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About Jill Richard

My name is Jill Richard. I'm a life long Christian. Trying to live my life for my Lord everyday. I've been working in internet marketing since 2003. I want people to look at me and think - What an amazing God she believes in! I want all of my actions to point back to my Lord. They don't always, and for that I am grateful for the Grace of my Lord Jesus Christ.

My God is…giving eternal life John 10:28

03 Jan

John 10:28 – I give them eternal life,and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. hope-clouds

I give them eternal life

Jesus gives us eternal life. What does that mean? It means that because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, we’re able to spend eternity with Him in heaven. Though we die bodily, we’ll live on with God. Why does this matter? It’s what gives hope to the hopeless. Without the promise of a better existence after this one, our lives would have little meaning, and our actions would be temporary and futile, but because we are not thinking of this time alone, we can also think about the time that is to come. We don’t have to be stuck in our current circumstances, but instead focus and cling to the promise of a better future with our Lord.

Perhaps your health (like mine) is not all you would like. Perhaps you have something medical going on right now that scares you half to death. Perhaps you’re afraid because of death, or the threat of death. Cling to the Lord, knowing that this earthly life is temporary, and when you get to heaven you will have a perfect body.

No one will snatch them out of my hand

God has you in His hand. You put your faith in Him, and He doesn’t fail. Those who put their faith in the Lord will not perish (at least not their souls). We will forever be with the Lord in heaven. There are so many things in our lives that the devil uses to try to draw us away from the Lord, but with our eyes firmly fixed on Him and our faith and hope resting in God, we need not fear. God never deserts us. He is with us always. Even the word Immanuel reminds us of His omnipresence. “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”[a](which means “God with us”). (Matt. 1:23)

Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. 2 Corinthians 3:12

Because of the love our Lord has shown us by sending Jesus that we might forever be in a close relationship with Him, we are able to be bold in our faith. Each moment of our life is an opportunity to do things differently than the rest of the world. To choose the way of the Lord over the worldly ways. Some of it seems like nonsense to those who don’t know Him, but don’t be dismayed, for you are storing up your treasures in heaven.

Are you bold?

 
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Posted by on January 3, 2013 in God is My Hope, John, My God is giving eternal life

 

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My God is…establishing your plans Proverbs 16:3

01 Jan

Proverbs 16:3 Commit to the Lord whatever you do,resolutions
and he will establish your plans.

Do you make resolutions? My cousin Lisa is always working to improve herself, a year or two ago she did mini resolutions each day. She posted them on Facebook, and I found myself inspired to do more in my life as well. Looking at our selves honestly and taking an assessment t of what’s working and what isn’t seems to be a natural part of life for many people.

Do you keep your resolutions? Many of us , new year after new year state the same resolutions. Maybe your resolution is to lose more weight, spend more time with family, or spend more time at the office (who am I kidding no one makes a resolution like that, do they). If you have made resolutions before, which ones did you keep? What made you keep them.

Resolutions are hard! If resolutions were easy to keep, we wouldn’t have to make them. We would be doing them already. If you’ve resolved to change something, what is your strategy to make it happen? Did you notice, our scripture reading gives us a way to make our resolutions happen.

Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
and he will establish your plans.

If we commit to The Lord whatever we have resolved, He will establish our plans. So what does that look like? It’s probably a little different for everyone, but here is what I would try in light of this verse:

    • Pray about your resolution

Talk to God daily about what you’re trying to accomplish. Maybe even more often. If you’ve resolved to lose weight, pray when you are tempted to eat something you’ll regret later.

    • Read God’s word

Staying in the word will help you to grow closer to The Lord so you can discern His will more clearly, making decisions less confusing or muddled.

    • Talk with other Christians

Finding a support system for the resolution, the praying or reading scripture helps you to be held accountable to stick to what you say.

Have you made a resolution?

 
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Posted by on January 1, 2013 in My God is...establishing your plans, Proverbs

 

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My God is looking at the heart 1 Samuel 16:7

27 Dec

1 Samuel 16:7b – The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance,

Homeless: Don't Judge Me

Don’t judge me

but the Lord looks at the heart.

