Refuge for a Single Mom
Every Single Mom Needs a Refuge. This is Mine. In the Natural Atleast!* A Blog Dedicated to Struggling & Hurting Moms of Every Walk of Life.
As for God, His way is blameless; The word of the LORD is tried; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.
Psalm 18:30
Friday, June 15, 2007
The Armor of God: Salvation & the Spirit
The Armor of God (Ephesians 6:17)
17 And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Helmet:
Helmets are so important in a lot of activities. Bicycling, skateboarding, roller skating/blading, climbing, motorcycling…actually, if you think about it, a lot of those activities ‘get’ you somewhere. Kind of coincidental?
You wear a helmet when you are ‘moving’, ‘going somewhere’ – wouldn’t it make sense to wear the ‘HELMET OF SALVATION’ when you are moving along in life – ‘going somewhere’? The enemy is going to attempt to stop this and throw out roadblocks and obstacles. (Did you ever watch that movie “Big Daddy” with Adam Sandler, where he throws sticks into the trail to make the roller bladders crash?)
We know that there will be trials and tribulations, we know that there will be debris in our path and obstacles to overcome - we want to protect our head/brain and not become injured!
Sword:
”The sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” – that actually gives me cold chills! The sword, the ‘weapon’ or ‘protection’ IS the Word of God! No words could be more honest, true and powerful!
When you protect yourself with the Word, with the knowledge and the power, nothing can really harm you! Sure, there will be attempts, but when you truly know the power and promises of our God, no weapon formed against you will prosper!
No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their vindication is from Me,” declares the LORD. Isaiah 54:17
II Corinthians 6:1-18
1 And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain.
2 for He says, “AT THE ACCEPTABLE TIME I LISTENED TO YOU, AND ON THE DAY OF SALVATION I HELPED YOU.” Behold, now is “THE ACCEPTABLE TIME,” behold, now is “THE DAY OF SALVATION”
3 giving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited,
4 but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses,
5 in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger,
6 in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love,
7 in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left,
8 by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; regarded as deceivers and yet true;
9 as unknown yet well-known, as dying yet behold, we live; as punished yet not put to death,
10 as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things.
11 Our mouth has spoken freely to you, O Corinthians, our heart is opened wide.
12 You are not restrained by us, but you are restrained in your own affections.
13 Now in a like exchange—I speak as to children—open wide to us also.
14 Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?
15 Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?
16 Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, “I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.
17 “Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE,” says the Lord. “AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; And I will welcome you.
18 “And I will be a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me,” Says the Lord Almighty.
Labels: Armor of God, Courageous, Salvation, Way of Thinking
Friday, February 16, 2007
Courage the Cowardly Dog
Have you ever watched this cartoon with your kids? It`s a loopy little Cartoon Network show about this pink dog that is always protecting his owners from all sorts of weird occurrences in a zany little town called “Nowhere”.
Do you feel like you live in “Nowhere”? Or that all kinds of bad things always happen to you?
Sometimes it feels that way. It feels like you never get a break or that `if it weren`t for bad luck you`d have no luck at all`! "Do not fear or be dismayed! Be strong and courageous, for thus the LORD will do to all your enemies with whom you fight." Joshua 10:25
We may not have a little pink dog to watch over us, but we sure do have something better! All you have to do is ask, and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ is always there! Always! Be strong and let your heart take courage, All you who hope in the LORD. Psalm 31:24
Some days it takes a little more than others to be strong and courageous. We just have to have faith and `wait for the Lord`. Wait for the LORD; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD. Psalm 27:14
Unfortunately, as single moms, our `some days` seem to be more frequent. There is less help with the kids, less encouragement, `less` of a lot of things! But fear not my Sisters! It`s just a ploy, an attack, by the enemy to discourage us and bring us down. He thinks we`re more vulnerable and susceptible to his attacks! But we`ll show him, won`t we? We have the love and grace of our Heavenly Father and that is MORE than enough!
Labels: Courageous, Strength
Friday, February 9, 2007
Down & Discouraged
What a trying day Thursday was for me! Technical errors, missed meetings, differing viewpoints, unmet obligations, broken agreements . . . The list goes on & on. By the end of the day, I felt like, emotionally, I could not take one more `thing`! It is exhausting! It seems like it is much harder to recover from mental exhaustion than physical exhaustion.
Do you realize, though, when we list all off our gripes and complaints, when we acknowledge all the `junk` in our lives, we are actually giving credit to the enemy? Yeah! Giving him credit for being a huge nuisance!
He has control over the Earth. He makes all the `junk` that filters in to your otherwise copasetic existence! For all of them were trying to frighten us, thinking, "They will become discouraged with the work and it will not be done." But now, O God, strengthen my hands. Nehemiah 6:9 The enemy wants nothing more than to keep you beaten down, broken and vulnerable to his influence.
So, in an effort to overcome my particularly trying day, I want to examine discouragement and leave it behind me! *smile* Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God. Psalm 43:5
Personally, I don`t like feeling discouraged or defeated. Gosh, I`ve battled with depression almost one third of my life! Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. II Corinthians 4:16 Day by day, regardless of the circumstances in this world around us, we are being rewarded. We are growing closer and closer to Eternal Life!
Our Lord and Savior offers us hope and promise. All we have to do is allow Him into our hearts and love Him. Share our lives with Him and seek to live a life that glorifies Him! "Listen to Me, you who know righteousness, A people in whose heart is My law; Do not fear the reproach of man, Nor be dismayed at their revilings. For the moth will eat them like a garment, And the grub will eat them like wool. But My righteousness will be forever, And My salvation to all generations.” Isaiah 51:7-8 God is so good! His righteousness, His salvation ~ they are good. The little piddly `junk` that interferes with our lives is only temporary! It`s just a hurdle.
Did you ever run track? Or have to jump hurdles in gym class? Well, I ran track. I hated the hurdles! They were really hard for me to jump! I would tell myself I was going to jump them and when I`d get close, I`d get scared. I`d totally get psyched out! What if I tripped? What if I fell? Emotional and mental hurdles in adult life are much like those in track and gym! And boy, they are scary!
"Then you will prosper, if you are careful to observe the statutes and the ordinances which the LORD commanded Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and courageous, do not fear nor be dismayed. . . I Chronicles 22:13
Do not fear or be dismayed! Be strong and courageous! You WILL prosper!
Labels: Courageous, Discouraged, Strong
