Listen up!!!

"Have you not known? Have you not heard? 

The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.  

He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.  

He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.

Even the youths shall fain and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; 

but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; 

they shall mount up with wings like eagles; 

they shall run and not be weary;

they shall walk and not faint." 

~Isaiah 40:28-31~

  This is such a beautiful passage of scripture!  I can just picture these verses being yelled on top of a mountain or on some high place so that all could hear:

"HAVE YOU NOT KNOWN?! 

HAVE YOU NOT HEARD?!"

  How often we forget who our God is.  We get so caught up in our difficulties and trials, often blaming God for what we are going through, and we, in a sense shake, our fists at Him saying, "can you not see that I am suffering and hurting?!"  

 Do you ever feel like that?! I am sure we all have at some point.

 I read this passage of scripture (the one at the beginning of this post) on a day when I was burdened with worry, hurt, anxiety, and even confusion.  It is easy to have our minds wander away from the truth and think that God does not care or He is is not understanding.  Well, after I read this passage in Isaiah, those doubts and wrong thoughts were immediately shut down!  Every thought I had that went against the truth was immediately exposed and destroyed. 

My thought:  "Is this out of God's control or too far for His 'reach'?" 

Truth: "...He does not faint or grow weary..." (v. 28) (notes- He is not too weak to ac to act, nor was fatigue an obstacle for the Creator in caring for His people.  Though even the young and strong become tired and fall, the Ancient of Days never does)

My thought:  "Does He truly understand what I am going through?" 

Truth:  "...His understanding is unsearchable..." (v. 28) (notes- to the human mind, God's wisdom is not fully comprehensible in how He chooses to fulfill His promises) 

My thought:  "I am so discouraged and tired of dealing with these difficulties.  I don't know how much more I can take!" 

Truth:  "...He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might He increases strength.  Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."  

   See friends, when we counter attack the lie with the truth, then we can clearly see who our God is and there is great hope!  Our situation may not change all of a sudden and we may continue to deal with the same problems, but we are given a peace that surpasses all understanding and the strength we need to endure and push through!   Also, God is with us, and He will never forsake us.  

  Trust and wait upon the Lord and He will mount you up with wings like eagles, He will give you the strength to run and not be weary, and the endurance to walk and not grow faint.  

~Grow in Grace~ 

2 Peter 3:18

The Peril of Comparing

"When they...compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding." 

(2 Corinthians 10:12) 

   I read this passage of scripture this morning and was completely convicted.  I find myself often comparing my own life and situations to others.  As a result, I become discontent with what I have and am unthankful for all that the Lord has done in my life, forgetting all that He has blessed me with!  Well, as scripture so clearly expresses, this is wrong.  Comparing is very dangerous, do not underestimate it.  It can lead believers into jealousy, envy, covetousness, and it can strain their relationship with the Lord.  I myself need to be very careful and not compare.  

   I have a twin brother, and for all you twins out there, you know what I am talking about when I put the word "twin" and "compare" together.  It seems almost inevitable for twins to compare themselves to each other.  I found myself doing this all growing up.  I would compare myself to Chad, my brother, whether it was in school, sports, or just fun activities we would be involved in.  We both grew up playing the violin and let me tell you, I did a lot of comparing when it came to that subject.  There are things that came more naturally to him than me, and vise versa.  He was always a stud when it came to sports, and me, well...I love sports, but let me just say, that my hand-eye-coordination is not so great.  However, when it comes to running and training for long-distance runs, let's just say I got the upper hand on that one.  ;) 

   Ok, so as you can guess, there may have been some comparing and competitiveness going on growing up, but to get back to what Paul was talking about in the verse I first mentioned, "When they...compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding" (2 Corinthians 10:12). 

   So, me comparing myself to Chad or whoever else, is dangerous, because it can lead to a discontent, unthankful, and even prideful attitude.

   My prayer for myself is that when I find myself comparing myself to others in any way, whether it be concerning what possessions they have or even their circumstances in life, I am to "shut down" those thoughts and focus on what the Lord has given me, and to be thankful for that.  Also, I want to share something that Jerry Bridges wrote that was very convicting for me to read: 

"We constantly see believes around us who seem more blessed by God than we are.  Some are more gifted in spiritual abilities; others always succeed with little effort; others seem to have few problems or concerns.  Probably none of us is exempt from the temptation to envy someone else's blessings and secretly grumble at God, or even charge Him with rank injustice, for giving another person more in some way than He has given us.