Don’t judge a book by its cover 

How many times have our moms said that to us? Our whole lives we’ve been told you can’t judge based on appearance, but to be honest, we all do. We see a well dressed man and think he must be a titan of industry or at least a successful businessman. We see a disheveled looking woman sitting at an intersection, and we assume she’s the product of her own choices.

What does your cover look like? 

We work hard to keep our covers looking good too, don’t we? I know I do. I want my hair to look good, my husband to be kind and my children to be polite. Those things are all good, but part of my motivation for these things is that I want people to assume my life is good. I want them to think that I’m a good wife and mother, that I’m kind, that I’m trusting in God, that I’m not full of sin. Some of the time I am those things, but I also fail quite regularly. But I don’t want anyone to know that. I don’t want to admit my failures.

God judges the heart

God can see through our cover. He can see right through to our heart. He knows our motivations, our failures and our successes. He knows what we truly value and where He is on that list. He’s not judging us on what we’re putting out there, but what is going on in our hearts and minds. He knows the true us, like no one else. Even those we are closest too don’t know us as well as the Lord does. He knows our fears, short comings, talents, gifts and humor. He gets us. He loves us.

He loves us

He knows the whole story. He knows where you’ve come from and where you’re headed. He knows that it’s because of the way your father treated you that you have a hard time trusting your husband. He knows that it’s your insecurity and need to look good that makes you yell at your children when they embarrass you. He knows that you love your mom and want to stop fighting with her. He knows you’re still sad about your grandpa’s death, even though it happened years ago. He knows us and loves us. He delights in us.

Don’t judge a book

The truth is, our failures and success are both necessary in who we are becoming. Often sharing the truth about our feelings, who we are and what embarrasses us is actually the best way to build true relationships. When we share our innermost secrets, we find ourselves bonding, exposed and vulnerable. It’s not always an easy place to be, but when we’ve found people we can share things with, we find ourselves in true relationship. We no longer have to pretend. They know us, and have either accepted or rejected us for who we are, and there is something really freeing about that. That is how it is with our Lord. He knows us so intimately. He knows our thoughts, dreams, fears and pain. It is because of that vulnerability of Him truly knowing us, and loving us anyway that we can build that true relationship with Him. One of freedom and growth that can only come when one feels truly secure in a relationship.

Do you feel secure?

 
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Posted by on December 27, 2012 in 1 Samuel, My God is looking at the heart

 

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My God is made incarnate 1 John 5:1-5

25 Dec

1 John 5:1-5 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.  This is how we know that we love the children of God:by loving God and carrying out his commands.  In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,  for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

in·car·nate

adjective \in-ˈkär-nət, -ˌnāt\

a : invested with bodily and especially human nature and formnativity scene
b : made manifest or comprehensible : embodied <a fiendincarnate>
The word became flesh
John 1:14 – The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Jesus Christ came to this world as a baby. He gave up His standing in heaven so that we, who had no claim to heaven, might live with Him forever in heaven. God the Father sent His only Son Jesus into the world as a baby, in the flesh and lived among us. We were able to see His glory, that He was full of grace and truth.
Amazing Grace
It is truly amazing that we have a God who is willing to give up all He had to come to earth so that we might have an opportunity to live with Him. He sacrificed Himself, not just on the cross, but even His comfort, His standing so that we, as ungrateful as we are, might have a chance to spend eternity in heaven.
He humbled Himself
There is really nothing lower than becoming like those you’ve created. Clearly we were less than gods. We were doing stupid things, we are confined to bodies that ache, stink, break, sweat and defecate. There is nothing glamorous about becoming a human when you are God. But Jesus willingly came to earth as a human. Not as an important human either. There wasn’t an announcement in the paper when He was born, and His mom had to put Him in a feeding trough for a bed. There was nothing showy or cool about that. He humbled Himself, becoming like us so that He could take our place and preserve us for life eternal. It truly was a Christmas miracle.

 

 
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Posted by on December 25, 2012 in 1 John, My God is made incarnate

 

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My God is with You Joshua 1:9

20 Dec

Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid;do not be discouraged, for
the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.Glorify

Installed as a leader

This passage from Joshua in the Old Testament is while the Lord was installing Joshua as a leader. Now you might not consider yourself a leader, but I think that’s not true. Most of us have a sphere of influence. People we effect on a daily or weekly basis. For most of us that’s in our home, church or work, but for others it could be the cashier at the grocery store, the gas station attendant or the doctors and nurses who take care of us. As a leader, or one who influences others, we are to all things to glorify God. But how do we do that? What’s God’s advice to the leader He installed oh so long ago?

