith {and a strong prayer life}, but Bible study ... it was a weak muscle in my life. When I started Bible Study Fellowship {BSF} four years ago I must have told my friend every other week, "I think I'm going to quit." But she was always encouraging & I persevered {because I will die before I quit anything <--- it's a character strength/flaw} And God honored my faithfulness {and forgave my mullygrubbing} ♥ In time I grew to love this study and now it's like the air I breathe. I need BSF in my life to keep my heart focused on God's truth {and not my circumstances} AND Bible study + faith + prayer has been like infinity x infinity x infinity {squared} God has powerfully moved in my life, changed my heart, transformed my character.
♥ God often guides those who follow Him to places of humility to prepare them for His service.
This lesson I know more than any other. I can be very stubborn & often in life I've done what I wanted {rather than what God desired me to do}. And, He let me go my way, because God doesn't want worship robots, He wants authentic relationship {and for us to choose to follow, love & listen to Him}. Of course, in time, my way led to weariness, brokenness & confusion. And in that moment of humility, God restored, repaired & loved me.
In my moments of brokenness God's grace stepped in & strengthened me. I am who I am today because of my brokenness. And my heart is MUCH more pliant than it was in my 20's. God refines us in our suffering {and He was even loving enough to explain why}: “See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. For my own sake, for my own sake, I do this” {Isaiah 48:10}.
In my life I can see how God allowed suffering to remove sin & character flaws, increase my faith, strengthen my character {and my commitment to Him}, force me to depend on His grace, make me desire truth above all things. I can see how my suffering has been worth it. And I'm thankful. I'm OVERJOYED! {and I pray that same JOY for you!} ♥
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