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| Reading again, through Streams this morning, came across this: "We must continue to pray and 'wait for the Lord' (Isaiah 8:17)...there is no reason why we should not ask for great things. Without a doubt, we will receive them if we ask in faith, having the courage to wait with patient perseverance for Him and meanwhile doing those things which are within our power to do" reminded of Philippians 4:13 Cool thing while in devos this morning (God has such a way of drawing me so much more in love with Him everyday and tying everything that I say, do, read, sing, praise Him for together- He is sooooo good!)...reading through Experiencing His Presence by Tenney, the end there's always a prayer...one phrase caught me today: "we join our passionate cries with teh cries of Moses: please show us Your face!" amazing, as I am longing to know more and study Moses out...I have the same plea that He had...all I want is more of Him... John 3:30 HE MUST INCREASE, BUT I MUST DECREASE. this is my prayer this summer, thank you for your prayers...please continue. In His Grip, Manda Is. 26:3 | | |
| Well, I'm here...sitting at a computer for one of the last times until August...most likely. Praising the Lord for getting me thus far. Right now I am at a bridge, a gap between home and camp- in Arizona. While packing I found a lot of stuff that I had planned to give to peeps at northland, but somehow amidst the business and craziness of packing, cleaning, heartfelt goodbyes i was not able to... One of which is this, a Prayer card for me this summer. I have no idea what I am getting myself into, What the Lord has put on my heart for this summer, rather. But I know that this is His will...many emotions are filling me now, as I ponder what the summer will be like. I am both scared and excited; nervous and curious; and most of all I am just wondering what the Lord will teach me through all the experiences I am about to encounter. I know that they will be hard, and trying, and stretching...but as much as I feel insufficient- I know that He is always with me. and that He will carry me through, for ...all the time God is good! 2 Corinthians 3:5 Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God. Here are a list of Prayer requests, I covet your prayers this summer! -my Mother's salvation (as I sit here with tears in my eyes, that is by far the biggest burden for me for the summer) that possibly through camp, and the experiences I may have, I can somehow relate it to her in a way I have never been able to talk to her before...that He would just use me to brake her and bring her to Himself, knowing that He is our ultimate source of comfort. as for camp specifically: -willingness to endure all that I encounter -consistant and deep devotional and prayer life/relationship with Christ. -wisdom and discernment with the campers -new and lifelong "life touching life" friendship with counselors/campers/staff. -teachable attitude -strength. physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually. -maintaining a proper focus (2 Cor. 1:3-7) and above all- to glorify Christ through it. -A unity among all the camp people -A proper outlook perspective on everything- circumstance and situation. -Not complaining- guarding my tongue. -*that I may rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, and give thanks through everything- the trials i will face, as well as the blessings. (1 Thess. 5:16-18). -that the passages we are memorizing for the summer would just become so real to me, that I would be able to be excited to share how the Lord has already used them in my life with the campers (Phil. 4:4-13; John 1:1-14) Post Camp: that God would continue to provide for me to come back (to NBBC) without debt for next year, and if not, that I would be content and rejoie wherever he places me. For I am but a vessel to be used for His honor and glory- always. Held firmly in His grip (what a wonderful place to be!) Manda Is. 26:3 | | |
| Hey today I found an excellent link from the Answersingenesis website, by Ken Ham on the creation/evolution debate- Ken Hams thoughts are very wise... http://www.answersingenesis.org/creation/v22/i1/creation.asp -in His Grip, manda (Is. 26:3) | | |
| talked to Pastor Dad today over lunch...loved it! My church is giving me $100.00 expense money for camp! Praise the Lord, for all the time He is oh so good!
Its funny, how we take steps out on faith, are excited for a while...but then we begin to fear and doubt. Thoughts come into our heads...when things arn't going just as we had expected...we begin to feel as though maybe this was not God's will...
...yet God provides...and we feel dumb. Is God sufficient? YES! all the time, our flesh is so wrong. feelings...grrr! Philippians tells us to meditate on that which is true and honest and just and pure and lovely and of good report....on that which is true!
we must not let our "feelings" tell us otherwise...for what is true? God's word is truth. that's all we need. He tells us in His word that He is our all sufficiency.
it pains me when others are struggling, I rejoice in my struggles, for I can relate- I pray that what God teaches me is a blessing to those who read this blog.
He is so good all the time, and all the time He is good! Praise His name for His goodness!
Manda (Isaiah 26:3)
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| yesterday was amazing.
