A tribute to Kay Arthur

 A Tribute to Kay Arthur

  

 Kay Arthur passed away last month at the age of 91.  She has been my mentor since 1997, yet I've never met her. 

 I look forward to meeting her in heaven. 

Bible Study "A-Ha" Moment - Obedience

Obedience

At Bible Study last week, we had a collective "A-Ha" moment.  It also tied into what Pastor talked about in his message last Sunday.   And the topic - 

 

Last Sunday, Pastor was digging into Romans 12:13. "Contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality."  Short and sweet, yet there's so much in this little verse.  We are called to do these things by God - contributing to others and being hospitable to one another.   God calls us to obedience to His Word, whether he explains it to us or not.  Just do it!

 Our A-Ha moment at Bible study happened when we were studying Acts 25. 

Background:

Here's what's happened right before Acts 25.  First Paul had been brought before the Sanhendrin (Jewish ruling council) at Jersusalem. (Acts 23).   They could not agree on the charges against Paul, so he was sent to Caesarea and to go before the Roman Procurator (Governor) Felix.  Felix also could not make a ruling, so he kept Paul imprisoned there (although he had some freedoms) for 2 years.   Festus suceeded Felix and now Paul was brought before Festus.  During Paul's appeal before Festus, Paul asked to be brought before Caesar.  He did not want to go back to Jerusalem, for several reasons.  The main one being that God had told Paul that he must go to Rome. 

Acts 23:11:

¹¹ But on the following night, the Lord stood near him and said, “Be courageous! For as you have testified to the truth about Me in Jerusalem, so you must testify in Rome also.”

Paul had many options when he stood before Festus, but Paul was obedient to the Lord's instruction and asked to go before Caesar in Rome.  Paul didn't ask why - he just obeyed.   

The Connection:

In the backstory of Acts 25, the Jewish "mob" wanted Paul to be sent back to Jerusalem so they could attack him on the road and kill him.  It seems from the context that Paul probably did not know about this plot.  It would have been an easier, more logical choice from Paul's point of view to go to Jerusalem.  Yet Paul made his case to go to Rome, because that's what the Lord told him to do.  Being obedient to the Lord, saved Paul's life.

Application for Today:

Just do it!   If the Lord tells you to do something, just do it.  Don't wait until you understand the "why" of it.

And how do we know if the Lord tells us to do something?   

See my blog post of May 2 regarding a renewed mind

Romans 12 - A Renewed Mind

A Renewed Mind

Our Pastor's been leading us through the book of Romans and the key thought is having a renewed mind.

Key Verse:

Romans 12:2: "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."

Another parallel verse is Ephesians 4:23-24 ^"and that you are to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, ²⁴ and to put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth."

How do we get this renewed mind?  3 ways:

1)  Pray (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

2)  Read Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

3)  Be in the body of Christ with fellow believers (1 Corinthians 12)

We cannot approach our new life in Christ with our former mind set.  Therefore:  Renew your mind daily.   And did you catch the second part of the verse?  With this renewed mind, we can start to understand what the will of God is for us in our own lives.

God says in John 14:15: "If you love me, you will keep my commandments".  And Trusting, Loving, Obeying - all these good things go hand in hand.  

Recap:

So by daily reading the Word of God, praying and being with fellow believers,  we can start to understand God's will for our lives and live as God intended us to with a renewed mind.

 

 

 

Why does God allow disease in a believer's life?

Why did God allow my husband to get Multiple Sclerosis (MS)?  

It's a question that I think of from time to time.   My husband has had MS now for 19 years.  I've never been mad at God for allowing his MS, because I know that in all things in my life, they're for my good .  

Romans 8:28-29: ²⁸ And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. ²⁹ For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters."

10 years ago or so, I was sitting in church during communion and sort of complaining to God about how much harder life is with Rick and his MS and how he wasn't the man I married any more.  I immediately heard in my head, very clearly, "No he isn't the same man you married because now he knows Me."  My husband was not a believer when we were married.  He came to saving faith in Christ our Lord about 7 years after we were married.

Even so, sometimes the ugly head of jealousy rears up and I find myself wanting what other couples have - to go out to dinner; walking hand in hand without assistance; going shopping; going on trips to anywhere; - things that most people take for granted.  Even help with mundane household things like getting the mail or taking out the trash.

Just this week, I was pondering this again.  And it suddenly became very clear to me.  My husband's MS isn't about me - it's about him and his relationship with Christ.  So why did God allow him to get MS?   What I've observed is that my husband has become more humble, more dependant on God, and his faith has increased.  He can testify to others about the goodness of God in our lives because through Christ, he is strong.

 2 Cor 12:9-10: and He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. ¹⁰ Therefore I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in distresses, in persecutions, in difficulties, in behalf of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.