This post is especially written for four very special people who are hurting very badly at the present time. If you are hurting, this post and a couple to follow are for YOU.
You know who you are so please know that this is for you. This may seem hard at first, but if you can see the truth in what I want to present to you and come to embrace it, I think it will give you new hope, peace and a sense of security.
Many years ago I had to come to grips with what I really believed about the Christian faith.
I knew for me that I could not pick and choose what verses I wanted or didn't want to believe.
The way I interpreted the Bible spoke to me of its inerrancy and that is what I have chosen to believe. Really accepted by faith.
(If you have a problem with the inerrancy of the Bible, here is a link to a great video on this subject by John Piper.)
All of the Bible is precious to me but through the years there came to be a certain strand of verses that played off one another, depended upon one another for interpretation, and ministered to me in a way that helped me through the deepest valleys of my life--
When I say "helped me through"--I am not talking about just barely struggling through, I am talking about walking through the fire with confidence, knowing on the other side is victory--knowing that you are more than a conqueror through Christ.
Did I always do my part perfectly--no--(not even close) but as I walked through one valley and then the next, I learned as I went--and I came to see that when we follow God's order of things, that is when His hands are most open to give, to bless, to redeem the mistakes that we have brought upon ourselves and others.
I saw a statement yesterday that read something like this--
"We should never get God's goodness linked with our performance."
--I know where the fellow is coming from and I don't want to spend a lot of time on this today--but when I am speaking of "our part"--I am not speaking so much of performance as I am "an attitude of the heart."
All through the Bible, God says,
"If you do this, then I will do this.................."
There are many other scriptures that I will give references to later this week.
So we do have a part in this.
But thankfully.......
The Lord looks on the heart--
Is my heart right with God,
Are my motives and intentions right?
Am I holding any hard feelings towards anyone?
Is there anyone whom I am not willing to forgive?
Am I sincerely trying to follow God?
These are some of the hard questions I want us to answer.
You know who you are so please know that this is for you. This may seem hard at first, but if you can see the truth in what I want to present to you and come to embrace it, I think it will give you new hope, peace and a sense of security.
Many years ago I had to come to grips with what I really believed about the Christian faith.
I knew for me that I could not pick and choose what verses I wanted or didn't want to believe.
The way I interpreted the Bible spoke to me of its inerrancy and that is what I have chosen to believe. Really accepted by faith.
(If you have a problem with the inerrancy of the Bible, here is a link to a great video on this subject by John Piper.)
All of the Bible is precious to me but through the years there came to be a certain strand of verses that played off one another, depended upon one another for interpretation, and ministered to me in a way that helped me through the deepest valleys of my life--
When I say "helped me through"--I am not talking about just barely struggling through, I am talking about walking through the fire with confidence, knowing on the other side is victory--knowing that you are more than a conqueror through Christ.
Did I always do my part perfectly--no--(not even close) but as I walked through one valley and then the next, I learned as I went--and I came to see that when we follow God's order of things, that is when His hands are most open to give, to bless, to redeem the mistakes that we have brought upon ourselves and others.
I saw a statement yesterday that read something like this--
"We should never get God's goodness linked with our performance."
--I know where the fellow is coming from and I don't want to spend a lot of time on this today--but when I am speaking of "our part"--I am not speaking so much of performance as I am "an attitude of the heart."
All through the Bible, God says,
"If you do this, then I will do this.................."
There are many other scriptures that I will give references to later this week.
So we do have a part in this.
But thankfully.......
The Lord looks on the heart--
Is my heart right with God,
Are my motives and intentions right?
Am I holding any hard feelings towards anyone?
Is there anyone whom I am not willing to forgive?
Am I sincerely trying to follow God?
These are some of the hard questions I want us to answer.
Without faith it is impossible to please God- Hebrews 11:6a I don't know about you but I want to please God. I am hoping you do too. So according to this verse I need faith and logic tells me I need to exercise this faith if I am to please God. So how do I go about receiving this faith? |
Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Spending time alone with the Father, seeking to know Him better through His words of love to us in the Bible, learning to listen to the still small Word that He whispers to us........... When we do this on a regular basis, we find our hearts in tune with His heart, our spirits in fellowship with His Spirit, our faith budding, growing and bearing fruit. |
As we continue in this walk with Him, we find that we are loving Him more, trusting Him more, and are called according to His purpose. When this happens, we find it easy and natural to accept His promise from Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Roman 8:28 |
Say what?
Say what?
Say what?
God causes everything to work together for our good?
I will continue tomorrow where I left off today--
I pray that you will read and reread what I've said above and be ready to receive what God has for us tomorrow.
Like I say, there are four very special people who have come to me in the last few days, people going through very dark and heartbreaking times. This is for you. I love you.
Please come back tomorrow and probably Wednesday--hopefully by then you will see "this strand" of scriptures and it will minister to you in a very deep and eternal way.
Love,
Dianne
© all photographs and text property of Dianne Hogue unless otherwise noted
