 I've been chewing on this verse for a few months now. I think I say those words in every email I write! I hope you chew on God's word. There is so much nutrition in His Word for our spirits. His words are sweeter than honey on my mouth!
Anyway, back to Ephesians...God is
able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think...Stop! Just
stop right there and think about those words! They have such intense meaning!
They are so full, yet we often read them, pass right over them, and don't
really think about the power that is contained in them.
Paul made up that phrase. His knowledge of God, his vast understanding of God in his heart, his personal experiences with God have surpassed words. God is so amazing, awe inspiring, and really at times, just beyond words. So Paul took liberty here and just made up a saying to explain a little deeper who God is. Spurgeon says it this way...
"He (God) is able to do so
abundantly it exceeds measure and description."
That word "able" is the
same word used for power when we talk about the resurrection of Jesus. It's
dunamai - It's miraculous power! He can do it! He can keep on doing it too!
Ok! Ok! What can God do? Well,
He's told us so much of what He's already done...
 He is able to...
Provide a child for the barren
(Abraham/Sarah, Hannah, Elizabeth, the Shunnamite Woman).
The widow whose oil was multiplied.
Bring the dead to
life...Shunnamite's Son, Jaerus' daughter, widow's son, and Lazarus.
Protected Naomi and Ruth on their
journey to Naomi’s home town.
Provided a son for Ruth that would
be in the lineage of Jesus.
Feed a multitude using a few fish
and loaves.
Provided for the widow of
Zarephath.
Endure the beating preceding the
cross and then give Himself upon the cross.
1 Cor. 2:5 tells us that our faith
should not be in the wisdom of man, but in the power of God. We measure life, circumstances,
abilities, things by our own experiences, and then live our lives and make
understanding by putting God in that same box. We give Him our attributes
thus giving Him our limitations and our measurements, but God is above and
beyond all of that. "He abundantly exceeds measure and
description."
God did all those things. I've become simple enough that I believe every word in the Bible including the fact that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
So, if He did all those things so
many thousands of years ago. He can do so much more! Exceedingly! Abundantly!
Above all that I could even imagine or think. Some of those things are beyond
my imagination even now. Wouldn't it blow your mind to see some of those
things happen?!
Exceedingly abundantly more than
we can think or imagine...Because of this praise to God, we can have
assurance that God can answer our prayers! We should never hesitate to
offer our deepest request.
Jowett says it this way,
"What I have asked for is as nothing compared to the ability of my God
to give. I've asked for a cupful, and the ocean remains. I've asked for a
sunbeam, and the sun abides. My best asking falls immeasurably short of my
Father's giving. It's beyond all that we can ask."
Blessings!
"If Not For The Storm" by Larnell Harris
"He Will Carry You" by Lynda Randle
|
~ Welcome ~ This is a place for widows to meet one another. A place to be encouraged, to learn about God's love for this special sisterhood. A place to grow in God's grace and love.
Monday, November 7, 2016
Now To Him Who is Able...
Monday, October 17, 2016
Ruth: Courage and Commitment in Adversity
There are only two books in the entire Bible named after women. One of these is the story of Ruth found in
the Old Testament. The book is a simple
narrative set in the time of the Judges.
It tells the story of the young Moabite widow, Ruth, who left her home
in Moab to accompany her mother-in-law, Naomi, back to Bethlehem after the
deaths of her father-in-law Elimelech, her husband, Mahlon, and her
brother-in-law, Chilion, married to another Moabite woman named Orpah.
The
loss of a husband in ancient Israel and Moab was generally a severe social and
economic tragedy. Because Naomi, Orpah,
and Ruth lose all the men in their family, their crisis was particularly
harsh. Not only did it mean that there
were no able bodied men to work the land but in ancient Israel the general rule
was that the land was connected to the family of the male to whom it had been
apportioned. When all the men of a
family died, generally the women were left destitute. Only a male, the “kinsman redeemer” could
purchase land inherited by an Israelite widow.
That kinsman was also required to provide for the remaining widow. Only then could the land remain the
possession of a particular family.
Like
many widows Naomi, Orpah, and Ruth were forced to explore new options for
survival after their spouses died. Naomi
learned that food was plentiful in her hometown of Bethlehem and knew about
Emilech's land there. Hoping that
surival there would be easier, she and her daughters-in-law prepared for the
arduous journey back to Bethlehem. Soon
after the three widows started out, Naomi realized she could not promise an
easier life for her two daughters-in-law.
Perhaps it might be in their best interest to return to their own
families in Moab. She told both Orpah and Ruth to return home to their
families. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law
goodby. Ruth, however, clung to Naomi
and uttered this passionate plea:
stay I
will stay. Your people will be my people
and your God my God. Where you die I
will
die, and there I will be buried. May the
Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if
anything but death separates you and me.” (Ruth 1:16,17)
What
prompted Ruth to make such a powerful declaration of love and loyalty? She had just lost her beloved Mahlon. Following Naomi meant she would now lose a
sister-in-law who had been like a sister to her. Why did Ruth prefer to go with Naomi
instead of remaining in her own country?
