My Answer To 3 Scenarios

Scenario 1: A friend of mine has been going through some trying times. Health, work problems, and God directing, but where does she go? She is having a hard time believing that God will provide. She is struggling to believe He will provide for her good. Recently she looked at me and said something like, “You’ve wanted a good thing for over 10 years and God hasn’t given it. Why would He grant my request?”

Scenario 2: I have another friend, who every time she hears me talking of couples courting, gets a pained expression on her face. She doesn’t understand why God hasn’t provided a husband for me. It makes her sad.

Scenario 3: I know of young teens and young single gals who sort of assume that they’ll have to wait to get married until they are in their late twenties.

I’m in my late twenties…thirty is fast approaching. And I’m nowhere near the possibility (at least by what I can see) of getting married. Is that my preference? HECK NO! There’s not a day that doesn’t go by that I do not pray for God to give me a man. Some days I lack faith and I’m discouraged. But, by God’s grace that is not where I live. I have so much joy and hope. It is hard to imagine a better life than mine. Why? Because I have an all access pass to the throne of grace. I am saved from my sins. I have an intimate relationship with the Creator of the Universe. What more could one want? He satisfies. He brings peace. He sustains. He provides. He upholds me in my weakness. He comforts me when I am discouraged. He brings joy to my soul, a smile on my face, and a light in my eyes. He is my all in all.

How do you answer the three scenarios listed above? Oh, that’s easy! :D

Scenario 1: I would first resist the urge to tell my friend that, that was the dumbest line of thinking I had ever heard! :) God doesn’t work the same way in every person life. Just because He has delayed in my life doesn’t mean He will delay in hers. Only He knows what He will do. We cannot take the reigns of our life and assume (tell God) what God will do. All she (we) can assume is that He will direct and will provide. He has promised to do what is best for her. Psalm 23:6, Job 34:21

Scenario 2: I would give my friend a huge hug and thank her for her care. And then I would remind her of God’s mysterious and gracious ways. “Does not he see my ways and number all my steps?” Job 31:4 (Job 34:21, Psalm 37:23) Our wise and all-knowing Father sees the big picture. We can only see the present. But, He sees the past, present, and future. We think we know what is best for our lives. But, we really don’t. We see so dimly. He sees all and knows all. He is God. He is the Creator. He is the Sustainer of all. He is my Savior. He sees my entire life in one glance. He knows what is best. And He gives grace and strength for whatever He requires of us. Being in His will is the most glorious place to be! That is where we MUST rest.

Scenario 3: Oh how I love our youth! I wish I could be with them more than I do. (Pardon the rabbit trail…I’m done now.) What would I say to a young girl who has grown up in the church and assumes you have to wait years to get married?

“God does not give us grace for our imaginations.” –Elisabeth Elliot

Don’t borrow trouble from the future. Since all (but two) of my childhood friends are married, I think we can assume I’m not the norm. :) And even if I was, only God knows what He will do in your life. Most girls I know get married before 28. BUT, not everyone does. Both options have their own struggles and trials. God WILL provide and direct. Don’t focus on what may or may not happen. Focus on Him. Keep your heart grounded on Him. If you stay there you will be just fine. Trust Him for tomorrow and focus on faithfully following Him today. He will provide and make all things clear in His timing.

And to all three I would point them to the cross. The source of all hope rest, and peace. “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” Romans 8:32 The cross is God’s ultimate display of His abounding love and faithfulness. The real question isn’t is God good? But, does God’s goodness ever end? And why does He give it to me? Take a good long look at the cross and all doubt will fade. He loves us more than we can comprehend. We can trust His mysterious workings because of the ultimate provision for our good.

Gaze upon the crucified Savior…all else will fade in importance.

Silly Song...

...but it makes me laugh! :)

Next 2009 LIVE Worship Album

The Next Worship Album is finally available for download. WooHoo!!! You can download it HERE for $5! Here is the song line-up:

God Over All (Devon Kauflin)
His Name is Jesus (All Hail the Power) (Judah Groveman)
He Is Jesus (Stephen Altrogge)
Praise the Lord (Doug Plank)
By This We Know Love (Judah Groveman)
All I Have (Jordan Kauflin)
Jesus Thank You (Pat Sczebel)
I Need You (Kristian Stanfill/Eddie Kirkland)
The Name above All Names (Judah Groveman)
What a Savior (Devon Kauflin)
I Will Glory in My Redeemer (Steve & Vikki Cook)
Blessed Is the One (Doug Plank)
Oh the Deep, Deep Love (Bob Kauflin)

All I Have Is Christ from Sovereign Grace Ministries on Vimeo.

