Woke up with a strong desire to worship and pray for specific needs and specific people today. What came out was me sharing about struggles of doubt and faith in my pre-teen child, how God responded to my prayer and plea for His help in this situation through different people, what they said that really stood out to me as a parent and how we are moving forward as a family. I also shared a few thoughts about suffering and an offer to make Christ Lord of your life and to learn how to live His way. I closed with 2 songs of worship on my guitar. What I know is that there are many needs and struggles in the world today and in our homes and even in our own hearts, even if we are Christian. But the answer remains the same. Lord please help us to have a right view of you and to trust you. We have been deceived so many times and we sometimes start to focus on the wrong things. Thank you Lord for Biblical fellowship that we can share our lives with others who have experienced the same struggles and made it through. I am thankful to know I am not alone and this is somewhat normal. I am thankful how you had already placed relationships in my life of people who are already walking with you, there is fruit that bears evidence of their abiding in you and they provide wisdom from experience that helps point me back to you. Thank you Lord for showing me I already had what I needed in You. Also I am thankful for this resource that I already had in my home, I just needed to open it up and use it. “The Case for Faith- student edition” by Lee Strobel and Jane Vogel. It has been tremendously helpful to me and us so far and has generated great conversation as you are at work in each of our lives and this situation.
I give this example not only to encourage parents out there that might be in this same stage or struggle as I am right now but that you can see a tangible example in my life in how God IS HERE with ME/US and know that He is here with YOU as well even if your struggle isn’t necessarily parenting at this time. It doesn’t matter what it is. There have been many struggles but today I share this to show how I continue to have peace in my life because of God’s presence in my life. That does not mean that all my issues and difficulty goes away. No, that means that I am reminded that God is here and He is good and this time we are experiencing including these struggles will not be wasted. He is working in and through each of us. Refining us. I am thankful. I am so thankful.
May YOU know and remember the same. God is at work in YOU. God is working in YOUR situation. May you SEE his hand. May you recognize that there are many things going on, spiritual things, and may you be properly equipped. May you use ALL the tools that you have been given. You already have what you need in Christ, if indeed you have submitted to Him as Lord and Savior of your life. Also, may you know that this life here on Earth is not all there is. This is not the end.
I read Ephesians 6:1-4, 10-20.
‘Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. ‘ Ephesians 6:10-20 https://my.bible.com/bible/59/EPH.6.10-20
Songs sang were:
Only A Holy God by City Alight
Faithful God by Gateway Worship
This is my initial announcement about FB live today:
God IS at work and he DOES respond to our prayers. I hinted about this briefly here a few days ago about how God answered my prayer:
Here is the FB live video uploaded to YouTube:
Thanks for joining me today. Again, parenting is just one way God gets our attention. There are many things going on in ourselves and in our circumstances and in those that we love that God uses to draw us closer to Him. May we see His hand at work and join Him in it.
#faithfulGod #onlyaholyGod #worship #prayer #Ephesians6
Sejana Shines 