|
Post by elizabeth on Mar 17, 2014 15:18:11 GMT
LIGHT AND SHADOW - March 17, 2014 "Before I was afflicted l went astray: but now have I kept Thy word" (Psalm 119:67) The head-knowledge of Spirit-taught study becomes the heart-knowledge of Spirit-led life, via Romans 8:28 and 29. How good it is to have a sovereign Father controlling all! "You will find that no one learns truth easily. He who built on the rock was not secure merely because he built on the rock; but he also digged deep. What springs up quickly has no root. The more you understand the nature and scope of the Word, the more will you see the demand it makes on you and how unreserved must be your subjection to it; while as you are subject to it, you learn the blessedness and virtues of it. "The true value of anything is known only when it is wanted. For this reason bright days must be succeeded by dark ones. In the dreary and desolate hour to nature, we begin to know the value of the truth communicated to us in the bright day. The learning is at one time, and the proving at another. In fact, we ought to be prepared for the dark hour; so that, though it be dark, there is something so blessed, so suited, pouring its comfort and sustenance on our souls, that, after all, the dark and dreary hour becomes a more really festive time to the heart, because of the virtues of the truth now made known, than the time of its reception, which was so happy and exhilarating." -J.B.S. "But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while . . . stablish, strengthen, settle you" (1 Peter 5:10). Miles Stanford None but the Hungry Heart click here
|
|
|
Post by LS on Mar 17, 2014 17:47:10 GMT
What I've noticed over the years is that when The Lord wanted to make major changes in my life, as a result of presumptuous sin or whatever, He's led me to take a life changing step of faith each time. And each time I felt very confident in the beginning, like Peter did when he called upon The Lord to summon him out of the boat and onto the water. But after awhile, when the waves began looking bigger and bigger, I'd come to the realization that this would not be an easy undertaking and there would be no way to make it to the end without completely trusting in The Lord and allowing Him to do His work in me. Proverbs 25:4 2 Timothy 2:21 I have a friend who's in the "transitional stage" right now where he's just begun to realize that his step of faith isn't working out the way he thought it would. Even though I've "been there", there's not much I can really say to encourage him right now, other than to reassure him that The Lord will work it all out for good in the end. I get the feeling that he doesn't care to hear that from me because he knows what The Lord allowed me to experience during my "faith walks". Unfortunately, he has no choice because he knows that I'm the only one he can open up to about the crazy circumstances he finds himself in right now. Two things I've noticed about stepping out in faith: First, the experiences are never dull. While there may be some lulls and boredom thrown in, the adrenaline filled experiences stand out the most. And secondly, a person who steps out in faith at The Lord's direction will always come out a better person in the end. Anyway, Elizabeth, I said all of that to say this: Thank you for posting this great lesson!
|
|
|
Post by shiloh on Mar 17, 2014 17:55:15 GMT
Great post, Elizabeth! Good teaching and I agree, LS. You summed it all up. That's how it has always been for me too. I can't add anything to what you wrote because you said it all.
|
|
|
Post by morningstar on Mar 17, 2014 18:14:39 GMT
Good article Liz...for the life of me I ALWAYS forget the "Like Button"...I try and remember..but 9 times out of 10 I forget it's there.
|
|
|
Post by elizabeth on Mar 17, 2014 18:44:35 GMT
I'm so glad you like this, I do too. I especially liked this part, I thought it was so true:
The true value of anything is known only when it is wanted. For this reason bright days must be succeeded by dark ones. In the dreary and desolate hour to nature, we begin to know the value of the truth communicated to us in the bright day. The learning is at one time, and the proving at another.
|
|
|
Post by Benjamin on Mar 17, 2014 23:06:59 GMT
I watch a lot of documentaries. In fact, my staff at work mock me because about 1/3 of all of my conversations start with "so, I watched this documentary..." (okay, maybe not 1/3, but... it happens often enough). Anyway...
I watched a documentary about prison boot camps; paramilitary-style, intensive boot camps that are intended to both reduce prison occupancy, and also to allow young men in particular the opportunity to make something of themselves, and thus avoid prison. This option is often provided to those who have committed crimes prior to sentencing, and isn't recorded on a person's record in the same manner as prison time would be.
Anyway, in these documentaries, the people who run the camps talk about the "breaking down" process. They detail the way in which they systematically break down a person's resistance - without breaking their spirit - in order to build it back up. They then teach respect, self-discipline and hard work as avenues for a 'redemption' of sorts.
It struck me watching that documentary that our lives are somewhat similar. We don't learn a whole lot through the good times; more often than not through our own stubbornness and ready willingness to forget the God who brought us to those good times in the first place... ...but we do learn a lot from the hard times. When things break us down, when times are hard, that's when God takes the opportunity to rebuild us - not in our way, but in His.
|
|
|
Post by shiloh on Mar 18, 2014 2:41:16 GMT
Hey. We're documentary people in my house too. I love those. It is true that we learn more in times of adversity. It's like I tried to explain in a different way at time. It's wonderful to stand on the mountain tops but it's in the valleys where we grow. The Lord is always holding us up and walking us through it, even when we feel so lost and don't understand. Sometimes, we can't see our way through. Sometimes, we feel abandoned but we know from His Word, that's not true. He always carries us through.
|
|
|
Post by LS on Mar 18, 2014 3:01:31 GMT
Hi Shiloh, you said: But sometimes, when you're in the depths of testing, The Word just seems like words. That's where my friend's at now. I talked to him today and he said he's gotten confirmation by The Holy Spirit, through scripture, that The Lord is with him, but other than that, God has been silent. Even though we've all been at a place like that in our lives and know that the silence doesn't last forever, it's still difficult watching someone else go through it.
|
|
|
Post by shiloh on Mar 18, 2014 3:12:55 GMT
Oh, I agree with that, Jim. I think we've all been there and it you cry out to God and think He isn't listening. I can relate to that. There are times where I've said, "Lord, what are you DOING and WHY?" It's hard to trust in those times. I'm not knocking anyone in the least for feeling that way. Maybe watching someone go through it is where we can ask the Lord, "How do I step in and help?"...and sometimes, there are no answers except to show support and compassion.
|
|
|
Post by LS on Mar 18, 2014 3:21:17 GMT
It's interesting you said that, Shiloh, because he said he cried out those questions, and more, just last night. I've asked The Lord and there's nothing I can do except be there (on the phone) to listen and encourage ... but mainly listen I'm the only one who understands what's going on, all of his family think that he's ... well, acting unwisely, to put it nicely.
|
|
|
Post by elizabeth on Mar 18, 2014 4:16:50 GMT
I once had a discussion with a friend of mine, and we were trying to come up with something we'd learned from one of the good periods in our lives, and neither one could think of anything. I only learn by the trials I go through.
Jim, sometimes being there to listen means everything.
|
|
|
Post by LS on Mar 18, 2014 4:47:28 GMT
Wow, Elizabeth, that's interesting, now you have me pondering that. You should start a thread posing the same question
|
|