Author: teachwhatisgood

This semester at Renewed Moms (a women’s Bible study I’m a part of) we are inductively studying the book of Daniel. Today, while observing chapter 4, marking up the words for Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar and God, I had another Aha moment confirming what I saw earlier this week.

Look with me at the very last verse of the chapter, verse 37.

Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble. (NIV)

This is the very same Nebuchadnezzer, who in verse 30 was bragging about great Babylon, which he had built by his own mighty power and for the glory of his own majesty!  The Lord intervened and humbles him. The Most High took away from him all these things that he had worked so hard for and which gave him such pride, until after seven long years, Nebuchadnezzar “raised [his] eyes toward heaven, and [his] sanity was restored. Then [he] praised the Most High; [he] honored and glorified him who lives forever. His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation.” (v. 34 NIV)

God indeed opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble. He exalts those who humble themselves before him. I fear that in my never ending desire to glorify God, I too often end up glorifying myself, and in trying to be “all that I can be,” I forget that I can do no good thing apart from Him.

As Psalm 34:3 says, “Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.”

Let us pray together for meek and gentle spirits, for hearts that seek to praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven who does everything right and who is always just and who is faithful to humble the proud.

And, our nation needs prayer.  We need to be praying for the leadership of our country to recognize that God’s dominion is indeed eternal and that His kingdom is the only one that endures forever, from generation to generation.

Please, stop whatever you’re doing right now, and pray.

Over Christmas break, I put together a variety of verses I’ve memorized over the years and put them in order according to where they’re found in the Bible. Then, I put them inside clear page protectors with the front of each page containing shorter passages or single verses and the back being a chapter that I’ve memorized. Then, I filed these pages into my big 3-ring Bible study binder with a nice tab that says “Scripture Memory.”  Oooh.  It felt good.

I love getting organized! (If only I could stick with the grand plans I come up with.)

So, the other day I was walking at the park, carrying one of these pages of verses. As I walked, I was reciting these verses out loud and praying as the Lord was leading. And here are some of the verses that were included on that one page.

“Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.” (Jeremiah 9:23-24 ESV)

“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8 ESV)

“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.” (1 Corinthians 13:1-8a ESV)

And I had one of those awesome “Aha” moments where these random pieces all came together.

Wisdom and might and wealth, speaking in tongues and prophecy and faith, these are all gifts out of His good hand.

But above all these things, the Lord Himself practices love, justice and righteousness. He has all the wisdom, all the might and all the riches of the world. Yet, He delights in these things: love and justice and righteousness. This is what is good. If I have great wisdom and power and wealth and if I have every single spiritual gift known to man, but have not love, I am nothing.

I couldn’t help but see the repeated themes in these passages.  Themes of wisdom and knowledge, themes of wealth and helping the poor, themes of power and might and love.  They are sprinkled through the Old Testament and the New.  This is who our God is.  But there is something over all these things.

He desires a humble heart from me as I receive these precious gifts from His hand to His glory.

Father, forgive me. Forgive me. Forgive me for my own pride, for thinking that I am something when I am not. Every good and perfect gift is from You. What do I have that You have not given to me? Bless me, Father, with a humble heart that seeks to follow You in all of Your ways, as I practice steadfast love, justice and righteousness here on earth and may it all be to Your glory. May they see my good deeds and glorify You, my Father in Heaven.

Have YOU had an “Aha” moment this week?  How has God opened your eyes to something you thought you already understood?

Years ago, my kids and I memorized Psalm 139 together. It is still precious to my heart. It is the passage my heart turns to when I am in turmoil.

This month, October, in honor of infant loss awareness, and my own little one (Tommy) who was born still on September 15, 1998, and in recognition of the thousands of babies aborted every month in our country, please join me in prayer. Please join me in committing to pray for the moms at risk for abortion, as well as the other family members involved, and the staff of hospitals and abortion clinics.

This is a daily holocaust happening in our own country, our own cities.