Be strong and courageous

I don’t know about you but this sounds like a tall order. My family has been fighting off a cold all week and I’m not sure strong is the word I would use to describe my feelings. But this verse doesn’t say feel strong and courageous, it says, “Be Strong and Courageous”. You don’t have to feel that way, but with God on our side, we can go boldly ahead for Him.

Do not be afraid

Again, not always so easy. I sometimes suffer from anxiety. I think of how everything could go wrong, and then I’m sure it will happen that way. This morning it happened again (I’m writing this at 5:12 am). I woke up at 3:30. Worked from 4am to 5am. Then I started working on my blog. Why am I up so early? The version I want to tell you says that I was uncomfortable with my cold, but that’s only part of it. I actually woke up concerned about something, and then couldn’t get it out of my head. I ran it around in my head a million times (ok not really – but a lot). Finally I decided better to get up and distract myself with work. What am I anxious about? I’m afraid that things wont go the way I hoped. I get nervous that things won’t work out for the best. That I will be the cause of someone else’s problems. While I was lying in bed debating what to do (get up or pretend I was asleep), I kept praying that I would give it over to God. Then I come to write my blog and am faced with a phrase like “Do not be afraid.” Anxiety is fear. I have to let go and let God. I’m sure it will all work out.

Do not be discouraged

We live in a society where we want everything to happen now. We’re relatively impatient, and expect things to happen and go the way we intended. But sometimes, despite our best efforts, things do not go as planned. We even do that with our friends and family we want to reach for the Lord. We want to be good witnesses. We want to help them to know the Lord. We probably all have friends or family we’ve been praying for over the years, but still don’t know the Lord. But the Lord tells us not to be discouraged. We need to trust in His timing and His plan. As Americans, this is a big pill to swallow. We want it done now!!

So how do we go on not being discouraged or afraid?

Lord your God will be with you wherever you go

Our hope is in the Lord, knowing that He is with us wherever we go is our comfort. We can call on Him at anytime and He’s there. Just like Joshua was leading the Israelite nation, we have our circle of influence (ok, it might be a bit smaller than Joshua’s). We can put our fears and discouragements aside and lean on the Lord, our hope and confidence.

 
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Posted by on December 20, 2012 in My God is with You

 

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My God is…Trustworthy Psalm 111:6-8

18 Dec

Psalm 111:6-8 He has shown his people the power of his works,

Who do you trust?

Who do you trust?

giving them the lands of other nations.
The works of his hands are faithful and just;
all his precepts are trustworthy.
They are established for ever and ever,
enacted in faithfulness and uprightness.

A name you can trust 

When we lived in England, there was a commercial that always ended “A name you can trust” (yes it’s true I can’t remember what the commercial was for, but I remember the catch phrase). People are always trying to get us to trust them. They want to be believed. They want people to understand and identify with them.

Who do you trust? 

I trust people who have proven themselves to be trustworthy. My parents – I trust them wholeheartedly. They have always been reliable. I can come to them with any problem, and they will be there for me. They’ve proven their trustworthiness through their consistent love and care for me. Did I always think what they wanted me to do was the right thing for me at the time? No. Sometimes they seemed unreasonable, strict and maybe even controlling, but I was always shown to be wrong. Their actions worked for my best interest. Now they’re not perfect, but they are trustworthy.

Why do you trust? 

Do you trust people blindly? Are you unforgiving? Do you think just because someone doesn’t agree with you that they’re not trustworthy? Truth is, people are not always trustworthy. They fail us. They are sinful. But the Truth is God is trustworthy. He does follow through on His precepts. This world is full of evil, but for those who believe we look beyond the here and now towards our future in heaven with Him. We trust that while we live on this imperfect world, God is still active and moving us towards Him and away from the evil of this world.

Finding Comfort in His word

Psalm 111 is a great Psalm talking about God & His trustworthiness. I hope you find it a blessing this morning.

Psalm 111[a]

1 Praise the Lord.[b]

I will extol the Lord with all my heart
in the council of the upright and in the assembly.

