Unfolding is so vastly different from the force that is used to rip or tear into something. Unfolding takes time, there is a gentle rhythm, motion and care to unfolding that force could never achieve.
Flower buds unfold, warmth and light, among other things, working to achieve this. And in between each small and gentle motion of unfolding, there is growth. A tightly sealed little rosebud is so much smaller than the full and substantial and mature rose. The more unfolding of God's Word the more Light, the more Light, the more unfolding of God's Word. This in Itself is what gives understanding to the simple... of course we know from our study in John that Jesus Himself is not only God's Word... He is also The Light.
And by the way, as far as being simple goes, take heart, in this particular rendering it means to be humble.
Just something, among many things, that God spoke quietly to me about this week. Just a thought, I thought I would share...
10 comments:
Hi Cathie...thanks for sharing your thoughts. It is always so rewarding when you do.
Although Ps 119 has been at times wordy and repetative, I have found that it is the one liners that penetrate me the most. Sometimes they stick in my mind and other times it is a ...oh wow, I get that. But whatever the effect it has on me I know that I have changed from it. By changing I mean I am understanding more about God. Understanding and knowning are a lot different. I know a lot of different things but I certainly do not understand them. Of course, completely understanding God is an impossibility (at least here in our earth form) But how exciting it will be when we can meet Him face to face and actually ask Him the whats or whys.
In this weeks last stanza..v138 & 142 that describes God's righteousness and character, how powerful is that. For me it is quiet simple. He means what He says and says what He means. I do seem to be rambling, so on that note....
Edna, if this is your way of 'rambling' then you might as well just 'ramble' away because I am definitely being blessed.
Edna your gaining more understanding of God through the study of His Word and by His Holy Spirit, and your understanding that 'He means what He says and says what He means' is powerful. It is this understanding of God and yielding to Him and His ways, that holds us during those hard times and gives us even greater joy at all times.
Your commitment to continue in your study of Psalm 119, (although at times repetitive and wordy!), is preparing your for your next study.
Too often 'sweet devotionals' are the choice of the day and the deeper things, the deeper meaning that God has for us to discover and live by is lost in a quagmire of 'what i think' and 'what I feel'.
I have so much to say on this subject, but that is another time, another post! But it is something that has been placed before me this week and has me more committed than ever to continue on encouraging women to know God through the STUDY of His Word.
Edna, you and the other girls have been such a joy to me this week as I have prayed for you and thought about how each one of you were brought, by God Himself, to the group. My joy comes in the growth that I have seen in you, the JOY that is evident as God unfolds His Word and gives you understanding - and in the fruit that has been produced through your commitment to God and His Word.
There are a myriad of reasons why we CAN'T study, we ALL face them. But I am praising God today for those that DO!
Love you!
Cathie :o)
Hi Cathie
First off I just wanted to thank you for teaching me what has been absolutely invaluable to me. Remember when you asked us last week if faced between choosing Jesus or our loved ones who we would choose? Well I have thought and thought about this and after your explanation I can now say without a doubt that I would choose Jesus because as you said, He is the one who will look after all of us - not me! Just knowing this has cleared up so much for me and given me peace within myself. I think this will be the one thing that will stick out for me in this whole study so THANK YOU1
Also we had a great study today and Joan was able to help us so much. At times I think I am drowning but then there are times that eveything makes sense. We discussed that God teaches you only what you are ready for and I came to the conclusion that I am only ready for a little bit at a time but am so thankful for all that I have learned. I truly have been blessed over and over. Thank you GOD!
Hi Cathie,
Last night Lorne and I read James and we I looked into myself I realized how far I have to go. It also brought to mind "double mindedness" from this week's study. It seems to me that if I can't do all that James has asked us to do then I must be double minded and that has really bothered me as I know how God feels about this. Although I realize my tongue is very wicked, I have found it very difficult to curb it and ask God daily to help me with this but so far I still have a long way to go.I do ask God for forgiveness for this but it seems to me that I should be able to do better than I am doing- I worry that I am not as strong in my faith as I want to be because I keep sinning. I was just wondering if anyone else feels this way at times? In a way I can relate to the Israelites when they would turn against God even when they had seen all the wonderful things he had done for them. It isn't as easy as one would think to have complete faith and walk righteously in God's Ways.
*** Note! This is a TWO PART RESPONSE because Chatty Cathie has once again exceeded the HTML character limit!
Hi Debbie! It brings me so much joy to know that God has ministered to you, and given you peace through knowing that ALL things are in His hands and that we can rest in Him and trust Him with ALL things... including our very precious loved ones. What you learned last Thursday is all about learning to love Him with ALL our heart, mind, strength and soul!
OK sweetheart, so let's look at your queries regarding all that you were confronted with in the book of James!
First, your forward glance of realization that you have so far to go! That is a good perspective and a true one! You and me both! Just remember though to balance it out with the backward glance perspective of... look how far I've COME... IN JESUS!
James had a long way to go too. Being the half brother of Jesus, he would have lived with Jesus for years in the same home growing up and was counted among Jesus' brothers who were not even 'believing in Him' (John 7:5) during His ministry on earth; even trying to convince his brother Jesus that in order to become 'well known' publicly He should go to the Feast of Booths and perform His works there! Talk about a tongue that needed a little taming!
James was not counted among the disciples of Jesus, however, we do see in 1 Corinthians 15:7 that after Jesus rose from the dead James BELIEVED and as we see in James 1:1, that he became a 'bond-servant of God AND of the Lord Jesus Christ.' By the time of this book being written, James had surely 'come a long way'... but he certainly had not 'arrived', and neither have we. Just like James, we still will have to walk our faith out, day by day, until the Lord takes us home.
