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Trial to Triumph – or “Why is this happening to me?” Part 7

Posted on November 3, 2014 ·

picture gold bars4 Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, gladden yourselves in Him]; again I say, Rejoice!

 Let all men know and perceive and recognize your unselfishness (your considerateness, your forbearing spirit). The Lord is near [He is [a]coming soon].Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. And God’s peace [shall be yours, that [c]tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall [d]garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7

Going through a trial is no picnic but the Lord has given us some clear directions for how to continue in His peace during the trial. He tells us not to fret or worry but to tell Him by specific requests what we need.  I have learned to be accurate in asking for what I need.

 I have a sister in the Lord who was in deep debt. She added up all her debt and came to an amount of one hundred thousand dollars. We prayed and trusted the Lord that He would cleanse her of all debt. A few months later – her debt was met and cleared! Praise the Lord! When I prayed for a husband I was very specific. I searched my heart and asked the Lord for a tall businessman who was a seasoned Christian who had no children and did not need me to support him. The Lord answered my prayers with my wonderful husband Walt who is all of the things I asked for and so much more.

Notice what happens when we ask and also thank the Lord for all that He has done and for what He is going to do especially during a trial. His peace comes to us. That peace guards our hearts and minds from attacks of the enemy.

Jesus is Lord!

 

Filed Under: Hope, Love, Obedience, Victory ·
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Trial to Triumph – or “Why is this happening to me?” Part 6

Posted on October 27, 2014 ·

 

picture gold being meltedI have called you by your name; you are Mine.2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned or scorched, nor will the flame kindle upon you. Isaiah 43:1-2

 

As I look back on the trial of losing two jobs and moving to a new state I can see how badly my faith needed to be purified. I can also see how the Lord never left me. He wasn’t mad at me. He is a good Dad. I worked in Emergency Care for eight years.

 

We often don’t understand why things happen to us. But even if we asked the Lord to explain it all to us, we might be incapable of really understanding it. Think about when we were babies and our parents or family members took us to get our immunizations. As far as we could see it was a bad thing. Somebody was holding us while someone else stuck a needle in our leg or arm. Ouch! Even if our mothers told us what the needles did – giving us protection from disease, it would have been nonsense to two month old us. We got our shots at two months, four months, six months, twelve months, eighteen months and age five. Those shots were painful to us, but provided us with precious protection against diseases that used to kill thousands of children. Our moms got us those shots because they loved us. The Lord is the same way.

 

When we go through a trial He is with us. He doesn’t leave us for a second. Trials are for our good.

 

Jesus is Lord!

 

 

Filed Under: Hope, Obedience, Peace, Victory ·
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Trial to Triumph – or “Why is this happening to me?” Part 5

Posted on October 20, 2014 ·

Trial to Triumph Part 5

picture of gold after chemical separation3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and He will purify the priests, the sons of Levi, and refine them like gold and silver, that they may offer to the Lord offerings in righteousness. Malachi 3:3

I had gotten the very job that terrified me. Emergency Room Nurse Practitioner, but I felt that the Lord wanted me there. Remember He had given me a heads up months before. So I surrendered myself to the Lord. I knew I could not do this on my own. The doctor that hired me told me that I would be given a three month internship with an experienced ER Nurse Practitioner and would not be expected to operate alone until she was satisfied with my skills. She taught me to read x –rays, suture, what labs to order etc. She was literally a God-send. I actually started to like the job. The Lord gave me favor with the doctors and staff. The job paid significantly more than I made up North.

There is a process to purifying gold:

First the gold ore is crushed.

Then it is placed in a furnace in excess of 1900 degrees Fahrenheit to elevate the gold about its melting point. Impurities are burned off in the furnace – but other metals remain.

In order to separate the gold from the other metals, chemicals such as mercury or cyanide solution are introduced. This causes the gold to coagulate and form nuggets and clumps of gold.

After the gold smelting process is complete, the gold is melted once more and poured into molds to form ingots.

Later the gold ingots may be used for various purposes.

When our faith is purified from self reliance, fear, doubt, reliance on money, people or things it is able to be firmly placed in the Lord. We can access the power of the Lord. Then the fruit of endurance, steadfastness and patience emerge, the way purifying gold brings out its clarity, shine, brilliance and usefulness.

Jesus is Lord!

Filed Under: Faith and Trust, Holiness, Hope, Obedience, Peace ·
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Trial to Triumph or “Why is this happening to me?” Part 3

Posted on October 6, 2014 ·

He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and He will purify the priests, the sons of Levi, and refine them like gold and silver, that they may offer to the Lord offerings in righteousness Malachi 3:3.

After losing my second job in six months, I was devastated. I had no clue what to do. My mother suggested that I come down to Florida where she and Dad had retired and see if I could get a job there. I agreed to give it a try. I prayed. And I surrendered to the Lord. I knew that I could not do it on my own. I went down to Tampa and got three job interviews lined up. The first one was with the State of Florida Health Services. I had no idea what the position was.

We are the McDonald’s generation. We don’t want trials to be difficult or last long. But consider this: Let’s say that we want to train Marines. So we come up with training and a testing plan. We want to test strength so we tell them to run ten feet, and then jump over a one foot fence, and finish by doing one push up. If we did that we would have one weak bunch of Marines. But in reality Marines do many, many push ups, climb high walls and run many miles and then are severely tested in realistic war games before they are sent out to defend our nation.

 It is the same with us. A short easy trial is not going to build up any faith muscles. We need to trust the Lord to do what needs to be done for our good in His perfect timing and plan.