Why did she choose to move forward and not backwards?
It is
true that Naomi and Ruth were both grief-stricken widows. However, Naomi's trip back to Bethlehem
signified a trip home to her people, family and friends who shared her faith in
the loving and merciful God. Ruth, on
the other hand, was venturing into the unknown.
She was leaving her own kin, her homeland and all its customs including
its gods behind her. What was the
source of the young widow's courage and commitment to travel
with Naomi from Moab to Bethlehem?
Someone
once said that our real journey in life is interior. It is what motivates us from within that determines
our choices, colors our decisions, and reveals our character. In Ruth's passionate plea above it is
apparent that more than loyalty to her beloved mother-in-law prompted her to
insist on accompanying Naomi to Bethlehem.
She said, “your people will be my people and your God will be my
God.” Not only did Ruth love Naomi. She
had also come to accept Yahweh as the one true God she wanted to follow. Her courage and strong resolve to move
forward resulted because she had placed her faith in God and trusted Him with
her life.
So
often suffering and grief test us at our core.
They test not only our faith, but also our commitment and purpose. Sometimes they test our obedience and reveal
the attitudes of our heart, our very character.
Does God notice if we “pass” those tests? Did He notice Ruth and give her favor once
she arrived in Bethlehem? To answer that
question we must turn to the remaining three chapters of the narrative.
Once
Ruth and Naomi arrived in Bethlehem they sought shelter and food. Fortunately, (or “providentially”), they
arrived in Bethlehem at the start of the barley harvest. Ruth immediately asked Naomi's permission to
go out to the field and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes
she might find favor. Notice that Ruth's
demeanor is both respectful and humble...first toward Naomi but also toward
God.
In I
Samuel 16:7 the Lord taught Samuel that man looks at the outward appearance,
but the Lord looks at the heart. Proverbs
31: 30 warns that “charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who
fears the Lord is to be praised.” To
understand Ruth we need to examine her heart.
But how do we recognize someone's heart or motives? How does Ruth's own story reveal her heart? Examining Ruth's words and behavior toward
others reveal her motives and character.
Let's
consider what happens in the remaining chapters of the book which bears her
name. It just so happened (again
“providence”) that Ruth began gleaning in a field owned by Naomi's kinsman,
Boaz. Very soon Boaz noticed Ruth and
inquired about her. Boaz had noticed
that Ruth worked steadily without taking a break. He learned what she had done for Naomi, her
mother-in-law. He was told she was a
Moabitess, a foreigner. Ruth's behavior
and character qualities interested Boaz more than Ruth's nationality.
Boaz
promptly bestowed his favor on Ruth. He
protected her. He directed her to glean
only in his field. He warned his men not to touch her. He verbally praised her for what she had done
for Naomi. He placed her next to him
when they ate. Lastly, he provided for
both of them by giving her food to take home to Naomi.
When
Ruth acknowledged Boaz's favor her response revealed an attitude of humility. First, she asked, “Why have I found such
favor in your eyes that you notice me, a foreigner?” Later she said, “May I continue to find favor
in your eyes, my lord. You have given me
comfort and have spoken kindly to your servant---though I do not have the
standing of one of your servant girls.”
Ruth's attitude is one of submission and gratitude toward Boaz and
toward God. Could Ruth's demeanor...her
gentleness, her attitude of respect, her humility, and her soft words have a
lesson for us? Many years later in
Psalms, David wrote “My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit, a broken and
contrite heart, you God, will not despise.”
Eventually Boaz purchased the land owned by Emilech after a closer
relative refused to buy it because it meant he would have to take care of Ruth
as well. Boaz admired Ruth's character
and while he could own the land he also wanted to make this woman his
wife. Later their son, Obed, was
born.
What is
significant about that fact is that Obed is the grandfather of David from whose
line Jesus Christ our Messiah was born.
Yes, from the lineage of the foreigner, Ruth and Boaz our own Savior and
Lord, Jesus Christ was born!
Ruth
had passed the test of adversity. She
received God's favor because she understood the importance of the interior
life. She couldn't change the events of
her life but she could learn to walk in faith humbly with God and trust Him for
her future. She could protect the
attitudes of her heart.
Did
Ruth also model for her son Obed the character qualities of courage,
commitment, and humility evident in her behavior and words in the narrative
which bears her name? Did Obed
eventually teach and model those same attitudes of the heart for his grandson
David? We may not have actual evidence
of that from Scripture. However, we do
have the assurance that God will never leave us or forsake us (Deut.
31:6) just as He did not leave or forsake a young humble widow from Moab named
Ruth.