Yet God in His sovereignty has the right to bless each of us as He chooses.  consider these words from the apostle Paul: "But who are you, O man, to answer back to God?  Will what is molded say to its molder, 'Why have you made me like this?' Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable uses? (Romans 9:20-21) 

Regardless of how we understand the particular application of Paul's teaching, we cannot escape its basic principle: God is sovereign.  And He's sovereign in every area of life.  Our Creator has the right to endow each of us at birth with different physical and mental abilities, different temperament characteristics, and different natural talents.  He also has the right to give each of us different spiritual gifts.  and it's obvious God exercises those rights.  We're not created equal nor given equal opportunities throughout life. Each of us has his or her own unique set of circumstances, some appearing much more favorable than others.  Since God is under no obligation to any of us, He's free to bless some more than others as He chooses.  He has the right to do what He wants with His blessings." 

~Jerry Bridges

   Yep, that was good for Breana to hear!  I need to be thankful for where the Lord has me in life, for what the Lord has given me in possessions, and for what the Lord has bestowed on me in EVERY area of life.  I should not compare myself to others (including my brother), but instead, thank the Lord for His blessings that He has graciously given me, and be content.  This is easier said than done of course, and O boy do I have a lot of growing to do in this area, but I need to continually depend upon the Lord and pray that He will give me a thankful, content, and gracious spirit!   

Since tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and as it is only appropriate, take time to count the blessings the Lord has given you, and thank Him for them!  

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, friends! 

~Grow in Grace~ 

2 Peter 3:18

Power of Prayer

   I have been reading a little book on George Mueller, a great man of faith and prayer.  If you don't know much about this man, maybe you should take just a minute and learn about him.  He has an amazing story.

   I was given this book on Mueller by my mom.  She wanted to help encourage me in prayer and to show me that when we go before the Throne of Grace, there is great power. 

  I want to share an excerpt of the book which relays a certain event in Mueller's life in which God answered his prayer in a mighty way. 

This particular story is told by a man named Charles Inglis, a well-known evangelist at that time. He writes:

"When I first came to America 31 years ago, I crossed the Atlantic with the captain of a steamer who was one of the most devoted men I even knew; and when we were off the banks of Newfoundland he said to me, 'Mr Inglis, the last time I crossed here, five weeks ago, one of the most extraordinary things happened that has completely revolutionized the whole of my Christian life.  Up to that time I was one of your ordinary Christians.  We had a man of God on board, George Mueller, of Bristol.  I had been on that bridge for twenty-two hours and never left it.  I was startled by someone tapping me on the shoulder.  It was George Mueller.

" 'Captain, ' He said, 'I have come to tell you that I must be in Quebec on Saturday afternoon.'  This was Wednesday. 

" ' It is impossible,' " I said. 

" 'Very well, if your ship can't take me, God will find some other means of locomotion tot take me.  I have never broken an engagement in fifty-seven years.' 

" ' I would willingly help you, but how can I?  I am helpless.' 

" 'Let us go down to the chart room, and pray,' he said.

"I looked at this man and I thought to myself, 'What lunatic asylum could the man have come from? I never heard of such a thing.' 

" 'Mr. Mueller,' I said, 'do you know how dense the fog is?' 

" 'No,'  he replied,  'my eye is not on the density of the fog, but on the living God, who controls every circumstance of my life.' 

"He went down on his knees, and he prayed of the most simple prayers.  I thought to myself, 'That would suit a children's class, where the children were not more than eight or nine years of age.'  The burden of his prayer was something like this. 'O Lord, if it is consistent withe Thy will, please remove this fog in five minutes.  You know the engagement You made for me in Quebec for Saturday.  I believe it is Your will.' 

"When he had finished, I was going to pray, but he put his hand on my shoulder and told me not to pray. 

" 'First,' he said, 'you do not believe God will do it; and, second, I believe He has done it.  And there is no need whatever for you to pray about it.' 

"I looked at him, and George Muller said this, 'Captain, I have known my Lord for fifty-seven years and there has never been a single day that I have failed to gain an audience with the King.  Get up, Captain, and open the door, and you will find the fog is gone.'  I got up, and the fog was gone.  On Saturday afternoon George Mueller was in Quebec."

• Ephesians 6:18 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,

• Philippians 1:3-4 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy,

• 1 Thessalonians 5:17 pray without ceasing

     It is good to be reminded of the power of prayer!!!  As believers, when we pray, we enter into the Throne of Grace.  How amazing is that?!  Pray without ceasing, friends!  The Lord DOES hear the prayers of His beloved!

~Grow in Grace~ 

2 Peter 3:18

Another Monday

   It is another Monday.  The wind is howling, the rain is pouring, and the clouds look mad.  It is on mornings like this that I just want to stay in bed all day.  Unfortunately, I cannot do that.  Responsibilities call and there is much to do.  