James understood the humanity of it all when he wrote in 3:2 "For we ALL STUMBLE in MANY WAYS. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man able to bridle the whole body as well."
As you read on you see that he goes so far as to say "NO ONE can tame the tongue"! (3:8) And by marking the word 'wisdom' in v. 15-17 we see the tie back to 1:5... "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, Who gives to ALL GENEROUSLY and WITHOUT REPROACH, and it WILL BE GIVEN TO HIM." If your tongue seems to be getting the better of you, know that the POWER to TAME it is found in Jesus!
Sweetheart, if you cannot do all that you see written in the book of James, just continue what you have been doing... ASKING GOD to give you what you need at the time you need it. This in itself is v.2-4 being lived out.
The taming of your tongue through your reliance upon Jesus, His Word and self-discipline in all part of the testing of your faith, which produces endurance; and that endurance, that continual day by day reliance upon God, results in a perfect result... that you may be perfect, complete and lacking in nothing. And by the way, that word 'perfect' means MATURE!
Debbie, you would not want to place the mature responsibilities of adulthood on your little grandchildren, there is a maturing that has to happen in them, years yet of growth and understanding.
Progressive sanctification is what you are experiencing right now... you now have the 'mind of Christ' and the new heart that was given to you on the day of your new birth in Christ. Now, progressively, the conviction of those old ways and habits are being brought to Light...
Always keep before you this verse... "If we confess our sins, He is FAITHFUL and RIGHTEOUS to FORGIVE us our sins and to CLEANSE us from ALL unrighteousness.
To be continued below...
You said that it "isn't as easy as one would think to have complete faith and walk righteously in God's Ways." It ISN'T easy, but it is POSSIBLE. There is a cost, and that is dying to ourselves and living for Christ, knowing that He will give us everything that we need, as we need it.
"Grace and peace by multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His DIVINE POWER has granted to us EVERYTHING pertaining to life and godliness, THROUGH the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 2 Peter 1:2-3
Debbie, you are exactly where the Lord would have you at this time, in Him and in His Word! Keep your eyes on Jesus.... the Author and Perfecter of your faith. Go ahead and read ALL of Hebrews 11 and rejoice in the fact that it is Jesus, that works in you HIS good pleasure!
Debbie, I love you like crazy and appreciate so much your openness and willingness to learn and grow in Christ. Your love for Him and His Word and your desire to walk this thing out well is a tremendous blessing and encouragement to me sweetheart!
your sister,
Cathie
I am so dopey tonight (I am convinced it is because I have eaten WAY too much TURKEY this past week!) that I almost just deleted everything above to just write "Yep, been there, done that". But I will just leave it and pray God does something with it.
Evidently, there are more than just one reason that would necessitate the taming of the tongue!
Hi Debbie,
Your humility and honesty are precious in God's eyes and when I read about your struggle and that you wondered if anyone else felt that way I had to respond to you. I can tell you that you are not alone. For me personally, I can totally relate to what you have said and sometimes, just like you, feel discouraged with my walk. We are a work...in progress...not work completed. Paul likened it to a race and that he was "striving" for the finish line and that gives me comfort. Isaiah 64:8 says "But now, O Lord, You are our Father, We are the clay, and you our potter, And all of us are the work of Your hand. I love that! The best part is that we as "sisters in Christ" are all in this together to love, encourage and strengthen each other. Debbie, this sister loves you!
Thank you Cathie, for your words to Debbie. I took them to heart for myself as well. I love where you said, to balance it out, with a backward glance, and see how far we have Come...In Jesus. Just a glance, no more, because Satan loves to keep us there...and we won't let him. I have found myself thinking of so many verses that give strength and encouragement that I know I could go on and on...but I better stop and just say, one more time... Thank you Cathie!
Hi Debbie....we are all with you here...sisters..and what a blessing in my life all of you are.Each of us have been where you are and at times are still there...wondering if we are going to "get it right" or when are we going to "get it right". We aren't, not totally but with each passing day in our journey I can feel Him moulding me. He will continue to shape us. Even with all the "cracks" I have He is not finished with me yet and I am so grateful. Angie quoted from Isaiah...We are the clay, and You the Potter..
We need His hand to guide and that means our mouths as well. I need to pray at times that He keeps His hand on my shoulder and over my mouth so that what comes out of my mouth will only glorify Him.
continued below.......
It seems so simple, that we should be able to get it right and not just some of the time but all of the time. We have all the tools we need at our finger tips....The Bible filled from the beginning to the end with His words. "God breathed" 2 Tim 3:16, His roadmap for our lives, how clear is that. But He knows us...Matthew 26:41..the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak..
So, Debbie, you are not alone in your journey...
Love Edna
For anyone that may be quietly reading through this conversation between dear sisters in Christ, may you be blessed in the attitudes of the hearts represented here. Hearts that belong to God and hearts that desire God's ways and purposes to find fruition in their lives.
Know also that you are in our prayers. Whether you have entered into the joy of the Lord through salvation or whether you are just quietly listening that you might learn more of this Jesus... you are welcome.
And remember, you can always enter into the discussion anonymously. Simply choose your identity by clicking on Anonymous in the 'Leave Your Comment' box.
Just thought that I needed to let you know that there is always a place for you here and that you are thought of often.
With love,
Cathie
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