2 Great are the works of the Lord;
they are pondered by all who delight in them.
3 Glorious and majestic are his deeds,
and his righteousness endures forever.
4 He has caused his wonders to be remembered;
the Lord is gracious and compassionate.
5 He provides food for those who fear him;
he remembers his covenant forever.

6 He has shown his people the power of his works,
giving them the lands of other nations.
7 The works of his hands are faithful and just;
all his precepts are trustworthy.
8 They are established for ever and ever,
enacted in faithfulness and uprightness.
9 He provided redemption for his people;
he ordained his covenant forever—
holy and awesome is his name.

10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
all who follow his precepts have good understanding.
To him belongs eternal praise.

 

 
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Posted by on December 18, 2012 in My God is Trustworthy, Psalm

 

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My God is…empowering 2 Timothy 1:6-7

13 Dec
fear

God did not make us timid

2 Timothy 1:6-7  For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

When are you timid? 

Maybe you’re not. I don’t think most people consider me timid, but when I enter a room, I can be quite shy. I’ll be looking around for anyone who makes eye contact that I can comfortably go hang by (sometimes for the rest of the night). I’m not very brave in social situations. Not at all timid once you get to know me, but those first meetings (especially if I can’t remember your name) are hard for me. I’m a bit insecure sometimes.

Why are we sometimes timid? 

I think the reason we’re sometimes timid is because we’re looking for our self-worth in the wrong places. We’re looking at getting our self-worth through other people, our work, our money or position. But in the verse above it seems to be related to the gifts God has given us, and we’re to use those gifts for God’s glory.

Power

What do you think of when you think of power? A super hero? Your boss? Your father? I think in reality power for me is security. Feeling comfortable in my own skin and not being affected (as much) by the negativity around me. The definition of power a few places is to be able to produce an effect. Here it is telling us that by the Holy Spirit we are given the ability to produce an effect. We can be effective for Christ.

Love

I’m sure most of us know that the commandments Jesus talked about were about love: Mark 12: 29-31,  “Jesus answered, “Here is the most important one. Moses said, ‘Israel, listen to me. The Lord is our God. The Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Love him with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (Deuteronomy 6:4,5) And here is the second one. ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ (Leviticus 19:18) There is no commandment more important than these.”” Giving us through the Holy Spirit the ability to love, God is giving us the ability to fulfill His commandments (ok – not perfectly, but without Him, we’re incapable of true love – loving those who don’t deserve it – as Christ loves us).

Self Discipline

Ok – if you’re anything like me being given the gift of self-discipline is like getting socks at Christmas. Useful, but not very exciting. At least it used to be. I’m finding that as I grow up (yes I’m still working at that) I find being self disciplined helps me avoid a lot of self loathing, a lot of over eating, snapping at my family, being selfish (or at least recognizing it) and loads of other sins I would rather not reveal this morning. Being able to have self-discipline also allows me to focus and keep my eyes fixed on the Lord. Still not perfect at it, but learning to daily seek God is a self-discipline.

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God

Practice, practice, practice. Everything we want to be truly good at takes practice, or doing something over an over again. Have you ever fanned anything into flames? I truly try to avoid open fires for the most part, so this hasn’t happened to me very often, but I do watch Survivor (don’t hold that against me) and it’s really hard work for them to get a fire going. After they finally get a spark, they have to fan it into flames to get a fire worth using started. Our faith is the same way. If we leave it alone and don’t tend to it, it will diminish, or even peter out. But if we fan it into flames, by reading the word of God and renewing our mind we will be transformed. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

What are you fanning into flames?