Gold being melted to remove impurities

Jesus is Lord! picture gold being melted

 

Filed Under: Holiness, Hope, Peace, prayer, Word of God ·
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Lemonade from Lemons

Posted on September 15, 2014 ·

picture lemonadeAnd we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28.

“Lori, you look like a manager – but you aren’t one. So we are letting you go.” When I heard those words I felt like someone had punched me in the stomach. I was a single mom with three teenage children. I had been working hard to provide for my children and give them a happy life. I had just bought a little house for us. How could I lose my job now? What was I going to do? Jobs were scarce in Upstate New York at that time.

Later that night I remembered the words of the Lord – that He would make all things work together for my good. Even losing my job. I decided to trust in Him and told Him that I was expecting some great things to come from this and that something good was going to come from it. It did.

One month later, the Lord provided me with a much higher paying job in Florida. A few years later I met my husband – a wonderful man of God. My children had a better life. The Lord made all things work together for good for me. Praise the Lord!

Jesus can take our lemons and make it into lemonade.

Jesus is Lord!

 

Filed Under: Faith and Trust, Hope, Peace, Uncategorized ·
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Camp Meeting!

Posted on June 2, 2014 ·

picture crowdBut the man went and spread the word, proclaiming to everyone what had happened. As a result, large crowds soon surrounded Jesus, and He couldn’t publicly enter a town anywhere. He had to stay out in the secluded places, but people from everywhere kept coming to Him. -Mark 1:45 (NLT

 

As I was at prayer one day and meditating on the word (thinking about it), I pictured in my mind what being outdoors on a hillside with thousands of people who had walked hours to see Jesus must have been like.

 Many had brought sick people with them. The power coming off Jesus was indescribable. When He laid hands on the sick they instantly recovered and were made whole! What joy and happiness filled them! The power and presence of God was with them! [Read more…]

Filed Under: Faith and Trust, Hope, prayer, Uncategorized ·
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Why is This Happening to Me?

Posted on May 26, 2014 ·

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blog picture joseph and brothersBut don’t be upset, and don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives. -Genesis 45:5 (NLT)

I remember having a new job as a Director of Nursing of a Health Department. I  I had applied just to see if I could compete. I had never had a job as any type of supervisor. I was shocked when I got the job. Eighteen months later, my boss decided to give my job to a friend and I was out. I had never lost a job in my life!

A few weeks later I got a job as a Manager to a Health Care visitation service. Five months later I was fired! What? Why? I thought I had been doing a good job, but there I was out of a job again.

I was in shock. I had three children to support.

I went to the Lord in prayer. A month later I and my children were 1300 miles away in our new home. I had a better paying new job and a good future. Five years later I met my husband – a great and loving Christian man who is also a great dad to my children.

But what if I had not lost those jobs? I might still be up in New York and would never have met my wonderful husband. I am thankful that I lost those jobs!

Notice what Joseph says to his brothers. “It was God who sent me here to preserve your lives.” The Lord had a plan and a purpose. Even though Joseph went though difficult times the Lord got him through and blessed him.

I am so thankful that the Lord is in control and that I don’t have to worry when difficult times come. I just trust Him.

Jesus is Lord!

Filed Under: Faith and Trust, Hope, Peace, prayer, Uncategorized ·
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A Place Just for You

Posted on May 5, 2014 ·

960041_763046300375859_1610115485_n[1]14 “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.2 There is more than enough room in my Father’s home.[a] If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?[b]3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. 4 And you know the way to where I am going. John 14:1-4.

My husband and I were getting our rental condo ready for the family members on their way for a visit. We carefully planned for each person’s comfort and enjoyment. We had painted, bought new furniture and appliances and had put up artwork that we thought would be a blessing to them. We had a wonderful time preparing for our coming loved ones. As I was working, I remembered that the Lord is doing this for each and every one of us that trust in Him.

He is truly preparing a place for us. He knows our tastes and likes. He knows what colors we prefer. He knows what makes us happy. He is anticipating our arrival with joy and happiness. He is looking forward to having us there. He is personally going to come and get us so we can always be there where He is.

As the day of my family’s arrival draws near I am filled with happy anticipation. So is He.

Jesus is Lord!

 

Filed Under: Heaven, Hope, Peace, Uncategorized ·
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More About the Rock Foundation

Posted on March 31, 2014 ·

“Anyone who listens to My teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears My teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.” -Matthew 7:24-27 (NLT)

blog picture man on rockIn my last post we considered the difference between two houses. One was built on sand and the other built on rock. We saw that the house built on sand collapsed when the storms of life came.

Now let’s consider what happens when we are obedient, faithful Christians firmly planted on the Rock. The storms of life still come – job problems, kid problems, health problems, money problems and so on. But when the storm and floods are over, we are still standing. The Lord has told us that our lives won’t collapse. Our lives will go on strong with our feet firmly planted on the solid rock of the Lord.

Notice that as long as there is no storm the houses both seem to be secure. It is only when the storms, floods and winds come that the true foundation of the house is revealed.

Let’s stay on the Rock of obedience to the Lord.

Jesus is Lord!

Filed Under: Hope, Obedience, Uncategorized ·
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A Strong Anchor

Posted on March 10, 2014 ·

PICTURE BLOG ANCHOR TWO

Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have a great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal high priest in the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 6: 18 – 20

When Paul wrote these words he was using an example from real life. When fishermen are on the water in their boat they throw their anchor overboard. It is no longer visible being many feet below snugly holding onto the ocean bottom. There is a chain connecting the boat to the anchor. The anchor keeps the boat from drifting, going in the wrong direction and decreases the effect of wind and tides on the boat. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Faith and Trust, Hope · Tagged:
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