Hey girls. First of all, let me say that this new group of friends is such a blessing to me! It is so good to share and talk to you all. It is so sweet to pray for you and to listen to how God is working in your lives. Thank you for sharing your hearts. This is going to be a great year!
Now, a couple of things.
1. If you would like to post, you must send me an email so that I can add you to the list of authorized posters. Send it to tinalouderback@gmail.com
2. The blog offers an option for you to have any posts and comments sent directly to your email box. I find this easier than checking the blog. Just letting you know it is an option for you.
3. I am going to "close" the blog on Saturday. At that point, only authorized readers will be able to look at the blog. Each of you will be authorized. :) Janna and I feel like this will be important as we continue to share our hearts with each other. It will provide a more private setting for all of us.
That is it for now. Again, it is a joy to join you in this journey.
Tina
Thursday, January 7, 2010
"Sinners in the hands of an angry God"
I thought of that old sermon as I read Bildad's words this morning. He was talking about how forgetting God is like hanging by a thread and leaning on a spider web. That's true, but I wanted to punch him for saying Job's kids sinned against God and deserved to die. Self-righteous people can be so cold hearted and uncaring. The sad truth is, it is very easy for any of us to jump to judgement and spew self-righteous condemnation on others. God forgive us and open our eyes!
As I read Job's words I cried for him. His despair was so great. He even believed God was watching him, looking for more chances to give him a beating. I wanted to tell him it was Satan beating him down, not God! God loved him and was proud of Him! But, God could have stopped this testing at any time and He hadn't yet. That's the hard part to understand.
I think I sense a change beginning to happen in Job's relationship with God though. Job was innocent and upright. He did everything he was supposed to and he feared God. But his reverence seems to keep a bit of distance between He and God. It is something I struggle with- balancing the holy awe of God with the friendship of God. I get a sense that Job is ready to break through any ceremonial restraint and run into God's presence and cry out to Him!
There is no God like our God!!! Jesus made a way for us to be clean, clothed in His righteousness, so we can come boldly before the throne of God! We can know God for ourselves! I think Job is about to know God like he has never known Him before. Maybe that's why God allowed this all to happen.
God, whatever circumstances we find ourselves in right now, help us see You and know You like we never have before. Amen.
As I read Job's words I cried for him. His despair was so great. He even believed God was watching him, looking for more chances to give him a beating. I wanted to tell him it was Satan beating him down, not God! God loved him and was proud of Him! But, God could have stopped this testing at any time and He hadn't yet. That's the hard part to understand.
I think I sense a change beginning to happen in Job's relationship with God though. Job was innocent and upright. He did everything he was supposed to and he feared God. But his reverence seems to keep a bit of distance between He and God. It is something I struggle with- balancing the holy awe of God with the friendship of God. I get a sense that Job is ready to break through any ceremonial restraint and run into God's presence and cry out to Him!
There is no God like our God!!! Jesus made a way for us to be clean, clothed in His righteousness, so we can come boldly before the throne of God! We can know God for ourselves! I think Job is about to know God like he has never known Him before. Maybe that's why God allowed this all to happen.
God, whatever circumstances we find ourselves in right now, help us see You and know You like we never have before. Amen.
Who am I
While reading this morning I was struck by the awesomeness of our God. Job speaks in his reply of some of the things God does in 9:4-10. My bullseye for today is vs. 14..."How then can I dispute with Him? How can I find words to argue with Him?" Ashamedly, too many times I have disputed His direction and have found words to argue why I shouldn't/can't do what He has told me to do. Father, please forgive me. You are beyond my comprehension. Help me to be obedient and bow the knee to You and Your directives.
Rock Bottom
Poor Job. When I read the passages today, I really felt the despair and cries of Job's heart. He said that he "loathed his very life". Job was at rock bottom. I can't say that I have ever "loathed my life", but I have had times when I felt that God had put me in a pit. I have been at rock bottom and wondered when God would show up to save me. It's interesting how in my head I know that God is in control, but when my heart hurts so bad with pain, sorrow and confusion, it's hard to stay focused on the truth.
