All things through him

If you read the bible often and attend church events regularly then you may be familiar with the 'I can do all things through Christ who Strengthens me' quote.

Now here's something about this quote. It is NOT about you and Jesus being your helping hand to do whatever you wish.

Here's the problem with this understanding. First it is one verse taken out of a whole passage. Second we should approach the bible on it's own terms, not ours. Don't put yourself in it. It speaks to us!

Lets look at this verse within a little more of its context and passage.

Philippians 4:10-17
But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Nevertheless you have done well that you shared in my distress. Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only. For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account. 

This is a chunk from a letter written by Paul and Timothy to all the Christians in Phillipi and NOT about you. But don't' get me wrong, I'm not saying you can't learn anything from this. And I am not saying that you can't see relevance to your life.

HERE'S THE THING
The bible tells us mainly how we are loved and how we can know God. Then how to shape our lives around that.

But to keep this short and sweet Paul is writing about knowing how to be content with God in all situations! Whether he is suffering or not I believe he is saying that no matter what situation he is in, he can do all the things God has given him to do.

We  have to remember that our lives should be shaped by God and we should be doing the work that he sets out for us. So we can do all things through him who strengthens us but I think its really only relevant when its in regards to the work that God has set out for us.

Many Blessings!

Perseverance in Pain

It’s been a while since I've posted...

But like other bloggers sometimes life fills up and there just isn't time to sit down and blog. 

This can also be an issue in your time with God. It has been for me lately.

Persevering in face of trials and suffering, whether medical or not is extremely hard. And our focus on God can get blurry. But we must remember that God is still good and he still loves us. He cares for us. 

We must remember that we live in a fallen world, so life is going to be painful and hard sometimes. But we must also hold onto the parts that aren’t painful and keep them close when we go through the pain.

One thing I’m slowly learning to do in this painful time when I’m feeling detached and isolated from all who love me is to just sit. Sit and be still with God. Sit and breathe and pray. Reading the bible, not studying it per-se but just sitting and soaking in the words is helpful.

We must remember that God is bigger than our problems. He is stronger and he has promised better. We just have to exercise and practice patience.

And remember its okay to feel upset, it’s okay to cry out to God. It’s okay to want to run away.

But instead we must keep running to God.

Because he is who we will answer to in the end. And we are here because of him.

So while I sit and cry and sometimes want to scream at God; I will also keep coming back to the Promise of Jesus return. I will keep praying and I will keep sitting at the feet of God. Because he will allow me to stand again, he will strengthen me.

Every Problem is a possibility. Every problem is in God’s control.

1 Thessalonians 1

New International Version (NIV)

1 Paul, Silas, and Timothy,

To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

Grace and peace to you.

Thanksgiving for the Thessalonians’ Faith

² We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. ³ We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁴ For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, ⁵ because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. ⁶ You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. ⁷ And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. ⁸ The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, ⁹ for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, ¹⁰ and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.

Many Blessings!

Some Art from a Fragile Heart...

So lately I have turned creative to calm my mind and my spirit.
Art helps me to centre back on God and to calm and focus.
I always try to find a verse to go with my pieces, and almost always God brings one to my mind as I work on them.
Here's this weeks works with the verses attached.

 

Psalm 139:3

You chart the path ahead of me and tell me where to stop and rest. Every moment you know where I am.

1 Kings 19:11-13

 “Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.

And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Psalm 23: 1-3

The Lord is my shepherd;
I have all that I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows;
he leads me beside peaceful streams.
He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
bringing honor to his name.

Many Blessings!

Big Changes

I often have no idea what God is doing in my life. Most of the time I don't mind but lately I really have.
You see this year has been one of massive growth for me. For the first time I have attended church regularly for the whole year. However, I will be leaving my current and loved church (where I've been for the last 12 years of my life) because my family is moving house and therefore moving suburbs.

Here's something I say often: "Be careful what you pray for!"

I have once again not been taking my own advice.
Earlier in the year I was praying: "God send me wherever, I am your servant"
I was also praying for a feeling of safety, security and consistency in my life. Three things I haven't felt often.

But here's the catch...

God is giving me a sense of safety, security and consistency in this life but it's not the way I wanted. God is teaching me to find these things in himself only and NOT in my life situation. And God is obviously taking me wherever he wants me to go.

So instead of kicking and screaming  I will go with a sad but glad heart. I will allow myself to trust my creator, the most consistent being in my life and I will move house and find a new church with the knowledge in my heart that God is watching over me. God has many plans in store and though I can not see them, once again will I follow his lead.

I will also allow myself to feel sad, because sadness is an emotion and a proper one when you are leaving one church family to find another.


Romans 8: 18-30 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%208&version=NIV)

Present Suffering and Future Glory

¹⁸ I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. ¹⁹ For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. ²⁰ For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope ²¹ that^[h] the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.
²² We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. ²³ Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. ²⁴ For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? ²⁵ But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
²⁶ In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. ²⁷ And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
²⁸ And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who^[i] have been called according to his purpose. ²⁹ For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. ³⁰ And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

Here is my current Work in Progress.

This one is for my beach mission leaflets.

The sand is made of raw sugar! 

You might recognise some of them from my previous post entitled "Breathless" which is also here: 

http://little-thoughts-on-a-big-book.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/breathless.html

Many Blessings to you all!