I am continuing my journey in Philippians 3 verse 15 - 21, "All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained. Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body. Amen.
What a wonderful insight Paul has for both Spiritual things and the struggles inherent in our Christian walk. Paul had already met Jesus on his own road and I think got an "instantaneous" vision of what life is like with Christ on the other side of Jordan. Paul often wrote of his longing to be with Christ. He KNEW the power of God first hand and desired to impart this knowledge to the early Christians in all of the Roman strongholds. Paul also knew that we as Christians see through this "veil" of an earthly mindset in which we give a lot of credence to the power of men over our lives. I have a dear friend who is struggling for recognition and respect from a boss who neither sees her value or appreciates it. She is the "go to" person and although she doesn't have a lot of formal education she is a smart lady that can work through problems by PROCESS AND CLOSURE. This is a skill that a lot of people and companies do not have and her boss doesn't have it. We were talking the other night and I was trying to encourage her to focus on what Christ will do for her and not rely on what her boss can do--I reminded her that God doesn't need our help being God but she wasn't hearing it.
I have learned long ago that in God's timing He will move heaven and earth for you--He will knock down institutions, He will cause the winds and waves to come forth or calm down, He will remove people of earthly power, He is God each and every day and plans for our futures because He loves us that much. He KNOWS each and every strand of hair on our heads. So why oh why do we Christians rely on earthly people and things. Good lecture for ME too!
As of late I have been bothered by pains in my joints. Exercise didn't help, Advil didn't help and I kept praying and not always trusting God for my deliverance. The pain was so bad at times that I would hobble after sitting a long time and if I was on my feet for 8 hours seeing patients I would be in tears on my way home. I was on a flight to Houston and sat next to an African American woman. I never talk to my seat mates and usually have my nose in my Kindle or am knitting but for some reason I returned her conversation. It turns out that she is a physician and she begins to tell me about the Vitamin D deficiency that is prevalent in African American populations and that makes me share with her my joint maladies. She encourages me to take 10,000 IU of Vitamin D and watch how much better I am going to feel. Well I feel 100% better; no longer feel the pain in my joints to the point that I am hobbling and I thank God each day for that angel of mercy who was my seat mate! Yes I believe that it was God's Divine intervention for me. You just never know what God has in store for you if you just patiently wait on His answer, Hallelujah! God truly needs no help being God! He cares for you in each of the very dimensions you find yourself in. The old folk used to say "I am going to pray you up!" I think, they like Paul, saw the face of Jesus and learned the art of parting the veil of our earthly thinking.
I have learned long ago that in God's timing He will move heaven and earth for you--He will knock down institutions, He will cause the winds and waves to come forth or calm down, He will remove people of earthly power, He is God each and every day and plans for our futures because He loves us that much. He KNOWS each and every strand of hair on our heads. So why oh why do we Christians rely on earthly people and things. Good lecture for ME too!
As of late I have been bothered by pains in my joints. Exercise didn't help, Advil didn't help and I kept praying and not always trusting God for my deliverance. The pain was so bad at times that I would hobble after sitting a long time and if I was on my feet for 8 hours seeing patients I would be in tears on my way home. I was on a flight to Houston and sat next to an African American woman. I never talk to my seat mates and usually have my nose in my Kindle or am knitting but for some reason I returned her conversation. It turns out that she is a physician and she begins to tell me about the Vitamin D deficiency that is prevalent in African American populations and that makes me share with her my joint maladies. She encourages me to take 10,000 IU of Vitamin D and watch how much better I am going to feel. Well I feel 100% better; no longer feel the pain in my joints to the point that I am hobbling and I thank God each day for that angel of mercy who was my seat mate! Yes I believe that it was God's Divine intervention for me. You just never know what God has in store for you if you just patiently wait on His answer, Hallelujah! God truly needs no help being God! He cares for you in each of the very dimensions you find yourself in. The old folk used to say "I am going to pray you up!" I think, they like Paul, saw the face of Jesus and learned the art of parting the veil of our earthly thinking.
Now may the LORD bless you, and keep you; may the LORD make His face to shine on you and be gracious to you; may the LORD turn His face toward you and give you peace. Amen.
Stephanie
Stephanie
That is amazing. I am glad you are feeling better. I am just emerging from under a cloud, myself. In my case, it was the psychological weight of having a really iffy case and the client waiting in jail hoping that I know what I'm doing. If the client has no remedy, that is fine because at least I can help him see the problem. If the client has an obvious remedy, that is also fine because even if I lose, I can go down swinging. But cases like these I carry around my neck like an albatross. When he was finally given back his greencard and released, I instantly felt the weight lift and it was only then that I realized it had been there.
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