Obedience in the Face of Reason

Forgiveness, God, Healing, Marriage 0

The one major thing God told me from the very beginning, when I had no clue where I was or where I was going, was obedience in the face of reason.  I was to keep a short account with God, cleanse myself daily of anger, bitterness and resentment, and forgive even when I didn’t feel like it.  Willingness was, and is, always the key.

— Testimonial in Your Father Knows Best:  True Reports from Court of God Moving When People are Praying, compiled by Bob and Charlyne Steinkamp

The Vining Growth Plan

God, Life 0

The key thing to know about Martin Luther, I think, is that every event of his life — like every event in yours and mine — was part of the vining growth plan of ups and downs God had devised for him.  God frightened him, pushed him, wound him round the Word.  As with Noah and Hezekiah and Jonah and others, many of the downturns of Luther’s life happened toward the end, when you’d think he’d be past all that badness, past his humanness, a completely godly man, producing the fullest and most mellow fruit.  But it’s God’s plan, not ours, after all, and we are not his equal.  As Job points out, “Who can bring what is pure from the impure?  No one!” — no one except God, of course, who can do the impossible and did it with me and goes around doing it all the time.

— Patty Kirk, Confessions of an Amateur Believer, p. 42-43

Get on With Your Life

God, Life, Trust 0

Charlyne and I want you to “get on with your life.”  You do that by loving Jesus more each day, praying more, growing in Him, and trusting God for your every need.  We want you to be confident that God will bring about what He has promised.

— Bob Steinkamp, The Prodigal’s Pen, p. 251-252

The Crux of Christianity

God, Love 0

What matters most to me is that God had that son to begin with.  And that he has other sons and daughters like me that he loves and doesn’t want to be parted from.  That he loves his children as I love my own daughters, only more so, with a hot, knowing, parental love that says, “Be who you are, but love me back.  Only love me back.”

— Patty Kirk, Confessions of an Amateur Believer, p. 8

Doing the will of the Father

God, Trials 0

“Jesus seems to me to say:…

If I held my face to my testimony only till danger came close, and then prayed for the Father to deliver me with twelve legions of angels, that would be to say that the Father would do anything for his children until it began to hurt him.  I bear witness that my father is such as I.  In the face of death I assert it, and dare death to disprove it.  Kill me, do what you will and can against me, my father is true, and I am true in saying that he is true.  Danger or hurt cannot turn me aside from this my witness.  Death can only kill my body but cannot make me its captive.

Father, thy will be done!  The pain will pass.  It will be but for a time!  Gladly will I suffer that men may know that I live, and that thou art my life.”

— George MacDonald, Your Life in Christ:  The Nature of God and His Work in Human Hearts, p. 46-47

Guidance

God, Guidance 0

“Ask God to help us think.  Every morning, I ask Him to give me the right thought, word, or action.  I ask Him to send His inspiration and guidance.  I ask Him to help me solve my problems.  I believe He does help.  I know He does.  But He expects me to do my part and think.  Some days go better than others.”

— Melody Beattie, Codependent No More, p. 152

Breaking Free

Forgiveness, God, Inspiration 0

“I wanted to make sure we addressed the importance of praying about someone who has hurt you because it is such a vital part of breaking free.  Be honest with God.  Pour your heart out to Him.  Tell Him the things that hurt you.  Tell on the one who injured you.  Search the psalms to receive further permission to speak your heart, then practice it — from your own heart with your own words!… and don’t stop until all the bitter waters have been poured out before God, and He’s had a chance to begin pouring living water back in.  ‘Trust in Him at all times!'”

— Beth Moore, Praying God’s Word, p. 239-40