    Often times, Mondays are the hardest days for me.  It is not just the start of another week, it is the start of yet another week of ROUTINE.   I have my Monday duties and obligations and then there comes Tuesday, Wednesday, and so on.  Sounds like I am complaining doesn't it.  Well, that may be true.  Lord is always  at work in me in a lot of areas of my life, showing how I must improve. Being content and thankful are definite areas in which He has steadfastly shown His grace and mercy toward me.

   I was thinking this morning that yes, it is another Monday, with all of its routine and obligations...but I need to "rejoice always" and to have the right attitude even on a day when I feel just like staying in bed and doing absolutely nothing.   I sometimes just hate even saying those words, "rejoice always".  My rebellious, stubborn, sinful nature "speaks up", in a sense, saying "Yeah, yeah, yeah...whatever.  I have heard it all before, but I don't FEEL like it, and I am not wanting to "rejoice always. That's hard. Giving in is SO much easier."'

  It is SO much easier to give in when my head is telling me to, "have a bad attitude because you feel miserable", or, "go ahead and feel sorry for yourself because things haven't go your way", and so on.  

  Oh, how extremely easy it is to be "happy" when it is all based on my circumstances and how easy it is to be in a sour mood when life is not giving us that feeling of "happiness". 

   It is on Mondays like this, when I am feeling like giving in to my feelings, that I especially need to be in prayer, asking the Lord for His peace, wisdom, and strength, because I know that I cannot "rejoice always" in my own power.   

   So, even if it is "just another Monday", I am still called to rejoice and to give thanks..."for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."  (1 Thess. 5:16-18). 

   Yes, it will not be easy, but where in the Bible does it ever say that living Christlike would be a breeze?!  No where.  That is why we must be in dependence upon the One who gives us strength and peace each day.

   So, despite everything "around me" (the weather, how I am feeling physically, my routine schedule, discouragements...etc.) shouting at me to "have a bad attitude", to "give in and be lazy all day", or whatever...I need to yell back and say, "NO! I may not FEEL like being Christlike, but I know that I MUST rejoice, I MUST be thankful for my circumstances, I MUST praise Him, and I MUST keep going." 

   Wow, that was even hard to type.  Friends, I am in no way "there yet".  I struggle everyday with giving into how I am feeling.  That is why I need to constantly focus on taking one day at a time.  Striving TODAY, to live righteously...TODAY taking all of my burdens to the Lord...TODAY saying "no" to my feelings that want to take me down.... and TODAY depending upon Him to give me the strength to live out another Monday. 

  

~Grow in Grace~ 

2 Peter 3:18 

Under New Ownership

  I have read so many great devotionals lately by some amazing, Godly people!  I have learned so much!!  Jerry Bridges has taught me how I can apply God's Word in my daily life.  Charles Spurgeon has inspired me to live more Christ-like, while shedding light on the fact that I need to depend on the Lord every minute of every day.  Leslie Ludy has encouraged me to grow in the Lord daily, as a single, young woman, looking to my King for guidance, comfort, and direction, and as the only One who can truly fulfill me! 

   These are just a few of the godly people the Lord has "brought into my life" to challenge and encourage me!  I would also urge you to glean from those who have "gone before you", in a sense, and who have shown wisdom, discernment, and growth in their own Christian lives. 

   This morning I read a devotional by Leslie Ludy.  It was beyond convicting.  The Lord used what Leslie wrote in order to show me how I can bend my knees in prayer to my Heavenly Father, confessing and pleading with Him for His direction and correction in various areas of my life.

Please read the following:

~Under New Ownership~ 

"The secret to the true Christian life is exchanging our own lives for the life of Jesus Christ; allowing our bodies to be completely overtaken by a foreign power – the very Spirit of Almighty God. And declaring along with Paul, “…it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.”

Most of us stand in the way of letting Christ truly live in and through us. 

Instead of giving Him the ownership papers to our home – our body, mind, and spirit – we treat Him like a hired servant.

We come to Him when we need answers; we expect Him to provide us with quick solutions to our problems; we demand that He meet our needs and follow our self-made agendas. And when He doesn’t respond, we quickly dismiss Him and take matters into our own hands. We are led by our own whims and desires. We make our own choices, and then ask God to bless them. 

We often believe we are submitted to God’s will, but in reality we expect Him to bend to our own plans. We follow our own hearts and desires, and then ask God to make our spiritual lives vibrant in the midst of it all. 