 

 
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Posted by on December 13, 2012 in 2 Timothy, My God is empowering

 

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My God is Sufficient 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

11 Dec

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect inJesushuggingcryinggirl weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

My grace is sufficient for you

Do you ever feel like all the bad stuff happens to you? Do you feel like everything would be perfect if you could just change that one thing? Paul could relate. He had a very close relationship with God, and had gone through a lot of hardship for the Gospel. These are things Paul felt he could justifiably boast about if he wanted to, but the Lord had also given Paul a thorn in his side. Something that reminded him of his humanity. We’re not sure what that thorn was, some say it was a stammer, others have their own ideas. What we do know is that it kept Paul humble. It kept him looking to God as the source of all goodness, and it was the way he was able to reach most people. It was through his weaknesses that the Lord used him.
For my power is made perfect in weakness
Have you ever noticed that the people you grow closest to are the ones with whom you’ve shared your innermost secrets. Those you have share your intimate, deep thoughts are the one’s with whom you bond the most. In our Bible study on Tuesday nights, you sometimes will have someone share something that you can tell is very painful for them. They share it, not because it was a great experience or that they come out sounding important or great, but because they learned about the Lord through their experience. When these kinds of stories, that show our weaknesses, are shared, others can identify. We have all felt weak, helpless and at the Lord’s mercy. Sharing how the Lord worked through those times binds us together as believers.
Boasting about your weakness
Boasting about your weakness is a very unusual thing in our society. Americans are taught to filter out the bad stuff and only tell the good (most of the time). We don’t like to sound weak, and we don’t like others to judge us, so we avoid telling them about our alcoholism, our struggle with obesity, our pain from the loss of our unborn child, the hurt we feel when being abused by those who are supposed to love us. We don’t like people to know that we don’t have it all together. We often see the mom with three beautifully dressed kids and think we want her life. What we don’t know is all the pain she feels because she is in a loveless marriage or the debt they’re incurring because of her overspending. We don’t know about what’s really going on with others, they’re trying to put their best foot forward, just as we are most of the time.
That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.
How can we delight in these things? When we live our lives to bring God the glory, our weaknesses, the insults, hardships and difficulties are all opportunities for the world to see us respond differently than those who do not believe. We’re able to point our lives back to God, resting on His assurance to us that His grace, given to us by Jesus’ death on the cross, is sufficient for us. We can trust that all things will work for the good of them that love God (Romans 8:28), and that we will one day be with Him in heaven. This is our hope and our future. Spending eternity with our Lord who loves us and uses our weaknesses to draw others to Him and to increase the depths of our relationships with others.
For when I am weak, then I am strong.
We are strong when we are weak, because when we are weak, we submit ourselves to the Lord’s will. We no longer are looking out for ourselves, but turn our eyes towards the Lord for our salvation in the moment and for eternity. And knowing where you’re going to be for eternity strengthens us and gives us hope. We are encouraged, strengthened and can persevere. We grow closer to others and the Lord through all of these humbling, weak moments.
Are you weak or strong?
 
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Posted by on December 11, 2012 in My God is Sufficient

 

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My God is…a teacher Exodus 4:11-12

06 Dec

Exodus 4:11-12 The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute?stage-fright Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say”

I’m feeling like Moses

This weekend is our Women’s tea at our church. I am scheduled as the speaker. Now I am quite a talker. I talk all the time, sometimes finishing other people’s sentences (which by the way some people really hate). I have always loved to talk, and I feel like it’s one of my gifts, but taking the gift of gab and transferring that to the skill of a speaker is something I have not yet conquered. In the verses leading up to our reading, Moses pretty much says what I’m feeling today, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant.”

What does God say to me (and you)? 

The verses we’re looking at today is God’s response to Moses’ insecurities with being a public speaker. God says (in essence), Dude, I made your mouth, I made you able to form words, I can also fill your mouth with the words I want you to say.

God is not a ventriloquist

It’s not that God makes us say specific words or is physically speaking through us (without our participation), He’s teaching us what to say. You know that old proverb, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” I believe that’s what God is doing here for Moses, and in turn for you and I when we are to speak about His love for us. He’s not just putting the words in our mouth, He’s teaching us.

I’m a hands on learner

There are all sorts of ways people learn. Some learn best by reading, some by hearing and some by doing. I’m pretty much a learn by doing kind of person. I can learn something by hearing, but if I’ve done it myself it really sticks. I think our whole lives are learning experiences that are to be used for God’s glory. Whether it’s speaking to 100 people or your neighbor in your living room over  a cup of coffee. Our experiences, good and bad, are what allow us to point others to Jesus.

