by Cathy Baker | Faith |
by Cathy Baker
I love one-liners, especially when they’re girded with truth. As our community Bible study group closes out the Gideon study I’m reminded of the testimonies we’ve received. Spiritual eyes opened, forgiveness forged, and callings confirmed. May the fragrance of Christ continue to invade our lives and captivate those around us.
15 one-liners from our study:
- Today’s difficulties are often a result of yesterday’s disobedience.
- Ordinary is often the disguise of the divine.
- Knowing God’s purpose requires first being aware of God’s presence.
- Opened eyes precede your calling being realized.
- Today’s tasks are preparation for tomorrow’s calling.
- If God said it then, He still means it now.
- Who you are is more important than what you have been called to do.
- Pride forgets. Humility remembers.
- Many of life’s external difficulties find their roots in the internal reality of pride.
- Don’t try to retain what God is asking you to release.
- Your faith can be stronger than a fleece.
- A vessel’s value is not determined by its composition but by its contents.
- Finishing well could mean not finishing.
- Modernized idolatry is still idolatry.
- Commitments trumps convenience.
Which of these means the most to you right now?
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits. Psalm 103:2
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
Pride forgets. Humility remembers.
Priscilla Shirer, Gideon
I distinctly remember singing along with Babbie Mason’s After All as a relatively new Christ follower back in the early 90’s, lyrics barely audible for the tears. By the time I reached the final verse, my heart cry was Lord, please don’t ever let me forget my past.
It’s not that I wanted to focus on my past but I didn’t want to forget it either, for it was there I came to know Christ, smack dab in the pit of my own making, i.e., rock bottom. Because I know my propensity for pride and self-reliance when
circumstances improve, my heart cry remains the same today after all
these years—especially after all these years.
I don’t want to forget. Therefore, I choose to remember:
- The ugliness of my sin – and God’s breathtaking blanket of grace that covered it all.
- The depth of my shame – and God’s startling and awe-inspiring unconditional love.
- The bondage of my sin – and God’s freedom, loosening me from its grip for an eternity.
- The stumbling of my flesh – and now, because of Christ, I’m able to stay in step with the Holy Spirit.
May I never forget.
After All, by Babbie Mason
I heard You calling
I felt You knocking
But I drew further from You
Everyday
I knew better
Still my heart grew colder
And I just kept on going my own way
But after all that was said
And done with me
After all my pride
And my fall
I was so amazed
To still find You there
After all I’ve done
You still love me
After all.
Your eyes said welcome
Your arms were open
How could I ever doubt
Your love was real
You never mentioned
All my past rejections
Words can’t express the way
That makes me feel
CHORUS
To freely forgive
It’s so hard to do
But You completely forgave me
And I will spend
My whole life with You
After all,
Forever and always.
Thank You Jesus, for loving me…after all.
What’s a particular song God has used to remind you of His grace and mercy towards you?
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
Ordinary is often the disguise of the divine. – Priscilla Shirer, Gideon
I love how Jesus [the angel of the LORD] met Gideon in the midst of his mundane task of beating out wheat. (Judges 6:11, 12)
Jesus didn’t meet me on the threshing floor (or in a wine press!) this past week, but He did encounter me in some ordinary ways:
- A blanket of snow [the importance of stillness, Psalm 46:10]
- Coffee with a friend [the blessings of friendship]
- Spotting a cardinal atop a snow-laden branch while washing dishes [beauty]
- Walking through my home [thankfulness]
- Family time in the snow [sheer joy]
- Smiles on my grandchildren’s faces [gifts from the Lord, Jas 1:17]
“Having your spiritual radar up in consistent anticipation of His presence—even in the midst of the joyful chaos and regular rhythms of your everyday living—is paramount in hearing God, because sometimes the place and manner you find Him is the least spectacular you’d expect.” -Priscilla Shirer
How have you encountered God in the midst of an ordinary day? I’d love to hear about it!
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
I’m delighted to announce our NEW study!
Beginning Tuesday, January 28th, the Ladies’ Community Bible Group will come together in a home setting to study Priscilla Shirer’s Gideon: Your weakness. God’s STRENGTH.
When we hear the name Gideon, most of us think about his 300 soldiers or the fleece he laid out under the evening sky. But Gideon’s story is so much bigger than any one man and his mark on Israel’s history. Like everything else in the Bible, this is a story about God and His people. His love for them, as well as His strength operating in spite of their weakness even through their weakness. And because God’s people includes you and me, Gideon’s story is also about us — our lives, our doubts, our struggles, and our possibilities as believers. From a state of fear, weakness, and insecurity, Gideon emerged as Israel’s hero, filled with God’s presence and His passion for deliverance. This study will encourage you to recognize your weakness as the key that the Lord gives you to unlock the full experience of His strength in your life. In what ways do you feel insufficient? Those places create the greatest opportunity to experience the sufficiency of God. Instead of ignoring, neglecting, or trying to escape your weaknesses, see them as the gifts that they are, given specifically and strategically by God to unlock the door of God’s strength. –Back cover
If you’re in the area, we’d love for you to join us. A dynamic study, warm fellowship, a blazing fire and hot cups of coffee await!
Interested? Simply leave a comment on the blog (if I already have your contact info), email me, or Facebook message me for further information.
– photo courtesy of LifeWay Christian Resources