As Christians, we will all endure times of pain and suffering. It is completely normal to express how well feel, just like Job did. Sometimes we might even wish that we were never born. God certainly hears our cries and He will be faithful to restore us. I can't wait to finally see our friend Job restored. Hallelujah, God allows us to plead with him and in the end, His will for our lives will prevail.
As Christians, we will all endure times of pain and suffering. It is completely normal to express how well feel, just like Job did. Sometimes we might even wish that we were never born. God certainly hears our cries and He will be faithful to restore us. I can't wait to finally see our friend Job restored. Hallelujah, God allows us to plead with him and in the end, His will for our lives will prevail.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Honest with God
I love that Job poured out his hear to God, sharing earnestly his hurts and frustrations. In Chapter 6, Job is talking to Eliphaz, but in Chapter 7, he is talking to God. Obviously, I want to be respectful in my conversations with the Lord, but I also desire to be real and honest, using everyday langauge. God knows my heart and my emotions even better than I know myself, why should I try to "filter" what I share with Him?
He never changes!
Over the past years I've kinda caught myself longing for the good old days, like days from the past. God reminded me this morning that there are always going to be seasons in life, and life is always going to change no matter how much we might not want it to. Seasons come and they go, but Jesus never changes. Our feelings, job, relationships may change, but HE NEVER CHANGES. I'm so thankful that I have a God that is the same yesterday, today and forever! This journey we call life is going to have its ups and downs but we can remain stable if we look to Jesus who is our rock. God is working in our lives in each season, even the ones we dont enjoy so much... Especially the ones we dont enjoy, thats when He's working the MOST! Its like climbing a latter we are growing more and more and more each time we choose to push through the hard seasons of life and claim His promises over our lives. The best is yet to come!! 2010 is going to be a GREAT YEAR!!!
Today's bible reading was from Job 4:1-7:21I'm sure Job longed for his good old days as well, when his world started to crash down before him. God wants to stretch us and Job was FOR SURE being stretched in areas I'm sure he did not want to be!! I wish we got to pick whick areas in our lives we wanted God to work on, haha if only... Well, I would probably say to the Lord each day... I dont think I want ANY area to be stretched today. :) The truth is if we got to pick it would not be good...So thats why He is God and we are not. Father, help me to praise your name even in the seasons of life that are hard. Thank you God for never, ever changing!!
Blessings,
Jennifer Ambrose
Today's bible reading was from Job 4:1-7:21I'm sure Job longed for his good old days as well, when his world started to crash down before him. God wants to stretch us and Job was FOR SURE being stretched in areas I'm sure he did not want to be!! I wish we got to pick whick areas in our lives we wanted God to work on, haha if only... Well, I would probably say to the Lord each day... I dont think I want ANY area to be stretched today. :) The truth is if we got to pick it would not be good...So thats why He is God and we are not. Father, help me to praise your name even in the seasons of life that are hard. Thank you God for never, ever changing!!
Blessings,
Jennifer Ambrose
Comiserating with Job
I awoke with a heavy heart this morning. This year has not started off very well. I had hoped and prayed that this would be a year of new beginnings, but I don't see signs of anything changing yet. Can I whine a little? Please have mercy on me. I'm in a long, horrible, seemingly unending divorce. Many of you don't know me or my circumstances, and there is waaaaay too much to try to get into details about why. I will tell you that I sought Godly counsel of professional Christian counselors and several pastors, and they agree I am justified in divorcing. Anyway, the lawyers are supposed to be working on settlement papers (have been since October), so I hoped this year would bring some relief. I still hope it will, but like Job, I just don't see how I'm going to make it much longer.