But the true Christian life doesn’t work that way. When we exchange our lives for Christ’s, we lay our own agendas, dreams, desires, and plans at His feet. We get completely out of the way, and allow Him to live His life through us in whatever way He chooses. 

This is a difficult life-change to make. For our entire lives, we have been the sole rulers of our internal home. We are used to making the decisions. We are used to calling the shots.  But now we must take a lower position. 

Our entire home – our body, mind, and spirit – now belongs to a new Ruler. We turn the ownership papers over to a new Master. He is not our servant; we are His servant. We come and go as He commands.

Even after two years in Christian ministry, Eric and I were amazed to discover how much of our lives were still under our control. We had been trying to overcome spiritual struggles using our own strength and willpower. Our joy and peace were conditional upon our circumstances. And as a result, our Christianity mirrored the defeated, mediocre spiritual existence of our modern times.

Before we were married, we had given God the pen to write our love story. But now we knew we must allow Him to write our life story. We needed to give up our entire existence, so that Christ could live through us.

And once we exchanged our lives for His, things began to dramatically change. 

The still small whisper of God’s Spirit began directing our steps, rather than our own logic and human reasoning. The supernatural power of God’s Spirit began challenging and fortifying us to conquer sin and live lives that radiantly reflected the righteousness of Christ. And though that refining fire was painful, we gained the unquenchable joy that comes from a cleansed inner life." 

    Is the Lord, you claim to serve, truly your Master or are you living as if you are the captain of your own ship and He is the crew member?!  Really think about it dear friends.  It is SO important to examine your own heart! (2 Corinthians 13:5) 

~Grow in Grace~ 

2 Peter 3:18 

The Danger of Anxiety

  I read a devotional this morning that discussed "anxiety".  It wasn't just talking about how anxiety is bad for us and how it can weigh us down emotionally, spiritually, or even physically, but it was addressing it in a much more direct way:  "The SIN of Anxiety".   Woah!

    Have you ever thought of anxiety as being sinful?! To be honest, I don't often perceive it to be, but when you really delve into what being anxious means, it completely makes sense.   It is very convicting to look into, but VERY necessary and good.  I struggle with anxiety at times, whether it be a result of the little things in life or even the big things.  Whether it may "spring up" as a result of a seemingly small issue or because of a gigantic problem...it does not change the fact that anxiety is wrong.

  This is the convicting devotional I read this morning.  Please take a moment to read!

   

"When we tell someone, 'Don't be anxious', we're simply trying to encourage or admonish that person in a helpful way.  But when God in His Word tells us, 'Don't be anxious', it has the force or a moral command.  It's His moral will that we not be anxious.  Or to say it more explicitly,  

anxiety is sin.

Anxiety is sin for two reasons.  first, it's a distrust of God.  In Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus said that if our heavenly Father takes care of the birds of the air ad the lilies of the field, will He not much more take are of our temporal needs?  When I give way to anxiety, I'm in effect believing that God won't take care of me. 

 Anxiety is also a lack of acceptance of God's providence- His orchestrating all circumstances and events in His universe for His glory and the good of His people.  Some believers have difficulty accepting this fact that Go does in fact do this, and even those who believe this glorious truth often lose sight of it. Instead we focus on immediate causes of our anxiety rather than remembering that those causes are under God's control. 

Anxiety is one of my most persistent temptations.  If you're frequently tempted to anxiety as I am, can you recognize the types of circumstances that tend to make you anxious?  Do you identify with me in chafing under God's providential will for you when it differs from your own agenda? If so, I encouraged you to ask God to give you faith to believe that His providential will for you in these circumstances flows from His infinite wisdom and goodness and is ultimately intended for your good.  Ask Him to give you a heart that is submissive to His providential will." 

~Jerry Bridges~

  

  As I was reading this devotional, my mind started to wander to the variety of things that I am anxious about.  I think that it would be a good idea to write down those "anxiety prone issues" and pray about them to the Lord.   We need to daily be reminded of this truth, that God is our 'Abba' Father, and He cares for us! (1 Peter 5:7)  As a Father cares for and loves His child, so our Heavenly Father watches out for us and meets our needs.  We need to depend upon Him (John 5:15), and to trust in Him daily (Proverbs 3:5-6).  

   Don't be anxious dear friends, but believe the promises that God has given to us in His word and trust in the Lord!  

~Grow in Grace~ 

2Peter 3:18

How Great is Our God!

   This past weekend I spent some quality time with my dad, mom, and grandmother at the coast.  The beach has always been a favorite get-away location for me, and it is by far, a place that carries the most memories for me and it is a glorious setting that always seems to remind me of who my God is. 

