Nothing Worthwhile is Easy

Ever notice this and still have a hard time believing it?
When things are hard, our natural human inclination seems to want to just run toward ease.
I know that Christ like love "takes no thought for itself, and commits to love even if and when it hurts to" And God is faithful.

To our dear friends (of Brent and I)
We cannot tell you how much it means that you are in our lives, giving us grace and solid counsel and insight. We thank God for your support and love as we submit our hearts and hopes to Him.

May the Lord do what seems good to Him.

James 1:2-
"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. "

1 Peter 5:6
"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you"

Amazingly held by Grace,
Jen2

On the Mark....On the Money......whatever - it's ON - that's all I got to say.

http://www.boundless.org/2005/articles/a0001498.cfm

This article (also posted on the OA ministry blog) is called the Fruit of Immaturity and it is
Right ON ~ and I just realized that it was written by a brother from BBC.........that's encouraging.

Spiritual Immaturity in us believers comes out mainly in our self-seeking ways, the inability to make decisions and the huge reluctance to commit to anything....everything from plans for the weekend to deciding who and when to marry.

Tis' time for us to grow up - in love....to move ahead, press on with nothing held back.

I dare you to read it ~ hehe
:)
Yer buddy,
Jen2

Love in Truth

1 Tim 1:5
"The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith."
A new view....questions and convictions generally lead to pleading with God....I know you believers feel me here. I've never really cared how I've come across to people......though sometimes have been told that I'm "forward, blunt, abrasive, etc"

Now, all of the sudden - I care

In California, there was some faithful family in Christ doing street preaching - it was a blessing to see soldiers of Christ unwavering in their diligence, truly.
But something was 'off'. (Upon seeing the splinter of someone else, - I found a log in my own eye; Seriously, they were made of the same kind of wood.)
The sharing was of a cocky nature, forthcoming but arrogant of the knowledge of the precious truths... And as I listened, all kinds of texts hit me a bit deeper than they had before. Both in how I am in my relationships with family in Christ and unbelievers alike.

Prov 16:32
"Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city"

Gal 5:22 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control"

When coming along side one caught up in a sinful state.........compassion

Gal 6:1 "Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness."

2 Tim 2:24
"And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will."

1 Peter 3:15
"..........but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame."

(and that Christ's Name might not be reviled because of my words/actions)

So - the questions stirring in all my activity with believers and unbelievers alike..................
Am I edifying others by the way that I'm bringing truth to them?
Do they see the heart of Christ as I talk to them??
Am I doing as the text Heb 10:24 says about "considering one another"- how to stir them up to love and good works? (not how I'd be encouraged, but what might encourage this person or that person)


I need to be assured of who God is - ALL of who He is if I am to be a faithful witness in my speech and behavior;
As my brother and Piper have said, what you behold, you become.

Lord, have your way in your church!!

Gods Word is our primary weapon in the fight for Joy and Hope

Unexpected blessings.....

Yesterday in all the chaos of trying to get back in the groove here at work....a teller came in and 'interrupted' my paper sorting and asked if I'd count the vault with her. (a routine that normally others handle and I'm a back up....though I rarely ever fill in)

I sighed and said 'sure'......all the while wondering how I'm going to get all of my piles worked through by the weekend.
We walked back and an older gentleman, whom I did not recognize said "hello young lady, how are you today?" with an expression and a tone that seemed like he was talking to an old friend. I said that I was doing very well, considering how busy it's been and did the Minnesota thing and asked him how HE was doing.
He said "very well by God's grace"
My little heart jumped......A BELIEVER !!

We sat for a bit and talked, (mostly him talking).....
A fountain of God's word seemed to be flowing from a deep pool in this man.
With the little bit I shared about how I was praying and seeking how to help some of my loved ones who are struggling with anxiety and such, He encouraged me with one of my favorite texts, Rev 12:11
“And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death”

He brought it home to my heart deeper than ever in stating that the testimony is not simply “their salvation story”
but the testimony IS every word that proceeds from the mouth of God…..the Bible.
He said the greatest way to combat temptations to depression and anxiety (usually happens when satan comes to cast doubt on what God has said) -

We can say definitively -
"IT IS WRITTEN............" and quote ANY text from the bible – just like Jesus did, knowing that faith IS believing what God has said.
This is walking by the spirit.....abiding in the word through memorizing and meditation so that the Holy Spirit can call it to our hearts to convict and guide us.

It is written
Isaiah 31:8
"It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed."

It IS Written
Is 41:10
"fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you,I will uphold you with my righteous right hand"

Can't believe it's taken me so long to get a tiny little bit of knowledge to grasp this simple concept.

oiy vey.
God is amazing....that's all I got ~
Later Brethren !
Jennifer

Where in the................????
CALIFORNIA baby !

I'm out here with a Joey friend........and don't have access to my email for some odd reason. So Huey and Hibby - HIEEE !!!

What a blessing to be here......
Got to see the ocean that God made yesterday for the first time in my life......it was a lot like Lake Superior surprisingly. You know, except for the whole palm tree deal, and well, the waves are A LOT bigger. :)

I feel like a little kid - all amazed at every little thing......all giddy and everything.

On Friday, Joey and I are going to go to the open air preaching in the promonade that Ray Comfort started. DUDE !! I can't wait !!! Her commencement is on Saturday and I get to meet her papa. (whom she speaks super highly of)
Then Johnny Mac is preaching from Luke on Sunday.....
Until then, we intend to relax and talk about every little thing.....at the beach. :)

Oh, and people out here are not as rude as everyone said they were (even the people on the plane who are from here were warning me not to make eye contact with people unless I was looking to get into a fight) ....but they have actually been very friendly....then again, it's only my first 24 hours out here......

Of course, the conversation about L.A somehow ended up as a conversation about Jesus......(yeah, like that never happens)
The couple that I talked with on the plane on the way out are Mormons.......who've got the gospel all wrong. The main thing I spent my time arguing (gently) is that no sinfilled fallen human can earn salvation...we all deserve to be condemned (they believe only the "really bad people" are going to hell).....so I pulled at that thread for the entire 3 hour flight. (choosing to avoid diving into how WRONG it is to think that satan is Jesus' brother - I figure that if they get grace to see the Gospel rightly - God will clean up all of the other errors in their thinking)
I shared how we cannot 'choose' to be saved - that they might let go of the thinking that they can choose to be an object of mercy......and that God is the ultimate chooser in the universe. We are the beggars. I read all of Romans 9 to them and by God's grace they desired to hear my thunderclap testimony. It's times like this that I am grateful that no one told me to "pray this prayer" or what I "needed to do to be saved" or that I had to "ask Jesus into my heart"
My salvation was very obviously - not my doing........and there is no ground for boasting except of what Christ had done in giving me eyes to see Him in truth and eyes to weep over my sin.
Oh, the amazing MERCY of God the Father, my Father.

Wellp.......That's the Daasy report - coming to you live from O.C. California, by the Grace of God.


Laters ~
Jen2