In 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 (The Living Bible) it reads, “What a wonderful God we have – He is our Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of every mercy, and the one who so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us in our hardships and trials. And why does he do this? So that when others are troubled, needing our sympathy and encouragement, we can pass on to them this same helps and comfort God has given us. You can be sure that the more we undergo sufferings for Christ, the more he will shower us with his comfort and encouragement. We are in deep trouble for bringing you God’s comfort and salvation. But in our trouble God had comforted us – and this, too, to help you: to show you from our personal experience how God will tenderly comfort you when you undergo these same sufferings. He will give you the strength to endure.”

What are you learning? 

As we go through hardships, pain and struggle, there is a purpose, and that purpose (for everything in our lives) is to point back to Christ Jesus. Giving God the glory in all circumstances. Now I don’t know if I’ll be amazing or embarrassing on Saturday, but either way, I trust the Lord will use it for His glory. I pray it’s amazing! I hate being embarrassing.

 
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Posted by on December 6, 2012 in My God is a Teacher

 

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My God is…a God who knows 1 Samuel 2:3

04 Dec

 I Samuel 2:3 – “Do not keep talking so proudly or let your mouth speak such arrogance, for the Lord is a God praying who knows, and by him deeds are weighed.”

Hannah’s Prayer – This verse is a segment of Hannah’s prayer. In 1 Samuel chapter 2, Hannah’s prayer gives us a glimpse into her heart. She is praying a prayer of thanks to the Lord for giving her Samuel. I find Hannah amazing. She prays and prays to the Lord for a Son, begging him, putting conditions on the request. Not conditions for God, but for her. If God gave her a son, she was going to give that son right back to God.

Promises to the Lord – How many of us when we’re desperate make promises to the Lord? We try to bargain with Him, but when we get what we want, it’s as if we’ve forgotten what we promised. We might say, “Lord, if I get that raise, I’ll give more to the church.” But when we get that raise, we go out and buy a boat instead of giving more to the Lord. Is it wrong to buy a boat, no, but when you’ve promised that money to the Lord, then it’s wrong. Hannah didn’t do that. She longed for a son, she wept for a son, and nothing. She prayed for a son, and when the Lord gave her that son, she kept her promise and gave him back to God for His service all of her son’s life. That couldn’t have been easy.

Don’t be boastful or arrogant – Hannah had been tormented by her rivals about the fact that she couldn’t have a child for her husband. She was angry, and they told her it would never happen. Her husband supported and encouraged her, but in this prayer, we see how she felt about what these ladies had been saying. She warned them that they shouldn’t be boastful or arrogant, because the Lord knows all. He knows the hearts of man and who is putting God first. These ladies were concerned about their own status, not on serving the Lord, and Hannah knew she was putting the Lord first. She trusted Him to do what is right. In the verses following our reading Hannah points out how God can turn things around. He can make the poor rich, and the rich poor. The Lord searches the heart and knows what is true.

Fix your eyes on Jesus – Keep your eyes focused on Christ. Turn from your past hurts, sins and pains and turn towards Christ, trusting that He knows your heart, your mind and your needs. Trust Him to take care of you like He took care of Hannah. He can turn things around.

Are things turning around?

Hannah’s Prayer

Then Hannah prayed and said:

“My heart rejoices in the Lord;
in the Lord my horn is lifted high.
My mouth boasts over my enemies,
for I delight in your deliverance.

“There is no one holy like the Lord;
there is no one besides you;
there is no Rock like our God.

3 “Do not keep talking so proudly
or let your mouth speak such arrogance,
for the Lord is a God who knows,
and by him deeds are weighed.

“The bows of the warriors are broken,
but those who stumbled are armed with strength.
Those who were full hire themselves out for food,
but those who were hungry are hungry no more.
She who was barren has borne seven children,
but she who has had many sons pines away.

“The Lord brings death and makes alive;
he brings down to the grave and raises up.
The Lord sends poverty and wealth;
he humbles and he exalts.
He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the ash heap;
he seats them with princes
and has them inherit a throne of honor.

“For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s;
on them he has set the world.
He will guard the feet of his faithful servants,
but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness.

“It is not by strength that one prevails;
those who oppose the Lord will be broken.
The Most High will thunder from heaven;
the Lord will judge the ends of the earth.

“He will give strength to his king
and exalt the horn of his anointed.”

 
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Posted by on December 4, 2012 in 1 Samuel, My God is a God who Knows

 

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