Signs of Summer

Yesterday for me was the first sign that summer was almost here.
You see yesterday was the last day of Wednesday morning Ladies Bible Study for the semester. I will miss these ladies. Even though I was the leader, this wonderful group of ladies are mentors to me although they do not realize it. Their insight on the Word of God and life in general will travel with me well into my journey called life.

As we finished up this study, I reflect back on the life of David and the things we learned of his life. The man after God's own heart was on a roller coaster ride just like the rest of us. He lived on the mountain tops with God and in the valley's just like I do. He was not a perfect man and to me that is a relief. David was a sinner just like me and still earned the title of a man after God's own heart. Why? Repentance, Whole Hearted Obedience and Reverence.

In the final week of the study, I learned some things about God, His Grace and His Word that will cause me to ponder for a while. Although it would take me forever to write out all my learning, I want to give you snippets and references for you to seek out. Then if you want come back and share with me if your eyes grew wide with amazement. Please play along...I would love to hear what God shows you.


1. Kay Arthur gave a statement that "God's grace is previous." If you went huh? Don't be discouraged because I did too when I first heard it. As she explained and I looked at scripture, my huh? turned to wow! In Ephesians 1:4, "Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes" God knew even before he created the world he would love us and choose us. That my friend is previous grace. But what does that have to do directly with David's life? Check this out. David was not allowed to build the temple for God because he was a man of war and shed much blood but God said that David's son Solomon was the one that would build the temple. Where's the previousness of grace? I ask you to read 2 Samuel 12 and 1 Chronicles 22. When was David told about the birth of Solomon? When did David commit adultery with Bathsheba?
Did you notice that even before David sinned God knew what would happen? Just as before God ever created the world, he knew Adam and Eve would sin but in His grace He made provision. In the previousness of grace, His love covers the sin.

2. The things tucked in God's Word is so amazing. I simply love putting puzzles together and have fun when pieces of God's Word fit together in my mind and create a big picture for me. Please read 2 Samuel 24:10-25. Then read 2 Chronicles 3:1.
What does the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite and the temple that Solomon built have in common? How does this expand your biblical world view regarding the land in which the Israelites and Muslims fight over today?

These are just a few of the things that are floating through my thoughts as we ended this study. One of my favorite lines at the end of the study was this, "What was David's is yours--appropriate it, walk in it, and abide in it. No matter what you have done, you will be able to go deeper still." That is a promise of hope because God is there calling us to a deeper walk with him. We, too, can become a woman after God's own heart.

Keep searching for more of Him, even during the summer.

Cynthia

If My People...

"If My People who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14

Insight

Do you ever get confused? Ever not understand what is being said?
Wish you had much needed insight? Me, too!

This is why this verse means so much.

Proverbs 2:3-5
"Cry out for insight,
and ask for understanding.
Search for them as you would for silver;
seek them like hidden treasures.
Then you will understand what it means to fear the LORD.
and you will gain knowledge of God."

So when we are confused, not understanding or just simply need the insight, Cry out and ask. Search and Seek. Then you will gain what is of God.


Have fun seeking Him,

Cynthia

Reverence

I don’t usually get on a soap box about much…well ok, I confess maybe a few times with my kids but it is rare. But lately I have been in the book of 2 Samuel studying the life of David while going through the Bible Study “Anointed, Transformed and Redeemed.” and it really has me thinking.

Much of this week we have dug into that confusing story of David moving the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem and Uzzah touching the Ark resulting in his death. That story has always brought the “Huh?” out in me. Thoughts like “would the Ark not have crashed to the ground had Uzzah not reached out to stabilize it?” or “why was that such a crime that God killed him on the spot?” I don’t know about you but I always got so hung up on that that I failed to dig deeper into the whys.

In this study, Beth Moore pointed out that it had more to do with WHOLE HEARTED OBEDIENCE and REVERENCE to GOD.

You see the King David and the Israelites had the desire to move the Ark to where it belonged but did not seek God’s commands as how to bring it about properly. (See Exodus 25:10-16 and Numbers 4:5,15) Without seeking proper instruction they moved the Ark in the same manner that the Philistine’s had moved it. (1 Samuel 6:7-8) therefore treating the Ark just like those that didn’t call on the name of God.