I know what it's like to have people judge me unfairly, like Job's friends did. They don't know what our life was really like. We had an image of the perfect little Christian family, so some people just assume I went crazy. I have also been told things like I must be too close to my parents (untrue, he virtually isolated me from them), that I am selfish and out of God's will, and that I am led by demons. All the while I am trying to honor God and not tell these people the dark truths of what our home was really like. I have also prayed, like Job, that God would kill me before letting me dishonor His name. I must tell you, though, that He is merciful and has not answered that prayer. Unlike Job, I have let the stress of all this get to me and have said plenty of things I shouldn't. I am not nearly as upright as Job, and have had to ask God to forgive me and rescue me from sin many times. My biggest struggle right now is with the sins of bitterness and hate. God, please help me keep on forgiving and don't let these evils take root in my heart.
Then, last night I had a scary run in with mean and controlling X. So, again today I cried out to God for help. I'm tired of being afraid. I'm tired of fearing for my children. I'm tired of feeling unsafe. I'm tired of seeing injustice continue. I'm tired of struggling. I'm weary because I see no end in sight for these things. My Bible was opened, and I looked up and saw Psalm 31:2, "Turn Your ear to listen to me; rescue me quickly. Be my rock of protection, a fortress where I will be safe." Then verse 7, "I will be glad and rejoice in your unfailing love, for You have seen my troubles, and you care about the anguish of my soul." Ya'll, I take so much comfort in knowing that God is with me, otherwise I couldn't survive. But, God didn't rescue Job right away, and I have no promise that He'll rescue us soon either. I am just so grateful that He hasn't abandoned me. I know Jesus is with me and He loves me. I know He sees me and He cares. I don't know what to do but keep clinging to Jesus, and contact my lawyer again. Ya'll, please pray for me and my children that God would protect us and provide for us. Please pray that God would have His will and be glorified in me. Thank you.
If anyone has any encouragement to give, I'd appreciate your comments. I apologize for being so pathetic and laying my heartache out there for you all to see. I assure you this only skims the surface; I didn't show you the maggots. ;) Thank you God that I've not suffered anywhere near as much as Job!!!
I know what it's like to have people judge me unfairly, like Job's friends did. They don't know what our life was really like. We had an image of the perfect little Christian family, so some people just assume I went crazy. I have also been told things like I must be too close to my parents (untrue, he virtually isolated me from them), that I am selfish and out of God's will, and that I am led by demons. All the while I am trying to honor God and not tell these people the dark truths of what our home was really like. I have also prayed, like Job, that God would kill me before letting me dishonor His name. I must tell you, though, that He is merciful and has not answered that prayer. Unlike Job, I have let the stress of all this get to me and have said plenty of things I shouldn't. I am not nearly as upright as Job, and have had to ask God to forgive me and rescue me from sin many times. My biggest struggle right now is with the sins of bitterness and hate. God, please help me keep on forgiving and don't let these evils take root in my heart.
Then, last night I had a scary run in with mean and controlling X. So, again today I cried out to God for help. I'm tired of being afraid. I'm tired of fearing for my children. I'm tired of feeling unsafe. I'm tired of seeing injustice continue. I'm tired of struggling. I'm weary because I see no end in sight for these things. My Bible was opened, and I looked up and saw Psalm 31:2, "Turn Your ear to listen to me; rescue me quickly. Be my rock of protection, a fortress where I will be safe." Then verse 7, "I will be glad and rejoice in your unfailing love, for You have seen my troubles, and you care about the anguish of my soul." Ya'll, I take so much comfort in knowing that God is with me, otherwise I couldn't survive. But, God didn't rescue Job right away, and I have no promise that He'll rescue us soon either. I am just so grateful that He hasn't abandoned me. I know Jesus is with me and He loves me. I know He sees me and He cares. I don't know what to do but keep clinging to Jesus, and contact my lawyer again. Ya'll, please pray for me and my children that God would protect us and provide for us. Please pray that God would have His will and be glorified in me. Thank you.
If anyone has any encouragement to give, I'd appreciate your comments. I apologize for being so pathetic and laying my heartache out there for you all to see. I assure you this only skims the surface; I didn't show you the maggots. ;) Thank you God that I've not suffered anywhere near as much as Job!!!
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