And you can see a bunch of my friends in the video! :)

Scripture & Commentary

Phil. 4:6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Paul echoes Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount that believers are not to be anxious but are to entrust themselves into the hands of their loving heavenly Father, whose peace will guard them in Christ Jesus. Paul’s use of “guard” may reflect his own imprisonment or the status of Philippi as a Roman colony with a military garrison. In either case, it is not Roman soldiers who guard believers-it is the peace of God Almighty. Because God is sovereign and in control, Christians can entrust all their difficulties to him, who rules over all creation and who is wise and loving in all his ways. An attitude of thanksgiving contributes directly to this inward peace. –English Standard Version Study Bible

Heb. 4:16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Draw near is used consistently in Hebrews to present a person approaching God, who is possible only when one’s sins are forgiven through the sacrificial and intercessory ministry of a high priest. The encouragement to “draw near” to God’s throne implies that Christians have the privilege of a personal relationship with God. Confidence translates…”boldness,” “confidence,” “courage”…It indicates that Christians may come before God and speak plainly and honestly (yet still with appropriate reverence), without fear that they will incur shame or punishment by doing so. throne of grace. God the Father, with Jesus at his right hand graciously dispense help from heaven to those who need forgiveness and strength in temptation. –English Standard Version Study Bible

I Pet. 5:7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

The participle “casting” modifies the main verbal phrase “humble yourselves” from v. 6. Worry is a form of pride because it involves taking concerns upon oneself instead of entrusting them to God. Believers can trust God because, as their Father, he cares for them. –English Standard Version Study Bible

Romans 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be [1] against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

Psalm 130

My Soul Waits for the Lord

A Song of Ascents.

130:1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord!
2 O Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my pleas for mercy!

3 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness,
that you may be feared.

5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
6 my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.

7 O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
and with him is plentiful redemption.
8 And he will redeem Israel
from all his iniquities.

Amazing! Incredible!

This gal is pretty darn talented...

Super Mario Theme


White Christmas

Anxiety: Anything & Everything

I attended the Sovereign Grace Church in Apex, NC, this Sunday. Mickey Conolly spoke on Anxiety from Philippians 4:6-7.

…do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

As he began to read the text, I laughed to myself. God was setting me up, this was a message I needed to hear. I need to listen to this sermon 20 more times. There is so much to glean from the many points that Mickey taught on. However, there were a couple of things that did stand out to me.

“Anxiety is a mild case of atheism. It denies that God will care from me.” Ouch. When I’m anxious (i.e. fret, worry, etc.) I am simply telling God that He does not care and that He is not in control. I can worry about anything and everything. Sadly, I worry much more than I realize. Every time I have an anxious thought I am practically denying the existence of God. I am charging God with not caring and not being God. Because God is either in control of all things or in control of nothing. If He is in control of nothing, He cannot be God.

The remedy to anxiety is prayer and thanksgiving. “In everything we haven an invitation to come to God in prayer.” In every situation, every circumstance we should lay our burdens at God’s feet. We should come to God with everything. (Heb. 4:16, 1 Peter 5:7, Ro. 8:32) Mickey made a couple of statements that I really liked:

“Prayer does not mean passivity.”

“You cannot do more than pray before you pray, but not after you pray.”

“God has authored these circumstances. We give thanks because it reminds us that God is at work.”

I was also struck by the end of verse 7. GOD will guard your hearts and minds.
So often I think that I’m responsible for guarding my heart and mind (which I am, but in His strength). But, this passage says that if I am bringing all worry to God in prayer and if I am thanking Him and remembering His past faithfulness that I will receive His peace. And that peace is what guards my hear and mind. It is God’s working, His power, His faithfulness. It’s not pulling myself up by my bootstraps. It’s once again sitting at His feet and trusting Him. I find that so hard to do. But, I’m slowly learning that it is the most wonderful place to be. Letting my soul rest in Him does bring a peace that passes all understanding. Resting in His sovereignty and omniscience. Not fretting about my future or things I do not understand. But focusing my heart and mind on Him. That is the best place to be!

You can download Mickey’s sermon HERE.(As of 9:30am, it is not online yet, but I’m sure it will be soon.)

 

“The root of anxiety is inadequate faith in our Father’s future grace.” John Piper