Message by a new member of our Blog Team Cindy Thomas
Saturday, September 10, 2016
God's Timing is Perfect.
God’s Timing is Perfect
Last week I received a phone call from Dotti Ackerman,
founder of Friends Needing Friends,
who shared with me that the FNF blog had reach over 30,000 “hits.” That conversation prompted me to reflect on
my association with this great organization that offers Christ-centered support
for widows. You see, we seniors often see events and/or organizations
differently than younger folk because we were there when “it” happened or “it”
was begun. It’s not totally unlike being a parent. We remember early details
about our children’s lives that they know only from stories told to them. They
know what they looked like only from pictures. But, we were there and of all
their “firsts” are etched in our memories.
So when we enjoy the company of an adult child, we also can interpose
the image of that little neophyte that we first fell in love with.
In my conversation with Dotti she mentioned that she had
four more DVD’s of some of my homilies she had kept for years that she planned
to share on the blog. That’s when my reminiscing went into high gear. I seldom refer to myself in my writings, but
bear with this old woman as she strolls down Memory Lane. My association with
FNF goes back to the year 1988 when Dotti asked me to speak at one of their
dinner meetings in New Jersey. This became a yearly occurrence and I and grew
to love the ladies and respect this ministry.
Then, eight years ago I retired and shortly thereafter Dotti
called upon me more often to speak and this led to my doing a Bible lesson with
the group once a month. What a delight it was to teach these women from God’s
Word and then enjoy a lovely luncheon with them!
Shortly thereafter, Dotti called me and asked me to record
some of my teachings. I remember, with the permission of Pastor Bruce, setting
this up with the technicians at our local church, and going into the recording
studio and delivering my talk to a party of one, the on-duty technician.
Darlene, a lovely godly woman at the church, helped to package the DVD’s after
which Dotti would distribute them to the women attending FNF, which numbered
around eighty at that time.
In 2009 Dotti moved
to Florida and, unbeknown to me, took copies of those DVD’s with her, where for
the most part, they were a silent witness to several of the Bible lessons we
had done years before.
In 2012 my husband and I moved to Pennsylvania and Dotti
asked me to continue to write for the monthly newsletter, which I did. Then,
God led into Dotti’s life a woman who suggested that they do a blog and, with some
instruction, Dotti was able to successfully launch that. (www.friendsneedingfriends.blogspot.com )
I then began to
contribute regularly to that ministry as well. For the past 3 ½ years Dotti and
I have worked as a team on many of the blogs. God speaks to her heart about
something, she will call me and tell me the gist of what is on her heart, and I
will put words to her thoughts and they go out on the blog. Now neither Dotti nor I are intuitive
techies. But God, in his seamless timing, has always placed someone in our
lives to instruct us and bring our skills to the level we need for this
grassroots ministry.
A few months ago
Dotti looked upon one of her shelves and eyed those silent DVD’s and wanted to
get them into the blog. The knowledge of how to do that was lost on her . . .
but not on God. He led her to just the individual who could help her get this
accomplished and for the past few months those checking the blog have been
able, through the magic of technology, to listen to my teaching a lesson from
God’s Word. From a party of one to hundreds listening to God’s Word each month!
Who but God could accomplish this by orchestrating each incremental step toward
that end during the years!
This morning as I was reading the book of Esther, it
occurred to me that her story is a perfect example from the Bible of God’s
timing. From Esther’s being chosen as queen, to Mordecai’s overhearing and
reporting a proposed assassination of the king, to the king not being able to
sleep and reading the account of Mordicai’s deed and much more. Read it all for
yourself and you’ll be amazed by the incidents that seemed inconsequential at
the time, but fit into God’s plan and occurred at just the right time. Nothing is happenstance with our
all-knowing God. His timing is
always perfect.
So, now the blog has reached over 30,000 “hits,” and in
retrospect one can see how God, at just the right time, nudged individuals to
act, brought people into Dotti’s life, and melded all of this together to get
His Word out to more people than either Dotti or I would have thought possible
over 30 years ago. To God be the glory!
Statistics Speak. At first glance the statistics speak only
of numbers. Yet, upon a closer look, one can’t help but notice that they also
give a peek into the countries where God is drawing people to the blog who
might otherwise not ever hear the Gospel. It isn’t an accident that there are a
large number of hits in Russia and China. God is again demonstrating His
perfect timing. Continue to pray that many will be drawn to the blog around the
world, especially in those areas where widows are mistreated, or at best
ignored.
United
States
|
21373
|
Russia
|
1695
|
China
|
1599
|
France
|
393
|
Germany
|
379
|
Ukraine
|
300
|
Canada
|
294
|
Malaysia
|
215
|
United
Kingdom
|
143
|
India
|
134
|
 | |||||
| Message by Shari Hervold |
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