Beth Moore stated, “We are sometimes tempted to measure our respect for God by the lack of respect surrounding us. The godless, however, are not our standard. God is. Through the pen of David, God told us to “praise him according to his excellent greatness,” not according to public opinion.”

So what does this have to do about a soapbox?

My boys sometimes call me so stuck in the days of old and out of touch with the times. They don’t understand my convictions when it comes to the House of the Lord, mainly the Worship Center.

My boys don’t understand what my deal is with not wanting them to wear shorts to worship or why I will not allow them to take their drinks or food into the Worship Center. I quietly shiver when I see a load of teenagers file out of a vehicle on Sunday mornings with their Sonic drinks, blast and yummies and walk right into the Worship Center to have a seat. Not that Sonic items are not good and yes on some days can be divinely appointed for this Route 44 coke easy ice kind of girl but I struggle with the reverence to God as it is brought into His House of Praise. If God has not impressed this upon your heart it is not for condemnation so please don’t condemn me it is just where God has me.

I know that our bodies are now the dwelling place of God and that’s a whole other topic but are the youth falling away from God because we are becoming more like those that don’t even call upon His Name?
Are we using the “it’s the only way we can reach them without offending them” and therefore losing them even more? Are we forgetting the reverence God so desires?

Beth Moore also stated, “God desires His presence and His glory to be a blessing, but reverence for Him is the necessary channel.

I wonder if the reason our nation-that was built on God’s Word- has been resembling those that don’t even call upon His Name so long, that this is why we are seeing God removed from everything.

I’ll now step off my box and bite my lip.

Cynthia

The Spoken Word

I have found a strong desire to pray scripture over my family.
I know that it is through the urging of the Holy Spirit with a little help from Beth Moore. Beth said recently in a Bible study to get alone and pray out loud. She said and I strongly believe that there is something about the spoken word.

So, I now have a use for the spiral wire bound set of index cards. Yes the one from last years ladies retreat. I guess better late than never.

The cards are beginning to fill up with scripture that I am wanting to pray for my husband, sons and even myself. Sometimes I just write the verse out but there are sometimes that I write it in prayer form.

Some of the verses that I have started praying for my family are:

Deut. 30:20

Proverbs 4:23-27

Psalm 18:16-19

The day that I started this I was so excited to see how everyone's day went. I had strongly prayed Psalm 18:16-19 that morning but when my son got home he had had a bad day. Apparently some words were thrown at him in his distress and he was "ticked" to say the least. But the last of that verse is "to lead us to a place of safety, rescue us because you delight in us." At first I was discouraged because I had prayed this for him but then I realized that I had not prayed to keep my family from those things never happening. I had prayed for them to be rescued and brought to a place of safety. As the thoughts of school subsided I began to see my son lighten up and feel safe. That my friends was God answering a prayer.

I want to encourage you to start praying scripturally for yourself and your family.
If you already do this please share with me the verses you use.


Please let me pray this prayer over you...

I pray that you my bloggy friend may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days. Deut. 30:20

Have a wonderful day!

Cynthia

Praise the ONE

Who you are.

We get so tickled about a little dog that lives just down the road from us.

You see there is a family that purchased a few longhorn cows and they are pastured not far from our house. This spring two of the cows birthed the cutest calves. One is a black and white spitting image of it's mother, even down to the white streak that runs the ridge of the back. The other is a brown and white young'un that seems to be an adventurer. I know you are thinking, "Wait a minute...you started out with a dog and now you are talking about cows."

Well this little basset hound that is brown and white seems to live in the pasture with the cows.
So many times we will drive by and think that another calf has been born only to notice a slight rise of the head to see the long floppy ears. If at first we don't see the dog we start asking, "Where's the wanna be cow?"

When the cows are laying in the field, this little dog will position itself close to where they are.
It truly is a funny sight.

Isn't that how we are sometimes? We forget who we are and what we were created to be?
So many times we see things around us and we try to mimic that in our own lives, thinking if we can just get close enough then we will be more like them or blend into that surrounding.

I am so guilty of this myself. I forget so many times who I am. Who I belong to. God makes us all unique yet in His image. Wow that is incomprehensible to me but yet so welcomed.
God has a purpose for each of us that follows the plan of how He made us.
We just have to embrace it and allow Him to determine who we are, because He has determined WHOSE we are!

Cynthia