Living In Abundance - Week 1

Our church - Birmingham LifeChurch - began our fall LifeGroups this past weekend.  We are going to be studying the book of Ephesians, all together as a whole.  I am so excited about this study, and what God is doing in and through our church... I felt the need to post here for my friends to read.

So here we go.

Week One:

Our scripture for the week was Ephesians 1:1-14. 

Paul tells us about three wonderful aspects of these verses:  That we are CHOSEN, ADOPTED, AND REDEEMED. 

Jeremiah 1:5 tells us that before we were even shaped in our mother's womb, He knew us.  God had already planned for us.  He had already chosen us to be His own.  We were hand picked, chosen to belong to the Father, even before we came into being!  Wow!

.... He predestined us for adoption to sonship, Through Jesus Christ.  (Eph 1:5)  We are sons/daughters of the MOST High God, because of adoption.  Galatians tells us we are His heirs!  True children.

There are several families (a bunch actually) who have adopted in our church.  That is one of the things I love about our church, the willingness of everyone to share in the adoption process.  One of the adoptive moms shares something very AWESOME adoption.  Although they could someday "disinherit" their biological children... laws are in place in which they can NEVER, "disinherit" their adopted child.   Ok, did you get that?

We are God's adopted child, and He will never turn us away!  What safety and assurance that is!

Lastly, we are redeemed, by the blood of Jesus.  Our freedom was purchased by His blood, our sins were forgiven, because of His sacrifice.  God's ONLY son, purchased the lives of all of His adopted children, by the shedding of His blood.  Oh how marvelous the precious blood of Jesus! 

I'll leave you with this verse:  Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ!  Eph 1:3

Stand your post.....

I have been slowly working my way through the book Warrior Chicks.  I highly recommend it to my my women friends.  We are after all warriors, the question is are we affective warriors......

Anyway, the following statement really caught my eye and my thoughts today:

No matter how hard it gets.  People are watching as we stay at our post.

I admit, even though my son is in the army, I just do not know a whole lot about it all.  My husband on the other hand, can talk about it ALL day!  But I do know, that when they take a post, they are supposed to hold that post, regardless of what comes.


As a Christian, I have been given a post.  One of my posts, is as a wife and a mother.  I really do not think there are many jobs in this world harder than this.  Seriously now ladies, don't you agree?  We do so much and our job never ends.  Never!  It just changes.  But my calling to serve as a wife and mom, means heavy warfare, and I can not relent, or leave that post.

My prayers for my children began before they were conceived, carried through their time in my womb, and now is a daily assignment.  Sometimes, that is a easy and joyful assignment... when the prayers are for good things in their life.  Yet, at other times, it is an intense battle, as I wage war against the enemy and all his wicked schemes that are trying to take my child down.

The older our children become, the deeper and more intense, our prayers should become.  The prayers of a mother (and grandmother) are strong and serious prayers.  Just as we "travailed in childbirth", we must "travail in praying" for our children.  Our prayers that rise to the heavenlies could be what protects, shields or changes the direction and course of our children.  And the direction of future generations.

Ladies, we also must pray for and fight for our husbands.  Regardless of how great of a man you are married too, this world has them in it's sights.  What better way to destroy generations, than the destruction of our husbands, and our homes.

On those days when we may not "like" our husbands, those are the days we must press in further.  We can not let up, slow down, or slack in any way in the prayers for our husband and our marriage.  (On a side note, if you have children, you should already be praying for that spouse that is to come.)

We must not grow weary, we must pray that God continues (or begins) to speak to our husbands.  To strengthen them and to lead them further into what God has (or will) call them into.  It is a daunting task.  It is a never ending task, but, please remember, anything worth protecting, takes great effort!

One thing we must remember, is that people are watching us as well.  They want to see, if we can stand firm.  They are looking to us to see if "we" can do it, then "maybe" they can.  As Christian moms and wives, we must stay at our post, and allow others to see us stand firm.  Especially... when the standing is tough. 

Father God, I pray for my fellow mom's and wives, that we would stand firm, be steadfast, armed and ready for battle, entering into the war that is waging for our children, husbands, and families.  Give us strength, send us friends who are like minded that will help us and hold us up.  May we be sensitive to your voice, and listen when you are directing our prayers.  Our children, and our husbands are worth fighting for.  May we stand at our post, and not be moved!  Amen

Lavished upon

 "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, 
       that we should be called the children of God."  
                 1 John 3:1

 

I love my children. 

I love each one. 

I love their uniqueness. 

I love their smiles. 

I love their hearts.

I love to give them hugs and kisses.

I love to receive them back.

Nothing in this world, makes my heart leap, like my children.

I love to lavish on them..... lavish my love, sometimes gifts that they really want, my time, my life.

I love to give to them all that I can.

I love giving them an education.

I love most of all, sharing the love of Jesus with them. 

And best thing ever..................... seeing them lavish love of Jesus.

You see, our Father, loves us just as much, even MORE, than I can ever love my children.

And the Word says, He lavishes us with His love.  That we may be called the children of God.

I have a precious dad.  I love him too.

But to know that I am a child of God.  A child of a Redeemer.  A child of a King.  A child of a Savior.  A child of THE Creator of all things.....  and that one Who holds the world, loves  me. 

That is beyond all my small comprehension. 

Thank you Father, for loving me, for lavishing me with that love, abundant and true and faithfully.  I cherish being Your child.  May I daily give my children a glimpse of that love, and lead them closer to You.