Right now is an idle time for me, before camp- without work...it can be kind of discouraging. No. at times it is very discouraging! But God. (amen. and Amen.)
I got out of the house yesterday- we started a new ministry at our church, a weekly visiting ministry before Wednesday service. Yesterday was the first group to go. There were 7 of us, and 3 children :)
Chelse and I went together down a street- it was 40 minutes of complete stretching. I had not canvassed or "visited" since my freshman canvassing trip- which is ashame. We got tongue-tied together on the first house...doors shut in faces, people content with their own faith and what they "believe." and to top it off, there was a door to door salesman in front of us! AAARRGGHH! But God knew. Though we did not get a single soul that we could present the Gospel in full too- it just gave us a taste. I was sad when it was time to return back to the van.
The message at church.
On Wednesday nights Pastor is going through Exodus.
I have not been there since last summer, due to school, and cubbies when I am home...but what I have been there for is constantly creating in me a hunger that I long for more...
Exodus 2:21-25 was the meat...
but backing up a bit- Moses. He was a Hebrew child growing up as the Daughter of Pharaoh's son. At this time he was in charge of the Egyptian army. He sees injustice taking place...this ends in him killing an Egyptian hiding it. He sees another confrontation between two Hebrew men, and questions them- they respond asking him if he will do to them what he did to the Egyptian. He now knows it was seen, he begins to fret Pharaoh (as he has heard of it as well) and flees to Midian. Where he marries and stays, for a time.
"Sometimes, circumstances befall us that are so overwhelming that we simply don't known what to do but pour out our complaint to God." This is seen many times throughout scripture, especially in the Psalms. (Ps. 5:2; Ps. 130:1-2)
God is concerned for us, about us, our needs. He hears our prayers...yet he requires us, at times, to wait. Why? Some say its because God's timing is always perfect, and His ways are not our ways (this is true...but...) Others say, at the time we want something its not the right time, He is never a second late- so its not really waiting. (again, kinda true.) But the real answer comes in Exodus 6:7
"And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians."
-He allows us to wait so that we may see Him as our God. That we may realize that there is absolutely nothing we can do in our own strength- that we may see that we need Him, we are completely dependant on Him. That without Him we are, and we can do nothing. This is what it means to live by faith, we need to learn to step aside and look to God. This is why he has us wait.
I loved one definition that I went over in a class this last semester. Going over the story of Anna- she was a woman of patience.
Patience: accepting a difficult situation from God without giving Him a deadline to remove it.
Waiting on God requires patience.
Between verses 22 and 23 are 40 years where God is preparing His redemption of Israel.
...going down to verses 23-25
"And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto [them]."
God remembered His covenant, His love relationship with His people, His promises.
"A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps" (Proverbs 16:9)
this is so true of us all, but in the context of this- it is so true to Moses.
I bet that Moses did not expect to live in Midian for 40 years- this was probably not in His plans...but God knew. It was in the Plans of our Lord- He was preparing Moses. We see through what Moses learned while in Midian as to the kind of person God can use in His service.
1. Moses possessed self-control (Exodus 2:16-17)
as in Egypt earlier, Moses sees yet another confrontation. this time instead of rage and murder, Moses only went as far as to chase the people away, not kill them.
2. Moses is seen as a servant. (Exodus 2:18-19)
Moses helped the seven daughters of the Midian priest to draw water and water the flock, delivering them out
the hand of the shepherds.
"God looks for servants in leadership!" -Pastor
This again is so true. Christ is the perfect example of this: (Mat. 20:28; Luke 22:26; Phil. 2:7).
3. Moses showed patience and contentment with where God had placed him. (Exodus 2:21; Acts 7:30).
40 years earlier- where was Moses? He was in charge of all the Egyptian Army, now is leading sheep. This is a humble act of service, especially when considering how the Egyptians felt toward shepherds.
Genesis 46:34-- "...for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians."
wow. This made me think. Am I making the most of where God has placed me now? Am I rejoicing, and being used of Him in every way I possibly can?
As I further study out Moses, and his life, his love and desire for the Lord- I pray that this summer I may be a servant of the Lord, that I may possess self-control, and that in everything I may be patient and content.
I don't think that it is just an odd coincidence that one of the Camp passages for memorizing for unity this summer is Philippians 4:4-13!
Please pray for me as I am in full time ministry this summer, that I may know Him more, that I may be a salty Christian- causing others to thirst after the Saviour as well!
In His Grip,
Manda (Is. 26:3)
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