Please, spread the word. This is not a right. This is the murder of a child not yet born.  Get involved. And pray.

Please, commit to pray daily for the sanctity of human lives yet to be born.

This is the video testimony that was shown at the Memphis Exalts Jesus celebration in Autozone Park on April 4, 2015.
To God be the glory!
TWIG

Here is day 2 from the Women’s Retreat.  On the topic of being United as One Body in Jesus Christ.

May God be glorified!

Enjoy and share as you are led.

 

 

Last month, I had the awesome privilege of sharing on two topics very near and dear to my heart.  We are each unique creations of God and we are one body, united in Christ.

Here is the audio from the first talk – “UNIQUE.”  It is right around 30 minutes.

Enjoy and share as you are led.

 

 

Dear Jesus,
Thank you! Thank You! Thank YOU!  You are my hope, my joy, my peace, my love. My first love.

Indeed, You loved me while I was yet a sinner, still a sinner. You created me, called me, chose me. You set me apart.  Not because of my works, NO!  In spite of my works!

You chose me because of Your own purpose and grace.  Thank you!  Thank you!  You are worthy.  I cast my crowns at Your feet – You alone are worthy.  To You be all the glory and honor and praise.

You plucked me out of the devil’s snare.  You set my feet on the rock.  You covered me under Your wings.  You covered me with Your blood.  You redeemed me.  You paid the price for my sins.

By Your death, I’ve been set free.

My due wages – what I had indeed EARNED, what I DESERVED – was death.  Death is what I deserved, and yet, in Your great love, in Your great love for me, a sinner, unclean, a filthy blasphemer, a rebel, a persecutor of Christians, an opponent of the gospel, You reached down to me and drew me out of that miry clay.

You saw my need and You didn’t turn away – NO – You saw my need and You drew near.

You humbled Yourself, taking on the form of a servant, taking on my shame, my pain, my sin.  Jesus, You paid it all.  You paid it all.

Dayenu. It would have been enough for us.  More than enough.

Not only did You rescue me from my due penalty of death, but You have given me new LIFE.  You have given me joy and purpose and freedom and peace.

Dayenu.  It would have been enough for us.  More than enough.

Not only in the life to come, but, Jesus, You gave it to me right now.  You have given me eternal life, a blessing not only for the future, but for my daily life right now.

Dayenu.  It would have been enough for us.  More than enough.

You, Jesus, are more than enough.

Lord, You went farther, higher, deeper, wider than I can even understand.  Jesus, please, help me, together with all the saints, to grasp how deep and wide and long and high is Your love, the LOVE of Christ!  Indeed, Jesus, it passes my comprehension.

Thank YOU!  Thank you!  Thank You!

Thank you for Your love for me, for the lost sinners, rebels, enemies, wretches like me, here on this earth.  Fill me, Lord, and fill all my brothers and sisters, with all humility and gentleness and patience and love.  These fruits are ours by Your Holy Spirit.  Praise You, Lord.

May I love others because You first loved me.  Me, a sinner, a wretch, unclean.  I indeed was blind and lost and dead.  But You have made me see.  You have found me and given me life.  All Praise the Power of Jesus’ Name.

Father, may Jesus be EXALTED, High and LIFTED UP today in Memphis, Tennessee.  May Your Spirit rain down on us and fill AutoZone park, that any who are blind would SEE Your POWER, Your MAJESTY.  I pray for all who are lost and dead – may they be found and reborn today, Lord.  May they know us by our LOVE for one another, and our love for You.  We lift Your Name on High.

In the matchless, mighty Name of Jesus I pray.  Amen.

www.MemphisExaltsJesus.org

“And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord , have not forsaken those who seek you.”
Psalm 9:10 ESV

You alone will I seek. I put my trust in You alone, Lord. You have not, nor will not, forsake those who seek You.

Encourage us when we are weary, Father. Give us the power and strength to press on and not to lose heart.

You are worthy. You alone are worthy. To You alone be the glory and praise. In the mighty, matchless name of Jesus we pray. Amen.