   Yesterday, it was a beautiful day.  The sun was shining, there was no wind, except for a calm breeze, the temperature was perfect (for November), and I was able to enjoy a nice run on the sand.  After I completed my work-out, I walked for a bit on the water line, just gazing at God's glorious creation.   I looked around me and saw the encompassing beautiful, clear, blue sky, the crashing of the waves on the surf, and the soaring of the seagulls overhead...what a beautiful place, what a majestic view!!

    As I continued to look all around me, I was completely overtaken with a sense of great awe..."How great is my God, the Creator of all of this!"  I felt so small and insignificant under the vastness of the blue sky above me and so powerless and weak next to the mighty waves.  My God created all of this, and His creation declares His greatness and points to His majesty.  Wow. 

  This verse comes to mind-

"When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?" 

Psalm 8:3-4

   Here in these verses, David expressed exactly what I felt.  We see God's amazing creation and we are in awe of it's vastness and beauty.  It should point us to Him, God the Creator (Psalm 19:1-4).  We also see His great power and might in His creation, and yet we know that it is not even a fraction of how great He is.  So, if such glorious and grand places, such as the beach, (or even to mention...the Grand Canyon), are in a sense "only the fingerprints of God"...it leaves me speechless. How then, is it that our GREAT and AWESOME God, is mindful of me, Breana Haas.

  I love the commentary on this verse.  It says, "If the whole universe is diminutive (extremely or unusually small) in the sight of Divine Creator, how much less is the significance of mankind!  Even the word for "man" used in v. 4 alludes to his weakness."  - Yet, as you read on in verse 6 of this Psalm, it shows the significance of man, who was created in the very image of God, to have dominion over the "works of Your hands".  Wow.  

   He created me, Breana Haas, in His very image, He knew me before the foundation of the world.  He loves me, He cares for me, He knows everything about me...even the number of hairs on my head.  Isn't that just amazing?!  What an awesome God we have!  

    The beach, for me, is a reminder of who my great God is, for He us full of loving-kindness and tender mercy!

    ~Grow in Grace~ 

2 Peter 3:18

The Cure For Insecurity

Today’s women are desperately insecure.  There is no question that our lives are teetering on the edge of disaster; that self-hatred, self-abuse, and self-destruction have become the norm among the female camp.  And sadly, women in the church are struggling just as much as their non-Christian counterparts.

But the modern solution – the self esteem message – doesn’t provide lasting results against female insecurity.  Why?  Because the solution presented is all about self.  Self-love, self-acceptance, and self-promotion.  Love yourself.  Be true to yourself.  Live to yourself.  Some of these messages even go as far as to say that by living this way, we will bring glory to God. 

But what is the pattern of Scripture?

Christ said, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” (Mark 8:34 NKJV) The word “deny” here literally translates: to forget one's self, lose sight of one's self and one's own interests.  We are meant to let all thoughts of self become swallowed up in Him.

The secret to becoming the radiant, beautiful princess of our childhood dreams is forgetting all about our self and becoming completely consumed with only one thing – Jesus Christ.  Just as John the Baptist who declared, “I must decrease, so that He might increase!”

This isn’t just the secret to living out the true Gospel; it’s also the secret to glowing with divine loveliness.  It’s the cure for female insecurity. 

Think about it.  A woman who has truly denied herself, taken up her cross, and become entirely consumed with Jesus Christ is not going to be an insecure young woman, starving herself and obsessed with making herself look more attractive.  Rather, she’s so enraptured with Jesus Christ that she’s completely lost sight of herself.  As Bishop Bardsley put it, “They care not at all what the world thinks of them, because they are entirely taken up with the tremendous realities of their King.”

A woman who has yielded her selfish agenda to the Spirit of Jesus Christ, who does not listen to the voice of her self but yields only to the voice of her King is not going to become a sex object, throwing herself at guy after guy in desperation.  Her security comes from a completely different source.  She doesn’t derive her value from the attention of guys.  Her value comes from knowing she has been redeemed and loved by the King of all kings.  Her focus is on His desires, not on her own selfish wants.

The women throughout Christian history who have truly glowed with heavenly beauty all had one thing in common – an emptying of self.  They were so caught up in the things of God that they gave no thought to their own lives.  They did not seek to draw eyes to themselves.  The sought to bring glory to Jesus Christ alone.

As a result, they were some of the most confident, poised and courageous women that have ever lived.  They accomplished amazing things for the Kingdom of God.  They saved lives.  They stood before Kings.  They rescued dying children.  They reformed societies.

And they did it without spending their time and energy focused on self.

-Devotional by Leslie Ludy-

(Setapartgirl.com) 

~Grow in grace~ 

2 Peter 3:18