An example....

An example.....

There are times when I really don't want to write these blogs and I put them off, even though they really bring joy to my heart...it is bittersweet, bringing joy on one hand and being vulnerable on the other....I don't like to bring up some of the hurts from the past, but find that's what I am supposed to do at times...

A case in point ....when one of our sons was going through some really rough times which of course drug the rest of us into the miry pit, my husband and I went to our pastor at the time and asked if I should step down from my position as women's ministry leader...

he looked at us and said, "No, people are watching to see how you were handling it..I am watching to see how you handle it. Please don't step down" so nothing was hidden in order to "look" good... We were exposed to the elements and the people around us...humbled by the experience, the visits to jail, the court rooms, the drugs, the rehab...

After that meeting with the pastor, I had several women come forward who were experiencing the same things and other hidden deep issues which they just needed some one to talk to ...God used those times to comfort, as an example, to draw others to Himself... Showing that we humans are not perfect by any means, but He works In our lives through the good and bad stuff...

We didn't do it all right, but even those times were learning experiences....

That was my thoughts this weekend as the pastor was talking about Moses.  One of his points...was, "sometimes God moves in our lives so that 'other people' will see Him"... Using the scripture Exodus 14:4

"And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them. But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.” So the Israelites did this. "

I am not saying that we were on the same scale as Moses and his great life, but God  uses anyone to show Himself...he uses experiences-good and bad, to grow us and maybe to encourage those around us....

The pastor's next statement was "in today's culture, it is easy to think that our lives are really only about us".  We are so self centered...but God is God, no matter what culture we live it,..He draws people to himself...we are vessels to hold His Glory not our own... 

No, we didn't do everything right...we complained, we cried, we got upset, but God was faithful and still is in each season of life....

Thank YOU that you are with me all the time...be Glorified...

Exodus 14:13-14 Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” 

Why Does It Hurt So Much?   A daily devotion for September 1st   From your friends at RayStedman.org     Read: 2 Corinthians 1:1-7       Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).       The words, trouble and comfort, stand out repeatedly in this passage, and the two always go together. Trouble is what we today would probably call pressure or stress. It is what many of you, perhaps, are feeling right now when you think about going to work. It is whatever ties knots in your stomach and makes you feel anxious or frightened about what lies ahead. It is what makes for hectic days and sleepless nights. It gnaws continually at your mind and threatens your well-being; it refuses to go away and leave you alone; it depresses you and darkens the future with forebodings of disaster. Comfort is more than just a little cheer or friendly word of encouragement. The word basically means to strengthen. What Paul experienced was the strengthening of God to give him a peaceful, restful spirit to meet the pressure and stress with which he lived. It is amazing to me how many Christians dread facing their daily lives because they feel pressured and stressful and tied up in knots, and yet they never avail themselves of God's provision for that kind of pressure. These words are not addressed to us merely to be used for religious problems. They are to be used for any kind of stress, any kind of problems. God's comfort, God's strengthening, is available for whatever creates stress in your life. I say that many do not avail themselves of it. The reason I say that is because they give every evidence that they behave just like anybody else who is not a Christian—they try to escape their pressures. Or, if they are Christian, they are praying that they will be rescued from their pressures, that the problems will be taken away. You can always tell how ill-taught Christians really are when you hear their prayers. Invariably they pray to have their problems taken away or to be completely shielded from them. All their hopes are for escape somehow, and all their reactions are either worry; a murmuring, complaining spirit; anger; or fear. This is not Christianity in action. Listen to Paul: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He praises God for the circumstances of his life even though there are afflictions. He calls God the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort. He sees God's hand as having sent these things into his life; therefore, he doesn't pray to have them removed so that he might escape from them. He sees them as opportunities for the release of the strength of God. Father, I confess to You that I am often truculent about my difficulties. I resent them. I do not want to accept them. I want them removed or I become rebellious, and I complain. Help me to trust and be at peace.       Life Application   In times of grief and troubles, do we find significance and comfort in knowing we are being equipped to serve others for Jesus' sake?   Related Message   For more on this portion of Scripture read the message: Why Does it Hurt so Much? or listen to the audio by clicking:   Listen to Ray     Previous Devotions for September Next       Want to Subscribe?   Subscribe / Unsubscribe to this Daily Devotion by Email   Copyright © 2014 Ray Stedman Ministries — This daily devotion is from the book The Power of His Presence: a year of devotions from the writings of Ray Stedman, compiled by Mark Mitchell. It may be copied for personal non-commercial use only in its entirety free of charge. All copies must contain this copyright notice and a hyperlink to RayStedman.org if the copy is posted on the Internet.